Baskets of Hope Trip Report By John Turner 

The 2011 Baskets of Hope Distribution trip sponsored by SOAR International Ministries was held April 25nd to May 3rd this year.  Director Richard Page and I traveled to Moscow for the distribution of 500 donated gifts and Children’s Bibles to children in Western Russia. As usual the distribution was coordinated by our Russian partner Vladimir Somaliov, director of Russia Inland.  This year gifts were and will be distributed in Vladimir, Kaluga, Konchugina, and Vladikavkaz.

We arrived on Tuesday and attended a conference of Evangelical leaders from all over Russia and the former Soviet Union.  Vladimir was a major organizer for the conference.  Approximately 800 pastors and ministry leaders met at a large conference center in Moscow.  Dick and I enjoyed the many presentations and had some good meetings with other ministries working in Russia.  We were also encouraged to hear of the progress and desire of the different evangelical denominations to share ministry resources and work together to further the Kingdom.  

Friday we traveled to the Vladimir region and visited a home for teens that were transitioning from the orphanage to life on their own. They called it a pilot project that might be a model for the rest of the country. Some of the teens lived at the home others lived with foster families in the area.  There were being mentored while they continued their education or started working. Though it was a government program and not a Christian ministry, it appeared to have a positive effect and a shift in understanding of the need for family involvement.  

The next day we traveled to the Kaluga region and partnered with a church to distribute gift baskets and Bibles to one of the orphanages the church ministers to. This is a church we have partnered with before that is growing and reaching out in many ways to their community. Dick wowed the kids once again with his Gospel magic presentation.  Vladimir’s 16 year old daughter did a great job as his translator.

On Sunday we worshipped with the Tushnaya church in Moscow where Russia Inland is based.  It was wonderful to see old friends and meet new ones in what feels like our home church in Russia.

We were unable to travel to Vladikavkaz and distribute gifts there again this year due to damaged roads from winter storms. The gifts will be distributed by the local churches at a later date.

Our last distribution was to a church in Konchugina.  They of course fed us a wonderful lunch before and then the children put on a concert for us. A missionary had helped to put together a brass band from the children in the church and they played for us some classic hymns and folk favorites.  They were amazing! Dick then presented the Gospel with his own amazing magic presentation.  The pastor then took us to a drug rehabilitation farm where men and women studied scripture and worked on the farm.  It was a wonderful ministry to hear about and we were grateful to be an encouragement to them.