I'm in a quick moving tin shell running underground with many souls on board.
No word is said
No sound is made
Eyes don't wonder off their screens, books or newspapers,
And I can only wonder how one of the biggest cities in the world could become so quiet?
Eyes that look up, hastily shy away with a hint of fear within - what are they looking at? What will they see or say?
I can merely smile with sadness,
My heart filled with compassion for a people who have lost the ability to interact.
What will become of this country?
Where will their distrust lead them?
OR is it only a foreigner that experiences the crushing weight of this lifestyle?
This is a little extract from our daily lives in Moscow, Russia (that I wrote whilst being on the underground metro system). These questions gnawed at my mind as we moved amidst the millions of people who literally live past each other in complete silence. I know it doesn't make much sense right now, and it probably won't until you've experienced it first hand, but I hope that this message will aid in your understanding of the country's current situation:
Never before have I seen or heard of a place where it is too dangerous to speak to your next door neighbour - and by this I refer to even those sharing a wall with you (in fact, especially those who are so close). The current legislation against religious practice outside of a registered body (such as the Church), together with the country's dificult past, has resulted in a lifestyle where neighbour can't even trust neighbour anymore. Anyone can be the government's next informant, and everyone is subject to suspicion.
Let me define it a little more from a Christian perspective: If you were to have any sort of religious gathering, whether it be in your home or in a public space, which could be defined as any form of religious fellowship, praise & worship, Bible study or a House Church meeting for that matter, you would be considered guilty of breaking the law. Any hint or tip from a passer-by will possibly end in a visit from the police. So if you thought of going out in the streets of Moscow for your next street enangelism evening - make sure you understand what you are in for. Nontheless, I hope you agree that it is safe to say that life in Russia for Christians has become exceedingly difficult.
Fortunately, however, we've had the privilege of meeting a couple of truly passionate followers of Christ who are undoubtedly sold out to the commission of spreading His good news and love. And 'love' they really do... Despite the fact that their lives are in constant danger. I cannot put it in better words other than to say that these brothers and sisters in Christ 'breathe His joy' in times of trial.
It reminds me of Psalm 91 where David rightfully describes the need for "Moving into the shelter of the Most High"... And to always be under His protective wings. By His Grace they survive constant attacks and under His covering their ministry continues.
Our time with them proved to be nothing less than challenging - for us as a team - too. For the first time we experienced the enemy's attack on 'unity' within the group. Please understand that we are all, most certainly, very different people from very different backgrounds; but the bond that has been keeping us tied together is far more powerful (and important) than all the differences we have. It is THIS bond that is crucial for the functioning of us as a misionary TEAM - being one body, moving in one direction. And even though God warned and prepared us in the beginning of the year with regards to this, it somehow snuck into our daily reality.
- so I might add another warning, saying that this type of onslaught will not necessarily be broadcasted or written in big red letters for you to see it coming, but rather, it will creep into a team at a slow, growing rate, until the unity dismantles piece by piece. Beware of it. Ask God to keep your eyes open, and trample on the problem's head before it grows.
This time around, however, God chose to use another member of His body to both help get rid of the disease, AND to teach us a bunch of VERY VALUABLE lessons. So the Lord sat us down on a kitchen floor to speak to us about missional principles that definitely changed our team for the rest of this year (and hopefully for the rest of our lives). Questions like, "what does it really mean to take up your cross and die to the self;" and "how do we act AND react in a Christ-like manner when we say that we want to serve people like He did" became some of the major topics. All of a sudden every member of the body understood what it meant to value the other members exactly for who they ARE - and not for what you want them to be. And even more than this, God revealed the importance of moving by means of ONE Spirit. Remember the BOND that was mentioned a little earlier? Well, if the body (and all of its members) are not functioning out of ONE Spirit, it will be moving in different directions, i.e. it will be in disunity - period. God's Spirit is not different to different people; He remains the same. It's what, and who, we want to listen to, where the difference comes into place. And although there is so much more to say about this, I suppose reading 1 Cor 12: 12-27 again and again until the Holy Spirit completely defines it for you, will be the best conclusion for now.
On a more personal level, God came to open my eyes to His Global plan. Not that I know too much about it, but He sure came to open my thoughts to a broader perspective. And it came through the realisation of Hudson Taylor's prophecy regarding Russia's role towards the end times. Never before had I been aware of the significance of his prophecies until I saw the commitment that these Russians embodied towards the possibility of being a part of this period that he spoke of. It really got me thinking about the role that the Russian Church and its members will play in their neighbouring countries - many of whom border the Silk Route (which is another Global reality check for any Christian to go and have a look at) - in the years to come. I've really been challenged by the heartbreaking reality of this Route being predominantly without Jesus. There are SO many people currently dying without Him that it is impossible to shy away from the situation. What God's plan with this is, well, that's for us to wait to find out I guess. And it's a big picture to comprehend... So we'll leave it at that for the time being.
I'll end this message with another extract from what I wrote in Russia, and I hope it means something to you (wherever you are at the moment). It's a response on the extract above about the complete silence of the Russian people. Please also know this: However dire their current situation might be, the Creator's fingerprints are still within every person, and there are still eager workers in the field - so please keep praying for this nation!
Go up to the surface,
Get into another train and take a closer look.
I guess one can differentiate between two types of train people:
Those peering out the windows, far into the distance,
And those who turn around and look inwards - to the human beings around them.
The natural desire for mankind to interact still exists, it's all dependant on whether you'll be brave enough to try or not.
So who will be the first to say "hi"?
And who will be the first to respond?
Who will be the courageous breaker of this Silence?
The one who will the other free...
- You are a part of God's voice on earth. Don't shy away from His people.