All Finished Up Here

Dobraya Ootra,

That's the phonetic spelling, not the actual, for Good Evening. Although it's about 2:30 at home, it's about 9:30 here and things are winding down we finish packing for the evening and get ready to get up at 3 so we can taxi to the airport and catch the seven o'clock flight out. Everyone seems to be tired, excited to be heading home, and sad to leave, all at the same time.. We look forward to seeing all of you soon.

Thursday was the last study that I spoke at here in Moscow where I answered some questions that have arisen over the difference between the local and the universal church, and the responsibilities that follow that distinction.

 Dasha was wearing her new top and shoes for school that the young people at Anderson helped to purchase for her to help her get read way for school. By the way, she passed her first test today to place her in another school. It seems that she is tops in her school and needs more of a challenge so she is testing into a new school over the next couple weeks.

 Shannon spoke Friday evening on the blessings that Christians have that should enable them to rejoice in any circumstances. Vernon preached on Sunday and answered more questions, but I'll leave that analysis to his facebooking since I wasn't present. The Shaffers and the McMurrays went back to Tula by train Sunday morning so that we could be there to worship at the evening service. We're getting to be old hands at this train business. Here's a peek at how some of us pass the three hour train ride to and from Tula.

The worship went well with the four steady saints, Eugene and Nina Resnikoff, Vallia, and Vera. I  decided to change lessons and went again over the local versus universal church material and it was well received here also. Here's a shot of your's truly in preaching mode.

 

The open hearts of these saints was seen in that they picked up material from reading the scriptures that I hadn't even talked about and expressed great appreciation for the teaching. It was a good day, although a long one, and a sad one as tears were again exchanged at parting. The seemed to and expressed appreciation that we had come and encouraged them so much toward "ressurecting" (Eugene's words) the church in Tula. We were up early to catch the early train back to Moscow on Monday morning. Sharing the car with us was a family traveling together, perhaps coming back from a vacation at the Black Sea. The two Russian cuties entertained us and most of the folks on the train for awhile it seemed.

That's about it until we reach home and I can make a full report of our efforts and plans for the future, with your prayers and God's help. I'll leave you with two more examples of russian parking just to prove to you that this is acceptable over over here. That last pic was not just a fluke. Dasvedanye comrades, and slava Boga.