Less than Two weeks in Russia

We have limited time in the lab today, so I can only put a few pictures up! I'll try to do more later. Love you!

Kim

In Need of Prayers!

Outside our flat at 10:30 pm - that's night time!
One of my lessons. They had to design a brochure/flyer
Another lesson with the beginning class on weather
Another thing I thought I'd never see together! The Russian and American flag... and it's beautiful!

Spectators at the soccer/football game
My students learing how to read a Beaufort County Map!
Students reading a map of Daytona Beach. They had fun translating the words!
So how the Russians know how to successfully navigate around Washington and Beaufort County, NC :-) By the way, that is Seirgei and Egor
Hard at work in my classroom. They are reading recipes from the Mayflower seafood restaurant.

That water is COLD!!!!! But wouldn't you expect Russian water to be cold?


Vica and Lucy - 2 of our students - with Aimee and me at the Svir River
Russian cruise ship
Russian men out for a swim. They tried to get us to join them!


Chris and Austin playing soccer with the guys. But they call it 'football'. Chris is in the navy tshirt, and Austin beside him in red - both are jumping.

toilet to use at the reception.

We have amazing bladder control

These are desserts. It's a type of creamy cheesy curd or something like that.

Did you EVER think you would see a 'sign of the fish' on the back of a Russian car?!?!? God is GREAT!
I had the courage and strength to approach some students at school and 'talk' to them about why we really came. They brought cake and came to our flat to talk and discuss!! Then we went for a walk and they opened up a little more. God is slowly cracking that door open!

Mary, me, and Regina in my Russian flat

Lots of juice and water... with gas (carbonated)
This was my plate of wedding reception food.

potatoes, meat, cucumbers, tomatoes, some sort of salad, and sardines and cucumbers on mayonnaise bread. Bon appetite!

The happy couple! Oh, and by the way - the first time they kissed or HELD HANDS, hugged, or anything was on stage at the wedding!

Inside a store. Not really a mall, but just a lot of random things from clothes, shoes, fur, sinks, light fixtures, and toiletries!

The table for the wedding party

Sardines anyone?
Everyone waiting to eat
Potatoes on the way!
After the ceremony, the couple forms the greeting line and accepts flowers brought by guests.

Gallia - My Babushka! She is so sweet, and still give me candy. She found a translator and told them to tell me that she loves me because "I am her Sister in God". That makes me cry just thinking about it!
Newly remodeled stairs. No more cinder blocks at the church!
They just walk across the railroad tracks to get to the other side!

Oh I wanted to take this home! It's a type of Fox fur. It was 23,000 rubles, or roughly $1000. I almost found a way to justify buying this. How would that look in Wilmington? haha :-)
The stage decorated for the wedding. The SAME room I posted pictures of last week that was under construction!

Anxious crowd
The bride, her bridesmaid, and the groom follows behind. The parents are on state along with the preacher.
Blessing the couple
The couple, the best man holding a Russian Bible, and the father of the groom.

"serving" the ice cream - it comes in a tube! Tastes like birthday cake

Russian ambulance. Hope I don't get sick!

This is my daily route and local produce store

As I put in the email, please continue to keep us in your prayers. I can't post a lot on the website, but hopefully you are on my listserve. It's tough, but God is watching out for us. We have 3 weeks left, then back to the Good ol' USA. I will definitely kiss the ground when I return!

Sunday, we did the 45 minutes hike to the Christian church for a wedding! It was a lot like Christian weddings in America, but obviously in Russian with a few differences. Enjoy the pictures!

Love,

Survived the Russian Highway

Ok... this is a 2 lane highway... opposite directions. There are no lines. And you see cars on both side on the street heading the same direction. It gives a whole new meaning to the bumper sticker "God is my Co-Pilot"

Traffic Jam in St. Petersburg. They drive worse that we do in Wilmington!

Crossing the Neva River. VERY famous and beautiful river!

Kids on stage, waiting to perform for us on Russian Day

Russian Mail Truck!

Me playing with the kids in St. Pete

Very common at rest stops... well, their verson, that is. Basicallly it's an outhouse. And we it was smelling STRONG from where I was standing taking the picture.

Inside the "outhouse"

I didn't go. I waited.

A lady from the police (militia) came to talk to kids about safety. Traveling in pairs, looking before crossing the street, etc.

Chris and Austin wearing traditional Russian clothing

Chris, Austin, and me - in St. Petersburg

I FOUND NEMO!! Apparently, he is living in the St. Petersburg aquarium!

One of 1000 bridges in St. Petersburg. This was a small canal

Another view of the canal

Gas station

Entering St. Petersburg and city buses

Thay says "Stop" in Russian... But the lights don't work. Wonder why there's traffic problems???

More streets of St. Pete

Aquarium in St. Petersburg, Russia.

McDonalds!

Tiny, tiny, tiny highway. No room for error!!

Loading the bus to go to St. Petersburg (4 hour bus ride south of where we are living )

Back seat - Sergei, Alex, and Ann

Chris and Maxime (one of our translators) and Oksana and Vica peaking through behind the seatsScienic view of Russia from the bus

We passed an accident!

Max, Natasha, and Inga eating dinner (lunch)

The entrance to the school. Notice the chandelier.... that's small. They are in all offices!

Chris talking with the kids between classes

Me with Kate, Dasha, Oksana, Vica, Ana, Lina, and Tania

The highways in Russia aren't in the greatest condition. In America, we should NOT compain about our roads!!! Four hours in a bus.... hitting potholes at 60 mph......

It has rained a lot, and we were gone to St. Petersburg, so I'm a little late in posting this week. We had a great time! Chris, Austin, and I went with the translators and school administrators to St. Petersburg to the aquarium and around the city.

Today after school, they had "Russian Day" to show us how they celebrate their culture. They wore traditional dress, did dances, and gave us gifts. I uploaded a video on you-tube, and will post the link for you so you can see some of it. We still go to the market everyday, and they are so used to seeing us that the ladies pretty much know what we want. Chris and I are able to talk a little better, so it's easier to communicate well. A new adventure everyday! I am also running into more people from the Christian church a lot more. Their serious Russian faces seem to soften and they smile brightly, say ПРИВЕТ (pronounced Pryee-vyet), which is the Russian form of a warm, welcoming greeting. They only say this to people they know or like. It brightens my day :-)

Thank you for your patience when responding to updates and emails. I love hearing from you, but cannot spend as much time online as I'd like. Internet access is spotty and we have to pay for computer use. The school does not have a link.I will put ALL photos up when I get back home and send you all the link to the site. I have hundreds! Just no time to do it all now.Thank you for your support and prayers. PLEASE pray that we are able to talk to the adults and students. WE came here for a purpose and I want doors to open for those conversations.

Love you all!

Kim