A trip of a lifetime!  After a early morning start from Lavaca and a drive to XNA (with a stop at krispy kreme) we got on the plane.  Say goodbye to the ice...  After a couple of flights on airplanes with seats entirely too small for actual sized people we arrived in Minsk.  A quick run through customs and we were officially in Belarus.  We started the trip with a visit to the national memorial site which was, well, incredibly moving X 10.  Then it was a ride back into the city with Dan and me playing 20 questions.  I was full of wonder and wanted to know as much about the country and people as I could find out.  I found out more than I can remember.  We checked into our rooms in the hotel and went downstairs for supper with some other believers.  Then to bed.

The next morning began with a stop at the bus station to go to Mogilev.  After 3 hours we arrived and were picked up by Sergei and taken to the Word of Life Church for a few minutes and then off to the river for the baptism.  (May be the most incredible thing I've ever experienced.  This is what my minds eye sees as I think about believers in the early church.  My journal picks up from the camp on Sunday and recalls some of the events and people of the weekend.  I’ll try to put some pictures along the way this week.

Today is Sunday.

It was definitely a HOKA HAY day.  We woke up after a sleepless night with Micah snoring all night long.    We met the sweetest Belarusian girl yesterday.  Her name is Sasha.  Her parents are divorced and she was baptized yesterday at the lake in Mogilev.  She along with 10 other believers at 2:00 on Saturday afternoon and there were about 60 people who showed up to watch.  It was amazing.

We went today to the Word of Life church and Andrew (interim pastor) preached on growing in Christ and making the choice to follow Him.  After that He showed a slideshow with the other baptisms and the “Footprints” video.  After the videos we shared the Lords Supper with them.  It was the first time that I have ever had it with unleavened bread and actual grape juice from grapes.  The Holy Spirit was thick in the place and even though I could barely keep my eyes open from exhaustion it was one of the most special services that I have ever been a part of. 

Today is Monday.

If I thought things couldn’t get any better in this trip I may have been wrong.  I slept great, got a good breakfast and started peeling 50lbs of potatoes with Sarah, Phil, and Mary.  We peeled and talked.  It was great.  After that Micah and I picked up a game of Basketball with the boys.  Me, Nakita, Sasha, Kiril, Dima, Ivan, and Bogdan won.  We played a lot of ping-pong and then it was time for lunch.  Soup and meat patties, (not great but good enough).  Our Belarusian daughter Sasha talked her way out of work and into the camp to spend the day and night and part of the day tomorrow with us.  She didn’t leave our sides all day.  We went on a walk behind the camp to the lake and through a nearby village.  It was very pretty.  Everyone has a garden to grow their potatoes.  When we got back we sat around and hung out with the kids.

Supper was awesome.  Fried fish and mashed potatoes and actual pickles.  I ate till I was about to bust.  We went out and gathered a bunch of wood for a fire and after the service we made smores with the kids.  After r that we ate “Belarusian Marshmallows.  They consist of a lump of fat fried over the fire and a piece of toast.  Kind of tasted like bacon.  We got out the guitar and sang with the Belarusian believers at the camp.  For about 3 hours we sat around the campfire and sang. Then we prayed.  It was unbelievable.
We talked tonight an all was great.  God is awesome.  I wish there were more passionate believers like them in the states. 

We snuck off into the city today and bought 22 snickers bars for the camp leaders and the lady that we bought them from thought we were crazy.  Belorussians don’t buy in bulk.  A Sam’s club would freak them out.
I jumped on the trampoline with Julia (our translator who we love and I have nicknamed "Juanita") and Sasha. IT was fun.

Today is Tuesday.

What a day again.  We had some oatmeal kind of, or cream of wheat with rice, yesterdays omelets, and some kiwi or fruit snacks or something in it.  For lunch chicken legs and buckwheat. With some soup.  For supper it was flapjacks and strawberry jelly.  Pavel’s wife Lina made some apple cake late and we had it and hot cocoa for dessert.
We went into the city to shop for a minute and Sasha went with us.  We dropped her off at her apartments and it was very sad.  She would have come back home with us in a second and we would have taken her without a second thought.  I have really grown to love Lori and Julia.  They have done fantastic with interpreting for us and they are a lot of fun to hang out with.  I have renamed Julia, Juanita.  She took us to the Stephanous office today to register with the government.  It was really cool.  Sarah bought some stuff at the shops for the girls. 

I jumped on the trampoline with all the kids today for about 40 minutes.  I cannot raise my body up.  I think I am losing weight.  I feel skinnier.

Service tonight was awesome.  The kids did a skit about a map and how to get somewhere.    1 way was wide and a lot of people took it but it didn’t lead were they thought it was going to lead.  The other way was across a river that no one could cross except if you took the only bridge.  There was no other way across.  After the skit was over they explained what it meant.  I’m beginning to wonder if they don’t need to come to the states to do some mission work.  The believers over here are awesome and passionate.  Much more so than American believers.  The question Kolya asked was why does God need hard working people.  To accomplish what He wants. 

Today is Wednesday.

Wednesday was another awesome day.  We had another incredible time with the believers around the campfire.  A little piece of heaven on earth.  Every tribe and tongue…

Today is Thursday.

Thursday has become the never-ending day.  We started the day by trying to leave the camp.  As we were getting into the van to leave (during the service) we were summoned to the worship area for an official sendoff.  They got us all in front of the group and their kids and counselors sang us a song about friends in Russian and then Olya presented us with the linen handprint painting that we had all done with the kids.  She said to bring it back next year so the kids could compare their hands to see how much they had grown.  I don’t remember a time that I have felt so… honored.

We said goodbye and started to leave but the kids began to yell “Stu” because they wanted to sing the song we had learned in English with them one more time.  So we did.  It was my first and probably only curtain call.  After the song was over, the waterworks started.  Kids were crying and hugging us, the adults were crying and hugging us.  We were crying and hugging them… until Lori cracked the whip and sped things along as we had to get to the baby orphanage by 2:00.  It was very emotional leaving the camp.  The friendships that I began with Phil, Carlos, and Micah (the chainsaw) will be bonded with me forever.

From the camp we went to the baby orphanage in the city.  Amazingly enough, many of the kids in the orphanages have parents and even grandparents.  Most of their family cannot afford to keep their kids so they are left with the state for care and raising.  It seems as if they have as many self perpetuating problems and programs as we do.  While we were there they gave us the green light to play with some of the kids.  After just a little bit I had one of the little dudes cackling.  After just another little bit we were trying to figure out if we could stuff a couple of them in our carry on luggage and then it was time to leave.

After a long ride back to Minsk we stopped by the house that was bought by our Lottie Moon giving that Dan and Lori call home and then back to Hotel Planeta where Sarah, Micah and me reunited with the rest of the group.  Then it was a trip into the middle of the city where we did a little last minute buying of stuff to bring back with us.  Then back to the hotel for supper where we had a steak and my new favorite “onions, tomatoes, vinegar and oil, and salt and pepper.”  After a sweet time of sharing we headed out for an ice cream and a walk around the city to stay awake.  The idea was to stay up all night since we had to be in the lobby at 2:45 a.m. for our ride to the airport.  It worked and we headed out dark and early with a bad case of the sleepy sillies.  I can’t remember the last time that I laughed so hard my stomach cramped.

We were in the airport before we knew it with our luggage checked in and ready to board the plane.  A quick flight to Vienna for a chocolate muffin and cup of coffee and it was off to the good old USA.  Our girls surprised us by meeting us at the airport at XNA with my parents.  Emily squeezed my neck so hard I though she had crushed my larynx.

After a few days home I find myself thinking often of the trip and telling everyone what God is doing around the world and trying to think of all we can do here with what we have.  After watching the believers in Belarus scrimp by trying to spread the gospel to their countrymen with basically not much stuff I think, “poor them.”  For the way we spend more time on our stuff than on living for the Lord and trying to spread the gospel to our countrymen I think, “poor us.”  I sure hope to return.  It's so awesome to see God working all over the world.

 

 

This is Sarah on our way to the river for the baptism.  When we got there there was this old man fishing about 30 yards from us.

 

 

This was the dressing room.

 

Sasha and some other believers.

 

Sasha and Julia (our interpreter).  She was awesome.

 

Word of Life Baptist Church in Mogilev.

 

At the camp lining up to go to lunch.