October 31 – November 1st Last Class, Twelve Inches/Last Class

We leave in 21 hours for the airport, so I am working on my last couple of blog entries from the Far East.

Last Classes: The last two days we have had our last classes at both the Bible school and the university. I will post as many pictures as possible. Our last Bible school class was Wednesday; our last university class was last night (Thursday). For that we brought snacks and drinks. We looked at pictures on Losha’s laptop of the Outer Banks, New York, and Washington D.C. from his trip to the States in the summer of 2011. Steve wondered this morning about the eternal impact of our time here. Again, our time was a combination of ministry in churches, meeting with Christians (from several churches) and unbelievers here in Uganay and Vladivostok, teaching in the Bible School, and speaking as guest “lecturers” in the University. There was no lack of work to do, people to meet, conversations to have, Gospel contacts to make. I have sought to be respectful of the relationships Steve had built prior to our trip here. So I have listened much. There were times when it made more sense for me to provide my presence than words, opinions, or counsel. Sometimes our presence, a smile, and a reassuring look are valuable enough.

Twelve Inches: Yesterday on the train to Vlad (50 minutes on way), we met a gentleman named Igor. He is a scientist, a hunter, desirous to learn English, and very curious about America. He sat twelve inches next to Steve for the 50 minutes commute. Leaning right into Steve’s space he and Steve talked for almost the entire time. He wanted to trade English lessons for Russian. Steve had to tell him we were leaving on Saturday; that would not be possible. But we made a contact. However, he would not let me take his picture. There still remains distrust here in Russia of the authorities. They have come a long way since 1986, but their freedoms still have a ways to go.