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.