Hey, how are you, huh?
00:00:02.22\00:00:04.88
You know, many of these
houses they call dachas.
00:00:09.42\00:00:12.00
This is the home
that many people will come
00:00:12.03\00:00:14.26
all the way from Moscow,
00:00:14.29\00:00:15.66
hours and hours and hours
00:00:15.69\00:00:17.06
to have their own
little private place
00:00:17.09\00:00:18.81
where they can
raise some animals,
00:00:18.84\00:00:21.19
have some farmland
to grow vegetables,
00:00:21.22\00:00:23.22
fruits, and other things.
00:00:23.25\00:00:24.96
Spend a week or two or three
and then go back to the city.
00:00:24.99\00:00:28.13
In late March,
the snow begins to
00:01:00.64\00:01:02.25
melt in Central
and Northern Russia.
00:01:02.28\00:01:04.75
In the city, the
snow is already gone.
00:01:04.78\00:01:07.04
With the bright sunshine
and the coming of spring,
00:01:07.07\00:01:09.28
many dwellers of
Russian cities and smaller towns
00:01:09.31\00:01:12.15
begin to prepare for
the new dacha season.
00:01:12.18\00:01:15.23
Dachas are part
of the lifestyle,
00:01:15.26\00:01:16.97
a favorite hobby for many,
more than just a hobby to some
00:01:17.00\00:01:20.34
and almost an
occupation for millions.
00:01:20.37\00:01:23.23
It's mother nature combined
00:01:23.26\00:01:24.63
in a unique
prescription for stress relief.
00:01:24.66\00:01:27.44
It's recreation
combined with countrywide
00:01:27.47\00:01:29.69
vegetable and fruit growing.
00:01:29.72\00:01:31.54
In a country where so many
people consider themselves poor,
00:01:31.57\00:01:34.68
there are tens of
millions of landowners.
00:01:34.71\00:01:39.32
Moscow and other
cities are deserted
00:01:39.35\00:01:41.22
during summer weekends.
00:01:41.25\00:01:42.81
Most of these
people don't own cars.
00:01:42.84\00:01:44.87
So Friday evening
and Saturday morning
00:01:44.90\00:01:46.70
are rush hours for
buses and local trains
00:01:46.73\00:01:48.98
that carry
millions of Moscowites
00:01:49.01\00:01:51.19
every weekend to their
dachas out of the city.
00:01:51.22\00:01:54.17
Let's open the door in the fence
and enter the land of the dacha.
00:01:54.20\00:01:56.99
I'm told that almost 30% of
the people not only in Moscow
00:02:26.66\00:02:30.50
but in other major cities also
have their own little dacha,
00:02:30.53\00:02:34.20
their place away from home,
or their home away from home.
00:02:34.23\00:02:39.74
So what is a dacha?
00:02:39.77\00:02:41.51
It's just a
cabin, sometimes a shack.
00:02:41.54\00:02:43.94
This is the place
where the retired people
00:02:43.97\00:02:45.96
find the hobby of their life,
orchards, gardens, farming,
00:02:45.99\00:02:49.90
where the working
people come during the weekends
00:02:49.93\00:02:52.01
to take a breath of fresh air,
to experience physical labor,
00:02:52.04\00:02:55.64
digging, weeding,
and watering plants.
00:02:55.67\00:02:58.32
Their fresh produce grown here
00:02:58.35\00:03:00.16
make for very
tasty and healthy meals.
00:03:00.19\00:03:02.47
Usually they start
with an empty patch of land.
00:03:17.32\00:03:19.87
Dachas for rest
only are very rare.
00:03:19.90\00:03:22.54
So it's a resort and a farm,
00:03:22.57\00:03:24.41
a place to rest,
and a place to work.
00:03:24.44\00:03:26.75
There are no
telephones, no hot water
00:03:26.78\00:03:28.91
except what you
boil on the gas stove
00:03:28.94\00:03:31.32
and people use
outhouses and makeshift showers
00:03:31.35\00:03:33.90
instead of city style bathrooms.
00:03:33.93\00:03:36.06
Retired people usually move to
the dacha for the entire season.
00:03:52.79\00:03:56.56
And that season in
Central Russia begins in May
00:03:56.59\00:03:59.41
and lasts until October.
00:03:59.44\00:04:01.37
But already in February
00:04:01.40\00:04:02.89
when it's still
frost and snow outside,
00:04:02.92\00:04:05.36
dacha fanatics are on the
move growing tomato seedlings
00:04:05.39\00:04:08.89
and other vegetables to
be replanted in early May
00:04:08.92\00:04:11.57
when there is no more
threat of night frosts.
00:04:11.60\00:04:14.46
These country havens
inspire both artist and writers.
00:04:14.49\00:04:17.75
The beauty of
creation can be seen by all
00:04:17.78\00:04:20.38
who live in the country
and is captured by artist
00:04:20.41\00:04:23.22
who enjoy year round.
00:04:23.25\00:04:24.75
You know, the
cities are so congested
00:04:28.32\00:04:30.39
and their
apartments are so close
00:04:30.42\00:04:33.64
and clustered together
00:04:33.67\00:04:35.30
that it's not the most beautiful
ambience for living in the city.
00:04:35.33\00:04:40.78
It'd be great in the U.S.
00:04:40.81\00:04:42.18
if we could actually have a
country home and a city home.
00:04:42.21\00:04:44.57
All right, but I guess
00:04:44.60\00:04:45.97
they have plenty of land here
in this big country of Russia.
00:04:46.00\00:04:50.09
Eleven time zones
this country spans?
00:04:50.12\00:04:51.97
That's true. It really is big.
00:04:52.00\00:04:54.79
And so the people with
the smog and the pollution
00:04:54.82\00:04:58.60
and all those
big buses and things,
00:04:58.63\00:05:00.72
the air isn't real
clean in the cities either.
00:05:00.75\00:05:03.30
So they feel the need
to come out in the country
00:05:03.33\00:05:06.31
where there's fresh air.
00:05:06.34\00:05:07.81
The one the other day, uh,
we were at the lady's house.
00:05:07.84\00:05:12.11
The canned goods,
the fruit, the vegetable,
00:05:12.14\00:05:15.26
I guess, they grow everything?
00:05:15.29\00:05:17.16
Yeah, they enjoy that.
They go out on the weekends.
00:05:17.19\00:05:20.11
And sometimes in the summer,
00:05:20.14\00:05:21.60
they spend longer periods
of time for their vacation.
00:05:21.63\00:05:25.27
And they grow beautiful
gardens like with flowers
00:05:25.30\00:05:29.31
and vegetables and it really
is a nice place of retreat.
00:05:29.34\00:05:36.48
When did you become an artist?
00:05:36.51\00:05:39.39
Well, it started in Moskva.
00:05:39.42\00:05:41.37
They were finally letting
us sell our personal paintings.
00:05:41.40\00:05:44.65
So I decided to give it a try.
00:05:44.68\00:05:48.62
I first started
sketching wildlife portraits.
00:05:48.65\00:05:51.47
But then I was told
by a professional artist
00:05:51.50\00:05:53.96
that I need to
expand on my work.
00:05:53.99\00:05:56.19
It looks like you
did more than survive.
00:05:56.22\00:05:58.03
I mean, your work is beautiful.
00:05:58.06\00:06:00.68
How do you sell it?
Where do you sell it?
00:06:00.71\00:06:02.90
Yes, they bought them in Moskva.
00:06:02.93\00:06:05.20
But now that I came back here,
00:06:05.23\00:06:07.26
I had to pay
someone to sell it for me.
00:06:07.29\00:06:09.58
Before the profit was
good, now it's not worth it.
00:06:09.61\00:06:13.04
So how much do you sell
these to those people for,
00:06:13.07\00:06:16.33
the people who come
and buy from Moscow?
00:06:16.36\00:06:18.42
Depending if they buy
the paintings in bulk.
00:06:18.45\00:06:21.32
They will come and
pickup 10 to 15 at once.
00:06:21.35\00:06:24.68
They will pay
about 6,000 a piece.
00:06:24.71\00:06:27.66
What needs to be
done on this one here?
00:06:27.69\00:06:29.82
It needs light right
here. Need to make it brighter.
00:06:29.85\00:06:33.96
And here I need to
make it a little darker.
00:06:33.99\00:06:37.10
And I need to shade
in the bird on one side
00:06:37.13\00:06:39.54
because there's
light on this side
00:06:39.57\00:06:42.14
and the other
side won't have light.
00:06:42.17\00:06:44.08
I just need to
finish it up a little.
00:06:44.11\00:06:46.28
How many years
have you been an artist?
00:06:46.31\00:06:48.08
I've been doing it since 1994.
00:06:48.11\00:06:52.77
As you can see AWR is
frontline mission radio.
00:06:52.80\00:06:56.81
Our first priority is to travel
where missionaries cannot go.
00:06:56.84\00:07:01.19
We broadcast thousands of hours
00:07:01.22\00:07:03.17
each day in 70 major
languages of the world.
00:07:03.20\00:07:06.92
AWR has the capability
and capacity of blanketing
00:07:06.95\00:07:10.07
almost 80% of the
world's population.
00:07:10.10\00:07:13.04
Not only do we
broadcast via shortwave radio,
00:07:13.07\00:07:16.39
but our signal
is on over 1,000 FM
00:07:16.42\00:07:19.04
and AM stations
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00:07:19.07\00:07:22.38
Our podcast
subscribers, Internet users,
00:07:22.41\00:07:25.19
satellite downlinks
are growing rapidly,
00:07:25.22\00:07:27.89
evidenced by the 100,000 plus
emails, letters, and phone calls
00:07:27.92\00:07:32.45
we receive each and every year.
00:07:32.48\00:07:34.67
Yes, AWR is your mission radio.
00:07:34.70\00:07:37.96
No walls and no borders.
00:07:37.99\00:07:39.60
For AWR that means
00:07:39.63\00:07:41.00
change lives and change
hearts around the world,
00:07:41.03\00:07:43.48
because God is
using the airwaves of AWR
00:07:43.51\00:07:46.99
to reach people everywhere.
00:07:47.02\00:07:53.16
Yellow pipe,
yellow pipe everywhere,
00:07:53.19\00:07:56.11
no matter where we're
born in Russia or Ukraine,
00:07:56.14\00:07:59.99
we continue to see yellow pipe.
00:08:00.02\00:08:02.41
Now we thought, well,
maybe this is a gas pipe
00:08:02.44\00:08:05.66
or something and they
couldn't lay it underground
00:08:05.69\00:08:07.82
because it freezes so deeply.
00:08:07.85\00:08:09.31
If there was a
problem, they couldn't
00:08:09.34\00:08:10.75
dig it up or this or that.
00:08:10.78\00:08:13.08
We thought all these
different ideas but, no,
00:08:13.11\00:08:15.48
when we found out it's
actually because of communism
00:08:15.51\00:08:18.45
and during that time
it is laided in that way
00:08:18.48\00:08:21.22
or set it up that
way because it was cheap.
00:08:21.25\00:08:23.51
No other reason, just cheap,
00:08:23.54\00:08:25.43
didn't care if it was ugly
because these are just workers.
00:08:25.46\00:08:30.27
In Soviet times, one of the most
important duties of trade unions
00:08:30.30\00:08:33.56
was to obtain the land
00:08:33.59\00:08:34.96
and distribute it among
the members of the union.
00:08:34.99\00:08:37.42
Since everyone was a
member of a trade union,
00:08:37.45\00:08:39.78
everyone had a
chance to get the land,
00:08:39.81\00:08:42.30
of course, there
were differences.
00:08:42.33\00:08:43.85
The location,
size, and quality of both
00:08:43.88\00:08:46.13
the land and the
buildings were different
00:08:46.16\00:08:48.55
for a worker and the
director of his or her factory.
00:08:48.58\00:08:51.67
During the time
of the Soviet Union,
00:09:01.81\00:09:03.72
collective farms
were unable to produce
00:09:03.75\00:09:05.82
enough food to
feed the population.
00:09:05.85\00:09:08.30
And the money for importing food
00:09:08.33\00:09:09.71
was only
sufficient to buy grain.
00:09:09.74\00:09:12.28
The result was
an official policy
00:09:12.31\00:09:14.26
saying that citizens of the USSR
00:09:14.29\00:09:16.86
were supposed to grow much
of the food for themselves.
00:09:16.89\00:09:20.13
These garden plots
were formed as cooperatives
00:09:20.16\00:09:22.95
supervised by the trade unions.
00:09:22.98\00:09:25.17
At that time
the land technically
00:09:25.20\00:09:26.86
did not belong to the people.
00:09:26.89\00:09:28.86
All the land was
state federal property.
00:09:28.89\00:09:31.89
It was leased to trade
unions and could not be sold.
00:09:31.92\00:09:34.81
Another serious restriction
was that the usage of this land
00:09:46.90\00:09:49.85
had to be limited
to growing things.
00:09:49.88\00:09:52.11
One simply could not
make a lawn on his or her land
00:09:52.14\00:09:54.75
and enjoy the grass.
00:09:54.78\00:09:56.15
That would be
illegal and immediately
00:09:56.18\00:09:57.69
would result in
kicking the person out
00:09:57.72\00:09:59.38
from the dacha cooperative
and replacing him with
00:09:59.41\00:10:01.96
a more devoted weekend farmer.
00:10:01.99\00:10:04.97
No more than one dacha
per family was allowed.
00:10:05.00\00:10:07.74
The typical size of the land
00:10:07.77\00:10:09.14
given by the state to a family
was about 1/10th of an acre.
00:10:09.17\00:10:12.18
Statistics show
that today more than
00:10:25.96\00:10:28.46
30% of Russian
families have dachas.
00:10:28.49\00:10:31.68
Traditionally, most of the land
00:10:31.71\00:10:33.08
was distributed
by the trade unions
00:10:33.11\00:10:34.75
to the factory workers,
although there were exceptions.
00:10:34.78\00:10:38.36
Therefore, in many cities,
the figures are even higher.
00:10:38.39\00:10:42.05
The dacha was one of the
key concepts of Russian life
00:10:42.08\00:10:44.65
in both Soviet
and post-Soviet times.
00:10:44.68\00:10:47.56
These plots of land are
both a resort and a slavemaster.
00:10:47.59\00:10:50.64
Many of the
dachas or country homes
00:10:57.26\00:10:59.37
are very modest like this
one over my shoulder here.
00:10:59.40\00:11:02.24
But there are some that
are up to a million dollars.
00:11:02.27\00:11:05.28
And I asked, "How
can people here afford
00:11:05.31\00:11:07.76
a million-dollar home?"
00:11:07.79\00:11:09.70
They said, "Well,
people here don't make
00:11:09.73\00:11:11.66
the kind of money you
do in the United States."
00:11:11.69\00:11:13.41
So it seems like it's a
Russian secret they say.
00:11:13.44\00:11:16.44
No one really knows.
00:11:16.47\00:11:20.34
You know, it seems
like when we're in the city
00:11:20.37\00:11:23.41
and we're talking
with various people,
00:11:23.44\00:11:25.56
everything is apartments. Right.
00:11:25.59\00:11:28.06
Solid apartment
buildings, but I noticed that
00:11:28.09\00:11:30.88
depending on what
communist leader built them,
00:11:30.91\00:11:33.77
they look a little bit different
on the outside. It's true.
00:11:33.80\00:11:36.45
I've been told that
you can tell the era
00:11:36.48\00:11:39.43
that an apartment
building is built.
00:11:39.46\00:11:42.53
Each Russian leader had
his own architectural style
00:11:42.56\00:11:47.30
and he had his own architects
00:11:47.33\00:11:49.09
that planned these
apartment buildings.
00:11:49.12\00:11:51.13
For instance, I heard
that under Khrushchev,
00:11:51.16\00:11:54.24
the apartments were
larger and little more spacious.
00:11:54.27\00:11:57.45
And under Brezhnev,
it was a little different
00:11:57.48\00:12:00.19
in another way and
so on and so forth.
00:12:00.22\00:12:02.64
That city we
stopped in yesterday,
00:12:02.67\00:12:05.05
those were really good
looking apartments. Yes.
00:12:05.08\00:12:08.34
They are the most modern
ones, look very attractive.
00:12:08.37\00:12:11.64
I guess that's
after communism law.
00:12:11.67\00:12:13.31
Yeah, that's true.
00:12:13.34\00:12:15.38
But I did notice,
00:12:15.41\00:12:16.81
especially the--
actually a couple of ladies.
00:12:16.84\00:12:18.82
We were in their apartments,
the outside so drab and dingy,
00:12:18.85\00:12:22.10
the stairwells were horrible.
00:12:22.13\00:12:24.10
But you get into their apartment
00:12:24.13\00:12:25.55
it's all like a little
oasis inside. It's true.
00:12:25.58\00:12:28.05
Yes, the outside is
not taken care very well.
00:12:28.08\00:12:31.83
It's improved now.
00:12:31.86\00:12:33.23
I've seen on this trip where
outside they have more flowers
00:12:33.26\00:12:36.07
and they even mow the grass.
00:12:36.10\00:12:38.12
I remember when some
Russians came to the U.S.
00:12:38.15\00:12:42.32
and I was teaching
at Andrews University
00:12:42.35\00:12:45.52
and my wife and I met them
00:12:45.55\00:12:47.77
at the airport
and took them around.
00:12:47.80\00:12:50.39
And the little
girl was looking around
00:12:50.42\00:12:53.12
and all of a sudden
she turned to her mother
00:12:53.15\00:12:56.77
and she said,
"Look at all the parks."
00:12:56.80\00:13:00.79
And all she was seeing
00:13:00.82\00:13:02.19
were the mowed lawns
of the people's houses.
00:13:02.22\00:13:04.84
You've got such a pretty little
home out here in the country.
00:13:10.41\00:13:12.71
How long have you
lived here? 4 years.
00:13:12.74\00:13:15.71
So this must be really nice
to move from a city at least,
00:13:15.74\00:13:19.08
unless you're a city boy
to come here in the country?
00:13:19.11\00:13:21.80
Yes, but, you know, I used
to come visit my grandmother.
00:13:21.83\00:13:25.21
I came here when I
had a break from school.
00:13:25.24\00:13:27.02
I was a kid. I
always wanted to be here.
00:13:27.05\00:13:30.11
It's more of a peaceful
life here at this location.
00:13:30.14\00:13:33.99
To your
grandmother this was her home,
00:13:34.02\00:13:36.61
how many years then has
this home been in the family?
00:13:36.64\00:13:38.90
How many years did the
family own this property?
00:13:38.93\00:13:41.63
About 80 years.
00:13:41.66\00:13:43.53
We had a house on this location,
00:13:43.56\00:13:45.73
but during the communist
times, they took our house.
00:13:45.76\00:13:49.57
This is actually a barn.
00:13:49.60\00:13:51.46
My grandfather was a carpenter
00:13:51.49\00:13:53.48
and made furniture
and things like that.
00:13:53.51\00:13:55.69
He actually cut
a few windows out.
00:13:55.72\00:13:57.65
Right here we had
animals lying around.
00:13:57.68\00:14:02.43
The family then lived
here before communism.
00:14:02.46\00:14:06.27
Then they lost a lot of this,
00:14:06.30\00:14:07.87
but they hung
on to the property,
00:14:07.90\00:14:09.39
they were able to
maintain the property itself?
00:14:09.42\00:14:13.13
Yes, they
completely tore the house apart
00:14:13.16\00:14:15.55
and took it all with them.
00:14:15.58\00:14:16.95
So the government could do
anything they wanted to? Yes.
00:14:16.98\00:14:20.14
How were you able to
00:14:20.17\00:14:21.90
keep this little
house here on the property?
00:14:21.93\00:14:24.61
Well, they only took
the things they needed,
00:14:24.64\00:14:27.14
homes, fences, furniture.
00:14:27.17\00:14:29.60
This was kind of
like a little shack.
00:14:29.63\00:14:31.57
Every house had
it in their yard.
00:14:31.60\00:14:33.49
They figured if they took our
home that would be it for us.
00:14:33.52\00:14:36.93
So this was the stables then.
00:14:36.96\00:14:38.60
They made this the stables?
00:14:38.63\00:14:40.67
Yes. Like I
said, we added windows
00:14:40.70\00:14:43.88
and just expanded it
and guarded it with a fence.
00:14:43.91\00:14:47.87
What did you do early in life,
00:14:47.90\00:14:50.07
from say 18
years old and onward?
00:14:50.10\00:14:52.81
What did you do?
00:14:52.84\00:14:54.70
At 18, I finished
school and started working.
00:14:54.73\00:14:58.40
After work, I joined the army.
00:14:58.43\00:15:00.54
After the army,
I left for Moskva.
00:15:00.57\00:15:02.86
So you were in the Russian army.
00:15:02.89\00:15:05.37
Tell me about
that. What was that like?
00:15:05.40\00:15:07.92
Like the usual. Get up,
physical workouts, practice.
00:15:07.95\00:15:12.45
Later more strength training.
00:15:12.48\00:15:14.82
We built better buildings
00:15:14.85\00:15:16.40
and better comfort for
those in higher ranks than us.
00:15:16.43\00:15:19.79
It sounds like you
were in construction.
00:15:19.82\00:15:22.60
Yes, I did.
00:15:22.63\00:15:24.05
That's where I received
my construction profession.
00:15:24.08\00:15:26.75
Did you have to
join or did you enlist?
00:15:26.78\00:15:29.88
No, I was forced.
00:15:29.91\00:15:31.89
I never wanted to join the army.
00:15:31.92\00:15:34.98
What happened after
the army? What next?
00:15:35.01\00:15:37.31
I worked for a
factory as an electrician
00:15:37.34\00:15:40.25
and fixed electrical problems.
00:15:40.28\00:15:42.91
When I asked Valera what it was
like to be in the Russian army,
00:15:42.94\00:15:46.65
I was expecting
a certain answer.
00:15:46.68\00:15:49.26
But the answer I got was
not at all what I was expecting.
00:15:49.29\00:15:53.44
But, you know, matter of fact,
00:15:53.47\00:15:56.05
in any country, in
any place in the world,
00:15:56.08\00:15:58.99
war and peace are
interesting things,
00:15:59.02\00:16:01.09
because war is never
what you would expect.
00:16:01.12\00:16:04.72
As you can see things
have changed in Russia.
00:16:04.75\00:16:09.46
Here is another story of
hope from Adventist World Radio.
00:16:09.49\00:16:14.05
Igor and Svetlana,
00:16:14.08\00:16:15.66
unlike some other
Russians have seen nothing,
00:16:15.69\00:16:18.48
but hard times since
the fall of communism.
00:16:18.51\00:16:21.32
The agriculture industry,
so vital to their rural town,
00:16:21.35\00:16:25.09
has plummeted
leaving the area in poverty.
00:16:25.12\00:16:28.61
Watching their dejected
neighbors fall to alcohol abuse,
00:16:28.64\00:16:32.43
they were
concerned about the influence
00:16:32.46\00:16:34.37
such a hopeless society would
have on their five children.
00:16:34.40\00:16:37.82
So they searched for a positive
influence for their family.
00:16:37.85\00:16:41.64
They found it in
Adventist World Radio.
00:16:41.67\00:16:44.85
"You are the brightest
light in our hard life,"
00:16:44.88\00:16:47.37
they wrote to us.
00:16:47.40\00:16:48.77
We're always looking
forward to your next program.
00:16:48.80\00:16:51.48
Thank you for your
message of kindness and hope.
00:16:51.51\00:16:57.20
Adventist World Radio,
shares the hope of Christ
00:16:57.23\00:17:01.02
with millions of people every
day in their own languages.
00:17:01.05\00:17:04.94
For more
information, visit awr.org.
00:17:04.97\00:17:08.97
Through the radio waves of AWR,
00:17:09.00\00:17:11.18
God is reaching
people around the world.
00:17:11.21\00:17:14.86
We'd like to offer you an
addition of "Making Waves".
00:17:14.89\00:17:17.38
It's four of our episodes
00:17:17.41\00:17:18.93
brought to you
from around the world.
00:17:18.96\00:17:21.22
God speaking to hearts,
00:17:21.25\00:17:22.81
the hearts of the listeners
of AWR, exciting stories.
00:17:22.84\00:17:25.92
We hope that you'll share those
with friends and neighbors,
00:17:25.95\00:17:28.49
acquaintances, anyone
you come in contact with.
00:17:28.52\00:17:30.80
Join us to make
waves. It's completely free.
00:17:30.83\00:17:34.23
Right now the
information's on your screen.
00:17:34.26\00:17:37.71
For your free,
no obligation DVD,
00:17:37.74\00:17:40.08
write to Adventist World
Radio, 12501, Old Columbia Pike,
00:17:40.11\00:17:45.43
Silver Spring, Maryland, 20904
00:17:45.46\00:17:48.87
or call 1-866-503-3531
00:17:48.90\00:17:53.92
or log on to www.awr.org/MWDVD.
00:17:53.95\00:18:01.10
Be sure to
request offer number 10.
00:18:01.13\00:18:03.63
That number again
is 1-866-503-3531.
00:18:03.66\00:18:10.30
You know, you can tell that
00:18:10.33\00:18:12.65
here there's still
some elements of communism
00:18:12.68\00:18:14.98
that remain, you know.
00:18:15.01\00:18:16.38
Folks get a little
upset when you're around
00:18:16.41\00:18:17.78
and they get little suspicious.
00:18:17.81\00:18:19.18
Yes, yes. That's true.
00:18:19.21\00:18:21.44
I noticed that folks normally
00:18:21.47\00:18:23.58
won't look at you
eye-to-eye on the street.
00:18:23.61\00:18:25.54
That's right. Mm-hmm.
00:18:25.57\00:18:27.50
But there was a
difference with the Christians.
00:18:27.53\00:18:30.49
Every Christian we met, they
light up, they become friendly.
00:18:30.52\00:18:34.73
Yeah, they have a certain
peace and calmness about them.
00:18:34.76\00:18:38.11
It's just
rewarding to see that. Yeah.
00:18:38.14\00:18:40.64
What a change in their lives?
00:18:40.67\00:18:42.42
So this young lady is your wife?
00:18:42.45\00:18:44.14
How many years
have you been married?
00:18:44.17\00:18:46.33
We are married for 4 years.
00:18:46.36\00:18:48.23
We were just
going out for 2 years.
00:18:48.26\00:18:50.46
And after 2 years, we
decided to get married.
00:18:50.49\00:18:53.26
And here we are,
living together for 6 years.
00:18:53.29\00:18:56.58
I know that you're both
Christians at this time.
00:18:56.61\00:18:59.07
Were you
Christians when you met?
00:18:59.10\00:19:02.14
Well, Valera
brought me to church.
00:19:02.17\00:19:08.01
He showed me what the Bible say.
00:19:08.04\00:19:13.03
I used to go to
an Orthodox Church,
00:19:13.06\00:19:18.03
so I did hear about God a lot.
00:19:18.06\00:19:21.97
And I listened and listened
00:19:24.99\00:19:27.72
and little by
little I became Adventist.
00:19:27.75\00:19:31.83
(Speaking in foreign language)
00:19:31.86\00:19:34.83
(Singing in foreign language)
00:20:35.30\00:20:38.30
Well, this is the
task that we have to do.
00:21:11.78\00:21:16.79
It's the mission of
Adventist World Radio.
00:21:16.82\00:21:21.00
It's also the mission of
this church here in Shuleva.
00:21:21.03\00:21:26.44
We're all working together
00:21:26.47\00:21:30.03
to share the
gospel of Jesus Christ.
00:21:30.06\00:21:34.99
Because Jesus is coming again.
00:21:35.02\00:21:38.82
And the most
important sign of Jesus coming
00:21:38.85\00:21:43.77
is the gospel going
to the entire world.
00:21:43.80\00:21:49.88
And we long for Jesus to come.
00:21:49.91\00:21:54.33
Because Jesus will
transform this world
00:21:54.36\00:21:59.70
and make it a new
and beautiful place.
00:21:59.73\00:22:04.45
Don't you want to
be a part of that?
00:22:04.48\00:22:08.05
Be ready for Jesus
coming. Raise your hand.
00:22:08.08\00:22:10.61
Let us be
faithful until the end.
00:22:14.65\00:22:18.78
And may God
bless each one of you.
00:22:18.81\00:22:22.95
We will be praying for you
00:22:22.98\00:22:26.06
as you carry on faithfully
in this part of the world.
00:22:26.09\00:22:29.70
Valera, your mother listened to
AWR and her heart was changed.
00:23:39.84\00:23:44.62
And she wanted to run right out
and baptize herself in the river
00:23:44.65\00:23:48.16
because nobody was around and
then she began sharing with you.
00:23:48.19\00:23:52.41
What was it like when she
began sharing Christ with you?
00:23:52.44\00:23:55.87
We didn't know where to turn,
where the church is located.
00:23:55.90\00:23:59.22
We did study and read,
00:23:59.25\00:24:00.90
but we still didn't know
where to turn and what to do.
00:24:00.93\00:24:04.32
We did realize that
we need to get baptized.
00:24:04.35\00:24:06.71
We heard that as an Adventist,
you would have to be baptized.
00:24:06.74\00:24:10.09
And since no one was around,
00:24:10.12\00:24:11.98
yes, alone, we would
have done it in the river.
00:24:12.01\00:24:15.33
If your mother hadn't found
AWR, where would you be today?
00:24:15.36\00:24:21.01
I think I would
have still done it
00:24:21.04\00:24:22.70
because I felt that it was faith
00:24:22.73\00:24:24.44
and it was meant to
happen one day or another.
00:24:24.47\00:24:27.28
And the Orthodox Church
didn't get my attention at all.
00:24:27.31\00:24:30.65
Something was missing.
00:24:30.68\00:24:32.05
I didn't feel much from them.
00:24:32.08\00:24:33.78
Reading the
Bible, understanding it,
00:24:33.81\00:24:36.02
that alone kept me
closer to God and led me to Him.
00:24:36.05\00:24:40.74
I'd like-- same question to you.
00:24:40.77\00:24:42.48
If his mother hadn't
found the AWR program
00:24:42.51\00:24:44.98
and then shared with
her son and then with you,
00:24:45.01\00:24:48.34
where would you be today?
00:24:48.37\00:24:51.21
You know, if God
found me here in Nazarovo,
00:24:51.24\00:24:55.34
he would have had
found me in this family.
00:24:55.37\00:24:58.86
Yes, I told her,
00:25:06.09\00:25:07.61
but it all started
with the Ten Commandments.
00:25:07.64\00:25:11.73
She followed all
of the commandments
00:25:11.76\00:25:13.65
except the fourth
about Saturday the Sabbath.
00:25:13.68\00:25:18.59
I explained to her that
Saturday was blessed by God,
00:25:18.62\00:25:21.49
but she was confused.
00:25:21.52\00:25:24.79
I brought her
different books, brochures,
00:25:24.82\00:25:26.99
and the Bible to show her
that Saturday was blessed.
00:25:27.02\00:25:31.95
She didn't believe me at first,
00:25:31.98\00:25:33.60
and started reading and
later told me that I was right.
00:25:33.63\00:25:37.17
We may not have an opportunity
to get down to the site
00:25:40.68\00:25:43.72
where you were
baptized, we may drive by it.
00:25:43.75\00:25:45.98
Could you tell me,
00:25:46.01\00:25:47.38
describe it to me a little
bit where you were baptized?
00:25:47.41\00:25:49.92
There used to be a monastery.
00:25:56.27\00:25:59.74
But we're told that there
was no God back in the day.
00:25:59.77\00:26:05.31
So they took the church down
00:26:05.34\00:26:06.82
and later it was just used
for meetings and other things.
00:26:06.85\00:26:13.32
Right beside that
building was a little creek,
00:26:13.35\00:26:15.42
covered up and very peaceful.
00:26:15.45\00:26:19.29
So we decided to
get baptized there.
00:26:19.32\00:26:21.74
In our story
today, Valera and Tatiana
00:26:36.47\00:26:39.12
live in a small
village in a small house.
00:26:39.15\00:26:42.29
It was a building that had
been a stable in times past.
00:26:42.32\00:26:46.87
It's a humble circumstance.
00:26:46.90\00:26:49.34
And yet these people have so
much talent, so much potential.
00:26:49.37\00:26:54.50
We've seen that in the artwork
that Valera has produced.
00:26:54.53\00:26:58.28
But the most important thing
00:26:58.31\00:26:59.86
I like about their
story is how they described
00:26:59.89\00:27:03.22
their commitment to
the Bible, God's word.
00:27:03.25\00:27:06.87
I'd like today to
invite you, viewers,
00:27:06.90\00:27:10.29
to also commit your
lives to Jesus Christ
00:27:10.32\00:27:14.36
with the same
depth of humble obedience
00:27:14.39\00:27:18.58
that Tatiana and
Valera have demonstrated.
00:27:18.61\00:27:22.73
That is what
Jesus wants us to do.
00:27:22.76\00:27:26.00
And so right now I
invite you to make that decision
00:27:26.03\00:27:29.95
and give your
life to Jesus Christ.
00:27:29.98\00:27:33.21
If you'd like to know more
about this phenomenal ministry
00:27:33.24\00:27:35.85
that's reaching
around the world,
00:27:35.88\00:27:37.25
give us a call
today, 1-866-503-3531
00:27:37.28\00:27:42.70
or you can write us at
12501, Old Columbia Pike,
00:27:42.73\00:27:46.61
Silver Spring, Maryland, 20904
00:27:46.64\00:27:50.58
or log on to www.awr.org.
00:27:50.61\00:27:55.84
And thank you for watching.
00:27:55.87\00:27:57.24
Please join us again for another
exciting gospel adventure
00:27:57.27\00:28:00.65
because as you can see around
the world, AWR is making waves.
00:28:00.68\00:28:05.83