Update from Moscow

Link to photos on Facebook.

Update from Pokrov

So, there is a lot to write. I've been so tired that I haven't updated the blog and now it is Friday--our last day.

The past few days have seen:

• A trip to a local museum about chocolate and the Kraft chocolate factory here as well as some Pokrov history
• A walk to the lake for a picnic and the kids swimming and games
• A trip to the kids' woodshop where they practice traditional Russian wood carving
• lessons on love, patience and kindness (including a skit where I got to fulfill my lifelong dream of being a rock star)
• lots of Russian chocolate and Ginger Bread
• interaction in crafts, soccer, American football, frisbee, basketball
• a review of the day's activities with kids, our team and orphanage staff confirming the powerful impact of even a short week's trip

Here are a few pics.

First Day in Pokrov

After a two hour bus ride we arrived in Pokrov and are staying at a very nice new hotel. It has wifi, and I am connecting at about 11:30 at night.

We had an amazing day at the orphanage and have a great plan for the rest of the week. All of the new team members fit right in, making new friends and getting involved in music, games and sports along with playing with some of the preschool kids.

We had mostly free time today and will begin our program tomorrow.

The kids planned a competition for us to watch. It was a sort of beauty contest that also involved several small competitions, such as the momma competition where the contestants had to put diapers on one of the American team members.

The older girls also planned a dinner "cafe" for us that they prepared and served. Of course, the dinner was accompanied by an appropriate selection of music that included rap and Russian techno. It also included an OLD MC Hammer song, "Can't Touch This."

So, I think that this will be a great week. Tomorrow is a competition planned by the orphanage and our first lesson on love.

We look forward to the four days ahead.

Today in Vladimir

Today was another great day. We started by worshiping with Russian believers this morning in a small church in a converted apartment building. The church building is not like what most of us in suburban churches at all. Songs were in Russian. Americans were singing in English to songs that they knew. I sang in Russian, the best I could, but had to look up some of the Russia words. We prayed in small groups before taking communion with our newly made Russian friends. BJ and I prayed with Irina and Lena, two Russian single moms. Lena is out of work and is praying for a job by the end of summer. Many Russians are out of work.

Then we went to see the Assumption Cathedral. It was originally built in the 12th century when Vladimir was the capital city of Russia. It is one of the most famous cathedrals in Russia, perhaps the most famous outside of Moscow.

After that we headed back to the ministry center where I was pleased and surprised to see Klara B. Klara is studying veterinary sciences. She seemed well and happy. She said that she is enjoying living outside of the orphanage.

Don Shive led a session on anger and where it comes from. He also talked about forgiveness. Some of the order orphans (in their twenties) really got involved in that discussion.

After games and conversation we left for the hotel.

I'm including a few pictures from today.

We are in Vladimir Tonight

After all of the aministrative issues getting our visas, we arrived in Moscow this morning without a hitch. The big hitch came with Moscow traffic. It took over an hour to get out of Moscow and about four and half hours to get to Vladimir. We arrived at the minsitry center to over 40 orphanage graduates, many of whom we know from Pokrov.



I was able to spend a lot of time with Valya K. who is doing well in her advertising degree program at the local university. Valya turned 21 this year.



A special surprise was seeing Lilya T. She left the orphanage early, and I was not able to see her last year. I did not know where she was and I feared the worst. However, she was at the ministry center today and is in a technical school. She looked so grown up. She will be seventeen in September.



There were many others from Pokrov. I also met some of the girls in the young mothers program. These girls are single moms between the ages of 17 and 21 who receive monthly parenting and life skills training. Many of them are still enrolled in school, although they have the year off to take care of newborns. They are allowed to live in the dorms if they have no place else to go.



I meant to post pictures, but I'm down in the lobby using wifi here at the Hotel Vladimir. I left my camera in my room. So, I'll post pictures tomorrow.

We have visas and are ready to travel

Well, we got our visas today and managed to get our tickets changed without a lot of hassle.

We will leave on Friday morning. I'm a bit stressed about work still. So much to do.

So, we'll land in Moscow at 11 a.m. on Saturday. We'll have to get out to Vladimir quickly to meet grads, if they show up. We'll see.

Doug

Flight delayed all unknown

Well, it's been a busy day. First, I went to the bank to get cash for the trip, then I found out that the visas were not at HopeChest's office. Then I found out that they would not get there. Then I found out that they might get there. Then I found out that the woudn't.

In the mean time Delta's group travel agent steered me wrong and told me I could wait until morning to reschedule my trip once I had the visas. A HopeChest rep thought that sounded strange so he called Delta. That rep said that we did need to take some action before morning. So, now we have to wait till the morning to take next steps to find out when we are going.

One obstacle is that Delta's policy is to charge a $250 change fee plus the price change of the ticket. In this case the price change could be between $300 and $3,800. Obviously, we aren't going with the $3,800. So, we'll see what we can do and ask on bended knee for some grace.

Keep reading for more updates.