Pray for Natasha

Natasha is a Christian friend who translates for us at Dormitory 35 on Monday nights through a charity organization here. She translates what we say in English into Russian and then into sign language - you see, she is a translator for the deaf residents. She shared a bit of her testimony with me last week and it was quite moving - she will share with the dorm kids next Monday night.

She was in an automobile accident when she was 17 and lost her hearing. Through several surguries and much prayer, she was restored to almost all of her hearing. She is the first semi-deaf person to be hired as a tram driver in St. Petersburg.

(She is in the red-striped sweater on the left at the back.)

Last night she shared the following with us: On Saturday morning (she has to be at work at 5am) a 23 year old young woman dashed across the street to try to catch the tram, ignoring the fact that she did not have the right of way and was crossing against the light; was hit by a car (and all of you who have been here know that these people drive like they're participating in the Indy 500) and was thrown under Natasha's tram. The car also lost control and hit the tram, causing the window behind which Natasha sits to shatter, cutting her arm enough to require several stitches.

The young girl died as a result of the accident and, as you can imagine, Natasha was devastated. Even through the police assured her that she was not at fault, and that the girl was most likely dead before the tram ran over her, Natasha didn't feel like she could drive her shift on Monday morning. When she went in to ask for a couple of days off to get over the accident, her employer informed her that if she went home, she need not come back, because she would be without a job. His exact response was, "This is not my problem, but your problem" (we hear that a lot here - it is always the problem of someone else). So Natasha drove her route on Monday, and by the time she got to us last night, she was exhausted and wanted us to pray for her. She was so mentally exhausted, she had to relate the story in Russian because she didn't feel like she could tell the complete story in English.

Please pray for Natasha as she struggles through the next few weeks - a prayer of healing for both her body and her mind.

From Russia with Love!

Nancy

Smelly Feet

Now, I know that any of my family members who read the above title are thinking, "We know who she's talking about!" That's because both my daddy and I have really smelly feet. I have, as an adult, learned how to better take care of my feet so that they don't smell as bad, but boy, it sure is a lot of work!

The custom in Russia is that when you enter a home, you immediately take off your heavy coat and your shoes. You then put on slippers, or just parade around in your sock feet if you don't have any, before entering the house. Then, if you enter a room with a rug or carpet, you take off the slippers and wear only your socks. So you can see where smelly feet might be a problem! You walk into a room full of people and suddenly, people are passing out from the smell!

This morning in church, the deacon who gave the offering sermon (it lasted almost 20 minutes, by the way!) told an anecdote about the smelly feet, and it went something like this: A man walked into the doctor's office and said, "Doctor, you must help me!" The doctor looked at him and said, "Why, what is wrong?" The man took off his shoes and threw his feet forward and begged, "Please, you must help me with my smelly feet!" The doctor looked at his feet, then let his eyes travel up the man until he looked the man in the eye, and the doctor replied, "What can I do? Do you see from where they grow?"

The moral of the story: if your whole body is unclean and smelly (including your attitude), how can you help but have smelly feet!? After all, all things are controled by gravity and are seeking the lowest place to reside!

The deacon further talked about the baggage that we all carry - things left to us by our ancestors and how we look like and act like our parents, grandparents, etc. He then made a disturbing suggestion - if you come from a family of unbelievers, and YOU are the first Christian in your family, then all the Christian "baggage" begins with YOU! You are the one who will set the path that your children and your children's children will follow - you are the pathfinder and you must set a good course. Wow, what awesome responsibility; and how thankful I am for my father and grandfather, both of whom were/are wonderful Baptist ministers. They charted my path, and made my way so much easier - Thanks Daddy - Thanks, Papa Ben!

Don't forget to wash your feet - you never know when someone will ask you take off your shoes to protect their clean floor! And watch your path - others will follow after you - you don't want to leave any trash behind, now do you?

From Russia with Love!

Nancy

It ain't Hollywood, but it's fun!

Last night we began a new "ministry" for the Road of Life (ROL) family home that is stuck off down here in southern StP (hence the "ain't" - you know southern, redneck, yeah, you've got it!). This apartment is not easily accessible from the rest of the city or the members of ROL, so we don't often host events. However, it is only a 15 minute tram ride from Child in Danger Shelter (CID), where SAC has been doing ministry for about 6 or 7 years.

To help build a strong relationship between ROL and CID, we decided to start a movie night on Fridays for the older kids at CID, and last night was our first adventure. Anya Tall (my Christmas visitor) has the movie Alvin and the Chipmunks, so she brought it for us to see; Lena (our house mother here) bought popcorn (my favorite!); and I went to CID to get the kids. There were 6 of them who had a "clean" record without any discipline problems for the week and they, along with their counselor Maxim, came to spend the evening with us.

We began with the movie AND POPCORN, which was a great hit. Then we played a new game I had brought on this trip called "Stacker Uno" which is much like the card game Uno, but using plastic cubes that are stacked in a tall tower (something like Jinga or is it Ginga??). Boy, these kids are real strategists and really competitive, and we had a lot of fun with it. We finished with dinner and a name game to help us all remember each other better.

One of the girls, Aleona (bottom row with hood - she hates having her picture taken and this is the only one I have of her), came into the kitchen and sat down to talk. She was sent away by her mother because they could not get along, and because she has a lot of health problems that cause her to be in and out of the hospital frequently. She told us that she had never seen an apartment like ours, and she had forgotten what a "home" looked and felt like. I don't know why this caught me at a weak moment, but I had to leave the room and let her finish her conversation with Lucya, because I didn't want her to see me cry. The loss of a mother, the loss of a home, and traveling from hospital to shelters for the past few years, with no place to call her own! It just became too much for me. Just imagine how unbearable it must be for her!

Please pray for Aleona and the other children and staff at CID. Also pray for us as we continue this new contact with the kids and that perhaps through the church families of our ROL family we can help find foster homes for some of these kids who do not quite "fit" into the orphanage profile here.

Oh, and pray that we can find another good movie for next Friday night! We told them that this would be a weekly event (and we are hoping that some of the girls can spend the night next Friday), but they must not get into trouble because we wanted to see each and every one of them back next Friday night. There were smiles all around as they left, and even Maxim (the counselor) said he was looking forward to next week!

From Russia with LOVE!
Nancy

Pray for Valya

Pam and Gary Amstutz from Ohio are counselors in the Boys’ Family Home for Road of Life (ROL). They also are a part of a ministry called Reflections of Hope that also ministers to orphans in Russia. As they have served ROL this year, they have also allowed God to provide for them an opportunity to open a transitional home (TH) through Reflections; and have been blessed to have two beautiful, Christian young women to be their counselors at that home – Natasha (from Siberia, who knows little English, but is trying, and who always greets me with the phrase, “Nancy, I love you!”) and Valya (from St. Petersburg, who sounds more American than Russian when she speaks English).

I have truly enjoyed getting to know these two young women over the last two weeks, and spent the night with them at their TH last night. After we had enjoyed some “girl” time together, Valya asked if she could practice the mime routine that she is to do while on her upcoming mission trip, since she had not done it in front of an audience in several months. Of course, I was thrilled – always up for a little entertainment!!! When she began to play the song and translate the words in Russian to Natasha so that she would understand the meaning of the gestures, I was excited to hear that it was Ray Boltz’s “Watch the Lamb.” I love this song, and if you have never heard it, stop now, go to any tunes website and listen to it – it truly depicts the story of Easter and reminds us that we should stop to watch the One who died for us.

I have included two pictures here, but of course stills cannot truly depict the beauty of the piece, or the expressiveness of the mime work that Valya did. She has promised me that we can video it while I am here so that I can bring it home and show it to you. Otherwise, she’s going to have to fly over to the US so you can all see it – I would LOVE that too!

This was also a special evening because Valya, who attends Bible college here in StP, leaves Saturday morning for a three week mission trip to the Congo in West Africa. It will take her three days travel to get to the village where their mission team will be trying to help a local pastor stop the influence of witchcraft over the people there. It will be hard work, but I know that Valya is up for the challenge, and we had a chance to have a special prayer for her this morning before I left their home.

Please pray for Valya as she serves God on this mission trip; pray for Natasha as she serves alone in the Reflections TH; and pray for all of us as we reach out to the orphans of StP to hopefully lead them to love us and want to come and join our families!

From Russia with Love!
Nancy

“Don't forget about us, Nancy”

It is hard to get any teenager to trust you, but to get a Russian, orphan teen to trust you is really a difficult undertaking. I don’t know why God has given me a gift for touching these young adults, but they seem to be drawn to me. I often don’t remember much about the visit or the time we spend together, and sometimes I come away afterward and wonder was it a meaningful evening for them. Then, someone or something touches you in a way that you cannot begin to explain or comprehend or even imagine. Such an event happened Monday night at Dormitory #35.

I met Tanya a week ago. She came into the meeting to see “the American who is visiting.” She didn’t stay but a few minutes, asking a couple of questions, before she and two of the other girls left to go to dance class. She looks like a dancer – tall, beautiful, graceful. She also looks like a model – thin and elegant in her carriage.

Well, this past Monday night we talked a little about occasions when you might want to give a card – sharing what events are important in their lives and whether or not we celebrate these in America. Afterward, I gave them card with a piece of craft foil on which they could draw and color their own designs. Some of them struggled with how to begin, but Tanya grabbed her paper, came and sat by me on the bed, and immediately began to draw. It was a funny little cartoon character that she surrounded with hearts. After she had finished, she went over to Valya (counselor for Reflections of Hope Transitional Home and a former orphan herself) and asked Valya to help her write in the card.

After a few minutes of whispering back and forth, and several corrections, Tanya walked over, sat down beside me, and presented me with the card. I was so shocked – I guess I thought they would want to give the card to someone here in Russia who was special to them. Here is what I found inside the card:

“Nancy! Don’t forget about us Nancy and I wish to you all best!!! From Tanya”

I hugged her, thanked her, and assured her that I will never forget her; and I told her how special she had made the evening by presenting the card to me. I will cherish it always! These are the nights when I return home and cry myself to sleep!

Pray for Tanya and the other young adults at Dormitory #35, because these are the ones who have been classified as handicapped, whether physical (many are crippled, deaf, etc.) or mental (many are labeled as educationally handicapped). But despite all the labels that are placed on them, they are just kids yearning for someone to remember them, and I will do that for sure!

Nancy

Love at First Sight

I am not a poet, so I know that when I try to describe Lucya to you words will probably fail me. I call her the Pied Piper of Orphans, but that isn't really true. She's the Pied Piper of EVERYONE. When a child meets her, he is naturally drawn to her infectious smile. When a director or counselor at an orphanage meets her, he is drawn to her sincere love for orphans. When a missionary meets her, he is drawn to her sense of service - always giving to others before herself.

Now don't get me wrong - she's not perfect (but then who of us is). I told her on Saturday that she has one major fault, and that is that she hates to tell anyone "No" or to hurt anyone's feelings. So as we all know, that can get her in trouble sometimes. I told her that sometimes we have to hurt someone a little up front to keep from hurting them "big time" later on.

She is young, only 25, and she has a lot to learn; but the things she knows already could fill a book. I think her gift comes from experience - the experience of being an orphan, of growing up in an orphanage and feeling the sense of hopelessness that many of them feel.

Isn't is great that God takes our experiences - especially those that have been traumatic in our lives - and makes a blessing for others out of them? Lucya is a blessing - to me, to orphans in StP, to administrators, to everyone she meets. Please pray for Lucya as she faces some major changes in her life. God has great and wonderful plans for her, and she is here, awaiting His instructions, ready to do what He says, go where He leads.

Are you ready to do, go, be what God wants of you, for you?

Nancy

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