Christ is Risen! (but not in Russia)

I wish someone would explain (in language I can understand) why we celebrate Easter in America usually one week earlier than they celebrate it in Russia. Last year was the exception, both countries celebrated at the same time - that was a first for me, but it sure made it easier to remember. This year we celebrated Easter this past weekend, but they won't celebrate Easter in Russia until April 27! Do you know what that means? I won't get Easter this year! The ROL family has promised that we will celebrate my birthday (April 25) and Easter at the same time, just before I head home, and have even promised some died eggs to make me feel better.

Yesterday, when I arrived at All Nations Christian Center (ANCC) for church, I greeted Lucya with the traditional Russian Easter saying "Christ is risen!" and she immediately replied "He is risen indeed!" Then she gave me a bewildered look and said, "But He didn't rise today." And I told her, "Oh, yes He did. He arose in America!" We both got a good laugh out of that, because of course, He didn't/doesn't arise in either.

ANCC is a wonderful congregation made up of mostly university students from all over the world. During the service, which was done in English and translated into Russian, I could hear translators around the room translating in Italian and other languages that I could not recognize. What a wonderful way to worship - all people, all languages - coming together for one purpose - to worship God.

The guest speaker at ANCC was an Englishman who currently resides in Scotland who was simply called Mr. Brian. He spoke on the peace and rest we find only when we come into the presence of God. He also reminded us that all too often we like to say, "I can do it!" And the devil loves that saying. What the devil doesn't want is for us to say "I can do it with God!" We must always remember the source of our strength, the source of our peace, the source of our rest - it can only be found in God.

We left church and went to lunch at Natasha and Valia's apartment on Nevskey Prospekt. They had hosted a number of children from Orphanage #51 over the weekend for visits and three of those children had gone to church with us. On the metro, in route to their apartment, one of the children, Laila, run to sit in an empty seat across from me and Lucya. She then saw an elderly "grandmother" (babushka) standing beside her seat; so she jumped up and offered the woman the seat. The woman motioned for Laila to sit back down and told her that God had blessed her with good, strong legs, and she preferred to stand on them as long as she could to honor Him. We all laughed and suddenly she turned to me, pointed her finger, and said "Who are you?" Lucya told her I was American/Engliski and the woman broke out into a big, toothless grin, and began to shout at me - "God has blessed you. I see God in your face. You are a blessing to these children. You are a blessing to me. God will use you." And on and on - and with each statement she was pointing her finger at me and getting closer and closer, and louder and louder. I just kept nodding and say, "Thank you. God bless you."

When we got off at the next stop, Valia came running over to me to ask if I was okay. I told her, of course, I was just receiving my second blessing of this wonderful Sabbath day - the first from the worship service, and the second from this unknown babushka. At first the experience was a little frightening, but then, as she shouted at me, and Lucya translated each phrase, I began to feel a sense of peace - she was truly offering me a blessing, and I certainly appreciate it.
I hope you received a blessing on Easter morning - and the rest of the day for that matter! I was thinking of you and your services, as you sang about our Risen Savior. Continue to remember us in your prayers.

We will minister to the young people at Dormitory #35 tonight, and will again be at Dormitory #70 on Thursday.
From Russia with love,
Nancy