"The pastors aren't going to be very willing to hear a message from a woman" quipped a seminary faculty member. I was already nervous about the speaking invitation, and my Ukranian friend's comment was not helpful. How does one address a hard core group of Russian evangelical pastors?

       Hundreds of thousands of Russians came to our country as the result of an agreement between Gorbachev and Reagan that religious minorities might emigrate to America. In all, some seventy thousand Russians relocated to Massachusetts. Jews settled around Worcester and Boston, evangelicals in West Springfield. They found jobs, moved into questionable neighborhoods, renovated decaying houses, drove out the drug dealers and and transformed whole areas of the city. They have proved a great benefit to the wider community. Mastering English or adopting American customs are less of a priority. Activities of agencies supported by government funding do not enjoy a high level of trust.

       I had been contacted by the non-religious Russian Community Agency as it sought a biblical perspective on domestic abuse. They knew that only a Bible-based approach could make an impact on the pastors, and only the pastors could impact the people.  When men were arrested for violence against women, they were no longer eligible for citizenship. Those stalwarts of the faith who had endured such terrible persecution in Russia - how could such an evil exist in their midst? But could the words of a woman even be heard?

       With fear and trembling, I donned my most encompassing outfit. Only my face and hands were visible, and on my head I tied a babushka (head scarf). How ever was I going to manage not to have it fall off! Actually, I had tried to find a more suitable one in a large department store - and found none available.  At least I could tie a good firm knot in the old one.

       The directions to West Springfield were good, but where was the restaurant at which the event was supposed to take place? After several runs up and down the street, I stopped at an unpromising looking building - only to find within a marvelous Russian tea house with a glorious breakfast in full swing! The Baptist pastors had boycotted the event when they heard that a woman was going to talk about domestic violence, but sixteen Pentecostal pastors were there in full force.  There in equal numbers were social and shelter workers, community advocates, and staff from the Department of Public Health - all of them female.

       My interpreter turned out to be a recent high school graduate. Such a nice young man, thoroughly scrubbed but dressed as a beatnik! As I tried to help him locate the Bible passages that I would be using, I discovered that there is a different arrangement of the books in a Russian Bible, but the same passages seemed to be equally powerful.

       We started off, with the pastors seated directly ahead of us around the tables, and standing over to the right the women, all of whom understood English and some bilingual. Those women had been struggling with a deep social problem, compounded by issues of language, culture, religion and social isolation. As is so often the case, the domestic violence community and the religious community had been mutually suspicious of each other.

       As I read out each scripture passage, there was a ripple of surprise and excitement running through the social worker contingent. Several admitted to me later that they had no idea that the Bible was so relevant or so exciting. I was particularly impressed by a Russian-speaking shelter worker who was also a member of one of the evangelical churches in the area. The use of scripture had opened doors in her own mind. "All I hear in church is that women should submit." And now she heard scritpture appliesd in a way that correlated with her work at the shelter. Her supervisor whispered, “Listen! It gives me goose bumps to hear this.”

       As my young interpeter read the same passages in Russian, there were glimmers of recognition among the pastors.

Hear then, O shepherds, the word of the Lord! As I live – declares the Lord God: Because My flock has been a spoil – My flock has been a prey for all the wild beasts, for want of anyone to tend them, since My shepherds have not taken thought of My flock, for the shepherds tended themselves instead of tending the flock – hear indeed, O shepherds,, the word of the Lord: Thus said the Lord God: I am going to deal with the shepherds! I will demand a reckoning of them for My flock.. ( Ezekiel 34:7-10)

Thus says the Lord God: Here am I! I am going to take thought for My flock, and I will seek them out, And as for you, My flock, thus says the Lord God: I am going to judge between one animal and another. To the rams and the bucks: Is it not enough to you to graze on choice grazing ground, but you must also trample with your feet what is left from your grazing? And is it not enough for you to drink clear water, but you must also muddy with your feet what is left? And My flock graze on what your feet have trampled and drink what your feet have muddied/ Assuredly, thus said the Lord God to them: Here am I, I am going to decide between the stout animals and the lean. Because you pushed with flank and shoulder against the feeble ones and butted them with your horns until you scattered them abroad, I will rescue My flock and they shall no longer be a spoil. I will decide between one animal and another. . . . (34:11-22)

The texts were familiar, but no one had realized that they applied in this manner to the secret that lay hidden in their congregations.  During the discussion period (climaxed with a superb Russian lunch) there began to be an honest admission of the presence of the problem in the faith community, and an expressed willingness to use more fully the services that were available in the community. After all, the scrumptious hospitality had been provided by the Department of Public Health.! The consensus was that this was a dialogue needing to be continued. Plans are now under way for another discussion that will include the women.