When the Lord began to deal with my heart about the people of the far north of Russia I did not know about the doors that were about to open to this forsaken part of the world and the forgotten people who live there. Located above the 60 degree Latitude are 12 million people living in the coldest regions of the world.

On Sept 25, my interpreter, Vadim Matyuhka, and I arrived in Magadan, Russia. The only way to reach this region is by boat or plane. The trip can be made in the winter by land when everything is frozen. We had acquired names and phone numbers of several brothers from Br. Dave Hamilton who had gone to the region in August on a fact-finding trip. We were greeted at the airport by two men who began to ask questions. They wanted to know whom we were, and what we believed. My heart was touched when they told us that I was the first American from a Pentecostal church that had ever visited them. Now I was beginning to understand…..God had opened the door for us. These brothers began to tell of the great need for Bibles, literature, and evangelism to reach the thousands of this vast region. The needs are so great I remember lying in bed at night weeping and waking early in the morning weeping.

I met some of the people known as "North People". There are 40 different "nations" (as they are called by the people) or tribes that live in the far north. One young lady that I met was from the Karyaki tribe. She had come to Magadan to study, and the Lord had saved her. She told that her tribe was almost extent because of alcohol. She also told that the gospel had been brought to her village, but she know of 8 tribes that have never had the gospel preached to their people.

To the northwest, in another region that goes up from the Kolyma region and the Kolyma River, there is village after village with thousands where the gospel has never been taken. We met a pastor from the town of Ust’Nera 1000 kilometers from Magadan that has 10,000 people. This pastor has a small group of people. No American has ever been there with the gospel. Just a short distance from this town is the "Pole of Cold", the coldest spot in Siberia.

The needs are great; the opportunity is ours to fulfill the commandment of Jesus to the uttermost parts of the earth. The need for Bibles and literature is very urgent. Some of the needs we are praying about:

• a sponsor for the church and pastor in Yagodnoe

• a container with Bibles and literature shipped to Magadan

• a helicopter rented to fly into the remote areas with literature and Bibles

• a church in the town of Ust’Nera where 10,000 live

• Bibles and literature taken to the tribes of the North Land