Healing Arts Tour to Russia
Dear Friends,
What to do on Sabina Airlines flight just four hours out of Brussels, and
several hours to go before landing in New York? (The return journey started
with flight from Kiev at 8:00 AM Ukraine time with final destination San
Francisco Airport, then by bus to my home town Santa Rosa.) Why, write a
letter!
I've had a month's adventure in Russian territory as a teacher of the Bible
with a Healing Arts Group. A friend had put me in touch with the group leader
who felt my ideas on healing by truth were needed in a land where Bible study
and prayer are now legal after seventy years of religious repression.
I crammed my head with Russian, packed four devotional books, my adventurous
spirit, and a head full of Bible verses.
The first night in Kiev we seven "healers" gave introductory remarks via
interpreters on our particular specialties. Around 250 interested people came
opening night. I opened the meeting and followed with a Bach Prelude on the
piano. Then our particular sheep heard our voices and followed us to
individual rooms for instruction.
I started with God's laws in Nature, pointing out that I came to Kiev by the
law of aerodynamics. Then I showed the orderly construction of the universe
by presenting the Atomic Chart of Elements. Add an electron to Hydrogen and
get Helium, etc. Next comes the Electromagnetic Chart showing all known waves
or vibrations used for radio, X-Ray, Heat, etc. noticing that only a small
band of these vibrations are seen as light by the human eye. Then I bring in
God's spiritual laws that are also unseen by the eye but are demonstrable by
using our lives as laboratories to prove them. I gave Bible verses as RXs or
prescriptions for Spiritual Growth, which was my topic.
I brought a few Russian Bibles (American Bible Society), and my leader
provided several more Ukrainian and Russian Bibles. I spoke on the Nature of
God, Man & the Universe for over two hours and played piano interludes on a
grand piano brought in for my use for four nights. Some students were really
thrilled by the message - the Living Word. I was adored, but knew it was
because of the message, not the messenger. One woman wanted to "hear me speak
every night for a year." I was given gifts, flowers and kisses the last night.
Then we Healers moved on to Cherkasy City for two more weeks of teaching. I
taped my classes to hear what I had said! One night I illustrated a point by
referring to the story of Daniel and the Lion's Den and I asked, "Do you
all know this story?" No one did!. I realized these dear ones have been
deprived of all these great Bible stories - the Prodigal Son, the Sower and
many more.
The first night of each class I handed out a xerox sheet (no xeroxing there!)
of the topics and applicable verses I would cover. Then we added to the list
as more references came to mind. I also distributed forty copies of the book
of Matthew, but ran out - should have brought at least sixty.
I start with the Parable of the House Built on Rock to establish our lives
lived on Truth. Then cover passages in Isaiah, I Corinthians 13, Romans 8,
Psalms 23, 91, l39 (l38 in the Russian Bible), the Lord's Prayer, Hebrews 11
and more as questions were asked. I gave two weeks classes to very receptive
students. I was also asked to address a group of "alcoholics"...no
Alcoholics Anonymous or Al-Anon meetings available there and alcoholism is
quite prevalent.
Then on to the midnight train to Moscow (sounds like a thriller movie title)
to spend the week with my yet unseen pen pal Yuri Shkolenko. On arrival, Yuri
greeted me with an extensive schedule of activities which included the
Russian ballet, Kremlin and Lenin's tomb, various monasteries, shopping
expeditions, and a meeting of the Progress Publishing Company who publish
Yuri's journalistic articles and books.
These men admitted being of skeptical
mind regarding religion, coming from a communistic background, but were
interested in my ideas and said, "You are very persuasive." The editor would
like to collaborate with me on a book written about the Healing Arts various
healing techniques as Russians are now open to ideas of self-improvement and
spiritual growth. However, as the Ruble is so low - one dollar = 120-150
Rubles now in l992 the firm would need from $5000 to $10,000 aid from an
American subsidy to publish my writings.
I used several chapters from devotional books such as Living the Infinite Way, Art of Meditation, Practicing the Presence by modern mystic Joel S. Goldsmith, and The Alchemy of Awareness by his student and publisher Lorraine Sinkler. I will say, most of my teaching came from my own spiritual interpretation of the scriptures.
I had opportunity to speak at a Baha'i Meeting. The members said my words
were refreshing and confirmed the teachings of their particular Path. Before
leaving for Russia I was studying scriptures on the power of the word. I then
saw Its effect on fertile soil in Russia.
A verse given me for meditation was I Corinthians 3:16:
Know ye not that ye are the temple of God
and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
What an assignment! Every time I ate the typical Ukrainian meal of salami,
cheese, sour cream, "village"cheese, bread, mashed potatoes, soup, pickled
beets and cucumbers (no fresh fruit), I told myself no man-made laws of food
can affect God's Holy temple - my body.
There was fear by my hosts of weather (cold and snowing), and Chernobyl's
radioactive fall-out, and concern for my traveling alone to Russia; so back
to my verse which proves good for all occasions.
Many students asked if I'd be returning next year with the Healing Arts
Group.
What to say!
I heard music students in the Ukraine - so talented. They practice six hours
a day. An Arts School (l000 student in art, music and drama) wants to
exchange students with Santa Rosan students in my home town. The school gave
me a huge pile of Ukrainian and Russian piano and choral music, making my
suitcases like loads of cement. However, I got all my acquisitions home (but
an icon, confiscated at Customs for which I was loudly accused in Russian of
breaking the law and fined $300 Rubles - or $3
whew!) and have had loving care on trains, planes and trolley cars. God's
Hand came in different forms, but I know (ya znayoh ) - Russian coming to my aid
for "I know" Who is taking care of me. (One hour until we reach New York).
Well, dear ones, thanks for sharing this vigil with me. Oh, one other
impression - - seeing Easter celebrated in glittering golden domed churches
with icons and paintings of religious saints from floor to ceiling, AND
ceiling too - the verse came:
...the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this
mountain, nor yet in Jerusalem, worship the Father
...but the hour cometh and now is (advice from 2000
years ago) when the true worshippers shall worship
the Father in spirit and in truth. See John 4:21, 23.
Note: Russia has had Christianity for 1000 years and the Ukraine for 1500
years, though often underground.
At last, arrival at 7:15 PM Brussels time.
Love, Martha
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