birthdays from a distance

Our first grandchild turned 5 today and we had to settle for a phone call via video skype and joined with the family through technology. The wonders of internet banking allow for pressies the 'modern way' rather than trusting russian post.
He is a mad keen 'fire man' - and so his cake today was of 'Elvis' the fire fighting helicopter - check out the pic as the chopper lands and fills the tanks from the lake in the corner - ready for takoff - there is a big job to be done in victoria this week.

Yesterday my baby brother turned 52 and again a phone call was all we could manage - wait a minute - that's all he normally gets from me - but then again, this one was from Russia.

It is the special celebrations that cause you to miss home just a bit more - and with a big family there will be a few more of them before we come home. It is nice to know that we can at least say - we will be home this year - albeit for a few weeks as we return for Amey & Putts wedding scheduled for october.

We are blessed with technology and have a good internet connection and so this helps in staying in touch with our friends and family. It must have been tough on early day missionaries, travelling months on a ship and waiting for snail mail - if and when it came. We also at least draw a salary that alows us to live in relative comfort and in a more than comfortable furnished apartment a short walk from work. So there is nothing to complain about.

And whilst we acknowledge that we are are a long way away - the invitation stands if you want to come over - up or which ever way it is we are looking forward to who will be our first visitor. We have a spare bed but have not yet had to roll it out for anyone.
Please stay in touch - it helps us survive these days apart and for us then to do the job we came here to do.
Lyn

Our hearts go out to home

I am writing this from Moscow, one week after devastating bushfires have decimated parts of Victoria. These fires that have left over 1,800 people homeless, many people sustaining serious burns to their body as they fled the fires and the final death toll not yet known.( could be up to 300 dead) Victoria is the home of my birth and for all bar 6 years - where I have lived. Over 25 years of my Officer service have been in Victoria and over half of these years in the country. So it is a place I know well. My last appointment before coming to Moscow was to work as a drought officer in Northern Victoria - working in the very same areas most affected by these fires. In fact it is possible I have spoken to some of these people now facing the loss of their homes, their livlihoods with lost animals and feed - their farms destroyed. So in this area of Australia in its 10+ years of drought and now the worst fire in Australia's history one can only get a small sense of the devastation that these people now feel. For some who escaped with their lives left wondering why and how it all happened.

And so from this distance we watch the internet daily, we listen to live streaming of radio and we hear some of the stories from our friends in Aus that have been called on to work in the recovery centres.

Our hearts go out to home - we answer the many questions that are being asked about Australia as the Moscow news covers the story and the local people enquire. From this distance there is not much we can do. But we offer our prayers , believing in a God who is in control even when the world appears to have gone mad. We offer our prayers and best wishes to those who suffer and face a difficult recovery. We offer our prayers for those working in support roles. The police, the fire brigade, the medical people, the support people in disaster recovery centres, to family and friends - so many people affected in so many ways.

To our Salvation Army friends who are bearing extra burden and responsibility in these days we want to encourage you to stay safe, accept all the support you need to get the job done and may God give you the energy to keep at it for as long as is needed.
Blessings
Lyn

some pics from our trip to beautiful Georgia

We start with the local cuisine - hotchapori - a meat dumpling that you pick up and the skilled person manages to suck the juice out before devouring the delicacy without it draining down your arms or leaking on the table.
Tbilisi is a beautiful city on a river surrounded by hills on both sides. It is a very historic city and the contrasts left you in awe and looking for more.
At times you could have been walking any city of the world and then you make interesting discoveries. The history in this place would take you a lifetime to discover.



Entry way to this ancient monastry on top of a hill in central Tbilisi. The history is amazing.

The architecture a mix of the cosmpolitan influences and in particular the turkish.

We visited 3 Corps and spent some time at each place trying to understand the difference coming from our western and influention army background to this very poor european culture.
Worship is part of each after school program and some good musicians have devloped. Here the Samgori kids practice for Sunday worship
After school program - lunch a plate of buckwheat, corn bread and biscuits and of course chai. We did eat with the kids - the pic was taken early. I could not come at the buck wheat though - But Ron put away his bowl full.
Rustavi hall a good worship centre - but very cold. The second building carrying water damage and needing reparations.
Samgori is the ground floor glass fronted building - good location on a main street.
Note the ancient seating and the cold marble foor.

The Corps buildings were purchased with limited funds and the upgrade money is yet to be found. The three Corps we visited had properties that present exciting possibilities for program, but were in urgent need of renovation, repair or upgrade. We were blessed to see an enthusiastic army, working with limited budgets, in communities that desperately need Jesus. The challenge for us remains to shift our 'western' mindset and engage in their culture and discover how best we can help them in their journey of devlopment and discovery.

a quick trip to Georgia

We returned to work after the long Christmas break to prepare for a few days in Georgia. The current project workers finish their 3 year assignment and were handing over to their replacement. We took the opportunity to visit to engage in some debriefing and training for the new worker. This was our first visit to this country. I must say I fell in love with Tbilisi.
The geography, the histroy and the people. It was an amazing place to visit.
The city of Tbilisi is set on a river with hills each side. It is a very old city and the european aged buildings with a Turkish influence was intriguing. The history and stories that this place has to offer would keep you busy for a long time. The river is a mix of steep rock cliffs to meandering streams and patches of white water rockeries. I could put my boat in and experience a variety of paddling in a day. The people were most noticeable different to Russian people . They are more open and friendly and joyful, and we very much enjoyed the hospitality experienced during our visit.
We were able to visit expressions of the army in 3 Corps during our stay. Rustavi is a Corps within 30 minutes of Tbilisi and this is a rural town - although not large in physical size it is densely populated due to the high rise flats. As you drive towards this town the high rise buildings pop up in the landscape signalling this township. The intense population a legacy of the soviet era and built to house the people for industry. The industry has gone but the population remains. So in the small region over 100 nationalities reside with very high unemployment and the many issues that arise out of this. The Corps were engaged in a holiday program for village kids and so we were able to see how they work with limited resources. A good set of buildings give opportunity for a diverse program and the young officers here have an exciting opportunity for serving their community in different ways. The following day we were at Samgori, a Corps in the outer suburb of Tiblisi. The hall is on the main road and in desperate need of upgrading. It was great to see the work being done here with all age groups. Again the children were in a holiday program and so we observed the officers in action as they engaged with kids and the small singing group proacticing for the sunday meeting.
On Sunday we were able to attend the Central Corps where there was a meeting involving the young people and supported by a good size congregation of all ages. The piano players were 3 young girls that had come through the weekly kids program and have developed as excellent musicians. The cup of 'chai' followed the meeting and we then spent some time with the officer - hearing of his work and ministry. Finances was one of the big topics as the recently approved budget changes were bringing an impact. A look at an annual operating budget showed some figures that I found quite shcoking. The annual budget for a Corps in Georgia would be less than a one month budget in a Corps in Australia. Such is the situation here in EET as the annual operating costs are still heavily subsidised. The ability for The salvation Army to raise funds as we know in AUS are not possible here. Taxes and legal complications mixed with all complex issues of a post soviet era and the impact this has on people attitudes makes EET an interesting place to live and work.

If there is one area I would like to make a difference in our Army here it is in the sanitation. Our trip last year to Moldova last year was an eye opener. Some of our Corps did not even have a WC or it was a hole in the ground down the back lane. The standard of cleanliness where there was a toilet was staggering - should I say lack of standard. It was no different in Georgia where there is different priorities. Two of the places we visited had newly fitted WC - modern by all standards. But they could not afford the water to flush. So water was either held in the bath or large tub so that it could be carefully measured out for a flush when someone considered it necessary. Also due to the poor sewrage the paper is never flushed. It is placed often in open bins in the cubicle. So it does not matter where you go - it is always hold your nose and prepare for the smell. We need 'Kenny' out here - I am not yet sure how best to address the problem - but it is one I want to work on.

Our visit to Georgia was mostly work, a little sight seeing and some enjoyable hospitality in the home of a lovely Georgian family. But it quickly came to an end. This is one place I will be happy to return to. The return to Moscow was interesting as we changed planes in Kiev - out in the open while snow flakes fell. Safely back in our beds in Moscow at 2am.

Languge learning is coming slowly. Ron is more intent and is concentrating and practicing. He is conscientiously practicing every day. I still think it is too hard to acheive and have committed to learning a conversational level. My grandchildren are keeping me up with the learning as they anxiously ask on skype when we talk for a new word and they do their revision of words learnt so far. But we are managing to live, work and worship without Russian language so far. There have been a some times when difficulties present but we have worked our way through the situation.
And so we complete 5 months of our appointment - nearly half of the first year is gone. Much more...much more has God in store.........a line from a song but for me a question as I look forward in anticipation of what might be in store for these coming days and months as we continually discover what is possible and what it is we are to be doing in our work here.
Love to all at home
Lyn

Visit to St Petersburg

The holiday period in Moscow is from Jan 1 until after Russain Christmas and THQ closes. We had a few days to spare so decided to join our American neighbours on a train ride to St Petersburg. We packed the picnic set and headed off on the 9 hour train journey through snow covered feilds. We were warm in the train and relaxed as we enjoyed the very different scenerey.


Our first night in St Pete it snowed and so that set the scene for our 6 day stay.
We walked our way around the central city area taking in the beauty of this very old city. Some days we were out for the whole day walking and sight seeing.
There were so many choices - museums, Cathedrals, markets, and just places to go and look. Map in hand and a picnic on our backs we found our way around taking it all in.
The Neva river is frozen over - but due to the need to keep it flowing the icebreaker makes it way down each day - causing an interesting chopped up effect. St pete is built on a river delta and canals separate the city into a number of islands With building and roadways built to the edges. We had great fun meandering our way around and discovering the sights, sounds and smells of a new city. We were able to walk out on the frozen river to where some people had built some ice sculptures - or is that a frozen stone henge?

Moscow has St Basils cathedral and St pete has Christ our saviour and we are not yet sure which we like best. But we took plenty of photos until we make up our mind.





















One of outings was to go to the 'Hermitage' also known as 'The winter palace' which is a famous museum housing some of the worlds most famous art collections and also some amazing architecture. As it was holiday time we stood in a Russian queue - 2.5 hours to get in the door and a further 30 minute in the coat rack queue. Finally we got in and then 3 hours later it was time to close. But we did get to see a bit of it. It is an amazing feeling standing in a place - on the other side of the world - looking at things we had only heard or read about. We felt priviledged to be able to stand in front of the Rembrandt painting of the Prodigal Son and also to see so many other expression of art both in paint and sculpture and also in the porcelain and architecture. It was a place you needed to go back to - over and over. And as we have our Russian work permit we saw all for only $5 - no more tourist prices for us- our 12 month working visa came through the day before Christmas!

Well as with all good things they come to an end. It was time to return to Moscow. Our return trip not so exciting as we enjoyed the Russian third class train travel - or was it 4 th class.





A large sign over the river reminded us of the time of the year - and so we greet you all with this message ........HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Carrolling in Moscow

We had a busy Christmas time as we took the opportunity to join the Moscow Orotorio to sing 'The Messiah'. There was also an extra concert to sing some modern carols written by a third generation famous composer by the name of Gorsky. There were 2 concerts in these amazing venues. It was a very interesting experience. In one of the concerts the father & son Gorsky's performed - that was a very memorable musical treat night when some of the best students from the Moscow conservatory of music also performed. Then our 100+ choir sang the jazzed up carols written by Gorsky Jnr.
This photo shows Ron & I with the Australian Ambassador to Russia who also sang Soprano in the choir.


We have a good sounding band at the Corps at present - the only staff band I will get to play in - staff because everyone works on HQ and is an officer! 2 captains and 4 Majors - 1 russain, 1 Moldovan, 3 Americans and 2 Aussies.


We managed a number of carollong opportunities. The final one was to play at the Ambassadors residence for her staff Christmas party. Margaret enjoyed the music and took the opportunity to conduct us for a carol or two. We enjoyed the opportunity to share carols with these people from Russia , Australia and around the world. We also enjoyed the food!!!
The snow continues to fall and we enjoyed a quiet day at home and prepared for the second Christmas that would come on Jan 7th when Russians celebrate their christmas.

it's Christmas!

The snow is falling and the boys have sung to us!
God is good!!!!

We wish our family and friends the best christmas ever and our love and prayers support you wherever you are.

love Ron & Lyn

We began December by moving to a new , larger apartment.
It is in a block of units of 15 floors with four apartments on each floor.

We have 2 balconies - and so we have put some pots out ready to plant spring bulbs - when we find out where to buy them.

Entry hall - full length mirrors - probaly built in the 50's

Very Blue outlook on everything. And yes that is the washing machine in the kitchen.

Chandelier - takes a bit to clean too!

The boys sent angels for our tree


Ron has a small study area

Very blue loo too!!!

Visit to the kindergarten

We set off early down the country road to visit a kindergarten where 100 children attend each day

The buildings were nearly a century old and the play equipment just as ancient

It was nap time and even the 6 year olds had afternoon nap - 2 hours of time out.

this little one had to get up for a call of nature - but straight back to bed

Soon it was afternnon tea time.

after they had washed their hands - no running water here

The water had been drawn from this well and carried 100 metres to the big house

We looked at the equipment that had been purchased - new windows, new toys

Before we left - some of had to 'go for a walk' before the long drive home. The facilities were the building on the left of this picture. This is where the kids go - note the walk from the house - think of cold snowy days and the run across the yard up the slippery path -







Instructions - boys to the left - girls to the right!

We arrived safely home - having found another place to stop on the way for the most desperate.

It was a most interesting day - observing totally dedicated staff caring for young Moldovan children in the most difficult circumstances to our way of Western thinking and the luxuries that we have at home. But this is not an unusual arrangement in the post soviet days of Moldova as the communities grapple with building infrastructure and moving into this century.