BVOV Magazine 2013 - present

Money was very tight for a family of seven. Nadia put in a garden and managed to stretch their meager income so well that they never went hungry. Their oldest daughter, Masha, had finished first grade when they left Ukraine. Their youngest, Anastasia, was only 2 years old. Konstantin was certain God had brought him to the U.S. because He had a plan for his life. A plan that would include getting the message of the gospel to his people. For two years, he washed dishes and waited, but nothing happened. Looking Back Stooping over the sink with his arms in hot sudsy water, Konstantin thought about his grandfather. A committed Christian, Vasili Pavlov had started preaching at the tender age of 19 and been persecuted for his faith. Because of his bold preaching and faith, he was sent to jail in St. Petersburg, where soldiers whipped him until he collapsed. His body was tossed into the morgue with other dead bodies, and more corpses thrown on top of him. Later, the prison guards watched in horror as Vasili climbed out from among the corpses and began praying. Prison officials, afraid of Vasili and the spiritual power he represented, had his death sentence changed to exile in Siberia. But when Lenin rose to power and ordered the release of political prisoners, Vasili was released rather than exiled. Early in his Baptist ministry, Vasili traveled to a Pentecostal village to oppose what he considered to be their false doctrine. Encountering a little girl, he asked her where her parents were. “Everyone is in the fields for harvest,” she said. “What are you doing here?” “I’ve come to destroy this satanic cult.” “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” the girl said, “but I have an idea. Let’s just pray right now. If what we believe is from God, you’ll have the same experience as me. If not, I’m with you 100 percent.” They prayed, and Vasili received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit with such power that it changed his life forever. He joined forces with Ivan Voronaev and started a revival in the 1920s. Back home, he founded a Christian village called Hope. People traveled from far and wide to hear him preach and to experience signs and wonders. Over the years, family members had risked their lives to tell Konstantin their stories about Vasili. “Your grandfather was sent to prison for preaching the gospel and when your grandmother went to visit him, she ended up in jail, too,” they told him. “While they were incarcerated, the mayor threw their five small children out on the street, boarding up their home and forbidding anyone from helping them or giving them food. People were afraid to help—they might disappear, never to be seen again. The mayor’s daughter was working in a grain mill at the time when an explosion occurred. No one was even injured, except the mayor’s daughter who was killed. The mayor then had a change of heart and restored the Pavlov children to their home and promised them protection from further abuse. “Much later, when your grandfather was out of prison, the mayor’s wife went crazy. Vasili saw the mayor driving a buggy with his wife tied up in back. ‘Where are you going?’ he asked. The mayor said, ‘I’m taking her to a mental hospital. She’s out of control.’ “Vasili talked him into bringing her to the church and letting them pray for her. When they prayed, the woman collapsed and appeared to be dead. The mayor screamed, ‘You killed her! I’m sending you all to prison!’ Before he could finish, his wife stood up, healed and in her right mind.” Quite recently, an older woman pulled Konstantin’s mom aside and whispered her story. She had been afraid to testify until she was in America. “My mother was sick with the plague,” she said. “She had a fever and was so sick she couldn’t walk. Your grandfather grabbed her by the hand and said, ‘In Jesus’ Name, stand up and walk.’ She got out of bed healed. Her fever was gone. The plague had left her body.” The more Konstantin pondered the exploits of his grandfather’s life, the more frustrated he grew with his own. “For two years, I washed dishes,” Konstantin said. “I started questioning God. I stood there day after day thinking, God, I thought You brought me here to help. What kind of job is this? Finally, he heard God speak: 'What if I want you to stay in this job washing dishes?' “Then I’ll do it and be happy to do it forever,” Konstantin responded. * * * * continues on next page * * * * ********** ADVERTISEMENT ********** Kenneth Copeland Ministries + amazonsmile You shop. Amazon gives. Support KCM every time you shop AmazonSmile at no added cost to you! Learn more at kcm.org/amazonsmile (U.S. only) ********************************************** BVOV : 15

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