I just realize that I should really let you know what I will be doing in the next few months!
Well this DTS will come back from outreach in two weeks and we will have one week debriefing time and then one more week of teaching. After that I am going back to Burtigny, Switzerland to staff the School of Communication Foundations (SCF) which is I was a student in last year. I am very excited because I believe it will be a part of developing my teaching ministry. It also means new challenges and opportunity to grow which I like!
In addition Mum and Dad will also be coming to Europe for three months, so I will take two weeks off the school to show them around the North of Norway. They will then continue on their touring and come and visit me in Switzerland. Finally in July I will be with them for another couple of weeks before they go home.
For me after July I will come back to Borgen and help the new DTS leader in preparing for the new school. After that we will see what happens….but my trip to NZ is top of my list!
H
Tuesday, 27 February 2007
Finally....About Russia
So the “few minutes” in my last blog has turned into a few days….
OK here goes...a report about my time in Russia……IT WAS GREAT!
But maybe you would like a little more detail.
Well I should start with my impression of Russia before I went. I am a little ashamed to admit it but I guess I imagined Russia to be a place of serious, poor people who lived in poor conditions and did not have the same access to “stuff” than the western world. And while this still maybe true in many places….in Murmansk (and I have heard in other bigger cities), my perception was exposed to be at least ten years old.
Buildings are still the lego block apartments that look run down and dirty; city buses are old and still have the original Norwegian or Germany signs inside (even saw a bus that said it was going to Oslo!) and of course the famous boxy Lada’s drove around the streets.
I have seen Murmansk advertised as a city of contrasts and that is very evident as you looked around. Beside the Lada’s are the latest SUV’s and I even saw a PT Cruiser (OK many could be Mafia cars though because there is a strong Mafia presence in Murmansk, but not all). The outside of the apartments are run down, but I heard that most are nice inside. And nearly all have the trademark fur hats and full length coats. They are very much a status symbol and may take years to pay off, but everywhere you look people are dressed in fur coats and Italian leather shoes.
I can honestly say that I liked this area. We were warned of how we can be ripped off by officials and people hoping to make a buck off foreigners, and that is very true and does happen (as evidenced by the outreach team being charged 4000 NOK by the administration office in Naryan Mar). But I found the people we dealt with to be honest. The bus attendant never over charged us, and in all the shops I was not worried about getting a different price. Of course this is my experience of a one week trip, and I am sure many have stories that would tell otherwise, but I found no more rip off artist here than anywhere else. A big factor has been that we had Russian friends with us, and that helps A LOT!
It was great to be with the team. The days were full because once we had a morning meeting we had to leave to town (one hour bus ride) to have a hot lunch and then onto the school or children’s home, then the bus ride back. Some days ended up starting at 8am and coming back to the hotel at 9pm, and then I was having one-on-ones with everyone so I did not finish to 12 each night. But then there were the days we got to sleep in!
This bunch of staff and students are very talented and great initiative takers. In all we did there was never anyone hanging back and not joining in. The normal challenges of living and working closely together at a group of adults were turned into opportunities of growth and learning. It is always a challenge in how do we turn all the theory we learnt in lectures into practical application….especially in regard to loving your neighbor, or in this case your teammates! But everyone was rising to that challenge!
In the North here there has been a lot of talk about Russia and how it seems like the religious freedom is under threat. Also how is it more difficult now to get visas for the Northern Regions, such as Murmansk because of the military areas. In particular this area of Norway keeps a slightly wary eye to the east. During the Second World War Norway was occupied by Germany and this area had a lot of activity being so close to Russian boarder (Russia POW’s were kept here). Even now, because of the geography, if an invasion came from the north east, it would pass through the valley we live in.
So while some the Finnish and Norwegians in the north may be questioning what could happen, the Russians I talked to were not too concerned yet. And while it is true that the government wants all religious meetings to be registered, they have done so for years; it is just becoming a little stricter in its registration process.
A Russian friend said how when Russia opened people came and preached the prosperity Gospel, and in a land where people had nothing...it lead to a lot of disappointed and disillusioned people. Now you can buy anything you want or need if you can afford it (in the big cities at least). And the Church struggles to disciple Christians into 24/7 God lovers...rather than the Sunday Christians.
So how can you pray? Pray the personal relationships with God would become real and that Russians will see their place in reaching this world with the Gospel. Because it will be the Russians who will be well equipped to go into the communist nations of today, as they understand where they are coming from. So pray for more Russian missionaries to be raised up!
I recommend anyone to visit Russia, it is not easy I you do not have a Russian translator, but it was awesome to see this new culture and the people!
OK here goes...a report about my time in Russia……IT WAS GREAT!
But maybe you would like a little more detail.
Well I should start with my impression of Russia before I went. I am a little ashamed to admit it but I guess I imagined Russia to be a place of serious, poor people who lived in poor conditions and did not have the same access to “stuff” than the western world. And while this still maybe true in many places….in Murmansk (and I have heard in other bigger cities), my perception was exposed to be at least ten years old.
Buildings are still the lego block apartments that look run down and dirty; city buses are old and still have the original Norwegian or Germany signs inside (even saw a bus that said it was going to Oslo!) and of course the famous boxy Lada’s drove around the streets.
I have seen Murmansk advertised as a city of contrasts and that is very evident as you looked around. Beside the Lada’s are the latest SUV’s and I even saw a PT Cruiser (OK many could be Mafia cars though because there is a strong Mafia presence in Murmansk, but not all). The outside of the apartments are run down, but I heard that most are nice inside. And nearly all have the trademark fur hats and full length coats. They are very much a status symbol and may take years to pay off, but everywhere you look people are dressed in fur coats and Italian leather shoes.
I can honestly say that I liked this area. We were warned of how we can be ripped off by officials and people hoping to make a buck off foreigners, and that is very true and does happen (as evidenced by the outreach team being charged 4000 NOK by the administration office in Naryan Mar). But I found the people we dealt with to be honest. The bus attendant never over charged us, and in all the shops I was not worried about getting a different price. Of course this is my experience of a one week trip, and I am sure many have stories that would tell otherwise, but I found no more rip off artist here than anywhere else. A big factor has been that we had Russian friends with us, and that helps A LOT!
It was great to be with the team. The days were full because once we had a morning meeting we had to leave to town (one hour bus ride) to have a hot lunch and then onto the school or children’s home, then the bus ride back. Some days ended up starting at 8am and coming back to the hotel at 9pm, and then I was having one-on-ones with everyone so I did not finish to 12 each night. But then there were the days we got to sleep in!
This bunch of staff and students are very talented and great initiative takers. In all we did there was never anyone hanging back and not joining in. The normal challenges of living and working closely together at a group of adults were turned into opportunities of growth and learning. It is always a challenge in how do we turn all the theory we learnt in lectures into practical application….especially in regard to loving your neighbor, or in this case your teammates! But everyone was rising to that challenge!
In the North here there has been a lot of talk about Russia and how it seems like the religious freedom is under threat. Also how is it more difficult now to get visas for the Northern Regions, such as Murmansk because of the military areas. In particular this area of Norway keeps a slightly wary eye to the east. During the Second World War Norway was occupied by Germany and this area had a lot of activity being so close to Russian boarder (Russia POW’s were kept here). Even now, because of the geography, if an invasion came from the north east, it would pass through the valley we live in.
So while some the Finnish and Norwegians in the north may be questioning what could happen, the Russians I talked to were not too concerned yet. And while it is true that the government wants all religious meetings to be registered, they have done so for years; it is just becoming a little stricter in its registration process.
A Russian friend said how when Russia opened people came and preached the prosperity Gospel, and in a land where people had nothing...it lead to a lot of disappointed and disillusioned people. Now you can buy anything you want or need if you can afford it (in the big cities at least). And the Church struggles to disciple Christians into 24/7 God lovers...rather than the Sunday Christians.
So how can you pray? Pray the personal relationships with God would become real and that Russians will see their place in reaching this world with the Gospel. Because it will be the Russians who will be well equipped to go into the communist nations of today, as they understand where they are coming from. So pray for more Russian missionaries to be raised up!
I recommend anyone to visit Russia, it is not easy I you do not have a Russian translator, but it was awesome to see this new culture and the people!
Friday, 23 February 2007
Cabaret!!
hmmm...ok..well as you may have noticed i have not been very motivated to update my site about my Russia trip...but i will eventually, in fact i will try in a few minutes after i finish telling you about what i did last night!
I went to the theater! And while Liza Minnelli was not there and it was in Norwegian, it was still the musical "Cabaret". Four of us got free tickets because the ticket holders where too sick to go. When I was asked if i wanted to go I didn't click really what I was going to see and had a vague thought that maybe it was an amateur theater group doing some songs.
When I got there I realised it was the well-known show professionally done. It was very well done, the music, singing, dancing and stage were all excellent. The content and some of the dances where a little too much at times; but as it is set in the "Kit Kat" club, a cabaret club in the late 20's in Germany, it's sensual nature was expected. However it got better and better and i like it a lot.
It reminded me now much I enjoy theater and musicals and hope to go to more!
It was also great to get off the base and go into town. FUN FUN!
I went to the theater! And while Liza Minnelli was not there and it was in Norwegian, it was still the musical "Cabaret". Four of us got free tickets because the ticket holders where too sick to go. When I was asked if i wanted to go I didn't click really what I was going to see and had a vague thought that maybe it was an amateur theater group doing some songs.
When I got there I realised it was the well-known show professionally done. It was very well done, the music, singing, dancing and stage were all excellent. The content and some of the dances where a little too much at times; but as it is set in the "Kit Kat" club, a cabaret club in the late 20's in Germany, it's sensual nature was expected. However it got better and better and i like it a lot.
It reminded me now much I enjoy theater and musicals and hope to go to more!
It was also great to get off the base and go into town. FUN FUN!
Wednesday, 14 February 2007
On the plane...
OK so while you wait for my overview of my time in Russia. Here are my impressions during the flight to Murmansk.
Not the exact plane but same sort
2nd Feb.
To start with the flight was delayed 4 hours because of bad weather in Tromsø (in Norway). Then my first impressions on board the Aeroflot turboprop plane was of an old movie theater. I think it was the material on the seats and the old musty smell. The vinyl wallpaper on the sides added a nice touch as did the bubble porthole windows and gold curtains to cover them. It was like a bus in its layout with baggage racks and 2 seats per side with about 50 seats all together.
The seat beside me was broken as it would only stay in the laid back position. There where no face masks to fall down if the cabin lost pressure…but I am pretty sure that was because the cabin was not pressurized.
To get to the cockpit you needed to walk through the baggage hold where I could see netting holding back the bags from falling on the airhostesses.
Number one benefit of this old plane was the massage you got from the vibrating seats…I mean you would pay big money for chairs like that in your living room.
Another funny thing was when the hostess was giving the safety demonstration. After she showed the exits (one was beside me and only seemed to go halfway down the wall – so I guess you would need to dive out, and hope the propellers that were outside had stopped.), she had put on the life vest (which looked so old it I really did not want to have to test it). Then when she was demonstrating how to turn on the light by pulling the cord…it came off in her hands much to the amusement of the people around her. Overall it was a relaxing trip, although rather loud with the engines. For fun I would watch my pen travel around my tray table by itself. And wonder how it would be going through passport control…
But in saying all this I never felt unsafe, and just enjoyed the ride…..not bad at all, and far better than other stories I have heard about flying in Russian aircrafts!
More to come……
Sunday, 11 February 2007
Russia Photos!
Meeting some girls at school...keen to practise English.
Walking in Murmansk ..............At the school
Very friendly high school kids.
Cherob adopted a Madagascan cockroach
Murmansk....................... The Bus...
Our hotel in the background....... Classic Russian contrasts
Santa with pigs in February!!
Eating pizza at Sergei and Lena's house...GOOOOD!!
Frosty morning! ......................Birds on the man holes
KONA!!! Not .............................Performing at church
Murmansk views
Looking like people from X-Men
Happy bunch of outreach people
Russia leaders old and new
Tea time at a Children's Home.
They did not want us to leave!
Little chairs.................................. Dancing team
Cute kids!
Children's Home
Block apartments of Murmansk
Near the big hotel in Murmansk centrum
Waiting for the bus with Sergei
Typical bus with tinsel and toys in the windows
report coming...
OK I am back safe and happy in Norway! I am working on a update so check in soon!
I updated the team blog so you can check that out first.
Helen
I updated the team blog so you can check that out first.
Helen
Thursday, 1 February 2007
Russia Here I come..
Ok peoples....
So I am heading out tomorrow; flying from Tromsø to Murmansk. The team is in Murmansk now and we will be together until they leave on the 8th to go further east into the trundra in Naryan-Mar.
I an looking forward to my first trip into Russia!! Tell you all about it after I get back on the 9th..
H
So I am heading out tomorrow; flying from Tromsø to Murmansk. The team is in Murmansk now and we will be together until they leave on the 8th to go further east into the trundra in Naryan-Mar.
I an looking forward to my first trip into Russia!! Tell you all about it after I get back on the 9th..
H
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