“I’m going out
And it doesn’t matter whether it’s up or down.
Or who’s holding your hand, an angel or otherwise …
The cold has worn me out.”

“People have a lack of hope.
All their efforts are in vain.
They have a feeling of eternal emptiness.”

Thes are words from 21 year-old Russian musician Nikolai Zavada and originally posted on www.mysuicide.ru (now shut down).

I came across Zavada in a stark front-page series in the LA Times on Russia: A Dying Population: The nation is succumbing to a low birthrate, disease and despair. These articles document a country that continues its slide into mass misery and hopelessness. It states:

“Russia is rapidly losing population. Its people are succumbing to one of the world’s fastest-growing AIDS epidemics, resurgent tuberculosis, rampant cardiovascular disease, alcohol and drug abuse, smoking, suicide and the lethal effects of unchecked industrial pollution.”

I believe Russia is one of the most difficult mission environments on the planet. In a conflicted culture where East and West converge but which never experienced the Renaissance nor the Reformation, oppression and suffering are pillars of the national psyche. It is an overwhelmingly sad place. And it is an exceptionally difficult place for the good news of Jesus to take root and thrive.

In the early 90s, mission to Russia was the latest fad as countless short-termers and religious cowboys from the West poured in to take advantage of the fall of communism. Russians were subjected to a shameful blitz and glitz from the western Church that all too often exhibited horrible cultural insensitivity and triumphalistic exploitation. What was a marvelous opportunity to incarnationally become in word and deed the presence of Christ was pretty much blown.

What was needed then—and is still needed now—are those deeply committed individuals willing to learn the language, enculturate, and go deep for the long-haul. There are no short-cuts to effective ministry in Russia. As Russians in their private, unguarded moments will tell us: “If you really want to come here and make a difference, learn our language, come along side us, love us, and serve.”

CRM has some very effective people sprinkled across the former Soviet Union. But the opportunities are limitless. Hundreds of cities, towns and villages from St. Petersburg to Vladavostok have little or no authentic Christian presence.

Russia is no longer the sexy, hot-button missions ticket that it was in the 90s. The fad has come and gone. Those with a fixation for quick fixes and gospel blimp type hype have moved on to other unsuspecting places.

What is left is a missional vacuum for those who really want to do the hard work and who can rise to the occasion of an enormous challenge. It is a opportunity to make a difference in an environment of great pain and suffering as the LA Times articles illuminate. It’s a place where the promises of Isaiah 58:10-12 can be fulfilled in stereo!

This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 10th, 2006 at 7:27 am and is filed under Europe. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.