The Peace Fellowship Association

Moscow Journal – 5-5-07

Last Friday I flew from Florida to Atlanta after spending several days celebrating my Dad’s 80th birthday with my parents, my sister and her family, my brother, and a friend from our home town. I then spent about 4 hours in the airport in Atlanta waiting for the plane I flew on the next leg of my journey to Russia to be a volunteer at the Methodist Seminary in Moscow. Drew, a friend from my home church in Marietta had mentioned that he would be at the Atlanta airport the same afternoon, and we had agreed to meet in the E-Terminal which is used for international flights.

We both attend the Wednesday evening Bible study, and I was looking forward to seeing him before he took off for Thailand and Nepal. In all the flurry of packing to go to Russia and preparing for my Dad’s birthday celebration, however, I lost track of Drew’s cell phone number.

The lines to go through the security checkpoint were long, and the E-Terminal is the furthest terminal on the airport subway train. My gate was also not very close to the escalator, so after I walked down to find it, I rested for a while. An older woman sat down next to me and we began chatting. I was just thinking I should try to find Drew's gate and see if he was around when all of a sudden he came up to me and said, “Hello!’. When I asked if he had eaten lunch, he said he had, but since I had not, we headed down to the food court so I could eat something. It was great to have some fellowship together before we both headed out on our long journeys.

I hope Drew has had a good trip, and I praise God that I arrived safely in Moscow and have had a good work week here -- though because of the May Day holiday to celebrate workers and spring, the offices were closed on Monday and Tuesday. That worked out well because my flight to NYC was delayed because of weather and I missed the flight to Moscow. I used up the money I had set aside for the $10 per day they are asking me to pay here in just one night’s lodging at the Holiday Inn near JFK Airport. It was a blessing, though, because I was able to help a Polish woman who spoke no English and had only $2 with her. I met her at the help desk when the ticket agent was rescheduling our flights.

The Polish woman’s name is Vonda. By the time I tried to talk to her, she was in tears because she was so afraid of being alone in New York City. Just as the ticket agent was telling us that Delta would not pay for our emergency lodging, two women and a baby came up to the counter. The women both spoke Polish, but one of them also spoke English. I asked her if she could explain to Vonda that I would take her to the hotel with me if she was willing to go. She agreed to come along but still seemed very afraid.

When we finally got checked into the hotel, it was five hours after I had landed and we were both exhausted. Vonda had been visiting a friend in Florida, and we called him together. He has been in the States for 20 years, so I was able to tell him what had happened, and he was able to reassure Vonda about everything. Nevertheless, I don't think either of us slept that well. In the morning we went back to JFK Airport on the hotel bus, and I brought her to her terminal. Her flight was not going to leave until 11 PM, but I had to leave her at her terminal to head to my terminal to check in for my flight.

All together it was an amazing experience and I praise God that I was able to meet Vonda and to help her.

Of course even though I arrived in Moscow one day later than I was supposed to originally, my luggage didn't arrive until the second day I was there. So I had to spend more money targeted for food and lodging for the expensive cab ride to and from the airport to pick up my luggage. I ended up to be a blessing in disguise, though, because I got to know one of the students, Katya Lee, and two of the young people who are working here, Katya and Fedya. Katya Lee knows a young man who drives a cab, so they called him. The other Katya and Fedya came with me to the airport since it was late at night, and I was tired. I was worried that I would get upset if I couldn’t find my luggage in the huge room full of misplaced suitcases and baby strollers I had looked through before I left the airport the first time. In addition, I knew there would be stern Customs Officials to deal with . . . so I was blessed that Katya and Fedya came with me.

As I wrote earlier, it’s been a good week, but I have not really conquered the jet lag problem yet. I woke up around 3:15 AM and it's 6AM now (10 PM where I have been living in Georgia). I'm hoping to get some rest this weekend and get my body all the way tuned into this time zone.

When I arrived here at the Moscow United Methodist Theological Seminary, I met a visiting professor from Pittsburgh. She teaches Old Testament and has been here for two of three weeks. We went down to Red Square together on Monday with Diana, a young woman whose mother, Natasha, is a secretary here in one of the offices. Besides the Seminary administration, the Bishop's offices are in the Seminary building. There are also offices for pastors of two of the three churches that worship here, and for a UMC missionary from the US.

On Tuesday we went to the monastery in Sergeev Posad which I was blessed to visit the first time I was in Moscow, too. The Russian Orthodox Church has made a lot of renovations since I first saw it 13 years ago, although there is still work ongoing. The paintings depicting the life of St. Sergei on the walls of the large entry way under one of the towers of the monastery wall were very beautiful. Thirteen years ago you could barely make them out because during the Soviet era the monastery was made into a museum and not kept up very well.

The monastery is like a fortress, its walls built around the same time as the Moscow Kremlin walls. During the 14th century the Russians were seeking independence from Tartar rule, and the monastery was besieged and burned down.

Last Tuesday many people were worshipping in two of the churches within the walls of the monastery which was built on the site of St Sergei's hermitage. St. Sergei was a contemporary of the English St. Julian of Norwich in the 14th century. He is very beloved by Russian Orthodox believers, and when I was here 13 years ago, the Russian government had just returned the remains of his body to the casket to the right of the iconistasis in the front of the sanctuary of the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in the monastery. St Sergei is revered for many things including the fact that he blessed the troops of Dmitry Donskoi before his army’s decisive battle with the Tatars at Kulikovo.

Back to Sunday, when I first got to Moscow -- I arrived at the Seminary building at midday, so it was a joy to see people of all ages there for worship services. After getting settled into my room and resting for a bit, I came downstairs just as the service called “Raduga”, which is “Rainbow” in English, and is geared to college-aged folks was finishing up. I was blessed to be able to join them for dinner. While there I saw Ea Lee, a young woman who came to Wesley to study in the late 90s. I met her once when I was visiting the campus way back then. It was neat to see her again. She works in the Bishop's office translating materials both ways between Russian and English.

Well . . . I just wanted to let you know how I'm doing . . .*smile*

I think I will try to go back to sleep, but will write more later . . . I pray you are well and happy. Please pray for everyone here -- seven students will be graduating on May 14th, and the annual conferences will be starting, so everyone here is working hard. I feel blessed to be able to be here to help. One of the most precious things was that they asked me to lead a prayer time yesterday afternoon, with the intention that we will gather every Friday for the same purpose. What a blessing it was to sing praise songs, share what was on our hearts and pray together!

May the Lord continue to bless and keep you and yours.

Blessings and Love -- Kathy

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