Russia with Love - Ann Arbor

Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2008 23:15:36 +0400


Dear RWL friends.

We have a very busy time these days.

The Ministry of Immigration has accepted me and I am now preparing all
the documents, health certificates, that I have not been imprisoned
etc.,etc. Everything should be ready before my departure June 22nd. I'm
very grateful for the financial support to go through this jungle.

F.Pavel's papers for vacation in Greece must be prepared at the same
time. And at the same time are we doing repair of the flat.

St. Paul Society in Denmark has changed the name into "Help to Russia"
(HtR). The name is still St. Paul Society in English.  The new name
should help us to get more members from a greater group.

Its financial situation is very critical at the moment. We hope it
will soon change.

I will be on pension from December from the Danish State but I will
continue my work as usual.

Irina Mizitova's son, Kirill, need medication for 200 USD every month.
This support is from your donation. Also part of the dental care for
Irina herself is from your donation.

The coordinator from one of the Street People projects called me today
and asked help. A boy 16 years old died. His mother and grandmother
have rejected him and he is now in the morgue. So the question was how
to get him into a cemetery. The boy is baptized. He will be cremated
and brought to f.Pavels father f. Sergei 375 km north of Moscow. I do
not yet know about the cost but some of the expenses would be covered
of your donations.  Also a man is in prison far from Moscow and needs
food. It will also be from your donation.

During the summer time are our teachers at Sviblovo not paid. That
means three months without income and I will support them with your
donation.

Appolinarya (who had the operation) is in fine progress.

So is Ilia who gets fine marks at his exams. Soon should the fee for
the next academic year be paid.  Because of the low rate of the USD
is the fee this year 2.900 USD. We do hope for support for the fee.

Therefore are your donations very important for keeping the support
for the people. We know it is a big and hard work you are doing. I do
not know what to do without your help. Thank you very much.

A group from Ann Arbor will be very welcome in the middle of
October. We just need to know the dates and numbers of participants
now for booking the hotel and prepare.

We keep you in our prayers and wish your meeting to be under the
guidance of God.

Best regards F.Pavel &
Connie

Subject: Religion in Russia--The NYT's View.

                                          4 West Eden Court
                                          Ann Arbor, Michigan  48108
                                          Work Phone 734/995-4217 
                                          Home Phone 734/477-9942 
                                          April 25, 2008

letters@nytimes.com
The New York Times
229 West 43rd St.
New York, New York  10036-3959

To the Editor:

As one who has been involved in and supportive of the Christian
revival in Russia, I find myself very troubled by your description
(art., Apr. 24) of the religious situation there.  Based on my own
experience in that country, I am quite disturbed by the rather
unbalanced picture you present of the Russian Orthodox Church and its
attitudes towards other groups which is a much more varied situation
than you describe in the article.

There are some very good people at the level of the Patriarchate and
at the parish level in the Russian Orthodox Church whom we ought to be
supporting rather than spending large resources, as American
Methodists have done, on proselytizing.

Since 1998, our Russia With Love project has been involved, along with
the Danish St. Paul Society, in supporting a joint Russian
Orthodox/Danish Lutheran outreach to the poor in Moscow.  It has been
a rewarding and exciting experience to work with and see an old and
venerable branch of the Christian Church revive itself and its charity
work with meager resources after 70 years of unspeakable oppression.

American Protestants concerned with promoting a Christian revival in
Russia would find it much more rewarding and effective to follow our
example rather than that of the Methodists and other foreign groups
involved in proselytizing.


                                          Sincerely yours,

                                          John Howard Wilhelm, Chair,
                                          Russia With Love Steering
                                          Committee, Ann Arbor 
                                          
                                          E-mail address: jhw@ams.org