Here are some highlights from getting to know the students I had in the Systematic Theology I course I taught in Russia. Again, we all stayed in the Dacha, a summer home out in the country near Chekhov, about an hour south of Moscow. The sunsets were beautiful (and occurred very late at night!), and we got some great photos. Edna, Emmy, and the boys were also very helpful to the staff and students in food preparation, clean-up, and "getting to know you" games. Our family donated some recreational equipment for the students (current and future ones).
I hesitate to name all the students, but I will describe them to you:
Two students were from the Ukraine. One of them spoke incredible English and had been a translator. He is in his late 20s and has only been pastoring since last November -- a church plant in Ukraine. Because he spoke English and was new in the pastorate, it seems we bonded rather quickly and had lots of conversations on the basketball court, at lunch, and during breaks. He shared that he was converted through a Baptist fellowship in Ukraine when he was a teen. His mother at that time did not attend church, since she worked for the Communist government and would have lost her job. His father was an alcoholic. So, his grandmother took him to a small Baptist fellowship where he received Christ. Later, as a university student, he encountered the Church of the Nazarene through the CIS regional director and became involved in helping plant the church that he now currently pastors! A couple of years ago, he said he witnessed a real miracle: both his mother and his father became Christians, and his father, through prayers and rehab, is now alcohol-free! This young man was a great student, and very eager to hear of books that would help him in his growth and development. I will stay in touch with him and will be sending him some books for further studies.
One student I had, from Armenia, became a Christian at age 16 and spent some time preaching in Pentecostal fellowships in Armenia. He is also in his late 20s and spoke no English; however, through "St. Petersburg Olga", he shared his story with me. He said that through a friend he sought more opportunities to minister to others than he felt he was able to do in the fellowship he was part of. This friend had recently become a Nazarene and introduced him to the local director of the Nazarene church. His current pastorate is, in his words, a group of "babushki," or "grandmothers," all of whom secretly met during Communism -- at risk of their freedom and lives -- in a Bible study that has now become one of the six Nazarene churches in Armenia! He said he felt both loved and a bit intimidated to be pastoring such spiritual giants.
Finally (although I could tell you about more students), I'll tell you about the only woman in my class. She is a mother of grown daughters (one just got married, and she showed me the photos!). She was the only student in the course NOT seeking ordination. She said that in her church in Southern Russia, the needs were so great that she and other older men and women in the church were often called upon to help counsel and disciple people with great needs, and she wanted to take some courses so that she could be of more help to her pastor and to her community. She is quite a "prayer warrior" and has a tender heart. She was so glad to be there, and she often teared up as she responded to questions and class discussions about God and God's love.
The course I taught was one of two being offered in the dacha that week. The other was a Church History course taught by a Russian man who is soon pursuing PhD studies at the University of Manchester in England. He and his wife (also Russian) are among several who have been nurtured through the Church of the Nazarene and are now giving back to the church with their time and talents.
God bless,
Charles
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Seattle Nazarene Church Growth from Moscow??
On July 13th, our first Sunday in Russia, I was privileged to speak at Moscow First Church of the Nazarene, pastored by Tanya, the wife of Davide Cantarella (Davide is the D.S. of the district). The church has a vibrant worship time and includes many opportunities for prayer and fellowship. Men and women of all ages use their gifts to worship God and serve others, and Moscow First serves as the hub for NazCom, which Nazarene Compassionate Ministries in Russia.
Most of the students who would participate in the theology class I taught were present in the service, so I used the sermon to help introduce the idea that we're all "beginners" when it comes to God. The sermon: "God for Beginners...And We're ALL Beginners." It included the idea that we are all experts as sin ("Sin for Experts...and We're ALL Experts"), but God, through His love and grace, teaches us to become students of His love instead of students of sin!
After the service, before we all boarded a van and headed about an hour south to the dacha (which is a large dorm-like facility where the classes take place), there was a fellowship luncheon put together by the parents of a young woman who would soon be getting married. It turns out that her fiance' was there, too, and they were soon to be married and were moving to.... SEATTLE! The young man is American, and his wife, who is Russian, has been part of the Moscow Church since her early teens. Edna, Emmy, and I chatted with the young man and his bride to be for quite awhile. They will live about 20 minutes from NSCN, and said that they would visit our church once they are settled in! Their pastor, Tanya, encouraged this, too!
God has an unusual sense of timing and incredible "church growth" methods, doesn't He?? Pray for this young couple and for the ongoing ministry of Moscow First Church.
Blessings,
Charles
Most of the students who would participate in the theology class I taught were present in the service, so I used the sermon to help introduce the idea that we're all "beginners" when it comes to God. The sermon: "God for Beginners...And We're ALL Beginners." It included the idea that we are all experts as sin ("Sin for Experts...and We're ALL Experts"), but God, through His love and grace, teaches us to become students of His love instead of students of sin!
After the service, before we all boarded a van and headed about an hour south to the dacha (which is a large dorm-like facility where the classes take place), there was a fellowship luncheon put together by the parents of a young woman who would soon be getting married. It turns out that her fiance' was there, too, and they were soon to be married and were moving to.... SEATTLE! The young man is American, and his wife, who is Russian, has been part of the Moscow Church since her early teens. Edna, Emmy, and I chatted with the young man and his bride to be for quite awhile. They will live about 20 minutes from NSCN, and said that they would visit our church once they are settled in! Their pastor, Tanya, encouraged this, too!
God has an unusual sense of timing and incredible "church growth" methods, doesn't He?? Pray for this young couple and for the ongoing ministry of Moscow First Church.
Blessings,
Charles
Olga and Alexey (St. Petersburg)
Now that we're home, we can reflect on many parts of our journey to Russia over the next couple of weeks.
Olga and Alexey are a husband and wife team in St. Petersburg. Olga (we call her "St. Petersburg Olga"; there's always a "Moscow Olga" who was so helpful to us, as well!) and Alexey have Master's degrees from University of Manchester. Olga was my translator for the theology course I taught south of Moscow at the dacha from July 13-18. She and her husband Alexey live in St. Petersburg, and she accompanied us on the overnight train to St. Pete on July 18th to her home in St. Petersburg, where she and her husband Alexey were so helpful to us, guiding all over the beautiful city of St. Petersburg. That Sunday, I was privileged to preach at St. Petersburg Nazarene Church, their home church, where Olga also served as translator.
Olga and Alexey, who both assist the CIS region in the translation of Christian books into Russian, helped plant the St. Petersburg church, and their family (two daughters and a son-in-law) assist the church in every way: preaching, teaching, worship leadership, etc. Currently St. Petersburg Church is without a pastor, but Olga and Alexey provide excellent pastoral care, with assistance from Rev. Davide Cantarella the D.S. (Davide lives in Moscow).
On Sunday, July 18, we met Olga and Alexey at the bus stop near our hotel and near their apartment. We watched the rain as we waited for a late bus to take us to another apartment building (one of many such buildings in Russia). There is no sign out front, since the paperwork has been delayed by the local government. However, around 25-30 people gathered in this church, which was basically three apartments with some walls knocked down and beautifully decorated to accomodate a house of prayer and worship. We heard stories of the impact that this relatively new and small church (only about six years old, and the furthest north of any Nazarene church in Russia) is having. We met an 18 year old young man, now living on his own, whose parents and grandparents had died of alcoholism. He has been attending this church since he was 13, and is now living on his own, free from alcohol and drugs, thanks to the love and care of God's people at St. Petersburg Nazarene. Many of the attenders were away for the summer, but the congregation gathered and sang, read God's Word, and prayed. I preached from Romans 8 about the nearness of God, and the service closed with praise reports and prayer requests. A group from Arkansas (U.S.) was also present. They were visiting relatives who are attending St. Petersburg Church and working as Wycliff Bible Translators in Russia!
Throughout our stay in St. Petersburg, we saw beautiful sites, including the third largest Christian Cathedral in the world, St. Isaacs. Many churches in St. Petersburg, unlike those in Moscow, were left relatively in tact under Communism. However, many were converted into places to store ammunition, museums, and even indoor public swimming pools! However, the restoration of cathedrals continues throughout St. Petersburg and all of Russia!
Our hotel accomodations were great, but the last day of our stay we awoke to no water! There had been some sort of damage to the pipes. Again, Olga and Alexey came to the rescue. They had helped us throughout our time to find the right Metro (subway), the right bus, boat, or train or trolley car, and they walked every mile of the many miles we walked throughout that beautiful and bustling city (St. Pete has 4.5 million people). On our last day, before we were to board our overnight train back to Moscow, they allowed us to store our luggage in their apartment (which was already shared with their two daughters and son-in-law, due to housing difficulties in St. Pete). And, they graciously offered us the use of their shower! They said, "We don't have hot water, but you can use what we have." By the way, when we turned on the shower, we DID have hot water! We were all pleasantly surprised....
The verse about offering a "cup of cold water" to those who belong to Christ could have also included those who offered a bit of hot water!
Olga and Alexey continue their ministry, showing the same kind of generosity, love, and help to Russian people who are desparately in need as they offered us. They have been married 25 years (which is a LONG time in Russia, where the divorce rates exceed 85%), and they continue to be part of planting God's Word into the hearts of thousands. St. Petersburg is their third church plant (they even pastored one church for five years!). Their first two plants were in their home village of Volgograd -- formerly Stalingrad! They planted the first two Nazarene churches there. The second one was planted with the help of the Jesus Film, which we at NSCN support each year. In fact, that church did not have a pastor. He was led to Christ after viewing the Jesus film, and about a year later, after being discipled by Olga, Alexey, and others, he was asked to pastor the new church! "We started the second church without a pastor, and God provided one through the Jesus film," Olga said. "He now is a sort of 'circuit rider' pastor, who oversees BOTH Volgograd area churches."
God is good. Thanks, Olga and Alexey for being our "angels" in St. Petersburg, and for blessing so many in your unassuming and consistent ways!
Charles
Olga and Alexey are a husband and wife team in St. Petersburg. Olga (we call her "St. Petersburg Olga"; there's always a "Moscow Olga" who was so helpful to us, as well!) and Alexey have Master's degrees from University of Manchester. Olga was my translator for the theology course I taught south of Moscow at the dacha from July 13-18. She and her husband Alexey live in St. Petersburg, and she accompanied us on the overnight train to St. Pete on July 18th to her home in St. Petersburg, where she and her husband Alexey were so helpful to us, guiding all over the beautiful city of St. Petersburg. That Sunday, I was privileged to preach at St. Petersburg Nazarene Church, their home church, where Olga also served as translator.
Olga and Alexey, who both assist the CIS region in the translation of Christian books into Russian, helped plant the St. Petersburg church, and their family (two daughters and a son-in-law) assist the church in every way: preaching, teaching, worship leadership, etc. Currently St. Petersburg Church is without a pastor, but Olga and Alexey provide excellent pastoral care, with assistance from Rev. Davide Cantarella the D.S. (Davide lives in Moscow).
On Sunday, July 18, we met Olga and Alexey at the bus stop near our hotel and near their apartment. We watched the rain as we waited for a late bus to take us to another apartment building (one of many such buildings in Russia). There is no sign out front, since the paperwork has been delayed by the local government. However, around 25-30 people gathered in this church, which was basically three apartments with some walls knocked down and beautifully decorated to accomodate a house of prayer and worship. We heard stories of the impact that this relatively new and small church (only about six years old, and the furthest north of any Nazarene church in Russia) is having. We met an 18 year old young man, now living on his own, whose parents and grandparents had died of alcoholism. He has been attending this church since he was 13, and is now living on his own, free from alcohol and drugs, thanks to the love and care of God's people at St. Petersburg Nazarene. Many of the attenders were away for the summer, but the congregation gathered and sang, read God's Word, and prayed. I preached from Romans 8 about the nearness of God, and the service closed with praise reports and prayer requests. A group from Arkansas (U.S.) was also present. They were visiting relatives who are attending St. Petersburg Church and working as Wycliff Bible Translators in Russia!
Throughout our stay in St. Petersburg, we saw beautiful sites, including the third largest Christian Cathedral in the world, St. Isaacs. Many churches in St. Petersburg, unlike those in Moscow, were left relatively in tact under Communism. However, many were converted into places to store ammunition, museums, and even indoor public swimming pools! However, the restoration of cathedrals continues throughout St. Petersburg and all of Russia!
Our hotel accomodations were great, but the last day of our stay we awoke to no water! There had been some sort of damage to the pipes. Again, Olga and Alexey came to the rescue. They had helped us throughout our time to find the right Metro (subway), the right bus, boat, or train or trolley car, and they walked every mile of the many miles we walked throughout that beautiful and bustling city (St. Pete has 4.5 million people). On our last day, before we were to board our overnight train back to Moscow, they allowed us to store our luggage in their apartment (which was already shared with their two daughters and son-in-law, due to housing difficulties in St. Pete). And, they graciously offered us the use of their shower! They said, "We don't have hot water, but you can use what we have." By the way, when we turned on the shower, we DID have hot water! We were all pleasantly surprised....
The verse about offering a "cup of cold water" to those who belong to Christ could have also included those who offered a bit of hot water!
Olga and Alexey continue their ministry, showing the same kind of generosity, love, and help to Russian people who are desparately in need as they offered us. They have been married 25 years (which is a LONG time in Russia, where the divorce rates exceed 85%), and they continue to be part of planting God's Word into the hearts of thousands. St. Petersburg is their third church plant (they even pastored one church for five years!). Their first two plants were in their home village of Volgograd -- formerly Stalingrad! They planted the first two Nazarene churches there. The second one was planted with the help of the Jesus Film, which we at NSCN support each year. In fact, that church did not have a pastor. He was led to Christ after viewing the Jesus film, and about a year later, after being discipled by Olga, Alexey, and others, he was asked to pastor the new church! "We started the second church without a pastor, and God provided one through the Jesus film," Olga said. "He now is a sort of 'circuit rider' pastor, who oversees BOTH Volgograd area churches."
God is good. Thanks, Olga and Alexey for being our "angels" in St. Petersburg, and for blessing so many in your unassuming and consistent ways!
Charles
Friday, July 18, 2008
Back Online!
We are temporarily back in the District office in Moscow after about five days at the "dacha", which is a large building used for the class I taught. There was also a Church History class happening there, so we got to know a lot of students and one other teacher. We also met the dean of students from EuNC (European Nazarene College, based in Germany). She was there observing courses.
We crammed a LOT of class time into a few short days (I taught Systematic Theology I). But we had fun times, as well. My translator, Olga, was wonderful. She will begin PhD studies in the Fall, so she was familiar with the students and the material, and this helped the whole course go smoothly! There was lots of discussion and laughter: we were called the "fun" class (if Systematic Theology can be fun....).
The worship time each morning, led by the students, was my favorite part of the adventure. There are several songs from now on that will be even more special to me after seeing and hearing those very dedicated young men and women praising God in Russian with all their hearts! Also, I was able to spend extra time talking with a couple of pastors from the Ukraine who also spoke English. One of these students, a young man who has been a pastor only since last November, will stay in touch with me even when I'm back in the states. His name is Andre. He was also great with the boys: Jacob beat him in chess (twice), and Zachary taught him some things about baseball! Andre was quite a basketball player and enjoyed playing basketball with all of us.
Edna and Emmy and the boys were real troopers. Dacha life does not have all the amenities of some places, but they did more than endure: they had a great time and found ways to help the coordinators and to be a blessing to the students and staff. Most of the time I had to teach for 6 hours each day. It was a great experience, and I am sure that many of the friendships we made there will be lifelong ones....
Now, on to St. Petersburg (we leave tonight on the overnight train, and our friend/translator Olga will be with us! She lives near the hotel where we will stay in St. Pete)....
More later.
Blessings,
Charles
We crammed a LOT of class time into a few short days (I taught Systematic Theology I). But we had fun times, as well. My translator, Olga, was wonderful. She will begin PhD studies in the Fall, so she was familiar with the students and the material, and this helped the whole course go smoothly! There was lots of discussion and laughter: we were called the "fun" class (if Systematic Theology can be fun....).
The worship time each morning, led by the students, was my favorite part of the adventure. There are several songs from now on that will be even more special to me after seeing and hearing those very dedicated young men and women praising God in Russian with all their hearts! Also, I was able to spend extra time talking with a couple of pastors from the Ukraine who also spoke English. One of these students, a young man who has been a pastor only since last November, will stay in touch with me even when I'm back in the states. His name is Andre. He was also great with the boys: Jacob beat him in chess (twice), and Zachary taught him some things about baseball! Andre was quite a basketball player and enjoyed playing basketball with all of us.
Edna and Emmy and the boys were real troopers. Dacha life does not have all the amenities of some places, but they did more than endure: they had a great time and found ways to help the coordinators and to be a blessing to the students and staff. Most of the time I had to teach for 6 hours each day. It was a great experience, and I am sure that many of the friendships we made there will be lifelong ones....
Now, on to St. Petersburg (we leave tonight on the overnight train, and our friend/translator Olga will be with us! She lives near the hotel where we will stay in St. Pete)....
More later.
Blessings,
Charles
Saturday, July 12, 2008
July 12: The Open Market (Charles)
Today Olga took us to a HUGE open market on the outskirts of Moscow. There were tons of handmade items and traditional Russian gifts, as well as just about anything else you can imagine, all outdoors. This was Jacob's favorite part of the trip. He actually got to barter and negotiate in the open market! We got some pretty good deals. We bought gifts for friends and family and a few souveneirs for ourselves, too.
The boys had their spending money ready. Zachary got to matrushka dolls: one sports (Ken Griffey, Jr and other Reds players) and one Pooh (with all the characters getting progressively smaller down to a tiny Piglet). Edna also got them some great handmade toys that they enjoyed. Jacob got a Russian hat -- a big mink one. As we've mentioned before, the older people here really love kids, and when the kids "negotiated" they pretty much always got a good deal (that wasn't always true for us adults!). The man selling the hats showed Jacob this beautiful hat and said "750 rubles" (that's about $32.00). Jacob looked at me, and then looked at the man and said, "I can give you 500" (that's about $21.00). The man was a bit shocked! He paused, smiled and said, "It's a deal." I handed him a $20 (American) and was going to get the other dollar, and he just stopped me and shook my hand. He wanted a photo with Jacob, so that's what we did (we'll post photos later). Jacob walked away happy, and so did the hat man!
We had great food there, too: grilled shishkabobs!
Tonight we get to have dinner with the directors here: Davide and Tanya Cantarella. We've been blessed to have great hosts and tourguides from the Nazarene district office. They really have been sweet to us all. Pray for us tomorrow (Sunday). We get to worship with Moscow First Church, and I will preach in the morning. Then, we will get in a van, and go straight to the countryside near Chekhov (about an hour and a half from here) to the Student Center, where the theology class begins (the first lecture is Sunday from 3PM to 6:15PM!). While in Chekov, we probably won't have any internet access (we'll be there from July 13-18, and then we'll hop on an overnight train to St. Petersburg, where we'll spend a few days before returning home to Seattle). We'll probably have some access to internet in St. Petersburg, Lord willing. If so, we will "catch up" on our blog posts, since we will continue to write each day. We'll cram in a few more posts from the family before we go to Chekhov, though.
By the way, a funny thing that we learned: the outdoor restrooms (port-a-potties) are set up just outside the market area. There is a person who sits outside them. The reason: TO COLLECT MONEY! There's a sign: 15 rubles. This is the case all around Moscow, in fact. So, in order to use the restrooms, you pay 15 rubles -- per person! Talk about pay as you go....:-)
Blessings,
Charles
The boys had their spending money ready. Zachary got to matrushka dolls: one sports (Ken Griffey, Jr and other Reds players) and one Pooh (with all the characters getting progressively smaller down to a tiny Piglet). Edna also got them some great handmade toys that they enjoyed. Jacob got a Russian hat -- a big mink one. As we've mentioned before, the older people here really love kids, and when the kids "negotiated" they pretty much always got a good deal (that wasn't always true for us adults!). The man selling the hats showed Jacob this beautiful hat and said "750 rubles" (that's about $32.00). Jacob looked at me, and then looked at the man and said, "I can give you 500" (that's about $21.00). The man was a bit shocked! He paused, smiled and said, "It's a deal." I handed him a $20 (American) and was going to get the other dollar, and he just stopped me and shook my hand. He wanted a photo with Jacob, so that's what we did (we'll post photos later). Jacob walked away happy, and so did the hat man!
We had great food there, too: grilled shishkabobs!
Tonight we get to have dinner with the directors here: Davide and Tanya Cantarella. We've been blessed to have great hosts and tourguides from the Nazarene district office. They really have been sweet to us all. Pray for us tomorrow (Sunday). We get to worship with Moscow First Church, and I will preach in the morning. Then, we will get in a van, and go straight to the countryside near Chekhov (about an hour and a half from here) to the Student Center, where the theology class begins (the first lecture is Sunday from 3PM to 6:15PM!). While in Chekov, we probably won't have any internet access (we'll be there from July 13-18, and then we'll hop on an overnight train to St. Petersburg, where we'll spend a few days before returning home to Seattle). We'll probably have some access to internet in St. Petersburg, Lord willing. If so, we will "catch up" on our blog posts, since we will continue to write each day. We'll cram in a few more posts from the family before we go to Chekhov, though.
By the way, a funny thing that we learned: the outdoor restrooms (port-a-potties) are set up just outside the market area. There is a person who sits outside them. The reason: TO COLLECT MONEY! There's a sign: 15 rubles. This is the case all around Moscow, in fact. So, in order to use the restrooms, you pay 15 rubles -- per person! Talk about pay as you go....:-)
Blessings,
Charles
Friday, July 11, 2008
Emmy: We're Flexible (July 11)
Some of you know that I work for Starbucks Coffee Company at the headquarters in Seattle. Starbucks takes up seven floors and at each of the four corners of the seven floors is a coffee kitchen with at least one espresso machine, an ice machine, water, and a refrigerator with all of the ingredients to make our drinks. During Christmas, the fridge is stocked with eggnog to make our eggnog lattes and during the summer we have lemonade to make our blended drinks. My desk sits smack in the middle between two kitchens. Every morning I would feel a little frustrated because one of the coffee kitchens has the kind of espresso machine I like to use (fully automatic) and one had the kind of ice/water dispenser I like best (the crushed ice, not the cubed). It would take me a full five minutes and an extra 200 yards to get my free coffee and my water in the morning as I had to visit both kitchens. Boy do I feel silly now! I actually haven’t had a cup of coffee since we came to Russia. There hasn’t been a coffee shop anywhere that I have seen and we have been in some busy places. Those of you who know us, especially Edna and me, know that typically we can be, well...a little stubborn and set in our ways. But you would be amazed at how flexible we have been here. In fact our travel motto has been “We’re Flexible!” Not a one of us has been a grump about a lack of our usual conveniences, in fact they are adding interest and flavor to the trip. Here are a few examples:
Hot Water:
We have been so lucky to stay at the District Office apartment and while we were warned it is small, it actually is meeting our needs nicely and is larger than expected. Unfortunately, the hot water in the entire district has been turned off for some time. I seem to remember hearing that during the summer they shut it off for extended periods of time to clean the pipes. The building itself has what I believe is a hot water tank the size of my coffee cup back home, so we had to develop a new shower strategy: get in, wet hair and body, turn off shower, lather up and turn shower back on to rinse. The rinse is the hard part as by then your hot water is gone and you are pretty much rinsing off with water the temperature of Puget Sound. We have taken to singing loudly, laughing or screaming as we finish the final rinse in order to distract ourselves (in fact as I am writing this, I am hearing Edna screech from the direction of the shower).
Elevators:
I have never had to lay hands on an elevator and pray before, but I am not ashamed to say I did just that to the one working elevator in our building. It has gotten stuck twice, once with all of us inside (Edna spoke of that earlier and yes it is one of my top 3 fears) and once with Charles and our tour guide Tim inside. I don’t remember ever having to root for an elevator to make it to its destination before, but we all get in it every morning and evening and give it a lot of encouragement. By the way, it hasn’t gotten stuck since I prayed for it.
Clean Clothes:
Another item we are grateful for in our apartment is the washer and dryer. We weren’t expecting it and since we are traveling with two kids and me, who has a tendency to spill every food item she tries to eat on her shirt, it has been invaluable. But when you image these appliances, don’t think of the ones you use. Cut them down in size by about two-thirds. We can wash about six items in the washer. The dryer leaves the clothes a little damp and so we hang them up on our travel clotheslines. For traveling this is an amazing blessing as I have never had such access to laundry facilities like this during my past travels. But I am trying to think about how I would manage this at home. How would I be able to keep up with my laundry if I could only wash six items at a time and then hang them to fully dry?
Edna’s Supplies:
Edna, having read about twenty guidebooks on Russia has come armed to combat the elements here with about 100 gallon-sized Ziploc bags filled with everything from stomach medicine to electrical adapters. When we have to move ourselves and our stuff it is like an army is mobilizing! I teased her mercilessly about her supplies but I have been very grateful for two items in particular she brought, those being a bandana for each of us and wet wipes. It was very humid here the first day and we did a lot of walking. Needless to say, the bandana was used to mop the sweat and dirt off my face, especially when standing in the hot metro. It was in the wash today, and I felt a little nervous leaving the house without it. Secondly, the wet wipes have been a must. I had to use a Porta-Potty in Red Square the other day and it is all you would imagine it to be. When I came out Edna asked me if I needed a wet wipe. I said that I needed about 20 and asked that she start wiping me down at the top of my head in circular motions down to my toes!! Seriously, Edna has been (as expected) a great Mom, keeping Jacob and Zachary happy, healthy and running seamlessly under tougher than normal conditions.
And lastly, though Russian toilets are a different standard design than American toilets, jiggling the handle works on both to stop the toilet from running! Emmy
Hot Water:
We have been so lucky to stay at the District Office apartment and while we were warned it is small, it actually is meeting our needs nicely and is larger than expected. Unfortunately, the hot water in the entire district has been turned off for some time. I seem to remember hearing that during the summer they shut it off for extended periods of time to clean the pipes. The building itself has what I believe is a hot water tank the size of my coffee cup back home, so we had to develop a new shower strategy: get in, wet hair and body, turn off shower, lather up and turn shower back on to rinse. The rinse is the hard part as by then your hot water is gone and you are pretty much rinsing off with water the temperature of Puget Sound. We have taken to singing loudly, laughing or screaming as we finish the final rinse in order to distract ourselves (in fact as I am writing this, I am hearing Edna screech from the direction of the shower).
Elevators:
I have never had to lay hands on an elevator and pray before, but I am not ashamed to say I did just that to the one working elevator in our building. It has gotten stuck twice, once with all of us inside (Edna spoke of that earlier and yes it is one of my top 3 fears) and once with Charles and our tour guide Tim inside. I don’t remember ever having to root for an elevator to make it to its destination before, but we all get in it every morning and evening and give it a lot of encouragement. By the way, it hasn’t gotten stuck since I prayed for it.
Clean Clothes:
Another item we are grateful for in our apartment is the washer and dryer. We weren’t expecting it and since we are traveling with two kids and me, who has a tendency to spill every food item she tries to eat on her shirt, it has been invaluable. But when you image these appliances, don’t think of the ones you use. Cut them down in size by about two-thirds. We can wash about six items in the washer. The dryer leaves the clothes a little damp and so we hang them up on our travel clotheslines. For traveling this is an amazing blessing as I have never had such access to laundry facilities like this during my past travels. But I am trying to think about how I would manage this at home. How would I be able to keep up with my laundry if I could only wash six items at a time and then hang them to fully dry?
Edna’s Supplies:
Edna, having read about twenty guidebooks on Russia has come armed to combat the elements here with about 100 gallon-sized Ziploc bags filled with everything from stomach medicine to electrical adapters. When we have to move ourselves and our stuff it is like an army is mobilizing! I teased her mercilessly about her supplies but I have been very grateful for two items in particular she brought, those being a bandana for each of us and wet wipes. It was very humid here the first day and we did a lot of walking. Needless to say, the bandana was used to mop the sweat and dirt off my face, especially when standing in the hot metro. It was in the wash today, and I felt a little nervous leaving the house without it. Secondly, the wet wipes have been a must. I had to use a Porta-Potty in Red Square the other day and it is all you would imagine it to be. When I came out Edna asked me if I needed a wet wipe. I said that I needed about 20 and asked that she start wiping me down at the top of my head in circular motions down to my toes!! Seriously, Edna has been (as expected) a great Mom, keeping Jacob and Zachary happy, healthy and running seamlessly under tougher than normal conditions.
And lastly, though Russian toilets are a different standard design than American toilets, jiggling the handle works on both to stop the toilet from running! Emmy
July 11: The Changing World and My Grandmother: Charles
Yesterday was July 11th here in Russia (we're 11 hours ahead of Seattle time). It would have been the 108th birthday of my grandmother, Stella Squyres. She died in December of 1993, at the age of 93. Hers was the first funeral I ever officiated.
She was more than a matriarch of the family, she was a sweet woman with a love for life and of all those whom she encountered. She taught me very much about God, about life, and about love, and I miss her every day even still.
Being in Russia and touring the Kremlin on her birthday reminded me of the way Russia and the whole world has changed in the last century. My grandmother was 17 when the Soviets took over Russia and most of Eastern Europe. She was in her early 40s (older than I am now) when World War II began and Stalin -- who later turned out to be one of the cruelest dictators in history -- was actually seen as a temporary ally of the U.S.! She was in her 50s and 60s during the height of the Cold War, when it seemed that going to Russia was almost unimaginable, since the U.S. and Russia were engaged directly and indirectly in bitter conflict and debate. She lived long enough to see Russian and American relationships begin to "thaw" quite a bit in the late 1980s and early 1990s, but the many years of conflict that she witnessed made her a bit skeptical about whether an American would ever be able to walk the streets of Russia -- much less the Kremlin -- without fear of harm.
I wonder what she thinks about her grandson and great grandchildren getting to stand in the heart of Moscow, take photos, be greeted warmly (and sometimes not so warmly) by Russians. I wonder what she thinks about her grandson and his family being able to actually share some good news about God in such a place. She would probably do what she always did: Encourage, pray, and love. That's what we're trying to do here, too, Mee-Maw.... Thanks for the life you lived.
Charles
She was more than a matriarch of the family, she was a sweet woman with a love for life and of all those whom she encountered. She taught me very much about God, about life, and about love, and I miss her every day even still.
Being in Russia and touring the Kremlin on her birthday reminded me of the way Russia and the whole world has changed in the last century. My grandmother was 17 when the Soviets took over Russia and most of Eastern Europe. She was in her early 40s (older than I am now) when World War II began and Stalin -- who later turned out to be one of the cruelest dictators in history -- was actually seen as a temporary ally of the U.S.! She was in her 50s and 60s during the height of the Cold War, when it seemed that going to Russia was almost unimaginable, since the U.S. and Russia were engaged directly and indirectly in bitter conflict and debate. She lived long enough to see Russian and American relationships begin to "thaw" quite a bit in the late 1980s and early 1990s, but the many years of conflict that she witnessed made her a bit skeptical about whether an American would ever be able to walk the streets of Russia -- much less the Kremlin -- without fear of harm.
I wonder what she thinks about her grandson and great grandchildren getting to stand in the heart of Moscow, take photos, be greeted warmly (and sometimes not so warmly) by Russians. I wonder what she thinks about her grandson and his family being able to actually share some good news about God in such a place. She would probably do what she always did: Encourage, pray, and love. That's what we're trying to do here, too, Mee-Maw.... Thanks for the life you lived.
Charles
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