Doris and I have been home for a week... Our bodies are having a difficult time adjusting to a new time zone... However, I'm pretty productive in the middle of the night... What is difficult for me is my heart is now in two places... Doris and I are Americans... We love our country and its many benefits... We love being with our families and friends... Friday we drove to the Lake of the Ozarks to visit Doris' mother and had an enjoyable afternoon catching up and sharing the many photos we took in Russia... We will be driving to Lawrence, Kansas, for Thanksgiving with my mother and Aunt Polly... Life in the US is pleasant... Water always comes from the tap... The garage opener opens my garage door as I come around the corner... Many in Russia don't have garages...
Doris and I love the people in Russia... They remind me of the men and women who homesteaded Kansas... Pioneer people who through hardship prevailed and built a home and a state... The Russian people have suffered through much, most of the suffering brought about by their own government... They have not given up, there is still a spark of life and it is that spark that Doris and I want to blow on until it is a flame and then a fire...
We think of our clients who a thirsty for help... Most of all they want someone to offer them hope in the midst of doubtfulness... I'll encourage Doris to add a few more thoughts before we put a cap on this trip...
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Nearing the End - Nov 12
We are nearing the end of our work in Russia. We have spent the past 4 weeks here working with the elderly, and organizations that provide care for developmentally disabled children, HIV+ mothers and their children and a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center.
Every time we come we love the Russian people even more. We wish you could be with us to understand the many hardships they go through just to live. This morning there was no water in our apartment – this meant no coffee and no bathroom. Now we know this can be a regular occurrence here. There have been many times when we’ve not had water.
But, still, maybe water is not the most important issue. Loneliness, lack of love and rejection are the hardest. Let me give you an example. My niece Cassidy-Rae has cerebral palsy. She's already had a number of operations. She requires intensive physical therapy and bolus feedings through a feeding tube into her stomach. Despite her physical challenges, she is rich in love. I've seen a number of kids in Russia and in America who haven't a tenth of the affection and real care afforded to Cassidy-Rae. This trip out, I was privy to more stories from women who had been through the uglier underbelly of Soviet life, as in exile, beatings, and loss of relatives to shooting or Gulag. Three stories in particular ended with a version of "God is good". I was sharing one story with a lady last night, who responded, "I could never forgive that." At this point, as you can tell, Bob and I are home. I'm posting what Bob had written overseas. Please take time to read the entries. I'll take one more post (later) to share that dynamic story of a woman who forgave because God had forgiven her so much.
Until later...
Every time we come we love the Russian people even more. We wish you could be with us to understand the many hardships they go through just to live. This morning there was no water in our apartment – this meant no coffee and no bathroom. Now we know this can be a regular occurrence here. There have been many times when we’ve not had water.
But, still, maybe water is not the most important issue. Loneliness, lack of love and rejection are the hardest. Let me give you an example. My niece Cassidy-Rae has cerebral palsy. She's already had a number of operations. She requires intensive physical therapy and bolus feedings through a feeding tube into her stomach. Despite her physical challenges, she is rich in love. I've seen a number of kids in Russia and in America who haven't a tenth of the affection and real care afforded to Cassidy-Rae. This trip out, I was privy to more stories from women who had been through the uglier underbelly of Soviet life, as in exile, beatings, and loss of relatives to shooting or Gulag. Three stories in particular ended with a version of "God is good". I was sharing one story with a lady last night, who responded, "I could never forgive that." At this point, as you can tell, Bob and I are home. I'm posting what Bob had written overseas. Please take time to read the entries. I'll take one more post (later) to share that dynamic story of a woman who forgave because God had forgiven her so much.
Until later...
Tues, Nov 11 in Asbest
Tuesday – November 11, 2008
This is the next to the last day in Russia… We leave on Thursday in the middle of the night… Yep, we leave Asbest at 2:30 am, in order to make it to the Yekaterinburg airport for our 6:30 am flight to Moscow…
Yep, it is snowing and snowing and snowing… Also there was no water in the apartment… Bruce and I walked to the office and I had some coffee and warmed up a bit before getting busy… It is now lunch time so I can goof off for a few minutes before finishing some projects… I need to work with Zhenya on some performance evaluations on his next key managers… Now this could be an interesting meeting…
UMMMMM – now for a second cup of coffee…
This is the next to the last day in Russia… We leave on Thursday in the middle of the night… Yep, we leave Asbest at 2:30 am, in order to make it to the Yekaterinburg airport for our 6:30 am flight to Moscow…
Yep, it is snowing and snowing and snowing… Also there was no water in the apartment… Bruce and I walked to the office and I had some coffee and warmed up a bit before getting busy… It is now lunch time so I can goof off for a few minutes before finishing some projects… I need to work with Zhenya on some performance evaluations on his next key managers… Now this could be an interesting meeting…
UMMMMM – now for a second cup of coffee…
Monday, Nov 10
We enjoyed worship service at Love of Christ Church in Asbest. Kostya Lyubimov led the worship; it was as dynamic as Kostya's personality. I spoke with the mom of a young woman that some of us CFC'ers had prayed for some years ago; Larisa eventually succumbed to brain cancer, but it's still a beautiful story.
Monday, Nov 10
Well the Jayhawks lost, the Chiefs lost, and it is cold and snowy here in Asbest…Today Doris and I have a meeting with Zhenya and the top management group to discuss performance management systems… This included a BARS performance evaluation format and a goal setting form that asked for goals and a documentation of results… Zhenya wants to place more emphasis on achieving results in the future… On Thursday we start home… I think we are all ready to be back in Columbia with all the conveniences that our homes have…
We also visited the plastic recycling project… The machines were down for maintenance but we had an opportunity to talk with the director and some of the employees… They need help up-grading their equipment and some contracts for obtaining and selling plastic…
Where we are staying has wool blankets and for the past week I have continued to wake up itching… Last night I didn’t use the wool blanket and did just fine…
So much for Monday…
Monday, Nov 10
Well the Jayhawks lost, the Chiefs lost, and it is cold and snowy here in Asbest…Today Doris and I have a meeting with Zhenya and the top management group to discuss performance management systems… This included a BARS performance evaluation format and a goal setting form that asked for goals and a documentation of results… Zhenya wants to place more emphasis on achieving results in the future… On Thursday we start home… I think we are all ready to be back in Columbia with all the conveniences that our homes have…
We also visited the plastic recycling project… The machines were down for maintenance but we had an opportunity to talk with the director and some of the employees… They need help up-grading their equipment and some contracts for obtaining and selling plastic…
Where we are staying has wool blankets and for the past week I have continued to wake up itching… Last night I didn’t use the wool blanket and did just fine…
So much for Monday…
Friday November 7 in Asbest
On Wednesday, Nov 5, we caught the tail end of the vote counting process at the American Consulate in Ekaterinburg. Doris enjoyed talking to a group of young, bubbly Russian University students who had been invited to the Consulate to discuss the electoral process. Afterwards we had the pleasure of meeting a representative from the U.S. Consulate in Ekaterinburg, Chris Istrati and his wife Melody. Melody had grown up as a missionary kid, so it was special for Doris to have a few minutes with her.
That evening we traveled to Asbest where the four of us stayed in the apartment of a church member, Valentina Phillipovna (which means her daddy's name was Phillip, if you're wondering). Mindy and Bob had seminars the next day on social mapping and teamwork, respectively. Thursday we had more seminars.
Friday, Nov 7
We spent the morning discussing our future work… Now maybe that may sound crazy based on all of our projects but we’re learning more and more what God would have us do and how He would want us to do it…
We went to the rehabilitation center this afternoon and then returned to Asbest where Bruce held the initial session on business planning. While we were at the rehabilitation center we had a heart to heart discussion with Zenya regarding our role at Salvation… We told him that workshops alone were a waste of his time and ours, because they didn’t end in results… He said then you need to do what is best for us and so we plan to share with him a performance management plan which his management team can use to improve performance throughout his organization…
We then discussed the possibilities of a group of parents and children from Christian Fellowship Church in Columbia coming to Asbest… Zhenya suggested an all- city celebration to be held in a city park… Face painting, clowns blowing up interesting balloons, other games and activities for children where some of the ideas shared… I’m sure when we return to Columbia a group of people can think of even more activities… We would need to start training people now to be ready for such an event next summer…
We ate dinner at 9 pm and staggered into bed… Saturday will show up soon…
That evening we traveled to Asbest where the four of us stayed in the apartment of a church member, Valentina Phillipovna (which means her daddy's name was Phillip, if you're wondering). Mindy and Bob had seminars the next day on social mapping and teamwork, respectively. Thursday we had more seminars.
Friday, Nov 7
We spent the morning discussing our future work… Now maybe that may sound crazy based on all of our projects but we’re learning more and more what God would have us do and how He would want us to do it…
We went to the rehabilitation center this afternoon and then returned to Asbest where Bruce held the initial session on business planning. While we were at the rehabilitation center we had a heart to heart discussion with Zenya regarding our role at Salvation… We told him that workshops alone were a waste of his time and ours, because they didn’t end in results… He said then you need to do what is best for us and so we plan to share with him a performance management plan which his management team can use to improve performance throughout his organization…
We then discussed the possibilities of a group of parents and children from Christian Fellowship Church in Columbia coming to Asbest… Zhenya suggested an all- city celebration to be held in a city park… Face painting, clowns blowing up interesting balloons, other games and activities for children where some of the ideas shared… I’m sure when we return to Columbia a group of people can think of even more activities… We would need to start training people now to be ready for such an event next summer…
We ate dinner at 9 pm and staggered into bed… Saturday will show up soon…
Saturday, November 1, 2008
seminar
Oops, I guess Bob is too tired to write as well. Today we had all day seminars on leadership for participants from not for profits (and a couple government organizations) who are mostly involved with HIV work, drug & alcohol treatment, and prevention work among sex workers. I'm afraid I didn't have high expectations for them, but was pleasantly surprised to be wrong and repented on the way home for my wrong attitude. I, who am usually optimistic, did not have high hopes this time, and am finding my expectations (gloriously) unmet. Tomorrow Mindy will be doing a series of seminars in the sphere of social work and fundraising. After we're through, I'm certain Bob will be ready to post a blog on life as a seminar leader.
Doris
Doris
Nov1: Tired but doing fine
Bruce and Mindy arrived last night around 7p. Prior to that Bob and I visited my with old friends. After dealing with beaurocratic issues that drug out five hours, Bob was especially pleased to find that Nadia had fixed us borsch and homemade chebureki. Chebureki can not be described, only enjoyed, but they involve meat, spices and a very thin pastry shell. We had a very nice time with Nadia, Zina and Lilya, remembering old home group meetings and catching up with one another. Nadia and I had originally started that home group together. Although all those in the home group are in different churches and even cities, Nadia has been the mama\friend glue holding them together and encouraging them through some ugly decisions. It seemed to me the perfect picture of the church in action.
Bob and I are very grateful for our warm reception in Ekaterinburg this time. This is the easiest trip we've had. We're also pleased with the changes we've seen in Transformation Church. I suppose that, if you just keep putting your feet one after another long enough by faith, even when the road ahead isn't clear, you'll eventually see on the other side that God had a marvelous plan for the seeming chaos you were walking through. The church has a very sweet spirit about it.
I'm going to let Bob write now!
Doris
Bob and I are very grateful for our warm reception in Ekaterinburg this time. This is the easiest trip we've had. We're also pleased with the changes we've seen in Transformation Church. I suppose that, if you just keep putting your feet one after another long enough by faith, even when the road ahead isn't clear, you'll eventually see on the other side that God had a marvelous plan for the seeming chaos you were walking through. The church has a very sweet spirit about it.
I'm going to let Bob write now!
Doris
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