|
|
||||
|
God’s Word comes
alive
|
 |
| Singing in sign language at the opening of the new building of the Church for the Deaf in Novosibirsk, Russian Federation, in June 2005. Photo: UBS/Dag Smemo (RUS05DJ-147.JPG) |
RUSSIAN FEDERATION — Some of the walls are still unplastered, but members of the Church for the Deaf in Novosibirsk – the only one of its kind in Russia – sing with great joy at the service to celebrate the opening of their new premises. A small borrowed room was sufficient when the church began, with only 12 members, 10 years ago, but now the congregation has grown to 62 and they are even beginning to send missionaries out to other cities in Siberia.
“We thank God that we have been able to build a new church in only five years,” says the pastor in both spoken and sign language. “But what we are celebrating today is more important than mere bricks,” he continues. “We are building a church with living stones!”
Joyful day
This day is a particularly joyful one for
Alexander Stanovich Maximov and his wife Jeanette, for it was thanks
to them that this very special church came into existence. They are
now retired – he is 78 and she is 67 – but this church is
still central to their lives. They are also active supporters of the
Bible Society in Russia, because they believe very strongly in ensuring
that people can have access to the Scriptures in a format they understand.
Alexander has seen at first hand how the Bible can strengthen and unite Christians in the most extreme circumstances. He became a Christian at the age of 20 and only two years later was sentenced to 10 years in prison because he talked about his faith at work. During his time in prison, he found close fellowship with other Christians.
“We shared one copy of the New Testament,” he recalls. “The physical conditions were hard, but faith and fellowship helped us through the difficult years. We even managed to celebrate the Christian festivals, but we had to be careful that the guards didn’t see us.
“I was disabled by the time I left prison because I had been forced to work deep under the ground in a cobalt mine. Nevertheless, I counted myself lucky because, most of the time, I’d been in a warm place where I could also use my training as a plumber. A friend of mine had been imprisoned in a much colder place where he had to chop firewood, and he ended up with serious frostbite.”
Release from prison
 |
| Alexander Stanovich Maximov, pictured here with his wife Jeanette, formed the Church for the Deaf in Novosibirsk, Russian Federation. Photo: UBS/Dag Smemo (RUS05DJ-238.JPG) |
After his release from prison, Alexander began organising other Christians into small groups. They were not allowed to register as congregations, though. In 1956 he moved to Novosibirsk and joined a church where he met Jeanette.
“We married a year later,” she recalls. “We couldn’t have any children because of his injuries, but the church has become our family and our children.”
Some years later, they were invited to a conference in Estonia where they met an old friend who is pastor to a deaf congregation.
Calling from God
“We both felt a calling from God to do something for the deaf and blind,” Alexander explains. “We were surprised at how many people attended our friend’s church and we realised that there must be many deaf people in Novosibirsk, too.”
“They prayed for Alexander at the conference,” Jeanette continues. “They prayed that God would give him guidance to start working among the deaf in Novosibirsk. That’s how it all began. After that we started visiting deaf associations in Russia. When they allowed it, we showed the Jesus film with subtitles in sign language.”
Hands move
The couple soon realised that they too would need to learn sign language, so Alexander enrolled on a course. At the first session, 16 people turned up. The next time, only four people came and, at the third session, only two. But Alexander was determined to carry on and now his hands move constantly as he talks.
“Everybody should be able to know their place in the plan made by the Lord and in his service,” he says. “We have a mission and we both feel that we have lived under the guidance of the Lord.” (WR 397/10 - 11.05) [4 photos]