What are you doing here?

This was the most asked question of us this weekend , followed by the next question..........when are you going back to Moscow? We were at the Commissioning weekend and surrounded by friends and associates from the past years where we have journeyed.

So I thought it was time to update you all on what has happened in these recent months.

In the latter part of September I (Lyn) had a couple of disturbed nights, not sleeping and suffering a bit of gastric reflux. So it was of to the Doctor. In Moscow this means the European Medical clinic which is pretty swish and has all the testing facilities at their fingertips. As it is the place all the ex pats go it is also fairly expensive - but they look after you and so I found myself on a table, drip in my arm and then an ultrasound. Diagnosis.... gastritis should settle down with medication said the french doctor. However..............we have found a tumor on your kidney which will need further investigation! So began an interesting couple of weeks.

The CT scan showed a large tumour on my kidney which the surgeon in Moscow was keen to remove asap. We said thanks very much but we think we will go home to Australia for this surgery.

Phone calls to the kids and a couple of days to pull things together in Moscow and we were on our way home to Melbourne. There was a bit of a drama at the airport when we found the travel agent had mistakenly put us on a plane to Mali ( Maldives) - a rebook soon had us on a plane via Bangkok & Brisbane. Arriving in Melbourne we were quickly into a surgeon and within another week I was in the Freemasons hospital having my kidney removed. It has now been 7 weeks since the surgery and I am starting to return to a good level of wellness and fitness. The prognosis is good as far as the surgery is concerned. The cancer was contained within the fatty sac of the kidney and had not advanced to other organs. For now the next steps are to live a healthy life and undertake regular reviews for a number of years.

Ron was able to fly home with me and in the early weeks was my carer & nurse. He has kept up with work in Moscow via lotus notes and skype in the short term.

So what does that mean for us now? The decision we have made is that we will not return to Moscow. Having settled into the medical routine here we believe it to be the right thing that we stay home and in a short while we will take up a new appointment here.

We have greatly enjoyed the opportunity to serve in Moscow and the experience to travel and see the work of the army in the EET has been life changing for us both. We take this opportunity to thank each and everyone of our supporters and encouragers. Your prayers and other support has kept and sustained us through our experience.

As we enter into a new phase of our life it is time to sign off from this blog. It has been an amazing experience. We have so many stories, photos and memories to share and maybe I will get to the point of putting some if this together to share with those who are interested. I am sure there is a a Home League or two left in me????? For now we are trusting God to continue to lead us in our work for Him - wherever it might be.

and his name is......

I thought it was going to be easy.................

Just a quick lesson in how it works.

We needed some printing to be picked up from the printers. Everyone is busy so though I could jump on the metro and go and get the goods. Well here is how it went.

I got a lesson from my co worker on which train to catch - and which end of the carriages to sit so I exited from the station at the right point. Then he said - pick up the piece of paper from finance to take with you.

So down to finance - a form had to be printed - with my passport details, the form was double sided and needed 5 signatures and a stamp. (Including the Chief Secretary signature). The form was not complete - so back to finance. I head out to go to the printer. Short walk to the metro, the ticket is expired, so new ticket. Then it is 2 trains to the place I want to go. There are 4 exits from the station so I check I am heading in the right direction. My phone beeps - it is flat and dead! No chance of help if I cannot accomplish the mission. 5 minute walk which was nearly 10 to arrive at a building that was the right shape according to my map. In through the security guards (x2) and find the place. Into the printer shop which turned out to be a big printer - past the reception to one person then another to get the person managing the job. The paperwork is reprinted and stamped and I am then taken to the basement to pick up the printing. The exit I am now sent on is out the back door which is onto a back lane and around the corner. Eventually I find my way back to the metro to take 2 trains a 6 stops back to work with my little trolley and 2 boxes of printing.

Next time the 300 rubles to have it delivered will be well worth and I will not hesitate !!!!!!!!!!!

The amazing thing here is that the Russians accept this as normal - this is how it is done! Can't just have anyone ?????picking up 2,500 self denial envelopes.

some more bee..utiful pics

On our trip to Ukraine the bees were very active

Mission trip to Ukraine

Ron and I had the opportunity to go to Ukraine to work with a UK mission team visiting the small village of Noviy Posoliok near Kirovograd. A school holiday program was the main activity but there was also opportunity to engage with the elderly and homeless people of the area.

Face painting was a big hit and 2 afternoons were spent decorating kids faces.

The end of the week brought an outing to the fun park and the kids had some rides and an icecream....greatly enjoyed by all!

The morning activity was story and craft and up to 35 kids crammed into the tiny hall

The team brought over 20 timbrels and the kids were introdued to how to play. After 2 lessons there was a not too bad display in the Sunday morning meeting.

Kids enjoyed singing and the language barrier was broken with some carefully selected songs.

The games were taken out on the park area and sometimes onto the small street. Village life......we could do so much more than what is possible in the big city. The kids loved the games and the sports equipment that team brought with them and then donated for future corps activities.

Sunday morning crowd was too big for the hall so we took the meeting out of doors to the common area in front of the hall. A great way to end a big week all together worshipping God

Visitors

Visitors from home - started and finished at Red Square - it was a great couple of weeks.The 2 brothers at red square

We visited parks, gardens and found so many staues - this one at the Novadavichy graveyard - can you guess his occupation?

we have been amazed at the flowershops every where - but this display was impressive.

The month of June saw our first visitors from Aus. It had only taken 22 months for someone to have the cash and desire to visit Moscow. Ron's brother Kingsley and wife Margaret spent 3 great weeks with us. We took 2 weeks of our holiday time to travel around with them. At first we had all these great plans to head off to St Petersburg and maybe to the outside of Moscow to some villages, but the time went so quick. We were flat out discovering all we wanted to see just in Moscow.

There were a few places we had saved up - we would go there when someone came from home. Well we covered most things but there is still more to see. The days went so quickly. Summer had come at last so no need for coats - it was hats and blockout every day.

Parks, gardens, statues, museums, long walks, boat rides, as well as trips to Red Square in day and night kept us busy.

We tried to ban Kingsley from using the words 'unbelievable' but it kept coming. Margaret is a bell collector and I think she may have seen and heard enough to satisfy for some time- the bell in the neighboring cathedral rings hourly all through the night.

Thanks for the company Kingsley & Margaret and for all the little goodies you brought over for us!!!

July some old friends from Glenroy passed through on their way back home and so it was good to have a day with them. Connections to home are important and these days skype and email help to lesson the distance. Thanks to everyone who takes the time in some way to support us during these days - we value your support.

Spring time for the bees. Spent a few days on holidays chasing the bees and here is the result.

Check flikr photo stream on the right for the full pic.

Ron receives his Masters

After 3 years of study, half of which was in Russia Ron has received his Masters in International & Community development.

The trip home for the cap and gown ceremony was not possible. The cost too prohibitive. So the choice made to receive the certificate in the mail. This has been a great achievement for Ron with most marks being distinction or high distinction in the 12 subjects covered. At the same time a dissapointment that he would not experience a graduation ceremony and have that picture for all the work. The good news is that the education experience has been good for him and he is able to put new skills to work in his role here in EET.

The certificate arrived in the mail on a day Ron was not in the office, so it was safely tucked away waiting for an opportune time for the presentation. On Sunday the Territorial Commander in the presence of family who are over on holidays made the presentation . A proud moment for Ron and good milestone for his service.

He receives a rose from the Corps officer at Taganka Corps in Moscow.

Driving in Moscow

When we first arrived in moscow I had not brought an international licence with me. The first year I did not drive. On our trip home last year I picked up an international permit. I have increased my driving opportunities and am feeling more comfortable.

Tonight was my first drive for the feeding program. This is a Wednesday evening Corps activity. Several volunteers take hot soup and bread to 2 parks to give out to the small crowds that gather there. The traffic was bumper to bumper and I drove for 2 hours and covered a total distance of 8KM. The trip between stand one and two took nearly an hour - by the time we got there all the clients had left, the drive had taken us so long to get there. Probably 3 Km in an hour! It is an interesting road we travel to get to the feeding place. Two intersections where multiple lanes narrow as well as tram tracks. One of the intersections the cars spread out into 9 lanes and when the lights turn green they all fee into 2 lanes to turn right and 2 lanes go straight ahead- so as well as these 9 lanes spread across is the possibility of trams from both directions - with the trams cutting through the middle to turn a corner in a small side street. We have banned the word unbelievable! ....but I just have to use it.....unbelievable!!!!!!!!!!!! The next big intersection where we park the car has about 6 lanes turning left ( from the right of course) and you follow them around a bit and then circle around a lamp post and drive up the tram tracks!!!!

Now I am driving more regularly and a couple of stop start drives to he airport soon gives plenty of practice. the worst was a Sunday afternoon pickup - where we were sent to the wrong terminal - of course we went to the really busy one to find the people were at the other one with far less traffic. So it wa sroud and round until we found our way to the right place. We had the gps on and it seemed to take us miles out of the way onthe country roads - only to find that the gps was set on walking !

My very first drive was to take the car to pick up the Commissioner with the arrangement that Ron would drive the TC back to the office. He livesin a narrow street and Ron did not like how I parked the car , so he refused to drive and so on my first drive I am driving the Commissioner to the office.

The most lost we have been was when we drove to the Australian embassy which is in a small street and off some big streets, near the river and not to far from the Kremlin. So we discovered that if you miss a turn you end up miles from where you want to be or end up crossing over the river and back before you can find the right way. We drove past the Kremlin twice - with Ron trying to read the map - never a good thing. In the end I said let me follow my nose and we finally made it home, but I had to meander through some very small back lanes to connect - so that was a good practice day!

There is the choice of 4 cars you can switch according to the need and what you are doing and of course you sit on the wrong side, shift gears with the right hand and indicate with he left. it is all screwy, but I have finally learnt to go to the left hand side if I am driving. In the beginning it was a very strange feeling to sit in the right front side and not be the driver.

But for all the traffic, for all the apparent disorder there is also an order. Drivers are impatient but tolerant...quite weird really. So quick to blow their horn, but hey always let one car into the gap. Cars lane hop from one side to the other squeezing through the most unlikely little spots. They drive up the tram track and footpaths. For the smallest crashes you park the car where it happened and wait for the police to come with their measuring stick to aportion blame - no worries how far traffic backs up.

The most intimidating is the policemen - mass numbers on corners everywhere and each with a big baton stick, ready to flag down whoever and try and extract a bribe - come with me to my office( his car) and we can settle this!!!!!!!!! So far I have not faced this but there will be a first some time. I have only once just missed a changing red light - and I still only know it was red because a car U turned in front of me and my passenger pointed out a red light. Fortunaltely no police there that day.

So I guess I will venture out some more when the opportunity presents itself - but still the safest is the metro - so I think mostly it is train travel for me!

May days

can you believe that May is half over? Where did the days go. It seems we had hardly had a holiday to celebrate May day and we are preparing for the end of the month.

Since my last blog life in Moscow has quickly returned to normal, in fact we were surprised how quickly normal returned! After the bombings the trains were very quickly on line, for a short period there were memorials but it seems nothing will stop the need to move 10 million russians every day. We travel the metro most weeks and I cannot say that we have ever felt unsafe doing so. Except lat on Saturday night last week - we went into the city and just happened to be at the station of one of the bomb blast. Just as the train is about to take off a man pushes past in a hurry to get off the train. My heart fluttered a moment, but I realised he must have missed his stop, and he made a mad dash for the doors bumping me on the way. Now the doors in a Moscow train are dangerous. As the train prepares to depart they slam shut and no one wants to be in the way. I once got caught in our early days here. The dilemma - you are half in and out - body mostly out - but you hands and bag are in. What to do? drop the bag and pull your hands out and escape with your life! Or hang on and save your bag? Well on this occasion there was a tough big burley man who attacked the doors and opened them for me and I escaped with just a few bruises, my hand bag and a lesson in watch the doors on the train. The strange thing about the train is that they come every 2 minutes or so - if you miss your stop go to the next station and catch one back - maybe lose 5 minutes - but stay safe.

Spring is here and we have ventured out into parks and enjoyed lots of walks and exploring.

Our work has mostly had us in the office in the recent months. Chasing paper trails, reports to be written, planning to be done. Ron is preparing for a project visit to Moldova. and then in July we both go to Ukraine. Our time in the office is mostly administration relating to our roles. For Ron this is about all the projects of the territory - be it feeding people, after school programs or equipment purchases. There is a process to follow to gain the funds and then to bring accountability to the funds. And so he spends his days chasing lots of details and processing this information. My work is a mixture - a lot of things to do with resources for the Territory, but also some PR aspects. One of the areas I see to is the magazines - I work with the editor to ensure the War Cry and Officer magazine is published on time and in a format relevant to today. That is an interesting challenge as I work across the different cultures of our 5 countries and put my western thinking in the mix. I also have responsibility for the various works of translation - books going to print. I also pick up a mixture of special small projects (odd jobs) and sit on a number of boards that have different levels of responsibility. So no getting bored. The challenge for me is to stay focussed and energised when I am not working with people and at a desk pushing papers for much longer than I would like.

Well enough of the grumbles. We are enjoying the experience and opportunities given to us and time is flying by.

I realise I have not uploaded photos for some time - so I close with a promise to work on this and share some of the nice pics I have manged since buying a new camera when home last year.