Russia Report: April 2007

Thank you for praying for me while in Russia. I was accompanied by Mr Shingo Kobayahsi and his daughter Ruth. God really blessed our time there.

I ministered in 2 cities, Vladivostok (which is right on the Japan Sea) and Ussurisk, about 100 km (60 miles) inland. Both are gateway cities to China, North Korea and Japan. Ussurisk was the first city, pastored by a young man of just 30. His story is interesting: Saved at age 14 by listening to overseas short-wave gospel broadcasts, he started his church at age 17. It now numbers 500 and in addition has planted another 10 churches or so.

This pastor is very forward-looking and clearly understands that apostles and prophets are necessary for the marketplace. I taught them basic prophetic activation, and we will try to help them set up more regular apostolic/prophetic (AP) training.

The next city was Vladivostok, and my 3rd time at the same church and network (some 50-60 churches). The prophetic is taking deep root in this group. The final night, I was able to activate them in healing. I had a word of knowledge that God wanted to heal lumps. Many came forward for prayer, and I had the young people minister the healing. While they were doing that, a guard in the foyer got healed of lumps just by hearing the word of knowledge. No one prayed for him, the lumps just disappeared. That testimony electrified the people, and not only lumps, but also many other kinds of physical ailments were reported healed.

Belarus Invitation – I had been invited to go to this nation last year, but automatically turned it down because it was so far away. (Right next to Europe). However, a pastor from there flew all the way to Vladivostok to meet me. That night I had a dream that clearly told me to go. In the morning I reread a prophecy from Bill Hamon to me from Oct 2005, stating that a former Soviet nation would invite me, and then the AP teaching would spread across Russia. He said this would happen in 18 months to 2 years. This April is 18 months from that prophecy. I will go in Nov. 2007, (2 years from the date of the prophecy)

Russia Synopsis – God has really changed my feelings towards Russia. While Far East Russia is part of the Pacific Rim, and therefore part of our sphere, it is not a nation I would choose to minister in. This was my 3 rd trip, but I have gone because I felt “constrained” to go. After the Lord spoke to me about Belarus (see above), I checked other prophecies and saw that the Lord had spoken a lot about it. In fact, one prophecy said that God would open up a nation I had never thought about, and it named the time frame. So without our knowing it, God has had Russia on our agenda for some time.

I feel Russia and all the former Soviet nations are in transition. Ever since it opened up, many western ministers and missionaries have poured much in, and the church is growing and established. Now it is time to transition ahead. Most of the teaching and models has been “faith teaching.” Now, many, particularly the younger leaders, are seeing they must shift ahead and that AP activation is the key.

Hudson Taylor Prophecy – Hudson Taylor, a UK missionary to China in the late 1800’s, had a vision of Russia around 1901. (Hudson Taylor was a highly respected leader who founded a large faith mission [present-day OMF], and had profound impact on China.) In his vision of Russia, he saw one, then two world wars, then revival fire all over Russia spreading to the rest of the world. I have often wondered why the Slavic nations peoples have suffered so much. They suffered during Czarist times, suffered under the Soviets, and they suffer now. When I heard that vision, something leapt inside of me. Russia, Ukraine (my roots) and the Slavic nations will have a great role to play in end-time harvest

Future Plans

Thank you for praying for us.

Ron and Teddy Sawka

PS If you want to help us with Russia, or any other nation, please become an Apostolic Fund Supporter. Each year I am believing God for 300 people to give US$1000 for that year. This fund greatly helps us in the nations. Your support is a great blessing to us, and I believe it is a seed that will reap much harvest for the sower as well.