POST #4
HEY EVERYODY!!! It's actaully Thursday night here now and I'm posting from a new friend's computer because he has a satallite modem...
We're still in the moscow area - but it's like we're in the middle of nowhere.
I've been journaling for this blog all week on my laptop - but just now I only have this first one from right when we arrived on my memory-stick.
I'll be back home in a few days...will upload photos then.
I love you-guys!
Family...I miss you VERY, VERY MUCH!!!!!!!!!
Having an amazing time - God is amazing...
CN
So - here's BLOG #4
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MOSCOW ROCKS!!!
We made it here safe & sound. The flights were actually kind-of fun! You should see the 777 we flew over on – huge…amazing! The ascent and descent were unbelievably fast…major ear-popping fun.
Having both English and Russian spoken on the plane was a cool gradual introduction to a new culture.
I always enter new cultures (as all of us do) with pre-conceived notions about how it will be…and almost every time, now Russia included, I’m surprised again more by the similarities than the differences. People are just people no matter where you are. Yes there are differences in language and dress, but it feels more like the difference between city folk and country folk than some major international void. I must say – it’s more than just a relief…it’s encouraging to my soul. The human connection…the spiritual connection even that seems innate…makes me feel hopeful and part of something greater again. Mind you, we’ve only had a ‘tourist’ day…just arriving, getting registered seeing a little of the city – all observing the culture – we haven’t even met our new friends yet…so any discussion or conclusions I may make about similarities & differences are based solely on the interactions of Russian teenagers and couples and families on the plane, the contrast between the young 80s style look of the younger Russians vs. the scarf-headed grandma in the airport, the attitude of the restaurant grill cook, the van-driver, etc.
We landed at noon Moscow time (felt like 3am to us). Got through the airport quickly, got to our first-night hotel, freshened up a bit then ate dinner - just the five of us in the 2nd team and Anne our travel-leader Tom’s wife who met us at the airport. Then we shuttled downtown to meet all the rest of the team – that was a cool reunion.
When you do something intense and new like this, a day can feel like much longer – because the experiential intake volume is so high. The first team members have all been here for a week – and they’ve been bustin’ their tails working and getting little sleep. I could already see the experience has been significant in their lives – and that the friendships they’ve developed are deep. I could see God is up to something…
MORE on THAT later.
We actually met outside the Bolshoi Russian Ballet Theatre and got to see the ballet company perform “Don Quixote”. It’s a mind-blower to see some of the best dancers in the world…wow. Sleepy or not – I was engaged.
After that we said so long. The first team went back to the church and we went back to our hotel to crash.
It’s Monday morning now. This morning it’s Red Square then we’ll head out to the church this afternoon. I’m excited to see the sites and take it all in – but I’m also anxious to get started on our mission. I know lots of work awaits us – and I so much want to do well…so I’m anxious to know what-all my mission entails.
Got to go to breakfast and meet the bus in a moment…
Keep praying for me/us! We love you all!
Thanks for checking in w/me!
MORE TO COME…
CN
