The moment I saw Zhenya, I saw a pastor. Zhenya is one of the youth from Resurection church in Voronezh. He isn't even one of the most committed youth ... but every time I talked with Zhenya I had an overwhelming sense that he would make a great pastor ... and an overwhelming urge to tell him as much.

So, on one of our last nights I invited him to go for a walk with me. I brought along one of the interpreters because I knew my Russian isn't great and because the things I wanted to tell Zhenya sounded strange in any language.

We talked for over an hour. Our lives are so very similar. I think that if I wasn't the exact person I am, I wouldn't have connected with Zhenya at all. We talked about faith and following the rules and so many things that I could tell were so important to Zhenya.

It was one of those perfect missionary moments where everything seems to come together. It was one of the best conversations I've every had in any language.

He had never thought about being a pastor before. The thought is in his mind now!



Katya (a seminary student who wants to start new churches), Me, and Zhenya.