CEE Story From The Mission Field
Family Missions
July 18, 2006
Karen Villalpando saw a prayer request from a missionary family in Siberia, Russia. Two churches had to cancel their mission trips to help missionaries Bob and Sue Smith*, who work among the Buryat people. Two English camps were planned with no one to lead them. Would she pray for God to send someone to fill in the gap? The call to pray became the call to go for Karen and her family. She, her husband Leonard, her daughter Ellen and Donna, a friend from church, took their summer vacation and flew to the other side of the world to sing songs, play games, do crafts and play sports with 35 children who have never heard about Jesus.
Bob and Sue live in a small village just outside of Irkutsk, Russia. They’ve made the move from the city to the nearby village in order to live, work and minister among a people steeped in false religion, alcoholism, and hopelessness. Their home is a farm with no running water and no central heating. But after spending 10 days with the family, Leonard walked away with the impression that the Smith’s don’t really miss the amenities of the city. “They never complain,” said Leonard. “They are very happy people.” Their joy comes from being exactly where God wants them. Bob and Sue, their three children, their two missionary colleagues, and volunteers like the Villalpando’s are investing their lives and prayers to cultivate hope among these tribal people.
Leonard and Karen’s team joined up with a team of teen-agers from Georgia to lead an English camp for Buryat children. Through offering creative and hands-on curriculum, and just being available to love on the kids, the volunteers made an impact for Christ. The team’s goal was to build on relationships the Smith’s have already begun with local families in order to open up hearts to receive the Gospel. These children were a mix of the population and had all been invited to attend the camp. They were happy for the opportunity to spend time with Americans and learn English.
After the camp wound down each day the volunteers helped the Smiths with other various tasks. The teens from Georgia hauled water from the village well to the Smith’s farm for them to use in cooking and washing. Other’s pitched in to build a new outhouse for the farm. Leonard worked on re-modeling the village’s youth center. From measuring and cutting wallpaper to putting up new walls, Leonard and others worked to give the village a gift of their service and love.
This love is a hard thing for a typical Buryat to understand. The village life of the Buryat people is not one brimming with love or hope. Alcoholism is rampant and partying with their friends is what they live for. “Every night there was partying going on ‘til 5:30 or 6 in the morning,” said Leonard. “And when we went out after breakfast the ground was littered with beer and vodka bottles.”
The Smith’s have a burden to reach this people group for Christ, and they are not alone. The Russian church in nearby Irkutzk is helping them reach their neighbors. Church members regularly come to the village to minister with the Smith’s, one of them a Buryat herself. For now the Smith’s worship alone on Sunday morning in their home but hope to be worshipping with an eager group of new believers before too long.
As for the Villalpando family—they have caught the vision for Central and Eastern Europe. “My original plan was to use my pension after retirement to do some sort of mission or volunteer work with the church,” said Leonard. “We started volunteering in 2000 and then found out that through the Master’s program we could come over and be missionaries!”
That is the future plan for he and Karen, since he retired in June. His daughter Ellen is already in the process to come to CEE as a teacher and his son Lucus is still in college but has already come on a volunteer trip and served a semester-long internship with the Regional Media Team.
The family’s second trip to Siberia is now over, but Leonard’s mission trip isn’t. He has stayed behind to help out in the Prague office while waiting to join up with another team that will hold an English camp in the Czech Republic.
Whether a family or an individual, volunteers in CEE are needed and appreciated. Many opportunities are available to help us reach our 440 people groups, cities, and population segments with the Gospel. Find out more!
*names have been changed for security reasons