Zdravstvuyte from Russia! Week One

Priviet Comrads :)

Well our group made it to St. Petersburg safe and sound. No problems along the way or getting through security. It was a long trip and we got to experience the "White nights" (because our flight path was so far north, the sun never went down completely all throughout the night) on the way there. It was so nice to hit the sack last night after being up almost 36 hrs straight! We have got a terrific team with us here. Besides the 10 interns from the US, I've met 3 other Russian nationals who will be helping us in our mission to the orphans, Olga, Lena and Yan. Yan is totally classic; he's my roommate and the only other guy on the trip, so we've been spending a lot of time together. He has an amazing story about how he became Christian. Also, coincidently, he is from Shymkent Kazakstan, the same city my brother Zack stayed at when he was in Kazakstan two years ago. We had a really good time of worship and Bible study last night and I think the team is bonding pretty well already.

Church this morning was really cool; we went to a Russian church. I think it's one of the most amazing things to hear songs that praise God in other languages. The people at the church were really nice and I got to talk to (and practice my Russian) with a number of them.

The Russian people (in general) on the other hand, are not so friendly. One of the biggest things I've noticed is no one talks. It's so weird, we'll be walking down the street and there will be lots of people everywhere but the whole place is silent. St. Petersburg is a beautiful city and they are doing repairs on it which is good, because it is a little run down in some parts. It reminds me of Paris or Vienna in its architecture.

Well I gotta go cause the group is waiting for me. Everything is going well and thanks for all your prayers. We head out tomorrow for our week at the first orphanage camp. Will be in touch soon, also, getting a phone card tomorrow.

Dasvidanya Y Slava Bogo (Goodbye and Praise the Lord)

Ben