It Starts Again!

Beloved Friends and Family,

Three planes rides and thirty plus hours later I found myself in the country I love. My tired eyes met smiling faces and open arms; it feels so good to be back among these dear people. This place has truly become a second home that always seems to beacon me back.

The last two days have been filled countless hours of catching up with dear friends and preparing for our first trip to the city of Tver. We are so excited to help our dear friend Max (originally from Tambov) with the new church in Tver!  For the past three summers we have seen first hand Max's love for reaching the Russian youth; we are so excited to be apart of this church’s birth! Please pray for the upcoming concert outreach, that the Lord would use us according to His will and bring the lost to Him.

Today, when I boarded a train to Moscow for sightseeing with the team, a bright eyed Russian lady stopped me and asked if I was from America. I engaged her in conversation and quickly learned she was a Christian who ran Christian summer camps for youths. She was accompanied by a teenage girl as well. As we conversed I learned that this beautiful young girl had been adopted from Russia by a Christian family from Florida, this was the first time she had returned to her home counrty. It was so encouraging to hear her story of becoming a Christian and her life with her new family. It was such a blessing and made me think of all the orphans we work with. I wish their story would all end in the same manner of Julia’s. This encounter was such a blessing!

After arriving in Tver tomorrow, my family and I are excited that we get to visit the four orphan siblings we have become so close with over the past years. Like my dad wrote in his last update letter, these precious kids have been moved to a different orphanage we have never visited. Despite some struggles, the orphanage director has allowed us to come and visit them for a short amount of time tomorrow. Please keep this encounter in your prayers!

Well it is time for sleep, tomorrow is a full day and will come early!

Love,
Shannon (Taylor) Whitten