October 27, Saturday

Saturday, October 27. This morning was another session at the Bible school. I feel I have finally connected with Dennis. He serves as a leader/facilitator. He meets with the students, lead music and prayer before our sessions. In his regular work he serves as a translator for the company building several Hyatt hotels here in Vladivostok. He is funny, enthusiastic, devout, musical, gregarious, talkative, etc. I will miss him and the students. You grow to love people in a 300 SF room as you explore God’s word with breaks of “chai” and caviar! Notice in my pictures the caviar that Olga brought from her husband’s fishing expeditions. Quite unique – I mustered up two pieces of breaded loaded with the Clemson orange fish eggs. J

One big lesson for me during this trip is to simplify the teaching. Steve and I have talked about that principle. Big words, overly technical terms, adverbial phrases (i.e. using words which end in –ly) don’t cut it here in the Far East. Steve asserts that the Bible was written on about a sixth grade level; our teaching should correspond.

Later in the day we fit in a surfing trip. Steve and Alexi surfed in 48-50 degree weather with sustained winds of 35 mph. I witnessed it and took pictures. I was certain they might both die due to hypothermia. 

Before I forget, on Friday night we took Luda out for a well-earned dinner break to a Chinese restaurant in Artem. The food was excellent but the service was fairly slow. However, to sit with Steve, Alexi, and Luda for several hours (without Luda) preparing everything was something we all appreciated.