We receive many letters in RCR's Moscow Office in response to our prison magazine, The Gospel Behind Barbed Wire. Most are from prisoners and prison ministers, and sometimes they are from others who have come across our unique magazine. Some are looking for answers to their deepest questions, some share their stories of turning to God, or how the magazine has been a help to them.
We would like to share some of these letters with you.
From The Mail Bag:
Sergey Gaidym, Ukraine, Dnepropetrovsk region, city of Krivoy Rog:
“Warm greetings to you, staff of RCR and editors of the magazine The Gospel Behind Barbed Wire! We received your package with 33 copies of your latest issue of The Gospel Behind Barbed Wire magazine, for which we are grateful to you. May the Lord reward you for more than 20 years of care for our ministry among prisoners and the criminal world. In the near future we plan to distribute them in correction facilities 26, 45, & 122. With love, brother Sergey (on behalf of associates of the prison ministry and our local churches and families).”
Yuri Konovalov, Kemerovo region, Correction Facility 4:
“I want to thank you for the magazine, The Gospel Behind Barbed Wire, with the theme of “Sin.” I actually thought about the fact that sin overwhelms you, even though you don’t want it to. But thanks to our Lord Jesus Christ, we Christians can break the chains of sin.”
Julia Dmitrienko, city of Kurgan:
“Hello, my dear and beloved editors! I received your Christian magazine, The Gospel Behind Barbed Wire, with the theme of “Family.” I saw my photo there inside and could not believe my eyes! Thank you for not leaving my letter unanswered and for printing this letter about my family! Your magazine arrived just before my birthday. Thank you for everything!”
Letters From Prisons
Nikolai Fedotov, Russia, Khabarovsk region, Vanino:
Through your magazine "The Gospel Behind Barbed Wire" (which came into my hands by accident) I believed in the Lord, and now, sitting in solitary confinement, with great interest I perceive God, although I had not even thought about Him before. It all started with your magazine. After reading it from cover to cover, I felt like I was born again. I felt such warmth in my heart, although some very dark thoughts have visited me, about which it is better not to write. The Gospel came into my hands as if it heard my soul cry out in despair. I am immensely grateful to you for your hard work, which basically saved me, right on time it straightened me out. Thank you, dear ones. Please help me, if possible, with the next issues of the magazine.
Sergey Lypoi, Ukraine, Rivne region, Kostopol:
For a long time I received your magazine behind bars, for which I thank you and our Lord. Now, by the great mercy of our Lord, I was freed from prison and would love to receive your magazines here in freedom too. In advance, thank you.
Gaidym Sergey, Ukraine, Dnipropetrovsk region, Krivoy Rog:
This work is not in vain, as the magazine "The Gospel Behind Barbed Wire" is expected, loved, and edifying. Thanks to the magazine, many of the convicted are now more acquainted with the teachings of Jesus Christ, and many repented and were baptized
