According to online flight tracker Rader and Megan will land in Boise in less than an hour. For us it feels like 40% of the team is gone (because it is!), including the chief Blogette and photographer. Needless to say, it's lot quieter here now. The Eberhardts' departure is only half of the reason for the calm. The other half is that the training class is not the level of chaos and activity that the other events were.
I teach from 10 to 4 every day. Through three days we're on schedule or ahead of schedule and I like what I see so far. Yesterday we finished studying God's role in salvation, including election, predestination and foreknowledge. Today (it's Thursday here) we look at man's response and start on all the benefits we receive from what Christ did on our behalf. They finish with their final exam on Friday.
Last night I spent two hours teaching and answering questions with the youth group at the church. I got the usual five minutes' notice before the meeting and tapped Anya for another two hours of translation after all day in class. Bless her heart--her job is exhausting and she does it better than anyone else I have ever seen.
Our weekend will be full and interesting. Saturday we'll travel to Lipetsk and see the drug and alcohol rehab facility where they take in up to about 12 people at a time. They have a success rate over 80%, using no medications or secular pschology and psychiatry--only prayer, Bible study and discipleship. It's the dream of the Tambovians to start such a ministry here so people don't have to go so far away and they can reach more.
Sunday we'll go to Kirsanov for church and I'll preach. Young Pastor Anatoly Alipichev is doing a fantastic job leading this church. He is committed to expository preaching and he has rallied young men in the church to begin starting businesses which are quickly taking this group toward no longer needing our financial support. Their example is spreading through the region and we're delighted to see the results. An intial $2000 investment from our coalition has turned into businesses that are supporting several families.
After class today I'll meet with Regional Pastor Anatoly Yarmoluk, whom most of you have met at HBC. We'll be reviewing everying we do in our partnership and making plans for 2011-2012. There are a couple really important things we need to talk about, so I appreciate your prayers that God's wisdom will be clear to both of us, to the other Russian brothers, and to my fellow coalition pastors.
OK, one fun item for this post (at least it was fun to me). Yesterday after class Anya had some things to do until dinner, so we were without a translator for a couple hours. I asked her if it would be OK for me to take Larry and Jen to a bookstore I've visited before and she gave us her blessing for an Americans-only adventure. She also gave me her phone and set it up for one-touch dialing to the phone of one of the girls she was going to be with. I vowed not to use my Phone-a-friend lifeline. We bundled up for the cold and breezy weather and started walking. I remembered the store is about a mile from the church. I have a tradition of buying a Russian calendar with puppy pictures on it for my home office. I also wanted to get Larry and Jen a map of the Tambov region so I can mark all the places we've been.
About a half hour into our walk, things weren't looking as familiar as I expected. I recognized the area but I didn't recall walking there. We kept going. Then I spotted something familiar up ahead and we pressed on even though it seemed too far. At last we arrived--at the train station. I swallowed my pride and called Anya.
It seems the store is a little closer than I thought. I led the expedition right to it but I wasn't yet looking for it and we were having a nice conversation as we walked. We had gone more than twice as far as necessary, but we found it on the way back. Then came my shining moment.
After we looked around awhile, I couldn't find what we wanted. This must be the Year Of The Cat--lots of cat calendars and not one dog calendar. I went to the clerk and used my Russian. I said (I think) "Excuse me, please. I am from America. Where are the calendars with dogs on them?" It worked! She led me to all the calendars I had already looked at, pawed through them (nice pun), and told me they didn't have any with dogs. I said "Thank you" (and I'm sure of that one).
Then I went back to her and asked "Where are the maps of the state of Tambov?" It worked AGAIN!. I selected a different calendar, got maps and Jen got some pens as souvenirs. Then I actually paid the right amount on my own. All those hours at the computer with Rosetta Stone and all the silly questions I've asked my translators and bilingual American friends are paying off.
As we left the store Anya called and asked where we were. She said dinner was an hour earlier than we had thought, and it started ten minutes ago. Our little flock scurried safely back to church, marching double time.
Please know I appreciate your prayers and I'm getting really antsy to be back with you at HBC.
- Jim
Okay, I laughed out loud at the story of going to the book store. The fact that I'm supposed to be taking care of my dog and getting Hunter up for school, and I'm reading the blog instead, tells you that I miss you very much! Feels great to be home, but when I read the blog I'm a tad jealous to be missing out on the remaining adventures. I love you, friends! It was very weird to be just Rader and I on the way home! But hooray, we made all of our flights, and everything went smoothly. When we touched down in Boise, Rader and I both said, "Slavaboga!"
ReplyDeleteRader's still asleep, and I hear little kids waking up! It was so good to give them hugs in the middle of the night when we walked in.
P.S. I want a map too! I'd love to frame one on my wall to remember to pray! If nothing else, maybe I can scan one of yours into my Russia book, or maybe you could grab one for me and mark it up for a good profit!