Kent and Todd,
The trip was a big blessing for all five of us - me, Roma, Vasya, Dima and Zhenya.The conference was called "3 Days" and took place one hour trip by the train from Moscow in a retreat center. It's a beautiful place with all the facilities. We came on Tuesday at about 9 a.m. and the program started at 5 p.m. it meant that we had lots of free time. First thing we decided to do was to eat breakfast! And I have to say that the retreat center is rented by Korean mission for campus where they teach students so there were already about 50 people at the breakfast. When our boys got into the room with so many unfamiliar people they lost their enthusiasm. They started to complain and grumble. After the breakfast we went to play basketball and after that we took a shower and rested. At the very beginning the boys were uncomfortable because they got into unfamiliar environment and we tried to always encourage them and keep them busy.
At 5 p.m. the program started and we all went to the main house with all of our bags. There was a worship team playing and singing on the porch. They encouraged everyone to clap their hands and all that. Before playing the second song worship leader said that he had a surprise for the unmovable person who wouldn’t clap or move. When somebody is talking about the presents we know that our boys are the ones to get them. Vasya was standing in front and did nothing. He got the prize and I don’t know how but after that Vasya became the center of everybody's attention!!
God showed him special attention and love. During those three days everyone new our Vasya!
We were split into different teams and thanks God I was with the boys in one team. They took our watches and cell phones so we had nothing to be distracted with.
First night we had worship and prayer. After they told us about what we are going to do these next 3 days. They said that we were in God's hands and that their team is going to serve us. Also the speaker told us that were going to give a vow of silence till next morning so that we could think about God's purpose in our life. I personally wasn’t happy with my phone taken and the vow of silence but when we went to bed at about 11 p.m. I realized that it was so good that we were not supposed to talk because I could guess that my boys wanted to say a lot!!! I was tired
and happy that I go to bed with silence and peace.
They woke us up early in the morning I can tell that. Zhenya wasn't happy with that but he got up)) we started day with prayer. Then we had some team building activities. We had to make up the name for our team, symbol and motto. Dima wrote a short poem and while introducing our team he flew it and another guy from our team was playing beat on the drums. It was great! I was happy for Dima that God gave him confidence to perform before about 100 people!
The second half of the day we listened to some basic teaching about Ideals, Piety, Church, Christian community... During every day the staff was paying special attention to every one of us. They made surprises and presents for us. They told us that they loved us. The whole program was about God's love toward us and that we can give that love to our neighbor. There was time when we all hugged each other and said I love you with the love of Jesus. I was so happy myself but I was happier for the boys who I believe were hugged by about 100 people and 100 times
they were said that they were loved!
That night the boys were happy. Dima was merely flying!
Next day they came to wake us up with songs and guitars! Old Zhenya showed himself and he said couple bad words. But then he said to me that he apologized before the staff for his words. On that day we were listening to some teaching and then we had time when we wrote our sins
on the paper and then we nailed them to the cross. I was touched deeply while we were nailing our sins to the cross. When I was sitting in the chair waiting for my turn to come up to the stage and nail them to the cross I was amazed by God's great love! I saw a line of people waiting, some of them were hammering the nails and some were praying and God is forgiving all of them. And I couldn’t understand why! So many people including me fail Him but He forgives and loves anyway. I felt at that moment God's eternal love. The boys wrote long lists of their sins and they nailed them to the cross too. They prayed there on their knees to God and only God knows what they prayed about but I believe that they felt God's love as well.
After that there was the time when the staff were washing our feet. Nobody's done that to me before and I was speechless. Zhenya didn’t want to let others serve him but it was more like a protection. Insight he liked all that. They washed his feet too. That day was a special day.
The staff was very attentive to us. Vasya was a fair-headed boy, Dima was happy, he praised God, he danced and prayed! Zhenya was a little uncomfortable but he joined us and praised God with us.
That day finished with praise and dances! It was great! We just danced and danced with joy in the Lord! All excited we went to bed at about 1 a.m. The last day I will mark one particular thing which touched me. While we were sitting at the tables with our teams the speaker asked worship team
to sing a special song. The song was about the uniqueness of every one of us and that we are loved by our Heavenly Father. We put our arms on the shoulders of our team members and we sang that song to every member of our team looking into his eyes. It was a special time for all of us.
When were singing this song to Vasya I saw how Holy Spirit touched him. There appeared a tear in his eye and all his countenance changed. We were like a family at that moment. Thanks God for that time!! It was the time of refreshment and restoration.
When we were leaving the boys were exchanging their contacts with their new friends (mostly girls) :) and they didn’t want to leave. Dima even said that he would probably go to this theological academy next year. Praise the Lord. We all were blessed through this conference! I'm thankful to God for those three days of fellowship and new environment and for opportunity to dance for Him and to be a child before Him!
We left the retreat center and went to a Red Squire! Zhenya was very excited about getting to see it. It was already dark when we came there but it was still very beautiful because of all the lights shining everywhere. The boys were happy and they kept begging Roma to take many, many pictures of them individually. Then we took out train and went to home.
I'm sure that the boys benefited from the conference! I beg that they haven’t experienced so much care and love for their entire life! For these three days God told them so many times that He really loves them and cares that I hope they will never forget it!
On Sunday I heard that Dima was giving a testimony about God's work in his life at pastor Osipov church. Praise the Lord! Thank you Kent, thank you Todd for making it happen! We appreciate you very much!
Sasha Elichev 
