CHANGE

We all know that change is inevitable and change is a word thought of a lot here in St. Petersburg – change in economics (I got the highest rate of exchange for my dollar in 5 years at 33 rubles/$), change in the city skyline (I counted 14 new buildings around the airport, on the way into the city, and especially in Pushkin – a city south of St.P), and change in the people (even some of the “older” people looked different on the metro yesterday – people actually looked at each other and not the floor).

We picked Eddie and Cindy Williams and Cindy’s daughter Ashley up at the airport Sunday afternoon and took them to Pushkin to stay at the SOS Orphanage, and Cindy couldn’t believe how much everything had changed in the two years since she has been here. And even Eddie had a little trouble trying to figure out how to get to the orphanage because everything seemed different.

At the worship service at 21st Century Church yesterday I noticed other changes – one of the young women who works with street kids had a more conservative hair style; Dimitri (the associate pastor and wonderful musician) was absent and I was told that he only gets to attend his home church a couple of Sundays each month because he is so much in demand to preach and sing at other churches and conferences; and Adam Wheat (my fellow team member, son of our associate pastor at Emmanuel Baptist Church in Ruston, and sophomore at Ouachita Baptist in Arkadelphia, AR) commented on what a change it was from church “back home.” He said that even though the service lasted for 3 hours, from 11 a.m. until a little after 2 p.m., no one seemed to mind and even hung around afterward to fellowship with other church members. His comment to me – “It was nice to see that these people didn’t bring all the ‘stuff’ with them to church that at home seems to make them so anxious to get out, get home, get to lunch. They just came to worship and enjoy their time with the Father.”

The main emphasis on the service was fire – Luke 3:16, “…He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” And they sang a song I had not heard, “God Wants You to Burn.” Now that can sound really bad if taken out of context – God does NOT want you to burn in an eternal hell, but He DOES want you to burn with a passion to share His Word and His Son with everyone you see and know. The pastor talked about the many different people who attend their church – some with wild hair, iron studs in the ears and on their faces, and well, just “different.” He told the story of one young man who came to church with hair done in big pointed spikes sticking out all over his head; and the pastor said he just couldn’t help himself – he had to ask “How do you get your hair to do that!” and the young man replied – “I wet it, put gel in it, and go to the metro to wait for the next train to come along with its great, mighty wind. And ‘poof’ instant spikes!” The pastor said, “Oh, style by metro!” Then he laughed and said maybe some of the congregation should try that. Marina Topol, who was translating for us, asked Adam if we had a metro back home and he and I both chuckled as he said no; so she told him he would have to try it here before he returns home.

Yes, there has been much change in StP, but as much as some things change, many more stay the same. The Road of Life family members still love each other with all their hearts and welcome us into their homes with graciousness and warmth. Those same families make room in their homes for children in need – the Frunzynskaya home where Adam is staying now has two young men who are deaf living with them full time – Losha and Nakita – and one young man who visits on the weekend who is going blind – Sergey. These are the young men that no one wants to bother with – that many consider stupid and even frightening. But the Christian parents at this ROL home, Artur and Nina, just stretch their arms out wider and take in all who will come. Their family of five (Artur and Nine, their two children, and Nina’s mother) live with the two permanent residents (Losha and Nakita) and this week have welcomed two Americans into their home – our Adam and Dustin Clark from Alabama. And a ROL graduate of that home, Meisha, has also come to stay to help translate – not only Russian, but sign language as well. As Adam said on Sunday, “It is a little overwhelming.” But I know that as Adam gets into the swing of things, he’ll be hard-pressed to let go and return home – they are already laughing and having a great time finding the differences between American sign language and Russian sign language.

Keep us in your prayers as we begin our ministry at the Deaf Orphanage and at Child in Danger shelter this week. And remember that even though you are on the other side of the world, you are still in our hearts and minds as well.

From Russia with Love!
Nance (and Adam)