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The country of Georgia is home to some
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four million people.
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Out of these millions,
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Pastor Grigol is one of only two Georgian
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Seventh-day Adventist pastors.
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We don’t have many workers,
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and because of that
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we have a lot of functions as pastors.
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It’s a big challenge because
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we don’t have enough resources.
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Pastor Grigol lives in
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the port city of Batumi,
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Georgia’s second largest city.
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The mission challenges grow by the day
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as new apartments, casinos, [br]and other developments
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are constructed around his church.
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Many people don’t trust
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when you talk to them about God.
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I would say this is one of the challenges.
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Although historically,
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Georgia was the second nation
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to officially adopt Christianity,
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Adventism has struggled [br]to gain ground here.
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The Adventist Church [br]is very small in Georgia.
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There are approximately 300 people,
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they are scattered all over Georgia.
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In Batumi we have a church
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approximately consisting of 40 members.
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Despite their small numbers,
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church members in Batumi
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have a heart for mission.
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So they have found practical ways
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to follow Christ’s method of ministry.
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When we become friends with people,
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like we try to organize [br]different social projects
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and humanitarian projects
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for people who are in need,
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and when they get closer to us
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and start to communicate with us,
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then we have more trust from them.
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Recently, the greatest need comes
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from the influx of Ukrainian refugees.
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Adventists in Batumi
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welcome refugees to their church
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for a variety of classes and programs.
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Today, they are [br]conducting English classes.
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The classes are a great way [br]for the Ukrainians
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to come together to learn and socialize.
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These gatherings have [br]allowed them to develop
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a community away [br]from their homes in Ukraine.
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It allows them to feel [br]supported and cared for.
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The church also offers classes
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to learn the Georgian language.
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Learning Georgian helps them find
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job opportunities more easily
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so that they can integrate
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and feel more at home.
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Through these projects
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we become friends with them
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and sometimes they ask
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questions about our church,
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about our beliefs and we can share.
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Finally, we believe that these projects [br]they will have influence
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and maybe some of them will even [br]start to attend our church.
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Pastor Grigol and church members in Batumi
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have been praying for funds to build
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an urban center of influence
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that would provide space for them
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to offer more programs to their community.
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Currently, the church is too small.
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Sometimes we have a challenge
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because we don’t have
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rooms or space to conduct
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different kinds of events and meetings.
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For example, with this English class
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we have to use our hall
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where we have services.
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This is our biggest need, I would say.
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This quarter, a portion [br]of your 13th Sabbath Offering
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will help construct
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an urban center of influence [br]in Batumi, Georgia.
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This will vastly improve
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outreach efforts here.
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This is a big honor and a big joy that
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there are many people who care
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and are interested in supporting
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the mission in our country.
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Please pray as church members in Batumi
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continue to meet [br]the needs of their neighbors.
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Thank you for supporting
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13th Sabbath Offering projects like this!