Shaver Family

Who We Are

Where and why are we going?

God calls for willing servants everywhere.  As we have been serving our Father God together, we have seen a major need for willing servants in the Caucuses region of southwest Russia.  This is a place where He has revealed a work for which He has been equipping us.  There are numerous ethnic groups in this part of the world that have no Bible in their language.  Most of these peoples are Muslim by ethnic heritage, though years of Soviet indoctrination have left them with little idea of what Islam is.  To them Muslim is an ethnic group, not what we would call a religion.  Yet years of ethnic strife in Europe and Asia have left them as social outcasts in the Russian-dominated region.

Though these people have old Soviet passports, the new governments in the region, Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia will not recognize many of them or give them new passports because of their ethnicity/religion.  They are illegals in their own native lands.  They cannot officially buy, sell, own, or get education.  The whole region is corrupt and virtually everyone subsists on bribes and black market.  For these ethnic minorities the situation is even more dismal.

Some of these ethnic groups have no known converts, none of them have thriving churches.  Though there is a small missionary presence among these peoples, few of them have ever heard of Jesus or learned the Good News of what he’s done for them.  Joanna and I want these people to have the opportunity to share with us (you the reader and our family) in what we believe really is GOOD NEWS.  With the heart of Paul, we want them to praise our Savior God that their joy and ours may be complete, that the Body of Christ would be fuller towards the perfection of a pure and spotless Bride for the Bridegroom Who is coming!

What are we going to do there?

These past three years I have been teaching English for international students at Crowder College in Neosho, MO.  Unbeknownst to me at first, the Lord has been preparing me in this career for more than 10 years now.  Kuban State University in Krasnodar, Russia has expressed interest in hiring me as an English Professor.  I enjoy this vocation (calling) and believe that our God will use this as a spiritual ministry as He prepares the souls of my students. 

Joanna and I are convinced that the greatest testimony we have whether in the U.S. or the Caucasus is our family life.  I love philosophical and metaphysical proofs, but “they will know we are Christians by our love.”  While my Creation-Science library may help a few, loving-kindness and sacrificial service will boldly declare Christ’s Truth.  The Soviet, Turkish, and Russian empires could not offer compassion.  People are skeptical of selflessness, but when they see it, many recognize its power!  We believe our servant love for our spouse, children, and neighbors will proclaim freedom for people trapped in a dark hopeless world of poverty, power, and materialism.

It is our desire to see home churches established among these ethnic groups.  We wish to disciple church leadership to shepherd and oversee indigenous churches that grow and multiply as Christ’s love is made known.  We wish to stir the hearts of Russian evangelical believers to have compassion for their Muslim neighbors that they may encourage and support the development of spiritual life in this traditionally Muslim area.  We plan to work together with and support another young American couple who plan to study Russian at the University, some American missionaries who are temporarily in Krasnodar, and with Russian believers in the region.