Miraklet i Mirkovo

Förra veckan var jag med på en missionsresa till Bulgarien i Life Missions regi. Vi predikade glädjens evangelium i staden Pazardzjik med omnejd. Efter mötena fick vi be med många till frälsning och när vi bad för sjuka blev de flesta som kom fram helade och upprättade.



Vid ett tillfälle hade vi ett möte i Pingstkyrkan i Mirkovo som ligger i den romska delen av samhället. När mötet hade pågått en stund, kördes en svårt leversjuk romsk kvinna dit i bil av sina vänner. Hon satte sig nästan längst fram på den vänstra raden. Kvinnan var mycket sjuk och hade antagligen inte så lång tid kvar att leva. Under predikan svimmade hon av smärtan och lutade sig mot sin väninna som satt jämte henne. När kvinnans andning blev allt svagare och hennes läppar blev blåa, blev väninnan alldeles förskräckt. Jag blev orolig för henne la undan kameran och gick fram för att titta till henne, samtidigt som mig gick pastorn i församlingen fram och vi stadgade gemensamt upp kvinnan. Pastorn lugnade hennes väninna och sa att vi skulle be för hennes vän direkt efter predikan. 



När predikan var över gick vi genast fram till kvinnan, efter en stunds förbön där vi talade in helande och läkedom i Jesu namn rakt in i hennes lever, hostade hon till, bad om lite vatten och tog en djup klunk. När vi sedan frågade henne hur hon mådde sken hon upp och sa - SUPER med ett stort leende! Hon hade blivit fullständigt helad och var full av glädje och tacksamhet till Gud. Efter att hon hämtat sig en stund reste hon sig från bänken och gick sedan obehindrat omkring med ett stort leende på läpparna!





Dagen efter följde hon med den lokala pingstförsamling till den gemensamma Gudstjänsten i sporthallen Vasil Levski i Pazardjik. När mötet var slut ville hon dela sitt vittnesbörd, men innan hon kom till orda blev hon fylld av den helige Ande och föll till marken. Efter en stund reste hon sig upp på vingliga ben. När hon sedan vittnade om helandet och vad Gud gjort i henens liv strålade det om henne och hon berättade för alla i sporthallen om vilket mirakel Gud gjort i henne. Som avslutning lyfte hon händerna mot himlen och sa “Slava na Boga, Slava na Jezusa (Prisa Gud, prisa Jesus)!”





Text och foto: Mikael Good

*Av respekt för kvinnan har jag valt att inte skriva hennes namn eller bostadsort.

Släck hatet med Guds kärlek

Även om 2016 inte varit lika framgångsrikt för mig som 2015 har jag ändå fått en hel del bilder och artiklar publicerade och även haft en del frilansuppdrag som reporter och fotojournalist. Tidigare har jag skördat en del framgångar som dokumentärfotograf, reporter och debattör men i år har jag fått ett mindre genombrott som rockfotograf!

Nu är det inte framgång som driver mig utan en innerlig önskan att få vara med och förändra och välsigna genom de gåvorna som jag har fått, Gud till ära och människor till välsignelse. Genom åren har många läst mina artiklar om utsatta medmänniskor och sett mina dokumentärbilder från Sverige och främmande länder i tidningar, på webben och på TV. Men det är inte så många som känner till att jag extraknäcker som rockfotograf. Framförallt fotar jag konserter för att jag älskar musik och tycker om att upptäcka nya band. De senaste åren har jag levererat en hel del bilder till tidningar, trycksaker och artister vilket har lett till att bilderna har nått ut till en miljonpublik.



Utöver mitt ordinarie jobb har jag haft en del frilansuppdrag som reporter under året men jag har även fått tacka nej till en del uppdrag på grund av att varken tiden eller orken räckt till. Jag har tyvärr inte varit ute på några längre dokumentärresor under 2016. Men år 2017 ska det bli ändring på det. Min fru och jag håller på att skissa på en riktig långresa för familjen och då kommer jag givetvis att plocka med mig anteckningsblocket och kameran för att fånga möten men spännande människor och miljöer. Eventuellt kommer jag även att åka till Balkan under nästa år för att göra reportage om utsatta folkgrupper och trafficking. Jag har några spännande uppslag som jag skulle vilja följa upp och dokumentera. Nu hoppas jag på sponsring så att jag har råd att slutföra dem.



Precis som förra året blickar jag fram mot det nya året med blandade känslor. Det meningslösa hatet och våldet har tillsammans med sin ständige vapendragare egoismen lagt sig som en våt kvävande filt över Sverige och världen. I Sverige ökar det religiösa och nationalistiska hatet vilket har lett till att städer och förortsområden förvandlats till mindre slagfält. I Syrien och Jemen pågår proxykrig mellan de islamistiska stormakterna Iran och Saudiarabien som är ivrigt påbackade av USA och Ryssland. I krigen har 100.000-tals människor fått sätta livet till och miljontals har flytt eller drabbats hårt på grund av ett dåraktigt religiöst och politiskt maktspel. Freden är avlägsen och en liten gnista kan leda till att kriget sprider sig och sätter hela världen i brand. Men den gnistan kan släckas med Guds kärlek.  

Låt oss inte glömma bort att älska och respektera varandra även om vi inte alltid har samma åsikter och tankar. Kärlek river ned murar av fördomar mellan människor och skapar respekt och förståelse. Fridsfursten Jesus är min herre, vän och förebild, han ser förbi allt det där som vi människor sorterar in i rätt och fel och ser rakt in i hjärtat på dem han möter. Låt oss leva ett liv där Guds rike inte bara består i vackra fraser utan i äkta kärlek och handling. Det är dags för oss att söka Gud och dela Hans hjärta, passion och sorg för alla de människor som gått vilse i livet och följa med Jesus in i ett nytt spännande år.

"Nej, sök först Guds rike och hans rättfärdighet, så skall ni få allt det andra också" - Matteus 6:33

Med önskan om ett välsignat 2017

Text och foto: Mikael Good

Short-term Mission can give us long-term effects

Operation Mobilization (OM) is a Christian Mission organization that was founded by George Verwer with the intention to mobilise young people to share the Gospel of Jesus with other people. To this date has 1 billion people been reached with the Gospel through the work of Operation Mobilization.

Last friday had George Verwer a seminar at the Swedish Alliance Missions Annual Conference in Gullbranna outside Halmstad. George Verwer talked about the 7 megatrends that he had seen in Christianity during his 60 years of service. The first and most important of the megatrends is to reach the unreached. George pointed out 40 countries in the world were christians are more or less subjected to persecution for their faith, and he talked about the importance to spread the Gospel of Christ to them.

He also spoke about the great opportunity that we have to reach the unreached in our own countries and he said this to the audience:
- You need to see the refugees that are coming to Sweden as an opportunity to obey God's Great Commission and reach the unreached in your own country.

The other 6 megatrends that George talked about was: 2) The Carismatic movement in Christianity that has affected more than a billion people worldwide. 3) God uses music and art to bring out the Gospel. 4) Business is Mission, businessmen have always been key individuals tanks to their financial support to the Mission. 5) Make use of technology like Radio, TV and social Media to reach the unreached. 

6) The churches is growing rapidly in China, India, Africa and South America. Almost 50% of the people living in Africa are Christian today. 7) Short-term Mission can give us long-term effects! George told us that when OM started it's mission they were almost alone in having short-term missionaries. And that they were often subjected to criticism by other organizations. But today have most missionary organizations short-term missionaries.

Text and Photo: Mikael Good

Messiah is Risen - Truly, He is Risen

Photo: Mikael Good

A Mighty Jesus Manifestation in Huskvarna

It's the Good Friday today. More than one billion Christians worldwide remember how Jesus suffered and died on a cross for our sins to give us eternal life. It's painful and sad that the Son of God who is completely free from sin had to go through all this. But He chose to do it because he loves us so much. Good Friday is a day we should devote to Him in worship and praise because of what He did for us.

The Cross was actually God's victory over darkness and it's a day that we should be really thankful for. Today I participated in the way of the Cross walk from Kungsporten Church to the center of Huskvarna along with more than 500 children, youngsters, adults and old people who marched behind the Cross and sang hymns to Jesus to celebrate and manifest His victory.





We arrived at Alf Henrikson place in Huskvarna. The meeting started and a worship team entered the stage and we sang songs of praise together. After a short sermon we prayed for the church, world leaders, refugees and persecuted Christians.

When Jesus and His Cross is in the center of our lives revival is close at hand. I believe that the Jesus manifestation in Huskvarna will send a ripple effect through the area and it surroundings and eventually over the world. Jesus is the answer, for the world today!

Text and Photo: Mikael Good

Hatet kan släckas med kärlek

Om mitt liv mättes i framgång skulle 2015 räknas som ett mycket framgångsrikt år. 2015 var året då jag tog steget ut i debatten och mina artiklar och bilder publicerades för en stor publik. Men jag mäter inte livet i framgång. För mig är framgång att människor i min närhet trivs och mår bra och att människor som lever i fattigdom och misär får den hjälp som de behöver för att må bättre och kunna leva någorlunda värdigt. 

Jag är tacksam för att jag med mina gåvor har fått vara med och bidra till att utsatta och fattiga medmänniskor runt om i världen har fått det något lite bättre. Fler av mina bilder och texter än någonsin tidigare har publicerats i tidningar och magasin. Men syftet med publiceringarna har aldrig varit att lyfta mig själv utan människorna på bilderna och i texterna. Det var deras story som jag ville lyfta fram med mål att skapa debatt och förhoppningsvis förändring. 

2015 var ett fantastiskt år och jag har fått vara med om många härliga utmaningar trots att jag plågats av en elakartad infektion och lidit svårt av astma under större delen av året. Infektionen har släppt och astman har förlorat sitt strypgrepp och jag blickar framåt mot ett nytt år. I ärlighetens namn tror jag inte att jag kommer att uppleva ett år som 2015 igen, det året var unikt.

Men det är med blandade känslor som jag blickar fram mot det nya året. Hatet och våldet har spridit sig som en löpeld över Sverige och världen. Den lilla gnistan som pyrde i Sverige i början av förra året fattade eld med mängder av brandattentat mot flyktingförläggningar och boenden för utsatta EU-medborgare som följd. I Asien, Afrika, Europa och Mellanöstern rycker storkriget allt närmare. Men än är det inte försent att stoppa hatet, det kan fortfarande släckas med bön och kärlek. 

Därför är det än mer viktigt att vi inte glömmer bort att älska och respektera varandra även om vi inte alltid har samma åsikter och tankar. Jesus är min vän och förebild, han ser förbi allt det där som vi sorterar in i rätt och fel och ser rakt in i hjärtat på människorna som han möter. Låt oss leva det liv som Jesus vill att vi ska leva med honom. Ett liv där Guds rike inte består i vackra högtravande ord utan i kärlek och handling. Det är dags för oss att dela Guds hjärta, passion och sorg för alla de människor som gått vilse i livet och följa med Jesus in i ett nytt spännande år.

Med önskan om ett välsignat 2016

Text och foto: Mikael Good

The Throne of Satan from Pergamum to Berlin

All that remains of the ancient city of Pergamum are worn and looted ruins. The main sites of Pergamum are located to the north and west of the modern city of Bergama in Turkey. Although the town was known for its beauty, it was also one of the darkest and greediest cities in the Roman Empire. Being a political and economic center in the province of Asia Minor, the city held a unique status that set it apart from other cities in the Roman Empire. Pergamum was one of the most influential cities in the Empire and also served as the center for the worship of the Roman Emperor, who was believed to be part god and part human in ancient times.

Additionally, there was a temple dedicated to the worship of the war goddess Athena. However, the most significant altar for worship in the city was the Great Altar of Zeus, which is also mentioned as the "Throne of Satan" in the Book of Revelation in the Bible: "To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘I know your works, and where you dwell... where Satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to my name, and did not deny my faith even in the days in which Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells - Revelation 2:12."



In 1878, the German engineer Carl Humann started to dismantle the Altar of Zeus from the long-abandoned city of Pergamum and transported it to Berlin. The altar was stored until the construction of a new museum in Berlin began in 1910. Due to war and economic depression in Germany, the museum was not opened to visitors until 1930. The Great Altar of Zeus, or the "Throne of Satan" as some call it, went on display in Berlin's Pergamon Museum in 1930, along with a reconstruction of the Ishtar Gate of ancient Babylon, also known as the "gates of hell."



In a seemingly coincidental turn of events, just three years after the grand opening of the museum, Germany experienced a revival from hell when Adolf Hitler became the Chancellor of Germany and later its dictator and Führer. Adolf Hitler commissioned the young architect Albert Speer to design the new parade grounds for his big party rallies in Nuremberg. Albert Speer took inspiration from the Great Altar of Zeus in Berlin when he designed the colossal altar for Hitler, which became known as the "Zeppelintribüne." 

It was here that Hitler received the adoration of the masses during the political rallies in Nuremberg. I am convinced that Adolf Hitler believed he possessed an almost god-like status when he stood on top of his altar in Nuremberg and received enthusiastic cheers from hundreds of thousands of devoted followers and worshippers who would later be tragically led to their deaths by their Führer.

Mikael Good

Jesus i förklädnad

En bekant visade mig en bild på Jesus som jag inte hade sett tidigare. Den hade målats av en tjej som heter Akiane Kamarik när hon bara var 8 år. Det var något bekant över Jesusbilden, jag hade sett mannen på bilden tidigare och jag började genast fundera på var.

Efter att ha funderat en längre stund landade äntligen mina tankar och jag mindes att en man från Rumänien som tiggde i vinterkylan utanför ICA Supermarket i Huskvarna i mitten av februari såg ut som mannen på bilden. Hans hår var dolt under en tjock smutsig mössa och han hade inte riktigt lika mycket skägg. Men ögonen, ansiktsformen och näsan var den samma som på Akianes bild. Trots den bitande kylan och sin utsatta situation strålade han av en sann uppriktig glädje. Jag gav honom en sedel, tog hans händer och önskade Guds välsignelse över honom. När jag gjorde det sprack han upp i ett ännu större leende och sa samma sak till mig på rumänska. Det var något speciellt med mannens ögon och jag fick känslan av att jag tittade rakt in i Jesu ögon när jag mötte hans blick.

Du har kanske läst bestsellern "Pojken som kom tillbaka från himlen" som handlade om den då sexårige Alex Malarkeys upplevelser av Himlen under de månaderna som han låg i koma efter den fruktansvärda trafikolyckan som han och hans pappa Kevin var med om. När han mot alla odds vaknade upp från koman berättade Alex att han hade varit i himlen och där hade han mött och samtalat med Jesus. Hans pappa Kevin var nyfiken på hur Jesus såg ut och han visade bild efter bild som sades föreställa Jesus för Alex, men han skakade bara på huvudet när ha fick se bilderna. Till sist hittade han bilden av Jesus som hade målats av Akiane Kamarik. När Alex fick se bilden sa han att det var den Jesus som han mött och samtalat med i himlen.*

Nu vill jag ändå inte säga att det var Jesus som jag mötte. Mannen utanför snabbköpet kanske bara var en av alla de arbetslösa och fattiga rumänska romer som åkt till Sverige i desperat jakt på arbete och pengar för att kunna försörja sina hungriga och frusna barn hemma i Rumänien. Jag tror att det är viktigt att vi inte tittar bort när vi möter en medmänniska som tigger, vi kan ju aldrig vara riktigt säkra på vem det är som sitter där, tänk om det är en ängel eller Jesus i förklädnad som sitter där. Även om vi inte kan ge en slant till alla som tigger tror jag ändå att det är viktigt att vi ser dem och möter deras blickar med ett leende och ger dem det människovärde som de förtjänar och som de i många fall har blivit bestulna på i sina hemländer.

Jag har inte sett mannen sedan mötet i vintras. Kanske var han på resande fot och satte sig utanför ICA Supermarket i Huskvarna för att försöka få tag på tillräckligt med pengar till resan hem eller vidare? Jag har fått bra kontakt med några EU-migranter som har varit i Jönköping och tiggt sedan början av året. När jag har visat Akianes bild för dem har de skakat på huvudet och sagt att de inte känner mannen på bilden. Men en av dem sa direkt att bilden förställde Jesus. Han hade mött honom i en dröm ett par veckor tidigare.

”Jag var hungrig och ni gav mig att äta. Jag var törstig och ni gav mig att dricka. Jag var främling och ni tog emot mig. Jag var naken och ni klädde mig. Jag var sjuk och ni besökte mig. Jag var i fängelse och ni kom till mig. Då skall de rättfärdiga svara honom: Herre, när såg vi dig hungrig och gav dig att äta, eller törstig och gav dig att dricka? Och när såg vi dig vara främling och tog emot dig eller naken och klädde dig? Och när såg vi dig sjuk eller i fängelse och kom till dig? Då skall konungen svara dem: Amen säger jag er: Allt vad ni har gjort för en av dessa mina minsta bröder, det har ni gjort mot mig.” - Jesus (Matt 25:35-40)

De döende, krymplingarna, de mentalsjuka, de oönskade, de oälskade. Var och en av dem är Jesus i förklädnad - Moder Teresa

Här är en länk till bilden på Jesus som Akiane Kamarik målade: www.gospelherald.com

Text och bild: Mikael Good

*Det har visat sig att boken "Pojken som kom tillbaka från himlen" är påhittad. Men Aikanes bild är allt annat än påhittad.

Jesus in disguise

Every picture tells a story. This is the story of this picture. The man come from Romania and he belongs to the roma (tigani) minority. He came to Sweden to get a job and earn money so that he could support his sick children in Romania. He didn't get a job so he had to start begging for money so that he can get enough money for his trip back to Romania and hopefully some extra money so that he can buy some extra food and clothes for his children when he come back to them again.

I looked him straight in the eyes when I kneeled down in front of him and took the picture. And I got that funny feeling that I looked straight in the eyes of Jesus. I took his hands and said God bless you. But I believe that I was the one that was most blessed by our meeting outside a Swedish store. "The dying, the cripple, the mental, the unwanted, the unloved they are Jesus in disguise" - Mother Teresa.

Most people just ignore the beggars. I usually try to make contact with them. It´s hard for me to speak with them cause they hardly speak anything else then Romanian or Bulgarian and they often don't know how to write or read. I think that it is important that we see them and try to do something about their situation. I work as an PR officer for the Swedish NGO Heart to Heart in Linköping and we try to change the situation for Roma and Rudari people in Romania, both through direct projects as individual help, school projects and through advocacy.

Text and Photo: Mikael Good

The Miracle baby from St. Petersburg

Imagine that you are 17, orphaned, homeless and pregnant. You have no relatives you can contact, you have just been ejected from your student home, your best friend has turned her back, you have nowhere to turn or go, you are completely alone and abandoned by everyone. That was the situation of Sveta who I met at Grace Family Center in St. Petersburg in 2011.

Svetas parents died in a car accident when she was only nine.  She ended up at the orphanage Swallow and lived there until she graduated. After graduation she began studying at a vocational school, where she managed to get into a student home. Shortly thereafter she met a guy, with whom she became involved and not long after she was pregnant. The relationship with her ended before she realized she was pregnant. He was not at all interested in supporting a child, so he told her to get an abortion.

“First, I also wanted to perform an abortion and I booked one at the hospital, but just before the abortion would be performed I changed my mind and decided that I would keep the baby,” says Sveta, and looks nervously down at the floor. 

The fact that Sveta had become pregnant was in itself a miracle. She had been told that she could never become pregnant due to a congenital defect in the womb. This was with all certainly the only chance Sveta would ever have at being a mother. She decided that the child would be born.

Abandoned by a friend

When the staff at the student home learned she was pregnant, they expelled her. Sveta had to stay with a friend, but her friend wanted to sublet the room Sveta was staying in for a profit. When she found out Sveta could not afford the new rent she kicked her out. Sveta was now both homeless and pregnant. As a last resort, she called the former headmistress of the Swallow orphanage. She could not help Sveta but she gave her the phone number to the Grace Family Center in St. Petersburg. Sveta phoned them and when they answered, she said with sheer desperation in her voice:

“I am very pregnant. I have nowhere to live and there is nobody who can or wants to help me.”

The staff of Grace decided that Sveta could stay at the family Centre apartment and picked her up the same afternoon. Sveta moved in at the beginning of September 2009. Her son Sergei was born in October the same year.

“I am very grateful that I kept Sergei and did not undergo abortion.  It is not certain that I can  have more children.  Sergei is a real godsend, a miracle baby. He is a healthy and very happy little boy,” Sveta lovingly wraps her arms around her little baby boy.

Sergei gets his hands on a toy camera, and as he jumps down from his mother’s lap he begins to take pictures of me. I take out my camera and snap a photo of him, when I show him the picture he starts to laugh when he realizes it’s he on the photo. Sergei is a happy little guy who enjoys being the center of attention and while at Grace, there is always a lap that he can sit in.

The biggest events in my life

Sveta really enjoys living at Grace, although it sometimes gets too crowded and noisy there. The warm Christian atmosphere and all the friendly people in her neighborhood who live out their faith led to Sveta becoming envious of them, she wanted what they had.

“The Greatest that has happened to me here at Grace is that I have received Jesus as my personal Saviour and Lord and that I have become baptized. My mother used to talk to me about Jesus when I was a child and when I lived at the orphanage we used to go to church a couple of times a year but it is only here at Grace that I have met people who actually live out their faith,” She says with a radiant smile.

Despite that all who come to Grace are not Christian most usually go to services at the nearby Russian Orthodox Church. The priests and nuns often visit Grace, where they hold bible studies and talk to those who live in or visit the Centre. 

When Sergei becomes two years the staff at Grace will help Sveta to get an apartment where she and her son can live. Then Sergei can start at nursery school and Sveta can start looking for jobs. When Sergei was born Svetas grandmother died and she inherited a small area of land that she is considering to sell for an initial capital. God has really taken care of Sveta and Sergei.

   

Love and goodness is something we all need

Grace is a family center in St. Petersburg that follows this motto: love and goodness is something that everyone needs. They have created a Christian family community for single mothers and orphans. The staff of Grace regularly visits orphaned children and young people at Hostels, boarding schools and orphanages in St. Petersburg and the surrounding area. They preach the Gospel and invite the children to the community at the family center. All orphans should know where they can go when they have finished school and are expected to fend for themselves.

Their work is important, especially in a large city as St. Petersburg where solitude is widespread and many former orphanage children easily fall into the wrong company. There are beds at Grace where those who need extra support can stay. The staff of Grace is Christian and works in close connection with the local Russian Orthodox Church which also pays the cost of their little three room apartment. The goal of the operation is to invite the orphans and single mothers to a personal relationship with Jesus and get them into the Christian community.

   

Many foreign pastors and evangelists have tried to start congregations in Russia, most of these have failed. Personally, I believe that their failures are due to the fact that there are major gaps in our understanding of how Russians think, acts and feel. The key to understand Russia and its citizens is to know the history of the country. Many foreign pastors and evangelists have, in addition to the Gospel, attempted to preach their own lifestyle and values. I believe in the revival of Russia, a revival that originated in the Great Russian Orthodox Church. Places like Grace Family Center can be key-points for the revival and we can give them our support through our prayers and financial support. Jesus is the answer for Russia!

Text and Photo: © Mikael Good, All Rights Reserved.

A Oasis Of Grace In The Darkness

Places like Jayer in St. Petersburg are dark places that make far too early graves for young people who never stood a real chance in life. Even if the situation is tough for young adults who´s graduated from institutions in Russia there are some oasis of Grace to be found in the darkness.

When orphans turn 18 they are dropped from the institutions where they grew up. One day they where kids and the other day they were grownups who don´t know how to live in the real world on their own. The problem is that they have not learned to deal with the various problems of life that they now encounter. They are completly left alone and don´t have any parents, siblings, grandparent or other persons who care about them and can help them in this new situation. They often lack the everyday knowledge that others children learn in their families, such as washing clothes, cooking, managing household cash. They often feel lonely and left out, and in reality, they really are. 

The statistics for orphans who graduate from institutions in Russia is very dark. Only 10% of them can adopt to a normal life in the society after graduation. The other 90% are doomed to a life in misery which often puts them in far too early graves. Some of them are lured into prostitution and criminality, some of them becomes alcohol or drug addicts. some of them end up as homeless or couch surfers and some of them take their lifes.

Jayer is street talk for a girl who is willing to do any kind of sexual act with everybody she meets. It´s also the name of a unfinished hospital in S:t Petersburg. Jayer is a house of death were young prostitutes sell their bodies for drug money and they spread HIV to customers who often refuses to use condoms. It´s a place where heroin addicts injects slow death into their veins, most of them are HIV-positive and when they share their needles they also share the deadly disease. Jayer is also a place were homeless people live and young hipsters get together to have Squat Parties in the weekends. Those who come to Jayer are exposed for GHB and heroin and many of them end up as addicts.

Nearly 70% of all heroin addicts in Russia are young people and you can find places like Jayer all over the country. It´s estimated that between 1.5 to 3 million out of 142 millions Russians are heroin addicts. The Russian authorities are not powerless before the big drug problem in the country. In recent years, the authorities have invested a lot of money on drug prevention among young people. And they try to limit the supply roats of heroin and other drugs flowing in from Afghanistan. 21% of the heroin produced in Afghanistan goes to Russia.

Even if the future for former orphans are very dark. There are some oasis of Grace to be found in Russia. One such oasis are Grace Family Center which is located in a Russian Orthodox monastery in St. Petersburg. The work at Grace is very successful and according to Valentina who is the volunteer director at Grace 90% of the orphans who have received help and support at Grace after their graduation have been able to adapt to a normal life. For orphans who has never had a family of they own, places like Grace Family Center must be worth one's weight in gold.

At Grace Family Center, orphans meet and spend time with adults who give them support and encouragement and help them develop into independent people with strong self-worth. The staff, at the project, prepare an individual plan for each young person who comes to it. The work is based on Christian principles. They live and work in an environment where they can meet and know the saving grace of Jesus. Even if the work at Grace Family Center is very successful. They are in a desperate need of money so that they can continue with their important job.

Maybe it's you who read this article that shall provide an economic miracle so that Grace Family Center can continue with their important work among the least of our brothers and sisters.

Maybe it's you who read this article that shall provide an economic miracle so that Grace Family Center can continue with their important work among the least of our brothers and sisters. Star of Hope USA concentrates their efforts on different countries than Russia. However if you wish to donate they will be happy to funnel your gift to Grace Family Center. Click the following link if you want to donate money via Star of Hope: Grace St. Petersburg

"Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done". - Proverbs 19:17

"We can find Calcutta all over the world, if you have eyes to see. Everywhere, wherever you go, you find people who are unwanted, unloved, uncared for, just rejected by the society - completely forgotten, completely left alone. That is the greatest poverty of the rich countries." - Mother Teresa

Klick the following link if you want to see the pictures in the slide-show on your cell phone or on your pad: http://www.flickr.com/photos/chasid68/sets/72157633493146234/

Text and Photo © Mikael Good, All Rights Reserved

The True Revolution Starts At Home

There´s so much hatred in the world today. Many children around the world are brought up with hatred. Hatred that has been given to them by their parents, by their teachers and by their societies. Their hate are used to fuel a conflict that seems endless.

A true revolution are not fueled by hate. A true revolution is not driven by warmongers who are constantly looking for more hate to fuel their fires. We live in a ever-changing world and it´s time for us to wake up before it´s to late to do something. The true revolution starts at home. It starts when you are down at your knees praying for and forgiving people who´s been treating you bad. 

When I teach my children I try to teach them the best that I can. I teach my children to love their enemies and to pray for those who persecute them. If all parents could learn their children to love and forgive instead of hating each other I believe that this world could be a much better place in just a decade or two.

The wake-up call is given, and it´s time for all builders to wake up. It´s much work to be done. Even if the world is dark and painted with the dark colours of hatred. I believe that it is possible for us to build a new and better world together. A world where hate is forgotten and love is not only a beautiful word but also the way of living.

I believe that we are created in the image and likeness of God. And for this generation who live our lives through iPads, computers and smartphones only the everlasting love of God can reboot us. Press the Like Button and accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour if you want to reboot and take part of the everlasting love revolution.

"The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness". - Jeremiah 31:3

"If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved". - Romans 10:9

Text and Photo: © Mikael Good, All Rights Reserved.

Bei mir bist Du schejn - You are beautiful in the eyes of God

God has many different names but the most important of them is Love. I believe that every human are beautiful in the eyes of God and that we are constantly subjected for His unconditional love. God loves you just as you are, whether you are male or female, regardless of your age, race, color or youre size, God loves you if you are rich or poor, if you live in a city or on the countryside, if you are educated or not. God loves you because of who you are, not because of the things that you are doing or the various skills that you possess. 

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life". — John 3:16

You are one of Gods children. You are created to be a image of God. You must be conscious of this dignity. Gods love is steadfast and faithful, and always certain. Gods love does not falter in any circumstances or for any reason. The only thing that God wants to have in return from you is your unconditional love. God loves you and he want you to love Him back. The Creator of this endless universe who holds the whole creation in the palm of his hand are interested to have a personal relationship with you. He has stretched out his hand to you as far that He can and the only thing that you have to do is to grab His hand and follow Him.

"If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved". — Romans 10:9

"At the end of our lives we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made or how many great things we have done. We will be judged by: I was hungry and you gave me to eat. I was naked and you clothed me. I was homeless and you took me in.

Hungry not only for bread — but hungry for love.
Naked not only for clothing — but naked of human dignity and respect.
Homeless not only for want of a room of bricks — but homeless because of rejection.

This is Christ in distressing disguise".

Mother Teresa of Calcutta

If you are interested you can read a article about the current situation in Latvia here: http://www.chasid68.blogspot.se/2013/02/greetings-from-latvia-sveicieni-no.html



Text and Photo © Mikael Good, All Rights Reserved.

There was a girl named Lisa

Imagine that you are 15 years old. Your mother recently drank herself to death and your father is hospitalized and don´t remember you. The baby that you gave birth to has been taken away from you by a snotty midwife. You have been betrayed by the society and all the people that you trusted and you are completely left alone. You start to believe that there´s only one way out from your misery. But when the darkness surrounds you. You grab the last straw and is dragged back into the light by people who really cares about you.



Lisa is in her third trimester when I first meet her in her apartment located in a small town about 25 km south of St. Petersburg, Russia. She lives in the apartment on the weekends and during school holidays. The apartment is in terrible shape and it smells strongly of sewage and mold. Lisa gathers her things and are packing them in a large bag. In about a week she will give birth to her second child and move into the Family Center Grace in St. Petersburg. Just six months ago was Lisa alone, left, and in total decay. She had been betrayed by all those who were closest to her and the few adults that she had confidence in had turned their back to her.

     

Lisa grew up in a troubled family. Her mother and father were addicts and they did not care very much about their youngest daughter. When other parents followed their children to school, Lisa walked by herself. When she came home from school she had to cook her own meals and wash the few clothes she had. From the kitchen window she could see the other kids run around and play in the yard and she dreamed of being able to be with them and play. Her alcoholic parents finally lost custody of her and when Lisa was 13, she ended up in an orphanage. It was very difficult for Lisa who had to take care of herself all of her life to fully self-adapt to the ever waited and monitored life at the orphanage and she tried to stay away from the orphanage as soon and as often as she got the chance.

     

When Lisa just turned 14 her mother died of alcohol abuse and in grief after her, Lisas father drank bad vodka and had such severe brain damage that he became unresponsive and was placed in a nursing homes. Lisa, a precocious and looked much older than her 14 years met with Maxim, a young man from Tajikistan. They fell in love, but with no sex education Lisa soon became pregnant. The staff at the orphanage advised her to have an abortion but Lisa and Maxim refused. When Lisa was only 15 years old her son Roma was born. She wanted to care for and raise him, but she was not of age and Roma was taken from her and placed in another orphanage.

With support from Grace Family Center she retained the custody of her daughter. At Christmas last year i got the joyful news that Lisa, thanks to the support from Grace Family Center had regained custody of her son Roma. The family is now living together in the small apartment at the family center. The idea was that Lisa and her two children would move into the apartment, which she inherited from her parents in a Kolzhos area a couple of mil south of St. Petersburg as soon as she came of age. She will be invited to stay on Grace until she can support herself and her two children.

Grace Family Center was able to raise enough money to renovate Lisas apartment. The condition of the apartment is so much better today then when I first saw it. It´s clean and you can´t se any signs of the large mould colonies and the spider web on the walls and the smell from the kitchen and bathroom is fresh and clean. For me it´s a miracle. My first impression of the apartment when I first walked into it in mars 2011 was that it would be better to sell it. Cause the cost of renovation would be far to big. But now it´s like a completely different apartment and the administration has also did necessary repair to the stairway of the building.

     

From september 2012 Lisa decided to finish her studies to be a confectioner at the vocational training centre in St. Petersburg. Her children shall attend a day-care center in the area. Lisa wishes she could live five more years at the family center, but she needs to finish her studies first. It will be hard for Lisa to first bring the children to the day-care center and then travel the long way up to the school in St. Petersburg. But she is motivated and I believe that nothing can stop her. She will come to Grace for a weekend per month and that is something that she asked for.

      

Early in 2013 Lisa decided to follow Jesus and become a Christian. Lisa is doing great in upbringing her kids, the father of the children works in St. Petersburg. He rents an apartment there with some friends and sometimes he visits his children and bring them food and presents. Sadly he don´t seem to be that interested in living a family life. But we hope and pray that he will soon change his mind. Lisas older sister who also lives in the apartment with Lisa and her children, stopped drinking, she has a proper work and she helps Lisa whenever she asks.

     

Lisa and her children will need lot of support in the future and Grace will continue to help and support her within the framework of Grace Family Center-Mothers project.

Click the following link if you want to donate money to Grace Family Center via the trusted NGO:s Star of Hope, USA: Grace St. Petersburg and Big Family Mission For Orphans



Click the following if you want to see the pictures in larger size: http://www.flickr.com//photos/61029780@N06/sets/72157632319392145/show/

Text and Photo: Mikael Good