Trip to Azerbaijan
July 21, 2023Greetings to you, dear Brothers and Sisters,
Praise the Lord that we all continue to conduct this ministry together and to deliver joy to orphans and widows. In June of 2023, we traveled to Azerbaijan where 26 widows gathered at the Conference for Widows and Orphans from all over the country. Some of them arrived at the conference with their children. Joined by the National Baptist Union Chairman, Ilya Zenchenko, we conducted seminars, helped them financially and paid all their travel and lodging expenses. Widows shared their stories of how they followed this path that was “unknown to them not yesterday and not the day before”.
Sister Sabina, a widow from Baku, lost her husband a year and a half ago to a heart condition and complications after Covid-19. She found herself alone with five children, the two youngest being 9 and 11 at the time. Sabina was very grateful for the first conference for widows and orphans in her country and for the material support. She can now purchase clothes, shoes.a and everything necessary for her children. Sabian is a choir director in the local church that praises God for His loving care.
From the city of Lenkoran on the very border to Iran (200 miles from Baku), sister Saida arrived at the conference. Saida’s husband passed away 4 years ago after a long illness, leaving her with two children, 8 and 9 years old. For Saida, it was the first conference and it delighted and inspired her very much. She was also grateful for the spiritual encouragement and material support. She will now be able to buy her kids everything they need. She was praying for the protection and care over their long trip home on the bus.
Widow-sister Kemala from the city of Yasmal also attended this conference for the first time: “It was something very new for me – joyful and inspiring. I am very thankful to Pastor Alexey for the seminars he delivered – “God’s Promises to Widows”, “God’s Promises to Orphans” and “How the Lord Protects Orphans and Widows” We felt, once again, that we are not alone and that whatever happens in our life is deigned by God for our own good”. Kemala wanted to say thank you to the people in America who collected material means for her and who supported the widows and orphans, both spiritually and materially. Her husband passed away 4 years ago due to an illness and Kemala was left with three children. She now can bring joy to them by buying the things then needed.
Sister Parvana became a widow with five children (11, 12, 13, 14 and 17) six years ago. At the conference, she was praising God for everybody who made it possible and helped her financially: “I am always trying to be close to God. Much of what we heard at the seminars touched my heart and I was especially surprised and pleased by the material support. God be my witness, I did not have money to buy my children bread this morning, and just as I arrived to the conference I received the assistance from the people who took part in my need. This means a lot to me. May the Lord bless you as much as you blessed me”.
Dear brothers and sisters, we are grateful to God for the opportunity to make this trip and to hold this conference in one more country – Azerbaijan. We are wholeheartedly thankful to you for your part in prayer and giving of this blessed ministry to widows and orphans and for responding to many of their prayers to God for help!
You can see and hear these testimonies on Youtube: Widows Uzbekistan March 2023.
