Here are some of the things that God seems to be laying on my heart for the new year that I hope to pursue, given that some of the most significant aspects of our transition appear to be behind us.
One way of formulating my overall vision is to say that I hope to be used by God to impact the leadership of the city in multiple spheres of society in such a way that the Holy Spirit brings visible revival, with change measurable by any test, especially impacting the lives of the orphans.
Let me try to do that again with fewer words:
Empowering leaders in St. Petersburg for Kingdom impact in all sectors of society.
Rather than try to describe what that looks like long term, I want to give a sense of short term direction that fits within this mission. That work seems to be falling into 3 categories so far.
Within the church. My service to the Christian community has started, and I think rightfully so, with service to our own local fellowship, called Harvest. The pull has clearly been on training opportunities I can bring that come out of my counseling and coaching background. I didn't want to tell them what they needed, so they told me that they wanted help in how to solve problems biblically. And thankfully, that class has been well received. Now I want to do more than just offer it again. My plans are somewhat radical: start immediately duplicating the knowledge God has given me by investing in others who can teach the class and grow into trainers of trainers themselves. Already, for example, in this class we have represented two individuals trained in psychology, one of the associate pastors, and a mature teenager who all show promise as leaders who can become messengers of this awesome life-changing material.
One such opportunity is likely to be for a mission training school nearby that focuses on the practical side of missions, which is very uncommon here. My January, therefore, may be dedicated in part to working in parallel with one of my students to teach this class there.
Otherwise, I have a list of pastors and other Christian leaders, including Orthodox, I want to meet and listen to next year to find out where the needs are and where I might find other open doors.
Orphan work. The purpose of my teaching at the Harbor was to get to know the kids and the program first hand in order to see where my gifts might fit in most appropriately. We have done some reshuffling, and I am now tutoring one of the boys, Yuri, alone at home. This is also a great opportunity for him to interact with my family, both for the sake of his English and for his appreciation of family life. I'm also gently introducing some coaching into our meetings to see where that will go. His English is relatively good, his intelligence is very high, and he already professes faith in Christ.
Additionally, I will be coaching one of the male mentors, Vadim, starting next month as a way of exploring both how coaching might be used for the whole staff and for how it could be used for the program participants themselves. I'm really excited about the potential here.
Outside the Harbor, I feel the need to do some research into the other ministries and secular entities serving the orphans and street kids. The street kid problem is radically different from even a year ago, as it appears that the government has actually done something good for a change and established homes for them based on a European model that works fairly well. I need to know more.
Barely 100 paces from our house is an orphanage for school-aged children. I intend to find a way to meet the leadership there and begin serving, to include bringing at least Diana and Lydia along over time.
Business. As early as March when I was here, I met an extraordinary South African woman, Colleen, who runs a business to serve the management training needs of other businesses in the city. They teach everything from English to how to get ISO 9000 certification. What I love is that Colleen's vision for her business is totally Kingdom oriented. My relationship with her has been slowly growing over the last couple of months, and we are now looking intently into how to formalize a partnership for mutual blessing. My aim is to see her company (her mission, really) have deeper penetration into the secular business community. The possibilities are tremendous.
Diana began serving at the baby orphanages a couple of months ago, but it is now on hold due to the stresses of getting settled in as well as health problems that have been plaguing her much of the fall. She is hopeful that she can resume her service there in the next several weeks.
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Artful solution
Lydia has written about her new art class on her blog with pictures.
Below is from a mother's perspective.
Lydia loves art. Every free moment finds her either reading or sketching. Therefore, we earnestly prayed for an art class possibility for her. After all, we do live in the cultural capital of Russia. In October an opportunity presented itself at the International Academy. Lydia enjoyed class because it was in English, and she hoped to meet some other kids her age. Unfortunately, this proved more of a craft class (not "real" art instruction) and socializing was not in the curriculum. The trek to the school each week was substantial as well. The payoff didn't seem worth it when Lydia's attitude remained lukewarm at best.
Each region of St. P has art, music, and sport facilities for after-school instruction. Many offer classes for serious students, some to the tune of 15 hours per week. Once we learned of an art school down the street, Lyle decided to investigate by observing a class. I couldn't wait to hear his report. Russian instruction in any subject can be strict and uncreative. I once observed a teacher taking magic markers and begin "correcting" student art work. I cringed at the thought. Would it be too much to ask for a nurturing environment? We were hopeful this would be an opportunity for quality art instruction AND Russian language practice AND socializing. Jackpot!
Although nervous during her first class, Lydia came home beaming. I teared up as she described how welcoming the teacher and students were. Several girls clustered around her and wanted to "be her friend" right away. And the art experience was a hit too. Lydia's first still life painting surprised even her! She rattled on about the teacher and the "inspiring" (her words, really) art room decor. Lydia now has more professional art supplies and thoroughly enjoys her class every Tuesday and Thursday. Lyle only attended her first class to help with initial translating. Since then, Lydia has been going solo.
As a mom watching her child struggle to transition into this culture and language, this art class is as a big answered prayer. We love hearing about how she tried to create a certain color with her paints, or how the teacher demonstrated how to make a certain background. Our Lydia has been happier and more confident in recent weeks, and I know the art class is a big contributor to her improved outlook on life.
Below is from a mother's perspective.
Lydia loves art. Every free moment finds her either reading or sketching. Therefore, we earnestly prayed for an art class possibility for her. After all, we do live in the cultural capital of Russia. In October an opportunity presented itself at the International Academy. Lydia enjoyed class because it was in English, and she hoped to meet some other kids her age. Unfortunately, this proved more of a craft class (not "real" art instruction) and socializing was not in the curriculum. The trek to the school each week was substantial as well. The payoff didn't seem worth it when Lydia's attitude remained lukewarm at best.
Each region of St. P has art, music, and sport facilities for after-school instruction. Many offer classes for serious students, some to the tune of 15 hours per week. Once we learned of an art school down the street, Lyle decided to investigate by observing a class. I couldn't wait to hear his report. Russian instruction in any subject can be strict and uncreative. I once observed a teacher taking magic markers and begin "correcting" student art work. I cringed at the thought. Would it be too much to ask for a nurturing environment? We were hopeful this would be an opportunity for quality art instruction AND Russian language practice AND socializing. Jackpot!
Although nervous during her first class, Lydia came home beaming. I teared up as she described how welcoming the teacher and students were. Several girls clustered around her and wanted to "be her friend" right away. And the art experience was a hit too. Lydia's first still life painting surprised even her! She rattled on about the teacher and the "inspiring" (her words, really) art room decor. Lydia now has more professional art supplies and thoroughly enjoys her class every Tuesday and Thursday. Lyle only attended her first class to help with initial translating. Since then, Lydia has been going solo.
As a mom watching her child struggle to transition into this culture and language, this art class is as a big answered prayer. We love hearing about how she tried to create a certain color with her paints, or how the teacher demonstrated how to make a certain background. Our Lydia has been happier and more confident in recent weeks, and I know the art class is a big contributor to her improved outlook on life.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Drinking Mushroom
I was in the cafeteria chatting with some of the staff at the boys' school a few weeks ago and was offered a new drink to try. They asked, "have you ever tried mushroom?" I though I had misunderstood them. Did they say, "greeb" (mushroom) or "greepp" (the flu)? Neither made much sense, to say the least. They were talking about a drink sitting in front of me in a large jar - a cloudy brown substance. Since I'd never heard of it, they started extolling its virtues. It's supposed to be terribly good for you, with all kinds of great bacteria in it, etc., etc. So I tried it. It's a tangy, slightly fermented, almost soda-like form of tea, from which it is usually made. Not too bad, in fact, once you get used to it.
Ever being the adventurer, I agreed to take some culture with me to grow at home. This is when I understood the name, since what they gave me looks distinctly fungal by nature. So while I started to grow it in my tea, I did some research. Have you figured out what this is yet? We call it "kombucha." According to Wikipedia:
Kombucha is the Western name for sweetened tea or tisane that has been fermented by a macroscopic solid mass of microorganisms called a "kombucha colony," usually consisting principally of Acetobacter-species and yeast cultures. It has gained much popular support within many communities, mentioned by talk show hosts and celebrities. The increase in popularity can be seen by the many commercial brands coming onto the retail market and thousands of web pages about this fermented beverage.
Not long after this, I ran into a lady at the local farmer's market (where I get much of my fresh food and cultural interaction) who was selling books and samples of greeb and another variety called milk greeb. I just love talking with and buying from babushkas at the market, so this was a great education for me. So, ever being the adventurer, I decided to try this as well.
Finding out about this stuff is much harder online, at least in English. I think it's called Tibetan fermented milk. It's a kind of kefir, and does not taste anything as bad as kumiss, which is the fermented milk I had while living in Kyrgyzstan.
How does the family greet all this? Kerith likes the tea; Simon tolerates it. Lydia likes the kefir. I tolerate both. Diana has to be sweet-talked into taking her RDA. We've been seeing more than our fair share of illness over the last month, especially Diana and the boys, and so I'm taking no chances.
Monday, December 3, 2007
How to steal an apartment
Just to give you a good example of how thoroughly permeated this society is with evil, I'll relate this one little problem to you:
Most homeless here are not mentally ill or drug addicts. There are three categories:
How about the released convicts? They loose their registration and passports as prisoners, and consequently they have no access to work or a new home. It's a vicious Catch 22.
And the YUPPIES? You come home from a vacation and find your keys don't work. In fact, you find another family living in your apartment. When you take them to court, you are presented with all the paperwork, including your own signature, that you actually sold the apartment. The court won't even consider the possibility of forgery. The trick: all your personal information is linked to your place of registration, so those who guard your registration now have tremendous power. A clever businessman goes to them and simply pays for your information. The new homeowners are only partly innocent, because they know at least that they are getting paperwork that has been "expedited." Why young singles? Because they are least connected to relatives that can vouch for them.
Combine capitalism with greed in the absence of a fear of God, the result is Russia.
More on homelessness in Russia here.
Most homeless here are not mentally ill or drug addicts. There are three categories:
- the elderly
- ex-cons
- middle-class single people
How about the released convicts? They loose their registration and passports as prisoners, and consequently they have no access to work or a new home. It's a vicious Catch 22.
And the YUPPIES? You come home from a vacation and find your keys don't work. In fact, you find another family living in your apartment. When you take them to court, you are presented with all the paperwork, including your own signature, that you actually sold the apartment. The court won't even consider the possibility of forgery. The trick: all your personal information is linked to your place of registration, so those who guard your registration now have tremendous power. A clever businessman goes to them and simply pays for your information. The new homeowners are only partly innocent, because they know at least that they are getting paperwork that has been "expedited." Why young singles? Because they are least connected to relatives that can vouch for them.
Combine capitalism with greed in the absence of a fear of God, the result is Russia.
More on homelessness in Russia here.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Visas in question
Here is the news we got through a discussion group that missionaries share and post to for the city on Oct. 22nd (abbreviated):
The Moscow Times
New, Tougher Rules for Business Visas
By Alexander Osipovich
Staff Writer
The government is tightening the screws on foreigners who want to work here full time without a work visa -- and itinerant English teachers look likely to be the first to feel the squeeze.
Multiple-entry business visas, which used to let foreigners stay in Russia for up to one year, will now only allow stays of up to 90 days at a time, according to a decree signed by Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov on Oct. 4.
Under the new rules, such visas will still last one year. But they will only let people stay in Russia for up to 180 days of that year, and for no longer than 90 days at a time. Moreover, if a foreigner stays in Russia for 90 days straight, he or she is then required to leave and not come back until another 90 days have passed.
Zubkov's decree also says foreigners might have to obtain the visas in their native countries -- which implies that U.S. and British expatriates could no longer hop on the train to Kiev for a visa run. But representatives of visa agencies and foreign business lobbies were unsure how that rule would be implemented, and some said it might not apply to Westerners.
What is clear, however, is that expats can no longer stay in Russia endlessly by obtaining multiple-entry business visas and renewing them each year, said Alexei Filippenkov, director of the Visa Delight agency.
"Now, any foreigner who wants to come live here has to either go through the immigration process, and eventually obtain a residence permit, or else find an employer who will prepare a work visa for them," Filippenkov said.
Foreigners with work visas are not affected by the change.
It is unclear whether the new rules will affect foreigners with multiple-entry business visas issued before Zubkov's decree. But Filippenkov said it was unlikely.
Representatives of visa agencies had different takes on the provision in Zubkov's decree about returning to one's home country for a visa.
Filippenkov, of Visa Delight, said the provision about returning to one's home country did not apply to Westerners and was instead directed at countries like China, Turkey and India.
Russian embassies are notoriously inconsistent in their approach to issuing visas. In the past, it has often taken several months to see how rule changes are implemented.
Zubkov's decree puts Russia on the same footing as many Western countries, which also draw a distinction between visas designed for short visits and visas that grant one the right to work.
U.S. citizens who visit Britain, for example, are allowed to stay for up to six months, but they get a stamp in their passport stating they are prohibited from working there.
"The government is making things work the same way as they do in America and Europe," Filippenkov said. Russian citizens face the exact same 90- and 180-day restrictions in Germany, he added.
Still, such comparisons have not reassured expats accustomed to the ease of obtaining multiple-entry business visas and daunted by the obstacles of getting Russian work permits.
"What will they think of next?" asked one visitor at RedTape.ru. "Shooting all foreigners? Might be quicker to get rid of us that way!"
© Copyright 2007 The Moscow Times. All rights reserved.
Since then, the confusion level among expats has been unprecedented. As The St. Petersburg Times reported:
"Foreigners in Russia will have to apply for visas in their home countries or in a country where they can stay 90 days or more, a Federal Migration service official said Monday.
The clarification came as government officials attempted to explain the restrictive new rules after foreign business associations were swamped with inquiries about the new system.
Puzzled company representatives packed out events held by the American Chamber of Commerce and Association of European Businesses on Monday, where officials spoke from the Foreign Ministry and Federal Migration Service.
Confusion has reigned among expatriates over an Oct. 4 decree issued by Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov that shook up the application process and slashed the length of time foreigners can stay in Russia on multiple-entry business visas."
Our teammates, the O'Byrnes, were originally composed about the changes. They have lived through so many changes and threatened changes that this seemed like no big deal. I think they are rethinking that now as reports from foreigners actually being given these kinds of visas roll in.
The woman who administers the visas for most missionaries in the city, Alla, herself a Christian, was also sanguine for a while. I think she is sobering too. I trust her to work hard at finding a solution for us, but as of last week, I'm now on proactive mode: I meet with a lawyer this week.
Please pray for God's provision of direction for us.
The Moscow Times
New, Tougher Rules for Business Visas
By Alexander Osipovich
Staff Writer
The government is tightening the screws on foreigners who want to work here full time without a work visa -- and itinerant English teachers look likely to be the first to feel the squeeze.
Multiple-entry business visas, which used to let foreigners stay in Russia for up to one year, will now only allow stays of up to 90 days at a time, according to a decree signed by Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov on Oct. 4.
Under the new rules, such visas will still last one year. But they will only let people stay in Russia for up to 180 days of that year, and for no longer than 90 days at a time. Moreover, if a foreigner stays in Russia for 90 days straight, he or she is then required to leave and not come back until another 90 days have passed.
Zubkov's decree also says foreigners might have to obtain the visas in their native countries -- which implies that U.S. and British expatriates could no longer hop on the train to Kiev for a visa run. But representatives of visa agencies and foreign business lobbies were unsure how that rule would be implemented, and some said it might not apply to Westerners.
What is clear, however, is that expats can no longer stay in Russia endlessly by obtaining multiple-entry business visas and renewing them each year, said Alexei Filippenkov, director of the Visa Delight agency.
"Now, any foreigner who wants to come live here has to either go through the immigration process, and eventually obtain a residence permit, or else find an employer who will prepare a work visa for them," Filippenkov said.
Foreigners with work visas are not affected by the change.
It is unclear whether the new rules will affect foreigners with multiple-entry business visas issued before Zubkov's decree. But Filippenkov said it was unlikely.
Representatives of visa agencies had different takes on the provision in Zubkov's decree about returning to one's home country for a visa.
Filippenkov, of Visa Delight, said the provision about returning to one's home country did not apply to Westerners and was instead directed at countries like China, Turkey and India.
Russian embassies are notoriously inconsistent in their approach to issuing visas. In the past, it has often taken several months to see how rule changes are implemented.
Zubkov's decree puts Russia on the same footing as many Western countries, which also draw a distinction between visas designed for short visits and visas that grant one the right to work.
U.S. citizens who visit Britain, for example, are allowed to stay for up to six months, but they get a stamp in their passport stating they are prohibited from working there.
"The government is making things work the same way as they do in America and Europe," Filippenkov said. Russian citizens face the exact same 90- and 180-day restrictions in Germany, he added.
Still, such comparisons have not reassured expats accustomed to the ease of obtaining multiple-entry business visas and daunted by the obstacles of getting Russian work permits.
"What will they think of next?" asked one visitor at RedTape.ru. "Shooting all foreigners? Might be quicker to get rid of us that way!"
© Copyright 2007 The Moscow Times. All rights reserved.
Since then, the confusion level among expats has been unprecedented. As The St. Petersburg Times reported:
"Foreigners in Russia will have to apply for visas in their home countries or in a country where they can stay 90 days or more, a Federal Migration service official said Monday.
The clarification came as government officials attempted to explain the restrictive new rules after foreign business associations were swamped with inquiries about the new system.
Puzzled company representatives packed out events held by the American Chamber of Commerce and Association of European Businesses on Monday, where officials spoke from the Foreign Ministry and Federal Migration Service.
Confusion has reigned among expatriates over an Oct. 4 decree issued by Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov that shook up the application process and slashed the length of time foreigners can stay in Russia on multiple-entry business visas."
Our teammates, the O'Byrnes, were originally composed about the changes. They have lived through so many changes and threatened changes that this seemed like no big deal. I think they are rethinking that now as reports from foreigners actually being given these kinds of visas roll in.
The woman who administers the visas for most missionaries in the city, Alla, herself a Christian, was also sanguine for a while. I think she is sobering too. I trust her to work hard at finding a solution for us, but as of last week, I'm now on proactive mode: I meet with a lawyer this week.
Please pray for God's provision of direction for us.
Update, December 19th:
I'm feeling much more upbeat after my meeting with the lawyer. The laws are really supposed to be for EU citizens, but they just get applied to others who are in EU countries. So one solution, that appears to be working for now, is to send your visa application to the states for processing. Then you can get the full year visa, as always. Another option, that I still have not excluded, is applying for a three year, permanent residence status. This would allow us to stay the whole three years without a visa (I think) or needing to exit. The only trick is I have to either own real estate or have an official job. Both of these I want to do, but they are no simple tasks, to say the least.
Update, December 28th:
It now looks like we will even be penalized when we leave the country next month for our 6-month registration and forced to re-register after another three months. This is better than the potential of having to stay gone for three months, but I won't feel safe until we get paper in hand.
I've made progress in having an official job, about which I will report later. At this point, I am leaning towards a more stable, long-term solution like a residency permit to the instability of a business visa.
Pray again for the housing situation. We may need to contemplate again a purchase at some point too - not only for the visa's sake, but as a wise investment.
Update: February 5th:
We that the Lord that we were not penalized when we left in January. Even though it's a 1 year visa, we had to leave after 6 months to re-register for some Russian reason. Some people were not getting the full 6 month re-registration. We did. Now we just have to decide what to do for next year, which starts at the end of July.
Our options appear to be 2: Get three-month visas every three months (money and time), or a work permit.
The trick is finding an employer and getting the permission, as there are maximums allowed by law. I have the former (more later). So we'll see...
Update, December 28th:
It now looks like we will even be penalized when we leave the country next month for our 6-month registration and forced to re-register after another three months. This is better than the potential of having to stay gone for three months, but I won't feel safe until we get paper in hand.
I've made progress in having an official job, about which I will report later. At this point, I am leaning towards a more stable, long-term solution like a residency permit to the instability of a business visa.
Pray again for the housing situation. We may need to contemplate again a purchase at some point too - not only for the visa's sake, but as a wise investment.
Update: February 5th:
We that the Lord that we were not penalized when we left in January. Even though it's a 1 year visa, we had to leave after 6 months to re-register for some Russian reason. Some people were not getting the full 6 month re-registration. We did. Now we just have to decide what to do for next year, which starts at the end of July.
Our options appear to be 2: Get three-month visas every three months (money and time), or a work permit.
The trick is finding an employer and getting the permission, as there are maximums allowed by law. I have the former (more later). So we'll see...
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Did Dell move to Russia?
This really has nothing to do with ministry in Russia, except for the fact, that what I've been through with Dell is way too reminiscent of what I have to deal with here all the time.
I'd like to do what I can to help Dell get the message that they are going to die if they don't get serious about customer service. Here is what I wrote them about our last set of interchanges over a keyboard issue Diana was having:
Although getting service from Dell has never been quick or easy, it has usually been do-able. This time has been a virtual nightmare.
1. First was a series of calls that kept being lost, and no one called back.
2. Then, I found out that because I am abroad, I was talking to the wrong person. She was very kind, but she told me that I needed to call Russian Support. She never sent the info to do this, though.
3. I eventually called back and got a phone number - 512-728-7424, not for Russian support but for International support.
4. I called this number and was told that it was a different department altogether. She gave me another number,
5. which I called: 800-456-3355x7241969. I did not get International Support, but was told this time that, not only was this, yet again, the wrong number, but that my warranty had expired on Sept. 30. She checked around and found no other number for me to call but the 512 number. I ignored her claim that I had to call the 512 number and her claim I had no warranty,
6. and I called the 800 number with the extension again. This time I got someone who picked where I had left off and assured me my warranty was good. This time, however, he told me that I could not get my service in Russia since my warranty is in the US; I had to either have the part sent to a US address and have a friend or family send it here or call Customer Care and get the warranty transferred and THEN call Russian support.
7. I called Customer Care, who told me it wasn't for them to handle but rather Technical Support, but she transferred me over to TS.
8. TS told me that they DO NOT transfer warranties. That would have
to be Customer Care. So he transferred me back.
9. Customer Care once again told me that they could not do the transfer. So they gave me a number for Warranty support - the same 512 number as I had called above!
10. I then gave up on getting this process accomplished and called back the regular number to just have it sent to a domestic address.
The only frustration here was that I had to go through many of the same steps of testing again to get the new keyboard approved, even though it had already been approved several calls ago.
Let me emphasize that the individuals I spoke with were generally very kind and helpful to the extent they knew how. This is a SYSTEMIC problem!
Thank you for taking the time to read this and figure out what to do to fix the system. At this point, I have no desire to be a Dell customer in the future.
Lyle Thomas
But then to top it all off, they wrote the next day, apologizing, and asked me to confirm that the part, already shipped out, was going to the right address. It was being sent to the address in GA they have on file, rather than the one I asked for in OR.
Blessedly, they supposedly intervened in time, though we will see if it makes it.
I'd like to do what I can to help Dell get the message that they are going to die if they don't get serious about customer service. Here is what I wrote them about our last set of interchanges over a keyboard issue Diana was having:
Although getting service from Dell has never been quick or easy, it has usually been do-able. This time has been a virtual nightmare.
1. First was a series of calls that kept being lost, and no one called back.
2. Then, I found out that because I am abroad, I was talking to the wrong person. She was very kind, but she told me that I needed to call Russian Support. She never sent the info to do this, though.
3. I eventually called back and got a phone number - 512-728-7424, not for Russian support but for International support.
4. I called this number and was told that it was a different department altogether. She gave me another number,
5. which I called: 800-456-3355x7241969. I did not get International Support, but was told this time that, not only was this, yet again, the wrong number, but that my warranty had expired on Sept. 30. She checked around and found no other number for me to call but the 512 number. I ignored her claim that I had to call the 512 number and her claim I had no warranty,
6. and I called the 800 number with the extension again. This time I got someone who picked where I had left off and assured me my warranty was good. This time, however, he told me that I could not get my service in Russia since my warranty is in the US; I had to either have the part sent to a US address and have a friend or family send it here or call Customer Care and get the warranty transferred and THEN call Russian support.
7. I called Customer Care, who told me it wasn't for them to handle but rather Technical Support, but she transferred me over to TS.
8. TS told me that they DO NOT transfer warranties. That would have
to be Customer Care. So he transferred me back.
9. Customer Care once again told me that they could not do the transfer. So they gave me a number for Warranty support - the same 512 number as I had called above!
10. I then gave up on getting this process accomplished and called back the regular number to just have it sent to a domestic address.
The only frustration here was that I had to go through many of the same steps of testing again to get the new keyboard approved, even though it had already been approved several calls ago.
Let me emphasize that the individuals I spoke with were generally very kind and helpful to the extent they knew how. This is a SYSTEMIC problem!
Thank you for taking the time to read this and figure out what to do to fix the system. At this point, I have no desire to be a Dell customer in the future.
Lyle Thomas
But then to top it all off, they wrote the next day, apologizing, and asked me to confirm that the part, already shipped out, was going to the right address. It was being sent to the address in GA they have on file, rather than the one I asked for in OR.
Blessedly, they supposedly intervened in time, though we will see if it makes it.
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Biblical Problem Solving
My motto over the last year or more has been "walking by faith." My tendency has been to plan and think things through and analyze them to death, even to the point of questioning God is leading - the infamous "analysis paralysis." It's been amazing how much less trouble and stressful life is now that I walk this way. God just seems to show me the way all the time - will, not all the time.
Other than our work at the Harbor, I came here with only a general idea of what our calling was, based on the interface between my gifts, passions, experience (and Diana's), and what I knew of where God was already moving in St. Petersburg. Now I look for relational connectivity to complete the picture of direction for ministry. One early connection that was too obvious to miss was with Pastor Igor Sokolov. We have much in common, philosophically, strategically, and in terms of ministry orientation, and - most importantly - we both believe we are in relationship with each other for a purpose. We met through training we were both getting to become Christan life coaches over a year ago, before I even knew we were bound for St. Petersburg. Since September we have been coaching each other into greater effectiveness in our respective callings, but those must needs overlap.
So a couple of weeks ago, Igor asked me what were some of the things I could offer their church, since we are also attending his fellowship as a family. I mentioned a class called Biblical Problem Solving and a parenting class. He asked me to present the concepts to his leadership team the next evening, and the response blew me away. They were most enthusiastic, and by the next meeting a couple of weeks later they were ready to put in on the books - for the following week!
I had taken the class from the Christian Counseling and Training Center in Richmond about ten years ago, and it had radically impacted my life, my marriage, and my counseling ministry ever since then. It had been a class I wanted to introduce to the city since before I arrived, but I did not expect it to happen so soon. My aim is to find a core leadership team that can take this class to a citywide level and reproduce leadership to expose the teachings to thousands of people within the next 10 years. The church has embraced even this goal. Now it just remains to implement it and watch God do the rest!
So when the offer came to teach the class, everything fell into place. We found a good time; we have about 15 people signed up (with less than a week's notice); the CCTC agreed to underwrite the translation of the materials; and our apartment ended up being the best place for the class, since God has given us such a great corridor at the top of our stairway.
Other than our work at the Harbor, I came here with only a general idea of what our calling was, based on the interface between my gifts, passions, experience (and Diana's), and what I knew of where God was already moving in St. Petersburg. Now I look for relational connectivity to complete the picture of direction for ministry. One early connection that was too obvious to miss was with Pastor Igor Sokolov. We have much in common, philosophically, strategically, and in terms of ministry orientation, and - most importantly - we both believe we are in relationship with each other for a purpose. We met through training we were both getting to become Christan life coaches over a year ago, before I even knew we were bound for St. Petersburg. Since September we have been coaching each other into greater effectiveness in our respective callings, but those must needs overlap.
So a couple of weeks ago, Igor asked me what were some of the things I could offer their church, since we are also attending his fellowship as a family. I mentioned a class called Biblical Problem Solving and a parenting class. He asked me to present the concepts to his leadership team the next evening, and the response blew me away. They were most enthusiastic, and by the next meeting a couple of weeks later they were ready to put in on the books - for the following week!
I had taken the class from the Christian Counseling and Training Center in Richmond about ten years ago, and it had radically impacted my life, my marriage, and my counseling ministry ever since then. It had been a class I wanted to introduce to the city since before I arrived, but I did not expect it to happen so soon. My aim is to find a core leadership team that can take this class to a citywide level and reproduce leadership to expose the teachings to thousands of people within the next 10 years. The church has embraced even this goal. Now it just remains to implement it and watch God do the rest!
So when the offer came to teach the class, everything fell into place. We found a good time; we have about 15 people signed up (with less than a week's notice); the CCTC agreed to underwrite the translation of the materials; and our apartment ended up being the best place for the class, since God has given us such a great corridor at the top of our stairway.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
A good day at the office
Most people here require a good deal of explanation from me when I have to say that I don't have an office - that my work is all over the city. But then, since when is anything I do ever easy to explain? My office here in Russia, as it mostly was in Richmond, is wherever and with whomever God wants me to be. I like it that way.
The other day was notable, because I saw some elements of ministry strategy that, by faith, I see coming together for something big. The first moment was at the boys' school, where I meet twice a week with Pastor Igor for mutual coaching. Today he was coaching me, and we discussed the upcoming Biblical Problem Solving class that they have so enthusiastically embraced, as well as the coach training that we both have had and want to introduce to the church.
I gave expression to a thought that had been swimming in my head - that I could see a day when both the counseling training and the coach training being implemented on a citywide scale as part of a larger unique process for leadership and discipleship training. We had a great talk about the possibilities.
Later that day my office moved to the south into a coffee shop. There I met with another key pastor in the city - key because he is well connected, well respected, and has a track record of multiplying leadership through church and ministry planting. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss ways I could help him with his new school of missions - though what that looked like, I could have only guessed. He showed me a curriculum that someone had drawn up for him of classes to be covered in the course of the three month training. He showed me the list and asked my opinion. I hesitantly expressed concerns that it was highly academic, without attention to the practical side of ministry, nor the development of self that is so crucial for good leadership.
Not only did he agree, he outlined what he would do differently that gave the school a whole new thrust:
Was I pumped! Now I could continue to focus on the one thing that God had already assigned me, but it would have application in a wider sphere of application. And maybe that dream of a discipleship training center was not crazy after all! Stay tuned...
The other day was notable, because I saw some elements of ministry strategy that, by faith, I see coming together for something big. The first moment was at the boys' school, where I meet twice a week with Pastor Igor for mutual coaching. Today he was coaching me, and we discussed the upcoming Biblical Problem Solving class that they have so enthusiastically embraced, as well as the coach training that we both have had and want to introduce to the church.
I gave expression to a thought that had been swimming in my head - that I could see a day when both the counseling training and the coach training being implemented on a citywide scale as part of a larger unique process for leadership and discipleship training. We had a great talk about the possibilities.
Later that day my office moved to the south into a coffee shop. There I met with another key pastor in the city - key because he is well connected, well respected, and has a track record of multiplying leadership through church and ministry planting. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss ways I could help him with his new school of missions - though what that looked like, I could have only guessed. He showed me a curriculum that someone had drawn up for him of classes to be covered in the course of the three month training. He showed me the list and asked my opinion. I hesitantly expressed concerns that it was highly academic, without attention to the practical side of ministry, nor the development of self that is so crucial for good leadership.
Not only did he agree, he outlined what he would do differently that gave the school a whole new thrust:
- development of students' personal relationship with God
- application of biblical principles into real life
- models for multiplying leadership (as opposed to churches - they have a vision for places where churches have to go totally underground)
Was I pumped! Now I could continue to focus on the one thing that God had already assigned me, but it would have application in a wider sphere of application. And maybe that dream of a discipleship training center was not crazy after all! Stay tuned...
Monday, October 29, 2007
Diana visits a baby orphanage
Every Saturday morning the Harbor director, Lyuba, and a few of Harbor residents (in turns), engage in their own ministry to the community, spending a few hours at one of the 70+ orphanages (housing 100-120 orphans each) in St. Petersburg. The main objective is to give these young adult orphans experience in playing appropriately with babies and toddlers. Adult orphans who become parents have a high rate of orphaning their own children, and the hope is that with some experience under their belt, these potential parents from the Harbor will stop the cycle of abandonment in their own lives. A secondary objective is to enrich the lives of the babies and toddlers who so desperately need physical contact and stimulation. I'm excited about being able to invest in impacting both sets of young people at once.
Lyuba has invited me along on these visits with the intention that I might supervise this outreach on my own some day, but this first visit was only Lyuba and me. Wondering what to expect in terms of physical conditions of the building or the children inside, I only knew that there were 134 children from birth to age 3 living in this "Dyetsky Dom" (Children's Home) and that four different doctors, who rotated weeks, were the key to allowing me into the Dom. Lyuba has built relationships with these doctors and many of the staff, since she is a regular face at the Dom. I was an unknown, and orphanage directors and the doctors can be unpredictable as to whether or not they allow foreigners in "their" facility.
The Dom's neighborhood is unpleasant -- a large factory chimney pumping thick columns of smoke skyward sits just next property. There is a large communications tower nearby, several warehouse-type buildings, and a prison decorated with razor wire. The Dom is large and yellow with a high fence surrounding the grounds. Once through the guard house, I was pleasantly surprised to see plenty of brand new playground equipment dotting the wide strip of grass that encircled the edges of the property along the high fence. Evidence of remodeling, such as scaffolding and building materials, also lay about. We walked past a couple of staff workers pushing several strollers with babies all bundled up for their daily walks. My heartstrings started to ping.
Inside the Dom was dim and quiet. With 134 babies in this place, I expected a little activity! The hallways were empty, but we could see into rooms, like a hospital nursery, where very young babies slept. Lyuba hunted for the doctor or some administrator to alert them to our visit. My hopes of actually touching any babies was dwindling. Lyuba had even said that there was a possibility they may not allow me access to the children because I do not have my current vaccination record here, and even so, I do not have all the vaccines they would require. But this is Russia, and there rules, and then there are rules. I needed to stay quiet and see what rules the doctor du jour enforced.
Finally we found the doctor, a soft-spoken grandfather-aged man, who seemed pleased to meet me and interested in why my family moved here. Having three children was a surprise to him, as it is to many Russians, but I got the impression that this fact was in my favor for interacting with the children here. With three of her own, she must not be scoping around for more! During the long chat in his office, I continually wondered if we would actually play with some babies. Finally, we stood up and Lyuba told me to leave my purse and coat. Aha! So we were on our way to play.
Our first room had eight babies from 3-8 months. Two were in walkers rocking back and forth to music. A staff worker sat on a couch playing with one, and the other five lay in a large playpen on their bellies; I couldn't tell if they were all awake or not. We could pick up any one we liked. How could I just pick up one? I reached into the playpen and scooped up a baby. His name is Daniel (Dan eel). As soon as I cradled him in my arms, he broke into a heart-stopping toothless smile and cooed. I was mush. Daniel and I talked to each other almost constantly, as he searched my face with his big, blue eyes. After 25 minutes or so another worker emerged from an adjoining room to start preparing the babies for their naps. After Daniel headed off for his nap, I held Vika, a darling 8-month-old girl who snuggled her head on my shoulder as I sang to her. Once all the babies were down, we headed to another sector of the Dom in search of more babies.
As we wandered the halls, I noticed remodeled rooms with bright murals, new shelves with toys, plants on windowsills, and new replacement windows. Clearly the remodeling was on the inside too. Some floors had a new laminate-type covering, but others had old, buckling linoleum. Lyuba pointed out newly painted halls and approved of the refurbishing. Each group of children live together in a "corpus" with sleeping room, playroom, and kitchen. Some areas even had two playrooms or an enclosed porch.
The second group the doctor assigned us to were eight AIDS babies, ages 1-2. Lyuba and I arrived as staff awakened them from naps and brought them to the lunch tables. Four children sat around a very low table on their own chairs. Long bibs draped onto the tabletop. Workers placed large, shallow soup bowls on top of the bibs, and the kids dug in! No high chairs, no finger foods, no help feeding. Each child managed an adult sized soup spoon and shoveled the soup without spilling a drop. In just a few minutes, they went directly to the play area -- this time an enclosed porch is a few bins of toys and several individual play areas with low padded walls.
It became apparent that diapers are not changed between nap and lunch, nor between lunch and playtime. I pointed out a few times that certain babies had very full diapers, but the workers only waved off the concern. Little Anya had only "spilled water on herself," for example. Yeah, right. The rule must be one change before nap. Period. Even Lyuba didn't understand this policy.
For 45 minutes we played with these babies, so they had plenty of time to charm me. A few were very distant and had little facial response. A few gingerly played with stacking rings and balls. Only a couple could walk, and three just didn't move from a sitting position at all. The delays were immediately obvious, but something else was odd, and I couldn't put my finger on it right away. Yes, the silence! A room of eight toddlers should be loud! These dear ones barely made any vocalizations. Lyuba and I talked to them and offered toy after toy. Slowly they started to respond. Little red-headed Anya proved herself the social director by removing toys from bins and then distributing to everybody. Seryozha commanded attention for more stacking rings with short grunts. One little boy, who looked the most ill, sped around the room pushing anything with wheels. The need for diaper changes eventually began to suffocate us, and the staff finally appeared to relief us -- and the babies!
The subsequent Saturday Lyuba and I, plus two young men from the Harbor, played with two different groups of babies. Along with more playtime, we even bundled up a few tots and took them outside for their daily stroll. I particularly remember two little boys in the first group -- Roman and Maxim. Roman practically jumped into my arms and occupied my lap for a long time. He enjoyed listening to me chatter away in a mix of Russian and English. Maxim wandered over and stood next to me placing his head tenderly on my shoulder. He was content to just stand and rest. In the second group, teeny tiny Lena and curious Olya kept me busy with stacking rings and balls.
As we played, I could only think about what lies ahead for these dear ones. Lyuba says that of the 134 residents here, she would be surprised if even one were ever adopted. Why? It's the system, designed to make adoption so difficult. So, what did I really bring to these babies by visiting these two Saturdays? Maybe a small change in their routine, a bit more attention and stimulation? As I played, I tried to enter the moment with them in love and offer up a prayer for each little person I touched for God to watch over and draw them to Himself.
And next Saturday, I will do the same.
Lyuba has invited me along on these visits with the intention that I might supervise this outreach on my own some day, but this first visit was only Lyuba and me. Wondering what to expect in terms of physical conditions of the building or the children inside, I only knew that there were 134 children from birth to age 3 living in this "Dyetsky Dom" (Children's Home) and that four different doctors, who rotated weeks, were the key to allowing me into the Dom. Lyuba has built relationships with these doctors and many of the staff, since she is a regular face at the Dom. I was an unknown, and orphanage directors and the doctors can be unpredictable as to whether or not they allow foreigners in "their" facility.
The Dom's neighborhood is unpleasant -- a large factory chimney pumping thick columns of smoke skyward sits just next property. There is a large communications tower nearby, several warehouse-type buildings, and a prison decorated with razor wire. The Dom is large and yellow with a high fence surrounding the grounds. Once through the guard house, I was pleasantly surprised to see plenty of brand new playground equipment dotting the wide strip of grass that encircled the edges of the property along the high fence. Evidence of remodeling, such as scaffolding and building materials, also lay about. We walked past a couple of staff workers pushing several strollers with babies all bundled up for their daily walks. My heartstrings started to ping.
Inside the Dom was dim and quiet. With 134 babies in this place, I expected a little activity! The hallways were empty, but we could see into rooms, like a hospital nursery, where very young babies slept. Lyuba hunted for the doctor or some administrator to alert them to our visit. My hopes of actually touching any babies was dwindling. Lyuba had even said that there was a possibility they may not allow me access to the children because I do not have my current vaccination record here, and even so, I do not have all the vaccines they would require. But this is Russia, and there rules, and then there are rules. I needed to stay quiet and see what rules the doctor du jour enforced.
Finally we found the doctor, a soft-spoken grandfather-aged man, who seemed pleased to meet me and interested in why my family moved here. Having three children was a surprise to him, as it is to many Russians, but I got the impression that this fact was in my favor for interacting with the children here. With three of her own, she must not be scoping around for more! During the long chat in his office, I continually wondered if we would actually play with some babies. Finally, we stood up and Lyuba told me to leave my purse and coat. Aha! So we were on our way to play.
Our first room had eight babies from 3-8 months. Two were in walkers rocking back and forth to music. A staff worker sat on a couch playing with one, and the other five lay in a large playpen on their bellies; I couldn't tell if they were all awake or not. We could pick up any one we liked. How could I just pick up one? I reached into the playpen and scooped up a baby. His name is Daniel (Dan eel). As soon as I cradled him in my arms, he broke into a heart-stopping toothless smile and cooed. I was mush. Daniel and I talked to each other almost constantly, as he searched my face with his big, blue eyes. After 25 minutes or so another worker emerged from an adjoining room to start preparing the babies for their naps. After Daniel headed off for his nap, I held Vika, a darling 8-month-old girl who snuggled her head on my shoulder as I sang to her. Once all the babies were down, we headed to another sector of the Dom in search of more babies.
As we wandered the halls, I noticed remodeled rooms with bright murals, new shelves with toys, plants on windowsills, and new replacement windows. Clearly the remodeling was on the inside too. Some floors had a new laminate-type covering, but others had old, buckling linoleum. Lyuba pointed out newly painted halls and approved of the refurbishing. Each group of children live together in a "corpus" with sleeping room, playroom, and kitchen. Some areas even had two playrooms or an enclosed porch.
The second group the doctor assigned us to were eight AIDS babies, ages 1-2. Lyuba and I arrived as staff awakened them from naps and brought them to the lunch tables. Four children sat around a very low table on their own chairs. Long bibs draped onto the tabletop. Workers placed large, shallow soup bowls on top of the bibs, and the kids dug in! No high chairs, no finger foods, no help feeding. Each child managed an adult sized soup spoon and shoveled the soup without spilling a drop. In just a few minutes, they went directly to the play area -- this time an enclosed porch is a few bins of toys and several individual play areas with low padded walls.
It became apparent that diapers are not changed between nap and lunch, nor between lunch and playtime. I pointed out a few times that certain babies had very full diapers, but the workers only waved off the concern. Little Anya had only "spilled water on herself," for example. Yeah, right. The rule must be one change before nap. Period. Even Lyuba didn't understand this policy.
For 45 minutes we played with these babies, so they had plenty of time to charm me. A few were very distant and had little facial response. A few gingerly played with stacking rings and balls. Only a couple could walk, and three just didn't move from a sitting position at all. The delays were immediately obvious, but something else was odd, and I couldn't put my finger on it right away. Yes, the silence! A room of eight toddlers should be loud! These dear ones barely made any vocalizations. Lyuba and I talked to them and offered toy after toy. Slowly they started to respond. Little red-headed Anya proved herself the social director by removing toys from bins and then distributing to everybody. Seryozha commanded attention for more stacking rings with short grunts. One little boy, who looked the most ill, sped around the room pushing anything with wheels. The need for diaper changes eventually began to suffocate us, and the staff finally appeared to relief us -- and the babies!
The subsequent Saturday Lyuba and I, plus two young men from the Harbor, played with two different groups of babies. Along with more playtime, we even bundled up a few tots and took them outside for their daily stroll. I particularly remember two little boys in the first group -- Roman and Maxim. Roman practically jumped into my arms and occupied my lap for a long time. He enjoyed listening to me chatter away in a mix of Russian and English. Maxim wandered over and stood next to me placing his head tenderly on my shoulder. He was content to just stand and rest. In the second group, teeny tiny Lena and curious Olya kept me busy with stacking rings and balls.
As we played, I could only think about what lies ahead for these dear ones. Lyuba says that of the 134 residents here, she would be surprised if even one were ever adopted. Why? It's the system, designed to make adoption so difficult. So, what did I really bring to these babies by visiting these two Saturdays? Maybe a small change in their routine, a bit more attention and stimulation? As I played, I tried to enter the moment with them in love and offer up a prayer for each little person I touched for God to watch over and draw them to Himself.
And next Saturday, I will do the same.
Friday, October 12, 2007
My first cry
Even as early as March when I came here in advance of our big move to scope things out, I began asking God as I would walk around to break my heart for the people and give me His perspective and passion for seeing people - and the whole city- transformed by His love and grace. The only real emotional time I had then was at the very beginning, when I stood in line at passport control, knowing that the next time I did so would be with my whole family in tow. Powerful.
But not the same thing. So I keep praying. The other day I got a glimpse of what God wants to show me. Walking from the metro station to the boys' apartment at the Harbor to teach English, I passed a set of dumpsters where an older lady was digging through for whatever she could find. As I passed, I noticed that she had found two unbroken eggs. Within 20 paces, it was as though God said, "not so fast there. Don't you have something in your bag to give her?" I had just bought a few things, but I was looking forward to enjoying them, so I argued a bit with God before deciding that I better just be obedient rather than face God having done nothing.
She was so busy she didn't even notice me approach, but I asked her if things were tough. Her face lit up as she spun around with the most radiant smile as she began to speak. "I wonder if the "oligarchs" could make it on 3000 roubles a month" (about $120). I had just read an article about how many retired individuals get exactly that each month, so I was already primed to appreciate her situation a little bit. "I'm just doing what I have to to to get by," she explained, still smiling. Would she take some cottage cheese from me? "Well... I guess so. Thank you." I asked if she couldn't work, but she said at age 73 there is nothing for her to do, so she goes out in the daily, as does her husband, to collect what they can, including cans and bottles for recycling. Thinking about him is what broke her smile, and she began to weep quietly and return to her work. It seemed best not to keep pressing the conversation, so I merely asked for her name, explaining that I wanted to be able to pray for her. She turned back towards me and replied, "Galina... you know, I really do feel that God is watching over us and taking care of us," she added, returning to her work, poking around with a metal prod to uncover the next morsel that He would provide.
With no more words to say, I quietly moved on, an uncontrollable sobbing welling up within me that gripped me until I got to the apartment.
But not the same thing. So I keep praying. The other day I got a glimpse of what God wants to show me. Walking from the metro station to the boys' apartment at the Harbor to teach English, I passed a set of dumpsters where an older lady was digging through for whatever she could find. As I passed, I noticed that she had found two unbroken eggs. Within 20 paces, it was as though God said, "not so fast there. Don't you have something in your bag to give her?" I had just bought a few things, but I was looking forward to enjoying them, so I argued a bit with God before deciding that I better just be obedient rather than face God having done nothing.
She was so busy she didn't even notice me approach, but I asked her if things were tough. Her face lit up as she spun around with the most radiant smile as she began to speak. "I wonder if the "oligarchs" could make it on 3000 roubles a month" (about $120). I had just read an article about how many retired individuals get exactly that each month, so I was already primed to appreciate her situation a little bit. "I'm just doing what I have to to to get by," she explained, still smiling. Would she take some cottage cheese from me? "Well... I guess so. Thank you." I asked if she couldn't work, but she said at age 73 there is nothing for her to do, so she goes out in the daily, as does her husband, to collect what they can, including cans and bottles for recycling. Thinking about him is what broke her smile, and she began to weep quietly and return to her work. It seemed best not to keep pressing the conversation, so I merely asked for her name, explaining that I wanted to be able to pray for her. She turned back towards me and replied, "Galina... you know, I really do feel that God is watching over us and taking care of us," she added, returning to her work, poking around with a metal prod to uncover the next morsel that He would provide.
With no more words to say, I quietly moved on, an uncontrollable sobbing welling up within me that gripped me until I got to the apartment.
Friday, October 5, 2007
Paying the rent
Busy days here are days in which you get three or four things done. Take the day this week in which I paid the rent, and 8 hour ordeal. How could it take 8 hours?
- 8:15. Take the boys to school (45 min.)
- 9:00. Coaching appoint ment at school with Pastor Igor (more later).
- 10:00. I know it's going to be a big and tiring day, so I sit down to plan it out. I have to:
- Track down an ATM that gives dollars, because my rent is paid in dollars. Such ATM's are hard to find;
- Pay the rent;
- Get some school books for Kerith.
- 10:45. Leave.
- 11:30. Arrive at the train station. Grab a bite to eat and search for the ATM; God himslef lead me to it, because the ones I thought gave dollars were out. I had given up and left when I asked someone for help finding the book store. He suggested I look back in the train station where there was one. There was not, but right across from where it should have been was the right kind of ATM. Thank you for small victories, Lord!
- 12:15. Walk to a book store to get Kerith some school books.
- 1:15. Walk to the bank.
- 2:00. They inform me I can only pay at the branch where the account was opened. Argh!
- 2:15. Head up to that part of the city.
- 3:15. Pay the rent at the bank. Of course, it's not as simple as walking in and paying. There are documents to show, much paperwork for them to fill out, and multiple departments to visit.
- 3:45. Go get the boys at school (45 min.)
- 4:45. Head home.
- 5:30. Arrive, my feet killing me. I can go hours at a time without being able to sit down.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Our Neighborhood
Would that I could report already some budding relationships with our neighbors. I'm afraid that is not happening yet. I have heard Russians described as like a nut that is hard on the outside and soft on the inside. Americans, by contrast, are like a peach - soft on the outside and hard on the inside. we've managed to have one actual conversation with our next door neighbor who owns a Georgian restaurant. You better believe we are headed there soon!
Otherwise, we are working on moving from no eye contact to hello to a hello back to a few words exchanged. Pray for us that we can build those bridges.
What I can show you so far is the look of the area around our home, which was a major factor in our deciding to move here. It looks very different from anywhere else in the city, more like a European town in some respects. And in fact, the houses here were built by German prisoners of war who were not released immediately after WW2. The first picture is of the side our our building. Our windows are the first three from the left.
The view is from a Kindergarten next door that our kids like to frequent as much as possible after the school day ends.
The next two shots are of the view from our door into the courtyard surrounded mostly by other buildings like our own. The lady across from us spends a ton of time outside tending the flowers and plants she has planted. Such care for a public area is highly unusual here. Diana wants to meet her and help her out next year. The place is much cleaner and more presentable since even we first arrived, since they just finished paving what had been a nightmare to navigate. Another neighbor took it on himself to paint himself some lines and color his curbstones in a curious way.
The next shot is the one exception to the style of buildings surrounding our courtyard, a home being built by and for two families.
That house faces the road behind us, which is much more quaint and quite than the road we are on, so we love to walk back there.
There is a nice small park across from us on the busy street, though.
On a nice day, we like to walk home from school with the boys, which takes only about 50-60 minutes and takes us through and island called "Central Park" that is very beautiful and also has a few places to play.
I took a few shots the other day when it was foggy that I liked. I sometimes walk home alone after dropping off the boys through the park and pray. It's pretty awesome.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Let's do laundry
"All right, Lydia, let's figure out this washing machine," I proposed one morning shortly after our move to the new apartment.
I had just gotten used to the large washer at our temporary place, and now I needed to learn this new European model. (This is the kind where you open the lid from the top and open the drum manually before loading.) But, hey, it's just a washing machine. How hard can it be?
I consider myself a well-educated person.
I have three degrees from three universities.
I enjoy logic and puzzles.
I have a good sense of direction and spacial intelligence.
I could not, however, figure out this blasted machine.
Our "khazhaika" (owner) told us this was practically new and left the multi-language instruction manual for us. Great! English was towards the back, following Polish, Serbian, Czech, Russian, Arabic, and a host of other tongues. I diligently read the manual learning where to add laundry soap and find the power button. But what about all the mysterious "icons" on the selection dial? I recognized the universal symbol for cotton and wool, but the up-teen others baffled me. I needed a decoder ring -- or at least another machine manual as the one in my hands gave no indications about the symbols. I read, "See guidelines for selection knob". Well, where was that? I was lost.
I decided to rely on my higher education and cognitive powers to start a load anyhow. Both failed me -- twice!!
The first load ran only 15 minutes. Gee, that's fast, I thought. Well, of course the load runs fast when you set it on the last spin.
The second load ran a bit longer, but with no water. I guess that happens when you neglect to turn the water faucet on.
The third load was more of a success, but I know the temperature was not correct. (Note to self: learn Celsius)
Ultimately, the laundry did get washed, and I have run several successful loads since then. The key was actually finding the "guidelines for the selection knob" sheet that was left on a bedroom windowsill. My decoder ring! What a difference it makes when you speak "washing machine" language.
Of course, washing is half the battle. Next comes drying...
We do not have a drier. Most people do not. We hang on racks, and now that we have heat from one radiator, I drape over that. The challenge is the dampness of our apartment. Imagine trying to dry out your wet clothes at camp in the woods, and you'll come close. I am forever feeling articles of clothing to assess their level of dryness and rearranging on the rack to get better access to our newly purchased heater. Folding then comes in spurts -- one "crispy" pair of socks now, a stiff shirt or two in an hour, etc.
So there you have it: a peek into my domestic life. I've made friends with the washer and learned patience with the drying. May you also make a friend today and learn some patience. :) Diana
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Baby Steps of Ministry at the Harbor
As we were getting ready to come over this past year, Diana and I began to develop a relationship with the founder of the Harbor, Melinda Cathey. Her enthusiasm for how God might use us to serve the ministry grew the more we got to know her. By the time we arrived, we had a list from Melinda of all kinds of ministry ideas that could occupy my time, some individual items being full time work. We were excited about the possibilitis.
When we got here, one of the first people I wanted Diana to meet was Lyuba, the local director of the Harbor. I had met her during my trip here in March, and we had got on well, though no ministry direction was discussed, other than my interest in using coaching as a vehicle for empowering her staff and the kids. She was intrigued, though skeptical, having told me how hard it is to get a child from that background to think long-range like that.
Lyuba and her assistant Tanya came over to our apartment in August for dinner. If anything, the ladies hit it off much beter than even we had, which I was only too happy to see. The more we talked, the more I kept giving ideas about what could be. I completely broke all the coaching rules, I was so excited about how I could help. What I got was a lot of reasons why things were more complicated here than I would imagine. I called her the next day and told her I needed to shut up and just listen more. She responded that in prayer she had the idea to ask me to consider teaching English to the new residents for 3 months. She thought that would be the best way for me to get to know the kids, learn the nuances of their lives and that of the Harber towards them, and then better be able to work at a more coaching/consultative role in the future.
Initially the idea struck me as a step backwards. I had taught English in Soviet Central Asia back in 1991-1992 to kids and adults of all ages. Although I loved it, it was not my true gift or calling. But even before the conversation ended, God started working on me, showing me that I needed to just serve them, get my ego out of the way, and moreover, that she was right about how well this could help me understand my "field" better.
Diana and I went over to meet the kids (with Lydia) on September 12th and to give them a placement test.
Diana was so good with the kids, able to get the boys to open up and talk about a picture book she brought and to bond quickly with them, that I knew long term she needs to do something like this with the kids.
Lyida also had a great time, the girls eager to practice their English with a cute, small, non-threatenting American.
So I began with a group of four kids - three boys and a girl - on the 19th. We have a good time together. The first week we got to know each other, and last week we stayed in the kitched after dinner (we all eat together before class) and and discussed action verbs like eating and drinking. Of course no one is telling me their life story yet, but we are getting more comfortable with each other. One kid has already been hinting at his desire to come visit us at home (Yuri, pictured cooking).
I've also had a great opportunity to interact with the Harbor over the last week while a two-man team from CRM headquarters has been here shooting footage for a new video about the Harbor.
As an interpreter, I have been able to get to know the program better and to have more time to hang with the kids and hear their stories.
Here you see Andy (the video guy) getting a haircut from one of the residents during her first haircutting class.
When we got here, one of the first people I wanted Diana to meet was Lyuba, the local director of the Harbor. I had met her during my trip here in March, and we had got on well, though no ministry direction was discussed, other than my interest in using coaching as a vehicle for empowering her staff and the kids. She was intrigued, though skeptical, having told me how hard it is to get a child from that background to think long-range like that.
Lyuba and her assistant Tanya came over to our apartment in August for dinner. If anything, the ladies hit it off much beter than even we had, which I was only too happy to see. The more we talked, the more I kept giving ideas about what could be. I completely broke all the coaching rules, I was so excited about how I could help. What I got was a lot of reasons why things were more complicated here than I would imagine. I called her the next day and told her I needed to shut up and just listen more. She responded that in prayer she had the idea to ask me to consider teaching English to the new residents for 3 months. She thought that would be the best way for me to get to know the kids, learn the nuances of their lives and that of the Harber towards them, and then better be able to work at a more coaching/consultative role in the future.
Initially the idea struck me as a step backwards. I had taught English in Soviet Central Asia back in 1991-1992 to kids and adults of all ages. Although I loved it, it was not my true gift or calling. But even before the conversation ended, God started working on me, showing me that I needed to just serve them, get my ego out of the way, and moreover, that she was right about how well this could help me understand my "field" better.
Diana and I went over to meet the kids (with Lydia) on September 12th and to give them a placement test.
Diana was so good with the kids, able to get the boys to open up and talk about a picture book she brought and to bond quickly with them, that I knew long term she needs to do something like this with the kids.
Lyida also had a great time, the girls eager to practice their English with a cute, small, non-threatenting American.
So I began with a group of four kids - three boys and a girl - on the 19th. We have a good time together. The first week we got to know each other, and last week we stayed in the kitched after dinner (we all eat together before class) and and discussed action verbs like eating and drinking. Of course no one is telling me their life story yet, but we are getting more comfortable with each other. One kid has already been hinting at his desire to come visit us at home (Yuri, pictured cooking).
I've also had a great opportunity to interact with the Harbor over the last week while a two-man team from CRM headquarters has been here shooting footage for a new video about the Harbor.
As an interpreter, I have been able to get to know the program better and to have more time to hang with the kids and hear their stories.
Here you see Andy (the video guy) getting a haircut from one of the residents during her first haircutting class.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
A Visit to School
School started with great fanfare at the beginning of September. Pictured here is the opening ceremony that is a Russian tradition of starting the first day of classes with formally introducing the teachers, students, having some poetry reading, and tea and snacks.
To help with the boys' adjustment to school, the idea come up for me to spend a day there in observation, and everyone agreed it would be great. So on Monday the 17th I did just that. Some of you will be interested in this level of detail on how a day goes in a Russian kindergarten, even though it is not typical, since it's private and Christian, so that is why I'm writing.
8:15. we have to leave home 45 minutes early, despite the fact that - as the crow flies - we aren't more than a few minutes away from the school. We walk 20 minutes to the metro, 3 minutes down the escalator, 3 minutes to the next stop, 3 minutes up again (I have all this down by now), and another 15 minutes by foot to the school.
9:00. School starts. There are about 10 kids in the Kindergarten class, a bare room with a few toys and an old area rug to play on. The teacher, Anna Michaelovna (AM), starts the day with a Bible story on a felt board. The boys were reasonably attentive, even though they could only guess at the content.
9:20. the kids drew pictures about the story. AM asks Kerith (she speaks no English) who is in his picuture. He says, "Eesus" (Jesus). We rejoice in small victories here.
9:35. AM has a mini-lesson with the girls while the boys finish coloring.
10:15. Breakfast, which consists of 3 cookies each and tea.
10:40. Girls are now free while AM works with the boys. Kerith returns to class, but he is not invited to the table. Plays by himself, but he comes over at one point to me an sighs. I think he may be getting bored. AM later invites Simon, who refuses. She does not press it. (Note: Although she did not this day, AM does work with Kerith some either one-on-one, or with the other boys on some reading skills.)
11:04. A general class lesson on the oval. All draw and discuss ovals.
11:17. Potty time.
11:20. Get dressed for recess.
11:38. Outdoor play. Simon plays in the sand with a few others. Kerith is with the main group that AM leads, doing games like, Wolf, sort of like tag. Kerith got to be it once, and he seemed to enjoy himself.
12:17. Back in; free time. Kerith leaves the class and pops in the 1st grade for a second. AM must not have seen it, but another kid leaves too and she puts him in the corner.
12:31. Clean up for lunch.
12:40. Lunch. Soup and tea.
1:20. Undress for nap. The kids strip, put on PJ's, and hop in bed. Only, they don't have beds yet, so they mostly share one big air mattress. (Note: They now have beds - neat little three-story jobs that look like a dresser with drawers.).
3:55. They awake and go to afternoon snack - a couple of cookies and tea.
From this point the day is over, but they offer to watch kids until 6. We have been getting them by 4, or sometimes just before nap.
Positives:
AM is patient, and she never raises her voice.
It's not quite as crazy as it seems; there is a relatively peaceful atmosphere.
She honors the kids' free will - partly a reaction to Soviet-style dictotorial classroom rule.
AM is very encouraging and mothering.
Comments:
Things have been getting better over the last couple of weeks in all areas since my visit; they buys are adjusting to the newness of both being in a school for the first time, and the newness of being in an all Russian setting. We decided recently to ask for a tutor to spend more time with Kerith on his language development, and God provided one immediately to work with him during school. She now works with him during nap time, and he loves it (she does too!). So our confidence that God led us there and will work things out has only grown.
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Military Man in the Marshrutka
Marshrutkas = taxi vans found throughout the city (usually yellow) seating about 20, but can hold several more with standing and squishing. Usually we ride the marshrutkas to and from our temporary apt. to the Metro station to avoid a 30 min walk. They are relatively cheap -- about .50 per person and our 2 boys are free and normally uneventful.
Until last Thursday I (Diana) had never taken the kids by myself on any forms of transportation. In fact, I had not ventured solo since we arrived in St. P. The first opportunity/necessity presented itself requiring me to take all 3 kids on the Metro and then marshrutka to the apt. during rush hour. My only apprehension was herding them onto these very crowded modes of transportation.
I explained to the kids that they may need to stand during the marshrutka ride, and they were all "okay" with that. As we boarded, I sighed relief because at least Lydia and Kerith found a seat. I stood in the aisle with Simon between my legs right next to a large man in a military uniform who was seated. He immediately picked up Simon and cradled him in his burly arms and started talking to him.
A couple choice thoughts ran across my brain:
1. A big military man just picked up my baby without asking!!
2. How is Simon going to react to this?
3. How do I say, "Excuse me, please let my baby go?"
4. It's all right. This is a socialistic society. Let the man hold your child. He thinks he's doing you a favor.
5. A big military man just picked up my baby without asking!!
Well, Simon did not resist. In fact, he just sat there with the military man talking softly to him. I summoned my courage and spoke. What I wanted to say was, "Please don't hurt my baby." What I ended up saying was, "He cannot understand you." The man looked up at me wondering why. Immediately he switched to very broken English/Russian mix and asked if Simon understood English and where were we from. I continued in Russian telling him from where we hailed.
We continued our conversation about my impressions about the city and why were moved here. (That took some creative explanation, and no, my husband is not a diplomat. He even complimented my Russian.) Simon finally wriggled down out of his lap, but our discussion continued. Surprisingly, the woman in front of him turned around and started smiling at me. The smiles themselves are very unusual, since we mostly get long stares, no hints of friendliness, and the occasional scolding by a babushka (grandmother). This was definitely a very special marshrutka ride!
Before I knew it, we arrived at our stop, my apprehensions about traveling solo with 3 kids in this city much abated. The military man was a gift. He boosted my confidence in speaking and gave St. P a friendly face I hadn't seen before -- just when I needed it most.
Military man, you can pick up my baby anytime.
Until last Thursday I (Diana) had never taken the kids by myself on any forms of transportation. In fact, I had not ventured solo since we arrived in St. P. The first opportunity/necessity presented itself requiring me to take all 3 kids on the Metro and then marshrutka to the apt. during rush hour. My only apprehension was herding them onto these very crowded modes of transportation.
I explained to the kids that they may need to stand during the marshrutka ride, and they were all "okay" with that. As we boarded, I sighed relief because at least Lydia and Kerith found a seat. I stood in the aisle with Simon between my legs right next to a large man in a military uniform who was seated. He immediately picked up Simon and cradled him in his burly arms and started talking to him.
A couple choice thoughts ran across my brain:
1. A big military man just picked up my baby without asking!!
2. How is Simon going to react to this?
3. How do I say, "Excuse me, please let my baby go?"
4. It's all right. This is a socialistic society. Let the man hold your child. He thinks he's doing you a favor.
5. A big military man just picked up my baby without asking!!
Well, Simon did not resist. In fact, he just sat there with the military man talking softly to him. I summoned my courage and spoke. What I wanted to say was, "Please don't hurt my baby." What I ended up saying was, "He cannot understand you." The man looked up at me wondering why. Immediately he switched to very broken English/Russian mix and asked if Simon understood English and where were we from. I continued in Russian telling him from where we hailed.
We continued our conversation about my impressions about the city and why were moved here. (That took some creative explanation, and no, my husband is not a diplomat. He even complimented my Russian.) Simon finally wriggled down out of his lap, but our discussion continued. Surprisingly, the woman in front of him turned around and started smiling at me. The smiles themselves are very unusual, since we mostly get long stares, no hints of friendliness, and the occasional scolding by a babushka (grandmother). This was definitely a very special marshrutka ride!
Before I knew it, we arrived at our stop, my apprehensions about traveling solo with 3 kids in this city much abated. The military man was a gift. He boosted my confidence in speaking and gave St. P a friendly face I hadn't seen before -- just when I needed it most.
Military man, you can pick up my baby anytime.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Our New Apartment
We have some new photos to add to our display.
The building is a two-story apartment building, which is unusual in itself. It was build by German prisoners of war after WW2, so it's considered good quality.
As with most entrance ways, it's nothing to write home about (although I guess that's what I'm doing, isn't it?).
As soon as you walk in
from the outside, you enter the apartment, which is uncommon. The advantage for us is that most stairwells (including the one we endure now) are terribly nasty, since no one takes responsibility for them.
The hall is huge: nearly 400 square feet, so we can treat it like another room. So for a mere $1000/month (mere!), we get 4 large rooms, plus this hall, plus a decent kitchen. That's a steal around here.
All the rooms are large, except Lydia's. Overall, the square footage is over 1000.
The bath is a good example of the owner's paint work. The background is wallpaper, and the larger flowers are hers.
The kitchen and hall were then only
rooms that had furniture come with them. Most of the time, apartments actually come furnished here. So now we have begun to look for furniture.
As you might imagine, furniture from scratch is a major expense, so we welcome any help towards these costs that you can offer.
The room here is becoming a multi-purpose room, probably mainly for our office and schooling (although until we get another table, the kitchen will do). Lydia also likes it to practice her hoola hoop.
We are very happy with our new bed, but you can see we still live out of suitcases. Take a closer look at the wallpaper there.
We have turned the end of the hall into our living room, and the o
pposite end is Diana's laundry area.
The detail that the owner did I like a lot.
The boys' room is wonderfully large, so there is plenty of room to set up their train set and their tent.
The building is a two-story apartment building, which is unusual in itself. It was build by German prisoners of war after WW2, so it's considered good quality.
As with most entrance ways, it's nothing to write home about (although I guess that's what I'm doing, isn't it?).
As soon as you walk in
from the outside, you enter the apartment, which is uncommon. The advantage for us is that most stairwells (including the one we endure now) are terribly nasty, since no one takes responsibility for them.The hall is huge: nearly 400 square feet, so we can treat it like another room. So for a mere $1000/month (mere!), we get 4 large rooms, plus this hall, plus a decent kitchen. That's a steal around here.
All the rooms are large, except Lydia's. Overall, the square footage is over 1000.
The bath is a good example of the owner's paint work. The background is wallpaper, and the larger flowers are hers.
The kitchen and hall were then only
rooms that had furniture come with them. Most of the time, apartments actually come furnished here. So now we have begun to look for furniture.As you might imagine, furniture from scratch is a major expense, so we welcome any help towards these costs that you can offer.
The room here is becoming a multi-purpose room, probably mainly for our office and schooling (although until we get another table, the kitchen will do). Lydia also likes it to practice her hoola hoop.
We are very happy with our new bed, but you can see we still live out of suitcases. Take a closer look at the wallpaper there.
We have turned the end of the hall into our living room, and the o
pposite end is Diana's laundry area.The detail that the owner did I like a lot.
The boys' room is wonderfully large, so there is plenty of room to set up their train set and their tent.
Sunday, September 2, 2007
Hungary for Rest
It was a year ago that we last rested -- right before this whole race to prepare to leave for Russia began in August of 2006. Even though our week-long trip to Sopron, Hungary was a CRM staff conference, it felt like a breath of fresh air to slow down and not have to work for once. (and Diana says, " and not have to cook and wash dishes.")
And the whole topic, ironically, was on Sabbath. What needed words for all of us! The title of the conference "The Rest of God" is from the book of the same title by Mark Buchanan. We highly recommend you run, not walk, to a bookstore near you. The challenge to us is how to incorporate aspects of rest into our lives back here in St. P.
The kids were in their own program all week, run by some wonderful people, who did a sort of mini VBS for them. Above is a picture of Kerith (Lydia is at the end of the table.) with most of the other CRM kids in the hotel dining room. All our children benefited from playing with kids in their same shoes -- living in a culture that is not their home culture.
During our free times in the afternoon, we swam, hiked, and spent time alone with God in prayer. Kerith and Lyle found the large outdoor chess game to their liking, as you can see. In the evenings we heard team reports and learned about all the exciting things God is doing through our colleagues across Europe.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Vienna waited for me
I spent two semesters living and studying in Vienna back in 1984 and 1987 through a program with the Duke Wind Symphony. I made lifelong friends with the students and our director, and I got to know and love the city dearly. It, like St. Petersburg, is a cultural center. In fact, I spent the summer of 1987 in Leningrad (now Petersburg), and almost immediately turned around and spent the fall in Vienna.
So it was ironic that the first city we would go to from Petersburg was Vienna. Our agency has a conference almost yearly for all staff in Europe in a different location. This year Sopron, Hungary was choosen. We and the kids decided to fly in and out of Vienna (less than an hour away) and get in a little bonus vacation time on either side (though only 1 and 2 days, respectively).
So some pictures are in order:
Our first breakfast was at a classic Viennese restaurant that the lady at the hostel suggested to us. Turn of the century feel with Strauss waltzes in the background, and cheap but great food.
Afterwards, we saw strolled through downtown and just had to get some ice cream right outside St. Stephen's Cathedral. Kerith is so tickled because we didn't even get lunch.
At the end of the week, we came back through with our teammates, the O'Byrnes. Here you see us crashing in the Volksgarten after yet another long hike through the city. It was a glorious and invigorating crash, though.
Diana and I had to pose and look couple-y too.
They had an incredible playground at Schonbrunn.
Lyle flew a bird.
The best part of the whole time was the protracted opportunities for informal, fun, and simple social times getting to know better and bond with the O'Byrne's. We are so glad that God put us together with them, and amazed at how well He paired us.
Here we are just shooting the breeze over some great Austrian food at a hidden local joint that the same hostel worker sent us to. On point!
So it was ironic that the first city we would go to from Petersburg was Vienna. Our agency has a conference almost yearly for all staff in Europe in a different location. This year Sopron, Hungary was choosen. We and the kids decided to fly in and out of Vienna (less than an hour away) and get in a little bonus vacation time on either side (though only 1 and 2 days, respectively).
So some pictures are in order:
Our first breakfast was at a classic Viennese restaurant that the lady at the hostel suggested to us. Turn of the century feel with Strauss waltzes in the background, and cheap but great food.
Afterwards, we saw strolled through downtown and just had to get some ice cream right outside St. Stephen's Cathedral. Kerith is so tickled because we didn't even get lunch.
After another long hike past many a historical site, nothing but fountain water (literally) from a monumental source in the city park would hit the spot.
At the end of the week, we came back through with our teammates, the O'Byrnes. Here you see us crashing in the Volksgarten after yet another long hike through the city. It was a glorious and invigorating crash, though.
Diana and I had to pose and look couple-y too.
They had an incredible playground at Schonbrunn.
Lyle flew a bird.
The best part of the whole time was the protracted opportunities for informal, fun, and simple social times getting to know better and bond with the O'Byrne's. We are so glad that God put us together with them, and amazed at how well He paired us.Here we are just shooting the breeze over some great Austrian food at a hidden local joint that the same hostel worker sent us to. On point!
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Educational About-face
I came here certain that we still needed to homeschool our kids. We both have strong convictions about that subject, so the only remaining question was how to get them into the culture to learn the language, etc. It didn't take me long to realize that playing on the playground is good, but an excruciatingly slow process, particularly for the boys, who aren't as outgoing as Lydia.
Diana had already been thinking a lot about sending the boys to a local school part-time, but I was not comfortable with the idea. Then we found out through my new close associate here, Pastor Sokolov (I need to do an entry on the great things God is doing there) that their church has a Christian school, and it sounded like a possible fit.
We met this week with the director. They have only 2 slots left in their kindergarten (In Russia kindergartens are up to age 7) and our boys would round out the class of 10. We asked many questions about the routine, instructors, curriculum, etc, and were pleased with the answers. We can also pretty much "write our own ticket" in terms of how long the boys stay each day and how many days each week they attend! Some children stay from 9 am - 6 pm! We would only have the boys participate in the morning activities and perhaps not every day. It is affordable for us as well. In a word, we could hardly ask for more.
We told them "yes" today, and we really feel good about it. Our goal is for the boys to get a good foundation in Russian, make some friends, and begin to get inside the culture they are called to serve. I'm actually excited about how it will transform them and give Diana and Lydia a great chance to catch up on some things that Lydia is behind on.
Diana had already been thinking a lot about sending the boys to a local school part-time, but I was not comfortable with the idea. Then we found out through my new close associate here, Pastor Sokolov (I need to do an entry on the great things God is doing there) that their church has a Christian school, and it sounded like a possible fit.
We met this week with the director. They have only 2 slots left in their kindergarten (In Russia kindergartens are up to age 7) and our boys would round out the class of 10. We asked many questions about the routine, instructors, curriculum, etc, and were pleased with the answers. We can also pretty much "write our own ticket" in terms of how long the boys stay each day and how many days each week they attend! Some children stay from 9 am - 6 pm! We would only have the boys participate in the morning activities and perhaps not every day. It is affordable for us as well. In a word, we could hardly ask for more.
We told them "yes" today, and we really feel good about it. Our goal is for the boys to get a good foundation in Russian, make some friends, and begin to get inside the culture they are called to serve. I'm actually excited about how it will transform them and give Diana and Lydia a great chance to catch up on some things that Lydia is behind on.
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