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
Day 4: Friday, July 11 - From Edna
We were all feeling especially tired today, so our sightseeing was limited to The Kremlin. My sister and I used to think that The Kremlin was one building, like the White House. But it is actually a walled fortress that encloses many government buildings, cathedrals, and palaces. Many of the buildings are closed to the public because they are active government buildings or used only for special occasions. For me the highlight of The Kremlin was viewing the inside of The Cathedral of the Assumption. It was remarkably painted with icons from floor to ceiling and had beautiful columns that were also painted. Photography wasn't allowed in there, and it's one of those places where postcards can't begin to give you the feeling of majesty that being there does.
The funny moment of the day was when Zachary wanted to take a picture of all of us on the Red Staircase of the Faceted Palace. A group of Japanese men and women saw him and crowded around behind him so they could see the screen of his camera and view his picture. Emmy took a picture of this happening and we'll post it later. Then the Japanese group all wanted to get pictures with Zachary because they found him so adorable. Emmy says that Zachary is either going to be an actor or the president.
Jacob continues to show us his remarkably wonderful heart by finding the good in everything and everyone we meet.
Just outside The Kremlin we found a street vendor selling kvas and tried some. It is a traditional, nonalcoholic Russian drink that is made from barley and rye. None of us cared for it, but we were so glad to have a chance to try it.
Later in the day Davide Canterella, the Moscow Director of European Nazarene College, came by and he and Charles talked a bit. We also met Michelle, Dean of Students from EuNC, who is here for a few days from the main campus in Bussingen. Tomorrow Jacob and Zachary will present the money that was raised from NSCN's VBS offering to Linda Russell, the VBS coordinator in Moscow. It is such great timing because she is running two VBS programs in the next few weeks and really needs money for it!
Our sightseeing time is almost done and then it's time to get to work. On Sunday Charles will preach at First Church of the Nazarene in Moscow, and then we'll all travel about two hours south to the Education Center in Chekhov where Charles will teach the class to twelve pastoral candidates. It is a dorm-type setting, and the Russian people call it a dacha, which means a summer or country home. While there, Emmy, Jacob, Zachary, and I will help with meal preparation and cleaning. It will be a much different experience that the bustle of Moscow!
The funny moment of the day was when Zachary wanted to take a picture of all of us on the Red Staircase of the Faceted Palace. A group of Japanese men and women saw him and crowded around behind him so they could see the screen of his camera and view his picture. Emmy took a picture of this happening and we'll post it later. Then the Japanese group all wanted to get pictures with Zachary because they found him so adorable. Emmy says that Zachary is either going to be an actor or the president.
Jacob continues to show us his remarkably wonderful heart by finding the good in everything and everyone we meet.
Just outside The Kremlin we found a street vendor selling kvas and tried some. It is a traditional, nonalcoholic Russian drink that is made from barley and rye. None of us cared for it, but we were so glad to have a chance to try it.
Later in the day Davide Canterella, the Moscow Director of European Nazarene College, came by and he and Charles talked a bit. We also met Michelle, Dean of Students from EuNC, who is here for a few days from the main campus in Bussingen. Tomorrow Jacob and Zachary will present the money that was raised from NSCN's VBS offering to Linda Russell, the VBS coordinator in Moscow. It is such great timing because she is running two VBS programs in the next few weeks and really needs money for it!
Our sightseeing time is almost done and then it's time to get to work. On Sunday Charles will preach at First Church of the Nazarene in Moscow, and then we'll all travel about two hours south to the Education Center in Chekhov where Charles will teach the class to twelve pastoral candidates. It is a dorm-type setting, and the Russian people call it a dacha, which means a summer or country home. While there, Emmy, Jacob, Zachary, and I will help with meal preparation and cleaning. It will be a much different experience that the bustle of Moscow!
Thoughts on Moscow from Zachary
The plane ride to Russia was ten hours. I liked the TV on the plane because it was right near us. I could play games. My two favorites were poker and black jack.
I met some friends at the playground right next to our apartment. A few played soccer with me and I couldn't speak with them because they spoke Russian.
I liked seeing the changing of the guards. I think that was my favorite. We got stuck in the elevator. It was kind of scary and there was one of my friends named Olga and she helped us.
My favorite Russian food is borsch. It's actually really good because if you really love soup you'll really like it because I am not a big soup eater. I didn't like the lemon croissant I bought in the Metro station because the lemon filling was really sour. Once when I bit it I actually got a lemon piece. It was really sour.
We played on my dad's laptop and I played this thing that was called Backyard Baseball. It actually had real pro league players, but some players were just fake players.
I met some friends at the playground right next to our apartment. A few played soccer with me and I couldn't speak with them because they spoke Russian.
I liked seeing the changing of the guards. I think that was my favorite. We got stuck in the elevator. It was kind of scary and there was one of my friends named Olga and she helped us.
My favorite Russian food is borsch. It's actually really good because if you really love soup you'll really like it because I am not a big soup eater. I didn't like the lemon croissant I bought in the Metro station because the lemon filling was really sour. Once when I bit it I actually got a lemon piece. It was really sour.
We played on my dad's laptop and I played this thing that was called Backyard Baseball. It actually had real pro league players, but some players were just fake players.
Thoughts on Moscow from Jacob
The plane ride from Chicago was a ten-hour flight. It was nice that they had a TV on the seat backs. There were two movies just for kids and there were lots of different games. Zachary got a good deal of sleep on the airplane, but I only got about two hours because it is hard for me to sleep on planes and I was so excited.
It was great touring Red Square. I think my favorite event was the changing of the guards. I also liked Lenin's Tomb. I liked all the mystery around it because the body could be wax or it could be his real body. Both of our guides are really nice and we're thankful to have them on this cool adventure.
My favorite Russian food is probably borsch, which is beet soup. Today at The Kremlin we found kvas, a traditional Russian drink. It tasted interesting, but I don't think any of us were big fans of it.
We met some kids on the playground. I played soccer with a few of them. I didn't really talk to them, but it was interesting playing with people I couldn't talk to. Two girls came up and talked to me, and they were nice. One was 12-years-old and her name was Dasha, the other was 9-years-old and her name was Tarmin.
The Metro station was very convenient, and it was very fast transportation. I wish we had that kind of transportation in Seattle. It was a little hard to get used to at first, but once I got used to it, it was even more fun than riding in a car!
It was great touring Red Square. I think my favorite event was the changing of the guards. I also liked Lenin's Tomb. I liked all the mystery around it because the body could be wax or it could be his real body. Both of our guides are really nice and we're thankful to have them on this cool adventure.
My favorite Russian food is probably borsch, which is beet soup. Today at The Kremlin we found kvas, a traditional Russian drink. It tasted interesting, but I don't think any of us were big fans of it.
We met some kids on the playground. I played soccer with a few of them. I didn't really talk to them, but it was interesting playing with people I couldn't talk to. Two girls came up and talked to me, and they were nice. One was 12-years-old and her name was Dasha, the other was 9-years-old and her name was Tarmin.
The Metro station was very convenient, and it was very fast transportation. I wish we had that kind of transportation in Seattle. It was a little hard to get used to at first, but once I got used to it, it was even more fun than riding in a car!
Shopping Fun and Still Waters: Charles, July 11
July 11, 2008
In the district apartment where we're staying, we're just up the street from several conveniences: the Metro station, a neat little food/drink stand, and a shopping market. Russian shopping markets are a lot like the old shopping markets in smaller towns in U.S. There are many Russian labels with a few American labels scattered (Coca-Cola and "Coca-Cola Light" (Diet Coke)), for example. The little market up the street from where we're staying this week in Moscow has gotten to know me, it seems. A few of the cashiers and the security guard greet me when I come in now. They are very patient when I am trying to find prices and to figure out exactly what I am buying! I've ventured over a couple of times by myself (it's about half a block, so it's not too far of a walk; I just have to be careful not to buy more than I can carry back to the apartment!).
Despite their helpfulness, I have made a few buying errors. Here are examples:
1) I saw in the deli what was labeled "pork," so I thought it was ham. It wasn't. It was bologna. I hate bologna, but I bought quite a bit. The others like it, so that was OK. The next time I did manage to find the ham.
2) The fresh Russian bread is so good, that everytime I come in I buy at least some bread! I don't know if this is a "mistake" really, but we do now have LOTS of bread! :-)
3) The funniest miscue to me was the water. We buy lots of bottled water, and we even use it for brushing our teeth, etc., because of the old "don't drink the water" advice. The first day I bought two large bottles of water, and it turned out to be carbonated! One of our hosts pointed out to us the labeling difference (there are LOTS of brands of water in that little market). He showed us on the back of the label the differences, and one brand prints in English the following distinctions in water: "Highly Carbonated", "Medium Carbonated," and then for the regular bottled water: "Still."
So now when I am sent to the store for water, I pray that God would lead me to still waters! God is good at that, of course....
Blessings,
Charles
Despite their helpfulness, I have made a few buying errors. Here are examples:
1) I saw in the deli what was labeled "pork," so I thought it was ham. It wasn't. It was bologna. I hate bologna, but I bought quite a bit. The others like it, so that was OK. The next time I did manage to find the ham.
2) The fresh Russian bread is so good, that everytime I come in I buy at least some bread! I don't know if this is a "mistake" really, but we do now have LOTS of bread! :-)
3) The funniest miscue to me was the water. We buy lots of bottled water, and we even use it for brushing our teeth, etc., because of the old "don't drink the water" advice. The first day I bought two large bottles of water, and it turned out to be carbonated! One of our hosts pointed out to us the labeling difference (there are LOTS of brands of water in that little market). He showed us on the back of the label the differences, and one brand prints in English the following distinctions in water: "Highly Carbonated", "Medium Carbonated," and then for the regular bottled water: "Still."
So now when I am sent to the store for water, I pray that God would lead me to still waters! God is good at that, of course....
Blessings,
Charles
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Emmy: Thoughts on Russia From a Cold War Kid
When I was in sixth grade, my class was shown a filmstrip about Soviet Russia. Those of you in your 30’s and 40’s remember that filmstrips were a great distraction from real academics in elementary school, as your teacher had to perfectly time the beginning of the film strip with the beginning of the tape deck. This usually took a good 10 minutes, giving you ample time whisper and giggle with your friends. The filmstrip on Russia stuck with me because it scared me to my core. I remember one particular political cartoon showing Russia as a mammoth eagle dressed in military garb with Poland represented as a small, weak bird tethered to its leg, dreaming of flying away. My teacher, Mrs. Fedler, said that the United States would never be the power it once was and that it was certain that Russia would win the Cold War based on their military might and their resources. I remember fearing that ubiquitous, dark force that was going to rule the world. Of course, the fact that we drilled regularly on what to do in case of a nuclear missile attack from the Soviets didn’t help matters. And I know that my Mom and Dad had to practice the same drills; get under your desk if the alarm sounds, stay there until your teacher tells you it is safe to come out and if you are exposed to radiation by all means wash your hands!
And now, I am in shock and awe that I stood in Red Square in the heart of Moscow for the second day in a row today, moving freely and unencumbered, with the exception of soldiers making us get off the grass. They have the “No Sitting on the Grass” rule in Parisian parks as well, only they pay some angry French guy to sit in a booth and periodically emerge to shout at you to move. Both methods are effective, to be sure.
The sites we have seen of Moscow and Red Square have been amazing - my favorite being St. Basil’s Cathedral. You all have probably seen images of this church with its multi-colored onion domes, sitting at the far end of Red Square. The exterior of this church has such a joyousness you can’t stop looking at it. One thing you don’t usually see in pictures is that the exterior doorways and entryways are trimmed with orange mosaic tile and painted scroll-work. I have never seen a church trimmed with such a bright color. If I heard correctly the church was used for storage during Communist rule and while restored and open for tourists like us to explore, is not a working church. In spite of that, there is a spirit of praise to the Lord there – what a beautiful light in what can be a hard and monochromatic world. I had a wonderful surprise when I looked up into one of the onion domes. The full face of God was looking back at me! I have seen icons or full body images of Christ in domes before, but this was unique as it was just his full face shining back down on us as we looked up. Mom, you would have cried!
My second favorite sight so far is Lenin’s Tomb. The body itself is a little gross, but how they have it set up is interesting. You go into a small, geometrical modern building off of Red Square that is almost totally dark inside. The pathway to the body turns twice and there is one solider against the wall at each turn standing perfectly still with a dim light shining on him. You are not sure if he is a painting or a person at first until you are almost directly in front of him, at which point he gestures mechanically with one arm which direction to go. We all agreed that was a little spooky, but cool.
The Russian people have been wonderful to us. While appearing stoic on the outside, they are a delight when you engage with them. It doesn’t hurt that they love children and we are hauling around two of the cutest kids out there! Everyone has been helpful and patient with us as we take care of everyday business of buying food and getting around.
Every morning when I wake up I still think about what a miracle it is that I am here, in a troubled but free Russia. One day, I hope that I will walk the streets of Baghdad and Kabul, freely and unencumbered thinking, "remember when we were at war…."
Emmy
And now, I am in shock and awe that I stood in Red Square in the heart of Moscow for the second day in a row today, moving freely and unencumbered, with the exception of soldiers making us get off the grass. They have the “No Sitting on the Grass” rule in Parisian parks as well, only they pay some angry French guy to sit in a booth and periodically emerge to shout at you to move. Both methods are effective, to be sure.
The sites we have seen of Moscow and Red Square have been amazing - my favorite being St. Basil’s Cathedral. You all have probably seen images of this church with its multi-colored onion domes, sitting at the far end of Red Square. The exterior of this church has such a joyousness you can’t stop looking at it. One thing you don’t usually see in pictures is that the exterior doorways and entryways are trimmed with orange mosaic tile and painted scroll-work. I have never seen a church trimmed with such a bright color. If I heard correctly the church was used for storage during Communist rule and while restored and open for tourists like us to explore, is not a working church. In spite of that, there is a spirit of praise to the Lord there – what a beautiful light in what can be a hard and monochromatic world. I had a wonderful surprise when I looked up into one of the onion domes. The full face of God was looking back at me! I have seen icons or full body images of Christ in domes before, but this was unique as it was just his full face shining back down on us as we looked up. Mom, you would have cried!
My second favorite sight so far is Lenin’s Tomb. The body itself is a little gross, but how they have it set up is interesting. You go into a small, geometrical modern building off of Red Square that is almost totally dark inside. The pathway to the body turns twice and there is one solider against the wall at each turn standing perfectly still with a dim light shining on him. You are not sure if he is a painting or a person at first until you are almost directly in front of him, at which point he gestures mechanically with one arm which direction to go. We all agreed that was a little spooky, but cool.
The Russian people have been wonderful to us. While appearing stoic on the outside, they are a delight when you engage with them. It doesn’t hurt that they love children and we are hauling around two of the cutest kids out there! Everyone has been helpful and patient with us as we take care of everyday business of buying food and getting around.
Every morning when I wake up I still think about what a miracle it is that I am here, in a troubled but free Russia. One day, I hope that I will walk the streets of Baghdad and Kabul, freely and unencumbered thinking, "remember when we were at war…."
Emmy
From Charles: Inside St. Basil's (July 10)
As Edna mentioned, St. Basil's Cathedral was beautiful. We all took great photos of this church that mercifully was one of the few large Russian Orthodox cathedrals NOT destroyed by Stalin in the 1940s/50s. Sadly, we heard it was once used for munitions storage, but it is now more like a church again, but it is not used for worship services. It is more like a museum and there is a small admissions fee (125 rubles, which is about $6.00). We went inside today and saw the hundreds of beautiful Orthodox religious art (icons) everywhere. In one of the rooms, there was a small chorus that sang ancient Russian chants. It was so peaceful, despite a relatively large group of folks touring it on this beautiful Moscow summer day! (see http://www.moscow-taxi.com/churches/st-basils-cathedral.html).
The biggest highlight for me in St. Basil's happened at the end of our time. Near the exit, there is a small gift shop, but before you get to the gift shop, there is a small table with Russian Orthodox icons and a quiet elderly woman (called a "Babushka", or grandmother, in Russian) who minds this table. I stopped, because I recognized the icon of St. Nicholas (an important figure in Russian relgious life), but I didn't look very closely at the two figures beside him on this three tiered wooden panel. I quickly asked the woman (since I was the only one at the table at the time) who the other figures were.
It took her awhile, since she didn't have her glasses with her, but she read the small Cyrillic letters and said, pointing to the first one: "Pytr," or Peter. She then looked at the second one, but I had figured by then that it must be Paul. She confirmed this. I said "Spasiba bolshoi" (thank you very much), and she smiled.
I looked around a bit more and waited for Edna and the boys to buy some cards at the gift shop. While I waited I ventured back and looked at Nicholas again. She recognized me and said (in broken English), "Take it." I shook my head at first, and then she said, "Are you a traveler?"
"Da (meaning 'yes' in Russian)," I said.
She replied, "Nicholas likes travelers; take it for your travels."
Well, I did take it, but I paid her the full price (only 120 rubles, which is about $6.00), and said again "Thank you very much" (Spasiba bolshoi).
So, even though I paid for it, I feel I've been given a gift. I can't explain it, but in one of the oldest structures in Moscow, near the middle of Red Square, I sensed God's presence in a little old lady who loves Jesus, even cares for tourists, and wants to remind people that "Nicholas likes travelers."
It was a "God moment", and the beauty of that little woman's heart outshined even the majesty of one of the world's great cathedrals.
Blessings,
Charles
The biggest highlight for me in St. Basil's happened at the end of our time. Near the exit, there is a small gift shop, but before you get to the gift shop, there is a small table with Russian Orthodox icons and a quiet elderly woman (called a "Babushka", or grandmother, in Russian) who minds this table. I stopped, because I recognized the icon of St. Nicholas (an important figure in Russian relgious life), but I didn't look very closely at the two figures beside him on this three tiered wooden panel. I quickly asked the woman (since I was the only one at the table at the time) who the other figures were.
It took her awhile, since she didn't have her glasses with her, but she read the small Cyrillic letters and said, pointing to the first one: "Pytr," or Peter. She then looked at the second one, but I had figured by then that it must be Paul. She confirmed this. I said "Spasiba bolshoi" (thank you very much), and she smiled.
I looked around a bit more and waited for Edna and the boys to buy some cards at the gift shop. While I waited I ventured back and looked at Nicholas again. She recognized me and said (in broken English), "Take it." I shook my head at first, and then she said, "Are you a traveler?"
"Da (meaning 'yes' in Russian)," I said.
She replied, "Nicholas likes travelers; take it for your travels."
Well, I did take it, but I paid her the full price (only 120 rubles, which is about $6.00), and said again "Thank you very much" (Spasiba bolshoi).
So, even though I paid for it, I feel I've been given a gift. I can't explain it, but in one of the oldest structures in Moscow, near the middle of Red Square, I sensed God's presence in a little old lady who loves Jesus, even cares for tourists, and wants to remind people that "Nicholas likes travelers."
It was a "God moment", and the beauty of that little woman's heart outshined even the majesty of one of the world's great cathedrals.
Blessings,
Charles
Day 3: Thursday, July 10 - From Edna
Olga was occupied today, so we had a different tour guide. Tim is a Nazarene who has been coming to Russia in the summers for ten years to teach soccer to children in the villages and orphanages.
Today we were planning on seeing the cathedrals and palaces in The Kremlin, but when we arrived at the gate there was a sign saying it was closed. When we got back home the Moscow guide book said that The Kremlin is always closed on Thursdays, so we'll try again tomorrow.
Instead we strolled across a bridge over the Moscow river for an embankment view of The Kremlin and it was amazing. We took some really good pictures there.
Then we went and ate lunch at the McDonald's on Red Square. I told the boys they could eat at the "golden arches" one time while we were here. After that we went and toured the inside of The Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed. It was beautiful, but the outside was still my favorite. Then we got ice cream from a street vendor and watched the changing of the guard at The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
My favorite part of the day, though, was when Jacob and Zachary went outside to play after dinner. In the middle of a block of the highrise apartments there is usually a small playground for the kids who live in the complex. So Jacob and Zachary went down to the playground and played soccer with some Russian children. They played a version of keep-away and tried to be the one to get the ball to dribble in between all of the play equipment.
Of course the kids and parents at the playground knew we were visitors and could tell we are American. Two girls (Dasha and Tarmin) talked to Zachary in broken English for a long time, and later they came over to talk to me. They were so sweet, and Zachary is hoping to run into Dasha tomorrow!
Today we were planning on seeing the cathedrals and palaces in The Kremlin, but when we arrived at the gate there was a sign saying it was closed. When we got back home the Moscow guide book said that The Kremlin is always closed on Thursdays, so we'll try again tomorrow.
Instead we strolled across a bridge over the Moscow river for an embankment view of The Kremlin and it was amazing. We took some really good pictures there.
Then we went and ate lunch at the McDonald's on Red Square. I told the boys they could eat at the "golden arches" one time while we were here. After that we went and toured the inside of The Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed. It was beautiful, but the outside was still my favorite. Then we got ice cream from a street vendor and watched the changing of the guard at The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
My favorite part of the day, though, was when Jacob and Zachary went outside to play after dinner. In the middle of a block of the highrise apartments there is usually a small playground for the kids who live in the complex. So Jacob and Zachary went down to the playground and played soccer with some Russian children. They played a version of keep-away and tried to be the one to get the ball to dribble in between all of the play equipment.
Of course the kids and parents at the playground knew we were visitors and could tell we are American. Two girls (Dasha and Tarmin) talked to Zachary in broken English for a long time, and later they came over to talk to me. They were so sweet, and Zachary is hoping to run into Dasha tomorrow!
Charles: A few more reflections from July 10
Some random thoughts and reflections so far:
-- It's funny how much we notice marketing when its in another language (billboards, over-dramatized commercials on signs and TV, product names in multiple languages, etc.). We get bombarded in America with it (no matter how much TV and radio we listen to), but I think we get a little numb to it. When it's everywhere, in many languages (even in Red Square there's a McDonald's and a shopping mall, etc.!), it seems to stick out. American products do well here. Even "Mr Clean" (the household cleaning stuff) is here, and the label reads: "Mr. Proper." Funny....
-- There is a strong identity among all Russians with the Russian Orthodox Church, even though a vast majority really don't attend church or have any religious affiliation. It reminds me of the dangers of an overly-nationalistic religion. America struggles with this sometimes, but it is a big part of Russian life. Even a Russian Nazarene we met said, "I am a Christian and a Nazarene, but I don't see any way that I am not at least partly Russian Orthodox." This is the general feeling among Russians. The government favors Russian Orthodoxy a lot, and the churches celebrate not only martyrs and heroes of the faith, but also Russian military and political heroes. They, too, are sometimes on stained glass windows and in statues. It often causes the Church here to lose some of its relevance, prophetic voice, and deeper spirituality. Let that be a lesson to us!
-- The effects of Communism were drastic. The mass produced buildings and items are very compact and "industrial" looking, but they aren't always the most convenient or people friendly. Also, so many people were left with little or no motivation that many people seem to have lost the will to do much more than the bear minimum. Also, the family systems have been devastated here with no faith-based guidance. Many men, women, and children stuggle in ways that you almost have to see to believe. They are hungry for hope.
-- After saying that, I have also learned that unbridled capitalism is as deadly and draining as unbridled communism. As one of our hosts told me, an old Russian woman once told him, "At least in oppression, we came together." Now, we have an individualism that seeks more money and less community! The bottom line is that a human-made system will not ultimately answer the deepest needs of the human heart. Only God can do that.
Blessings,
Charles
-- It's funny how much we notice marketing when its in another language (billboards, over-dramatized commercials on signs and TV, product names in multiple languages, etc.). We get bombarded in America with it (no matter how much TV and radio we listen to), but I think we get a little numb to it. When it's everywhere, in many languages (even in Red Square there's a McDonald's and a shopping mall, etc.!), it seems to stick out. American products do well here. Even "Mr Clean" (the household cleaning stuff) is here, and the label reads: "Mr. Proper." Funny....
-- There is a strong identity among all Russians with the Russian Orthodox Church, even though a vast majority really don't attend church or have any religious affiliation. It reminds me of the dangers of an overly-nationalistic religion. America struggles with this sometimes, but it is a big part of Russian life. Even a Russian Nazarene we met said, "I am a Christian and a Nazarene, but I don't see any way that I am not at least partly Russian Orthodox." This is the general feeling among Russians. The government favors Russian Orthodoxy a lot, and the churches celebrate not only martyrs and heroes of the faith, but also Russian military and political heroes. They, too, are sometimes on stained glass windows and in statues. It often causes the Church here to lose some of its relevance, prophetic voice, and deeper spirituality. Let that be a lesson to us!
-- The effects of Communism were drastic. The mass produced buildings and items are very compact and "industrial" looking, but they aren't always the most convenient or people friendly. Also, so many people were left with little or no motivation that many people seem to have lost the will to do much more than the bear minimum. Also, the family systems have been devastated here with no faith-based guidance. Many men, women, and children stuggle in ways that you almost have to see to believe. They are hungry for hope.
-- After saying that, I have also learned that unbridled capitalism is as deadly and draining as unbridled communism. As one of our hosts told me, an old Russian woman once told him, "At least in oppression, we came together." Now, we have an individualism that seeks more money and less community! The bottom line is that a human-made system will not ultimately answer the deepest needs of the human heart. Only God can do that.
Blessings,
Charles
From Charles: Day 3, If you're traveling to Russia....
Hello! Edna's been blogging so far, so I have a chance to enter a couple....
A friend of mine from college and high school contacted me since we've been here (he's in Texas) and said that he and his family are coming to Moscow in August on vacation. He asked me to list some things to keep in mind. I've chatted with Edna a little about this, and here's a partial list based upon our exciting experience so far:
1) Learn two words well: "Spa-see-ba" (Thank You) and "Pa-zhal-sta" (You're welcome/excuse me/please).... These words will "cover a multitude of sins", so to speak. :-) The Russians seem to appreciate tourists who use these words (and other Russian words we pick up on the way). In a city as big as Moscow (12 million!), it seems that many Russians feel like just another face in the crowd. However, taking a moment as a tourist to say "Thank you" and "Please" does make a difference, and if you see them again, they tend to remember and be more helpful! This happened at the store tonight when I walked over to pick up a few items for dinner for us. A checker remembered me and stayed nearby to make sure I wasn't buying something outrageous (although I did accidentally get bologna instead of ham; oh, well....).
2) Russian definitions of service and expediency is not the same as American definitions. This isn't necessarily bad; it's just that it requires some adjustment and patience. If check-in time is 2PM, it may mean that the room is vacant at 2PM, but not that it is clean yet (maybe it will be an hour later). Also, as we found out today (July 10), even schedules for big sights are subject to last minute change. We were going to see the Kremlin today (see Edna's last blog), but when we arrived, there was a sign that said (in Russian): "The Kremlin will be closed all day today." And that was that....We'll try again tomorrow!
3) Walk a lot and take the Metro. The one tightly run thing in Russia is its Metro (Subway) system. It is one of the busiest in the world, and it's usually right on time or very close. On crowded days, beware of pick-pockets (or so we've heard; we've not had any trouble at all), but otherwise, enjoy the ride! Traffic is HORRIBLE. Imagine L.A. or New York City or Dallas with not enough roadway, and then multiply that by a LOT, and you'll get Moscow traffic. And it's that way ALL the time; there are no "light" times. So, most people walk or use Metro or both.
4) Know your Rubles! Get rubles exchanged at a the airport or a Western Union as soon as possible. You'll get a better exchange rate, and it feels good to have some rubles in your pocket when you're walking around Moscow.
5) Russians are usually suspicious of Americans, it seems. This seems to have less to do with the Cold War days and more to do with the fact that Russians themselves are emerging from an identity crisis. Also, it's a big place, and so people naturally come across as more suspicious of outsiders/strangers. We're learning that the people are not unfriendly once you get to know them, and in this way, it's like anywhere else!
6) If you're touring an active church -- that is, a church that still has consistent active services -- don't wear shorts: they won't let you in. Also, you cannot take photos inside an active church, at the airport, at the entrance to the Kremlin, or at most places in the Metro. THIS IS A BIG DEAL, so don't violate these rules. (I almost accidentally learned a couple of these the hard way).
7) Enjoy the experience of needing help! We Americans like to be fiercely independent, and that's fine. However, we're finding that it's good to have to ask about even the very basic elements (Is this fish or chicken? How much is this? Where is my stop? Where is the cash machine? etc, etc). Also, you learn patience in Russia one way or the other (for instance, you may get stuck in an elevator for a few minutes or miss a Metro stop, etc.). Patience is a good thing. Also, it helps us appreciate both the blessings of our own country and to have more sympathy toward those who come to our country without knowing the basics of our culture or language. Compassion is a good thing, too.....
Russians LOVE children. That's a fun thing to see throughout the culture. Our boys are being treated quite nicely. Jacob dropped something this week as we were walking through the underground Metro station and a woman helped him pick it up. He said, "Spasiba" (Thank you) right away, and the woman smiled and said, "Pazhalta" (you're welcome). Zachary met two girls (of course) on the playground outside the District apts. where we're staying, and Jacob and Zachary played soccer with a few of the boys in the area. It was so beautiful to see them all playing together: they didn't speak the language but found a way to communicate. We could all learn a lesson or two from that, I think....
Dobre Den (Have a good day!)....
We'll write more later.
God bless,
Charles
A friend of mine from college and high school contacted me since we've been here (he's in Texas) and said that he and his family are coming to Moscow in August on vacation. He asked me to list some things to keep in mind. I've chatted with Edna a little about this, and here's a partial list based upon our exciting experience so far:
1) Learn two words well: "Spa-see-ba" (Thank You) and "Pa-zhal-sta" (You're welcome/excuse me/please).... These words will "cover a multitude of sins", so to speak. :-) The Russians seem to appreciate tourists who use these words (and other Russian words we pick up on the way). In a city as big as Moscow (12 million!), it seems that many Russians feel like just another face in the crowd. However, taking a moment as a tourist to say "Thank you" and "Please" does make a difference, and if you see them again, they tend to remember and be more helpful! This happened at the store tonight when I walked over to pick up a few items for dinner for us. A checker remembered me and stayed nearby to make sure I wasn't buying something outrageous (although I did accidentally get bologna instead of ham; oh, well....).
2) Russian definitions of service and expediency is not the same as American definitions. This isn't necessarily bad; it's just that it requires some adjustment and patience. If check-in time is 2PM, it may mean that the room is vacant at 2PM, but not that it is clean yet (maybe it will be an hour later). Also, as we found out today (July 10), even schedules for big sights are subject to last minute change. We were going to see the Kremlin today (see Edna's last blog), but when we arrived, there was a sign that said (in Russian): "The Kremlin will be closed all day today." And that was that....We'll try again tomorrow!
3) Walk a lot and take the Metro. The one tightly run thing in Russia is its Metro (Subway) system. It is one of the busiest in the world, and it's usually right on time or very close. On crowded days, beware of pick-pockets (or so we've heard; we've not had any trouble at all), but otherwise, enjoy the ride! Traffic is HORRIBLE. Imagine L.A. or New York City or Dallas with not enough roadway, and then multiply that by a LOT, and you'll get Moscow traffic. And it's that way ALL the time; there are no "light" times. So, most people walk or use Metro or both.
4) Know your Rubles! Get rubles exchanged at a the airport or a Western Union as soon as possible. You'll get a better exchange rate, and it feels good to have some rubles in your pocket when you're walking around Moscow.
5) Russians are usually suspicious of Americans, it seems. This seems to have less to do with the Cold War days and more to do with the fact that Russians themselves are emerging from an identity crisis. Also, it's a big place, and so people naturally come across as more suspicious of outsiders/strangers. We're learning that the people are not unfriendly once you get to know them, and in this way, it's like anywhere else!
6) If you're touring an active church -- that is, a church that still has consistent active services -- don't wear shorts: they won't let you in. Also, you cannot take photos inside an active church, at the airport, at the entrance to the Kremlin, or at most places in the Metro. THIS IS A BIG DEAL, so don't violate these rules. (I almost accidentally learned a couple of these the hard way).
7) Enjoy the experience of needing help! We Americans like to be fiercely independent, and that's fine. However, we're finding that it's good to have to ask about even the very basic elements (Is this fish or chicken? How much is this? Where is my stop? Where is the cash machine? etc, etc). Also, you learn patience in Russia one way or the other (for instance, you may get stuck in an elevator for a few minutes or miss a Metro stop, etc.). Patience is a good thing. Also, it helps us appreciate both the blessings of our own country and to have more sympathy toward those who come to our country without knowing the basics of our culture or language. Compassion is a good thing, too.....
Russians LOVE children. That's a fun thing to see throughout the culture. Our boys are being treated quite nicely. Jacob dropped something this week as we were walking through the underground Metro station and a woman helped him pick it up. He said, "Spasiba" (Thank you) right away, and the woman smiled and said, "Pazhalta" (you're welcome). Zachary met two girls (of course) on the playground outside the District apts. where we're staying, and Jacob and Zachary played soccer with a few of the boys in the area. It was so beautiful to see them all playing together: they didn't speak the language but found a way to communicate. We could all learn a lesson or two from that, I think....
Dobre Den (Have a good day!)....
We'll write more later.
God bless,
Charles
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Day 2: Wednesday, July 9 - From Edna
We arrived safely yesterday and today was our first day of sightseeing. We saw the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Red Square, Lenin's Tomb, the outside of The Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed, and the GUM (pronounced "goom") department store. We also had lunch at a Russian restaurant where I had blinis (Russian pancakes with sour cream) and the boys had borsch (beet soup) and pelmeni (dumplings stuffed with meat). We rode the Metro (subway system) and visited The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. My favorites were the outside of St. Basil's and the inside of of Christ the Savior.
This morning on European news we saw that there were protests yesterday in Red Square regarding the placement of missile bases by the U.S. near Russia. The protestors had signs with the face of President Bush in a circle with a slash through it. We were hoping our friends and family at home wouldn't see the story and become worried. Today when we were at Red Square the protesters were gone.
Tomorrow we'll be seeing the Kremlin and the museums and churches there. The Bolshoi Theater is under renovation, so unfortuately we won't be able to see a ballet there.
It hasn't been extremely hot here (only around 72 degrees), but the humidity is 98%. We drank a lot of water during our many hours of walking today, but we didn't notice the Russians drinking water at all. We're used to everyone in Seattle carrying around water bottles, but I guess that's not a universal practice.
We have an amazing helper and tour guide named Olga. She is the administrative assistant for the Director of European Nazarene College. She picked us up from the airport, helped us get settled into a hotel for the first night, helped us get settled into the district apartment we're now in until Friday, and today gave us a personal tour of some of the most famous sights in Moscow. Everything here has been so much easier with her around. I'm sure we could have navigated our way, but not nearly with the ease and assurance she provided. Olga is really sweet to the boys and they love her already, and Emmy calls her "our angel."
Many things in Russia do not work very well, so today for about 15 minutes we were stuck in the elevator of the apartment building in which we're staying. At one point even the lights went out for about a minute. I must also add that this is toward the top of my sister's worst-fear list. Thankfully we all remained calm, largely because we didn't want Jacob and Zachary to be scared! We were so grateful to have Olga with us because she called the operator and could communicate the details of what was happening in Russian.
Right now there is no hot water in the apartment. Apparently in the summer and without warning, management turns off the hot water to entire buildings in order to do maintenance to the systems. It is uncertain when it will be back on. It could be tomorrow, or it could be in 3 weeks.
One thing I noticed right away was that almost every building (stores, apartments, hotels, etc.) has "security guards." These guards are unarmed men who just basically stand around (or often sit!) and watch what is going on. It's quite mysterious to me, but likely a remnant of Soviet days when everyone was really watched.
Tonight Charles and I walked to the market (grocery store) that is about 100 yards away from the district apartment. It's on the first floor of one of the industrial-looking apartment buildings, and it was quite an experience trying to shop for groceries that were labeled with the Cyrillic alphabet. We were grateful for the 20 percent of packages that were labeled in both Russian and English. I think we did fairly well looking at the pictures to figure out what the items were. Our only mistake was that we bought carbonated water instead of regular drinking water. We should have bought water bottles that said "still" on them.
Zachary continues to show his ability to have fun wherever he goes. On the Metro he was imitating some of the people who were resting and he closed his eyes and pretended to sleep. Jacob loves Russia and says he wants to buy a summer home here. It's a huge blessing to have my sister Emmy along to help out with the many details required to mobilize our family.
This morning on European news we saw that there were protests yesterday in Red Square regarding the placement of missile bases by the U.S. near Russia. The protestors had signs with the face of President Bush in a circle with a slash through it. We were hoping our friends and family at home wouldn't see the story and become worried. Today when we were at Red Square the protesters were gone.
Tomorrow we'll be seeing the Kremlin and the museums and churches there. The Bolshoi Theater is under renovation, so unfortuately we won't be able to see a ballet there.
It hasn't been extremely hot here (only around 72 degrees), but the humidity is 98%. We drank a lot of water during our many hours of walking today, but we didn't notice the Russians drinking water at all. We're used to everyone in Seattle carrying around water bottles, but I guess that's not a universal practice.
We have an amazing helper and tour guide named Olga. She is the administrative assistant for the Director of European Nazarene College. She picked us up from the airport, helped us get settled into a hotel for the first night, helped us get settled into the district apartment we're now in until Friday, and today gave us a personal tour of some of the most famous sights in Moscow. Everything here has been so much easier with her around. I'm sure we could have navigated our way, but not nearly with the ease and assurance she provided. Olga is really sweet to the boys and they love her already, and Emmy calls her "our angel."
Many things in Russia do not work very well, so today for about 15 minutes we were stuck in the elevator of the apartment building in which we're staying. At one point even the lights went out for about a minute. I must also add that this is toward the top of my sister's worst-fear list. Thankfully we all remained calm, largely because we didn't want Jacob and Zachary to be scared! We were so grateful to have Olga with us because she called the operator and could communicate the details of what was happening in Russian.
Right now there is no hot water in the apartment. Apparently in the summer and without warning, management turns off the hot water to entire buildings in order to do maintenance to the systems. It is uncertain when it will be back on. It could be tomorrow, or it could be in 3 weeks.
One thing I noticed right away was that almost every building (stores, apartments, hotels, etc.) has "security guards." These guards are unarmed men who just basically stand around (or often sit!) and watch what is going on. It's quite mysterious to me, but likely a remnant of Soviet days when everyone was really watched.
Tonight Charles and I walked to the market (grocery store) that is about 100 yards away from the district apartment. It's on the first floor of one of the industrial-looking apartment buildings, and it was quite an experience trying to shop for groceries that were labeled with the Cyrillic alphabet. We were grateful for the 20 percent of packages that were labeled in both Russian and English. I think we did fairly well looking at the pictures to figure out what the items were. Our only mistake was that we bought carbonated water instead of regular drinking water. We should have bought water bottles that said "still" on them.
Zachary continues to show his ability to have fun wherever he goes. On the Metro he was imitating some of the people who were resting and he closed his eyes and pretended to sleep. Jacob loves Russia and says he wants to buy a summer home here. It's a huge blessing to have my sister Emmy along to help out with the many details required to mobilize our family.
Day 1: Tuesday, July 8 - From Edna
We arrived in our Moscow hotel after about 21 hours of travel. We were weary, but excited. Jacob and Zachary were champs through it all, and it was a lot of fun to have that much time together to talk and play games. Zachary slept a lot on the plane, but Jacob has only slept about four hours in two days because he is so excited. Olga, the administrative assistant to the director of European Nazarene College, picked us up at the airport and helped us get settled into our hotel.
My sister is making fun of all the ziploc bags I used to assemble kits (a first aid kit, office supply kit, medicine kit, toiletries kit, etc.). Zachary thinks its fun to brush his teeth with bottled water, and Jacob can't wait to barter with the vendors in the markets for a matroyshka doll.
On arriving I was shocked first of all at how easy it was to get through passport control and customs. The only things we had to do were show our passport and fill out a migration card. We weren't even asked one question! It was also interesting that an international airport in a major city could be so old and rundown.
I've also learned that Moscow is much more than Red Square and the Kremlin. Outside of old Moscow it is very industrial. There are miles and miles of gigantic, homogenous, highrise apartment buildings made out of cement and steel. I can see that this environment could easily stifle creativity or ambition in people.
I'm looking forward to meeting more people here and seeing the work that the Nazarene church is doing.
My sister is making fun of all the ziploc bags I used to assemble kits (a first aid kit, office supply kit, medicine kit, toiletries kit, etc.). Zachary thinks its fun to brush his teeth with bottled water, and Jacob can't wait to barter with the vendors in the markets for a matroyshka doll.
On arriving I was shocked first of all at how easy it was to get through passport control and customs. The only things we had to do were show our passport and fill out a migration card. We weren't even asked one question! It was also interesting that an international airport in a major city could be so old and rundown.
I've also learned that Moscow is much more than Red Square and the Kremlin. Outside of old Moscow it is very industrial. There are miles and miles of gigantic, homogenous, highrise apartment buildings made out of cement and steel. I can see that this environment could easily stifle creativity or ambition in people.
I'm looking forward to meeting more people here and seeing the work that the Nazarene church is doing.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
WELCOME, FRIENDS!
Hi, Friends and Family -
This will be our temporary Russia blogspot: "To Russia with Love."
We will be in Russia from July 7th through the 24th. We will only have e-mail/internet access about half the time we're there, but when we can, we will post updates to this blog about what's happening. We will also send out updates on e-mail through the North Seattle Church of the Nazarene church office.
Thanks for checking in periodically!
Our itenerary (subject to change, of course):
July 7th: Fly out of Seattle at 6AM; through Chicago (with a layover of a few hours); then, from Chicago to Moscow!
July 7th (PM) -- Check into the Hotel Eridian for the first night, and then ....
July 8th: Get settled into the District apartment near the hotel, and some sightseeing and meeting some Moscow Nazarenes and other community folks from the 8th through the 13th...
July 13th: AM service, Charles preaches at Moscow First Church of the Nazarene. (Present VBS offering from North Seattle to District Children's Director!)....
July 13th-18th: Head to Chekhov for the 30 hour Systematic Theology I course Charles is teaching to ministerial candidates through Euorpean Nazarene College's Moscow extension....
July 18th (PM)/19th -- Take an overnight train to St. Petersburg (with Olga, our translator, accompanying us!).
July 19th: Tour St. Petersburg with our translator....
July 20th: Charles preaches at St. Petersburg Church of the Nazarene (AM service); also touring of some Russian Orthodox churches.
July 21-22: More St. Petersburg sites, including the Hermitage museum and the Winter Palace of Peter the Great....
July 22: Overnight train from St. Petersburg back to Moscow.
July 23: Prepare to return home to the U.S.A.
July 24: Fly out of Moscow around 12 noon, through Chicago, and then to Seattle!
Thanks for your prayers.... Check into the blog when you can.
Blessings,
Charles, Edna, Emmy, and the Boys.
This will be our temporary Russia blogspot: "To Russia with Love."
We will be in Russia from July 7th through the 24th. We will only have e-mail/internet access about half the time we're there, but when we can, we will post updates to this blog about what's happening. We will also send out updates on e-mail through the North Seattle Church of the Nazarene church office.
Thanks for checking in periodically!
Our itenerary (subject to change, of course):
July 7th: Fly out of Seattle at 6AM; through Chicago (with a layover of a few hours); then, from Chicago to Moscow!
July 7th (PM) -- Check into the Hotel Eridian for the first night, and then ....
July 8th: Get settled into the District apartment near the hotel, and some sightseeing and meeting some Moscow Nazarenes and other community folks from the 8th through the 13th...
July 13th: AM service, Charles preaches at Moscow First Church of the Nazarene. (Present VBS offering from North Seattle to District Children's Director!)....
July 13th-18th: Head to Chekhov for the 30 hour Systematic Theology I course Charles is teaching to ministerial candidates through Euorpean Nazarene College's Moscow extension....
July 18th (PM)/19th -- Take an overnight train to St. Petersburg (with Olga, our translator, accompanying us!).
July 19th: Tour St. Petersburg with our translator....
July 20th: Charles preaches at St. Petersburg Church of the Nazarene (AM service); also touring of some Russian Orthodox churches.
July 21-22: More St. Petersburg sites, including the Hermitage museum and the Winter Palace of Peter the Great....
July 22: Overnight train from St. Petersburg back to Moscow.
July 23: Prepare to return home to the U.S.A.
July 24: Fly out of Moscow around 12 noon, through Chicago, and then to Seattle!
Thanks for your prayers.... Check into the blog when you can.
Blessings,
Charles, Edna, Emmy, and the Boys.
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