Slavic Missionary Service praises God for the ministry of Pavel and Lydia Firisiuk who have recently retired from their ministry in Kolodishchi, Belarus as SMS missionaries. Pavel Firisiuk has been working with SMS since the former Soviet Union disbanded in 1991.
After 1991, religious freedom finally entered the former republics of the Soviet Union. One of those republics was Belarus, which became an independent country. Many people wanted to learn more about Christianity. The "Jesus" film was being shown in many parts of the world, and Campus Crusade invited Pavel Firisiuk to show this film in his community in Belarus. Slavic Missionary Service then accepted Pavel as a missionary, and a church was established in Kolodishchi, a suburb of Minsk, the capital of Belarus. A house was purchased and converted into a worship center. Attendance increased rapidly and soon, the building was no longer adequate for the growing community of believers.
An appeal to the authorities was made to provide territory for a new church building. The government provided an excellent site. This area had been designated for a cultural hall for the communist party before communism disbanded. Therefore, the structure must be worthy of the location given. An architect was secured, and the foundation of the new church was laid in 1993. Alexander Firisiuk, the son of Pavel Firisiuk, was responsible for the construction. At this time, he joined SMS as a missionary. Together, they led an enormous building program while evangelizing the community by preaching repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.
The Firisiuk's were fervent in ministry. Open-air evangelism was held regularly. Worship services were conducted in a hospital in Borovlany, a nearby town and also at a military base. Alexander formed a worship team called, "The Ark." This musical group ministered in many different events, especially tent meetings and youth conferences. Summer camps were held with the purpose of reaching new families. Many people were turning to God in these services, and baptismal services were conducted regularly during the summer months.
In 2010 Pavel was facing serious visual problems and had surgery completed on both eyes. Because of extreme difficulty with his sight, Pavel has resigned this year as an SMS missionary. He was honored for his faithful service to the church and to Slavic Missionary Service in June of 2012 by the leadership of the Belarus Baptist Union and the missionaries of SMS. Although he is limited in ministry, Pavel still encourages the youth to be faithful to the Lord in their service. He also visits the elderly to provide prayer and encouragement. Praise God for the testimony of Pavel Firisiuk, who exemplifies the example of a faithful witness for Christ!
