- The Samara Mission Team (left to right): John Bachelor, Cecil, Rev. Ken, Dana, Cindy Pasch, Gus Grinstead, Shelly Hartman, Jo Hartman and Kelly Karrenbauer...we assume that Erica Bachelor was behind the camera.
August 1, 2005
We arrived in Samara after spending a 14 hour layover in Frankfort, Germany. No time was wasted in Germany though as we promptly caught a train to Bingen where we rode a cruise boat down the picturesque Rhine River. Overlooking the river were large castles going back to the middle ages when the advantageous sights were used to control river traffic. Our good fortune changed upon our arrival in Samara as Jo, Cindy, and Gus each found one bag missing in the flight. Attendants at the airport promised to call us at the orphanage whenever the bags arrive. The lost bags were the final straw in convincing Cindy that she is part of a “left behind” conspiracy. Several times in train stations, airports, restaurants, Cindy has found herself all alone, stranded by rest of the group. Ludmilla, Olga, Tamara were all at the airport to greet us at 5:00 in the morning, bring us back to the orphanage, and prepare a breakfast. Today at 2:00 we get serious and start working with a group of 10 pastors and Sunday school teachers. We spent the morning and early afternoon unpacking 10 suitcases filled with Sunday school material to be used during the week. Cindy and Kelly will introduce the group multi-sensory learning.
- the Samara Mission Team
August 2, 2005
As you can see from the photo below, the Russian Sunday school pastors, teachers, and children have been eager and ready learners. In this photo one of children is on the floor painting on paper taped to the underside of a table. She is one of many students who attempted to replicate the feeling Michelangelo had when he painted the creation story on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel an activity led by Dana and Shelly. In other lessons Gus involved the class in acting out the Israelites’ struggle with Pharaoh and the resultant plagues. Cindy demonstrated how to make a keychain composed of beads as a memory device for the 10 commandments. Jo made a giant whale out of plastic bags and forced air from window fans to demonstrate the Jonah and the Whale story and enlisted Cecil to play the reluctant Jonah. Cecil trained all of us to play the chimes and almost brought tears to the eyes of the Sunday school teachers when he announced the chimes had been donated by an Epworth church member and would be staying in Russia . Dana ended the teaching part of our day by showing the teachers all the puppets made by Epworth volunteers and again demonstrating Epworth generosity by adding that the seven sets of six different puppets made by Epworth church members would be staying with the Sunday school teachers.
Each of our days has been filled with much satisfaction and some strange stories. Today after we returned from lunch, no one could determine why Shelly and Erica were absent from the teaching session. When Gus went to check she found out the girls had been accidentally locked in their room and thinking it would be some time before anyone returned to get them, went to sleep. Gus, Jo, and Cindy still are without their luggage and making daily trips to buy just enough clean clothing for the next day.
The day ended with Ken leading devotions focusing on fears we’ve experienced associated with the trip. Several of us talked about apprehension in separating from our family, preparing for lessons to teach to people we had never seen and couldn’t communicate with, and traveling in an unsafe world. We all agreed such issues are nothing if we truly shared our worries with God.
- the Samara Mission Team
- One of the orphans after having painted his version of the creation story as taught by the Russian Sunday school teachers.
August 3, 2005
At 7:00 am this morning Gus opened the door to her bedroom after hearing a knock and recognized an agent from the Samara airport. Gus, Jo, and Cindy danced around the lost luggage relieved they would have enough clothes for the rest of the trip.
While the return of the luggage was a highlight, we were also rewarded with an opportunity to see our teaching the first two days pay off big dividends. The Russian Sunday school teachers used some of the lessons we taught them to teach twelve of the schools orphans who had been bused in from their summer camp. Late afternoon we rode the bus with the orphans back to their camp. We were introduced by the orphanage’s director, Tamara, as people from Epworth who had contributed heavily to camp renovations. At our evening devotions, led by Kelly, we had a lengthy discussion about the trip to the camp, most of us feeling that the camp still needed a lot of work, that many of the kids looked bored and had nothing to do other than cool off in the nearby swimming hole. We explored ways Epworth could help in making the summer camp a more dynamic place to live. We remembered Epworth youth are possibly making a Samara trip next summer and we hold out hopes that our youth will be given a chance to work closely with the youth of the camp. In our devotions we also dealt with the controversial issue of cultural differences and how much they impact our view of what we saw at the camp, our relationship with the Russian Sunday school teachers and Russian society in general.
On a lighter note, after dinner Ludmilla and Tamara took us to a beautiful overlook high above the Volga River where we watched the sun set and were treated to ice cream.
- the Samara Mission Team
August 4, 2005
From Russia with Love – A different voice today – Kelly’s doing the journal entry rather than John, both for the different perspective and for allowing my family to hear my voice. Most of us have not been able to be in touch, as internet service is expensive by the minute, and phone service is basically non-existent. So love to my immediate and church families, and love to all our families.
Thursday was a joyful day, especially after the darker visit to the children’s camp on Wednesday. We had a lesson on Jesus calming the storm, which involved blue body suits for waves, spray bottles for water, and thunder and storm sound effects from the audience. There was much enthusiastic participation, and a lot of laughter in both languages. Our little Leeza (7 yrs) got quite a kick out of spraying people with the water bottle when they least expected. More proof that kids are the same everywhere.
Our second lesson was about the conversion of Paul. It involved more quiet work rather than physical participation. This set us up in the proper state for a surprise visit from a couple of clowns. Some of you might have experienced this ministry. For those of you not familiar with the presentation, these particular clowns are cross building clowns who are unsuccessful at securing the cross in the usual comic way of clowns. Since these clowns were mute, there was no language barrier for this kind of comedy. Much laughter followed their antics across the room. However, once these clowns discovered the nails in their workbox and prayed to God before securing the cross, you could have heard the proverbial pin drop. Then the clowns knelt before each person, pressed a nail tightly into each person’s fist, and miming “God loves you.” Laughter turned to tears for many. It was one of many holy moments of the week.
We took several hours break before sharing a banquet of our new favorite Russian foods. The table and the hospitality were as bountiful as they have been all week, but especially bittersweet as it was our last dinner together. Afterwards, we adjourned to “our” work room for a concert beautifully provided by our Russian friends. We were each presented with a piece from a traditional soup serving set, with accompanying words about each of our contributions to the week. We are told this is a traditional Russian gift, symbolizing friendship and hospitality between friends.
Then the music began. As beautiful as you may think our music at Epworth can be, and with no offense to Cecil and any choir member, but you have never heard music so beautifully rendered as this Russian folk music with voices blending together with the love we felt for God and for each other. The sincerity with which this gift of music was given was the most moving music of the week.
We left the room late in the evening, and although we knew we would meet again to finish our lessons on Friday, the leaving was with many hugs and tears. There was a closeness in the room, unhindered by language, that we knew would not be duplicated the next day with all its practicalities. But we know God will always keep those moments in our hearts. With love,
~the Samara Mission Team
- Gus exhibiting her clown ministry talents!
August 5, 2005
Today brought and end to one part of our mission trip. The Russian Sunday school teachers and pastors returned to their homes, some right after lunch and others later in the evening. The Samara district is very large and spread out over great distances so at a minimum most traveled by bus five hours. Those leaving this evening travel to a city south of Moscow and will be on the train all night and arrive in the morning. These hardships are nothing compared to the struggle the pastors and their congregation face organizing Methodist churches and maintaining stable memberships. From introductions on Monday and goodbyes today we learned most of the churches begin as Bible studies in homes and once a church has ___ members it petitions the Samara district to become a church. It also appears to be the mission of all local churches to support orphans, alcoholics (sponsoring AA meetings) and other indigents in Russian society.
- Olga and Rev. Ken administering a more conventional Communion.
Before the teachers boarded their buses and trains the mission team presented them with musical instruments, puppets, clown outfits (refer to previous email for explanation) and gifts of appreciation. The musical instruments were donated by an Epworth member and the puppets were made by women of Epworth. Prior to their leaving, all the instruments, puppets, and educational supplies were repacked in the suitcases and given to the Russians. While we are confident everything in those suitcases will be used to strengthen Methodist churches in Russia , we had mixed feelings about adding to the travel burdens of our friends. We barely got the door shut on Boris and his heavy suitcase when the overcrowded minibus sped away practically running us over.
As a ending exercise, Ken led us in communion, one totally different than any we had ever experienced. In line with the focus for the week, lessons for Sunday school, Ken utilized a craft, i.e., making colorful raindrops and hanging them on umbrellas, and employed puppets as an introduction to communion. Even though the exercise was designed for children, e.g., we sat on pillows and puppets were incorporated into the communion, it was a powerful communion. We each found a Russian friend and served one another the communion elements.
- the Samara Mission Team
August 6, 2005
We had a later breakfast than usual, as we all felt the need to sleep and mosey a bit in getting ready. It’s very quiet without our Russian friends to occupy our time and challenge our language skills.
We’re having quite a bit of fun with laundry. We do have a washer, but had difficulty figuring out how to use it, and sometimes it stops for no apparent reason. There is no dryer, so we pray for sunshine as we hang our unmentionables out on the line to dry. We just hope everything dries before we board the plane on Tuesday.
In the afternoon we set out for some shopping and cultural experience. Of course, for all of us shopping itself is a cultural experience. We keep Shelly or Ludmilla close by when we purchase to translate. In some shops the purchasing structure goes like this: you find what you want to buy and tell the clerk. They either give you a note to take to the cashier, or you tell the cashier what you want to buy. Then the cashier gives you a receipt, which you take back to the clerk and hand over in exchange for your purchases. It’s very cumbersome and time consuming.
After shopping we visited an art museum in Samara full of works exclusively from Russian artists. Generally they were 19th century paintings, and some of us found our “favorite” artists, whom we will look for in the museums of Moscow and St. Petersburg . It was a lovely museum, and Samara must be proud that all the works survived the Communist era and two world wars.
We enjoyed a quick dinner of Russian salads in a restaurant. They make lovely salads, but not lettuce based like many of ours. A lot of tomatoes mushrooms and cucumbers are used in various sauces. The most common spices are parsley and dill. Ludmilla says they are the only spices other than onions or garlic in this area of Russia . In the eastern part of the country, the Asian spices would be available.
The Samara Church : Every other Saturday, a layperson from the Russian Orthodox Church leads an ecumenical service for Russian Orthodox, Methodists, Lutherans and Catholics from the Samara area. It is the only activity shared by the Russian Orthodox churches and other denominations, according to Ludmilla. In fact, in many towns the Orthodox church fosters an outright adversarial relationship with other denominations, either directly or through the regional government. But here in Samara they feel very fortunate to have this service.
And it was a beautiful service. Several Bible passages were read, but the focus was the music, or rather chants, which we sang together in all languages. Chants were printed in Russian, English, French, German, Spanish, and there might have been a Slavic language in there somewhere. While the words were translated into English and Russian on the page as well, we all sang them together in whatever language they originated. We wouldn’t have won any pronunciation awards, but the willingness of all to sing as one voice celebrated our common bonds rather that those which all too often divide us.
- the Samara Mission Team
- Erica posing with members of the Samara UMC contemporary band...that's Erica's father (John) lurking in the background.
August 7, 2005
Three of us the past three mornings get up before breakfast and jog even though people in the neighborhood think we are freaks. Shelly says few people exercise and it is the case we have not seen one person jogging. Probably a lot of people get their exercise by walking to places; we would always go by car. There is much public transportation including bus and tram. On our jog, we ran down the main street just beyond the orphanage and then take a side street into a residential area. On the first morning we were afraid we had awaken several people as all their dogs would bark as we ran past; everyone has large dogs.
Breakfast followed our jog and then all of us boarded the bus for Sunday service at Samara UMC. Regardless of where we go in Samara, it seems to always take us about an hour to get there. We were a little anxious on the bus as all of us had a part in the service. Ken had been asked by Pastor Olga to deliver the service, Gus to pray, and the rest of us to ring chimes playing two different songs. Our participation went fine but the highlight was the singing of the Samara UMC choir. Words will not do justice to what we heard, so if you get the opportunity please view the follow up video to our trip whenever it is shown. After the service we were invited to a luncheon served in our honor by youth and women of the church. We dined on chicken breast, fresh bread and cheese, a cabbage dill salad, melon, Samara chocolates, and tea. Some of us talked to the church's youth pastor who joined the church three days ago fresh out of seminary in Moscow. Others of us talked to a husband and wife who are both doctors and whose fourteen year old son is in the church contemporary band. Cecil remarked that the band was professional quality even with a 14 year old playing guitar. Overall, we felt like full time members of this church community even though this was only our second day in the church.
Later in the afternoon we shopped at the mall across the street from the orphanage, exchanging dollars for rubles (the going rate about 30 rubles for each dollar), using the internet cafe to send this email, and buy food for our first meal separate from the food prepared by the cooks at the orphanage. Ken and Cecil bought cold meat (turkey or ham), bread, cheese, chips, and some pastries. The boys had a challenging time getting the meal and bread sliced to their specifications without the requisite skills required for translation. We will miss our in house translator, Shelly when she, Erica, and Jo return to the states tomorrow. We wanted to give the cooks a break and ourselves from the large meals we sometimes find overwhelming.
We wanted to end the day at a nearby lake in back of the orphanage with devotions. We found the outdoor environment and all its related activities too distracting. As an example, young children threw stones at ducks and did the same with frogs in holes dug alongside the lake for garbage. In the distance was a young boy swinging out a rope and dropping into the lake. As always at the lake, we saw several fishermen pulling in their catches. It was a Sabbath day complete with traditional worship, fellowship, and rest.
- the Samara Mission Team
August 8, 2005
Early this morning Shelly, Cecil, and Jo ventured out on their own, taking public transportation to purchase flowers for our hosts. In the afternoon we visited the Russian Orthodox church built in 1878 after the Russian Turkish War. In Stalin's regime the church was used as a revolutionary war museum. Stalin removed all religions icons, frescoes. The belfry was even torn down.
While a guide lectured we saw women in covered with headscarves, enter the church light a candle, kiss the glass covering an icon, and pray. Later an attendant antiseptically washed off the glass of each icon.
Lunch was different today in that caviar was added to the menu. This caviar came from the Caspian Sea from salmon eggs. Very few of us tried it but I'm sure our hosts thought it would be a delicacy.
After dinner we presented Ludmilla and Tamara with flowers and other gifts. They showered us with even more gifts in the form of chocolate and various Russian crafts. Ken asked Ludmilla and Olga for feedback on how various churches in the Volga conference are doing. From this exchange we learned the husband of one of our favorite Sunday school teachers, Ala, needed some supplies. He wants to start a contemporary band and needed an electronic organ. Ken had enough extra money to help purchase the organ.. Pastor Olga, who is the District Superintendent, can pass the money on the this pastor.
Our last night was about honoring those who had been so gracious in hosting us, but in reflection, it seemed they had given us much more than we could ever return. We are all grateful for the experience.
- the Samara Mission Team
Below left: A photo of the Russian Sunday school teacher, Ala, whose husband is a pastor in a small town of 50,000. She was dressed as a story wave, in blue body suit, as Jesus calmed the storm in one of our Sunday school lessons.
Below right: Cindy Pasch dancing with Russian Sunday school teachers earlier at the orphanage camp.
August 12, 2005
I'm afraid we sleepwalked through the last two days. We traveled all night on the train from Moscow to St. Petersburg. Moscow was wonderful with frequent walks through Red Square, past Lenin's Tomb, and all day tour in the Kremlin, and the Russian circus on our last evening in the city. In just three days we got to know Moscow and felt we could navigate on our own through the city streets either walking or taking the Metro.
St. Petersburg leg of our trip began immediately this morning with a tour of the Hermitage, the second finest museum in the world, next to the Louvre. We only had three hours there and it would probably take three days to adequately see everything. After the museum our new guide, Natasha, took us on a bus tour of the city. The many canals and rivers and older architecture Gives St. Petersburg a different feel from Moscow. Most of us like the looks of St. Petersburg better but like the quicker pace and cosmopolitan atmosphere. One more day here and we leave tomorrow morning at 4 am. Thanks to all of you who have had the patience to read our messages and supports us in other ways, especially your prayers.
~ the Samara Mission Team
