Notes From Russia: 2011
On Saturday, October 22, 2011 Chris Wood traveled to Russia again! Chris is a member of Brosville United Methodist Church in Danville, Virginia. This year Chris traveled with a team that included folks from Florida, North Carolina, and Virginia. Their mission destination was the Slobodskoy Orphanage, about 600 miles northeast of Moscow in the Kirov Region, to see about 100 children and 80 staff persons. Chris sent “notes” on a regular basis — see all of them below!
Some of you have followed the orphan care mission effort from Brosville UMC in partnership with Franktown UMC in Franktown, VA, and Centreville UMC in Centreville, VA. These three churches have been visiting the orphans of the Petrovsky orphanage and its graduates in Ivanovo for many, many years.
This year Chris partnered with yet another UMC congregation, this time in North Carolina. Christ United Methodist Church has sponsored the Slobodskoy Orphanage in the Kirov Region since 2007. They made their first visit last year. Children’s Hope Chest (CHC), the lead agency, is now seeking to develop a Ministry Center in that region.
While we are sad that Chris was unable to personally visit with our Petrovsky graduates at the Ivanovo Ministry Center, we are excited that he delivered a handful of personal letter for many of the graduates. We are also excited to learn of another ministry center in a new region for CHC.
Christ United Methodist Church maintains a web site with photos, videos, and regular posts about their mission effort. Find them at: http://mission127.org/ .
Notes From Russia: Pre-Trip
Expecting the Unexpected
Being asked to write this blog post has forced me to consider the reasons I’ve joined Mission1:27’s fall orphanage trip. I’m no stranger toRussia. In fact, I’ve been toRussia’s Ivanovo Region three times to visit orphans and orphan graduates. Because of my past experience inRussia, I feel pretty comfortable with traveling to and being inRussiafor a week or so. For the most part, I know what to expect.
I take a great deal of comfort in the fact that I know what to expect. My first trip to the Petrovsky Orphanage in 2008 was different, though, because I had no idea what I would see or experience. I’d never traveled more than a few hundred miles from my home, let alone halfway around the world! Now that I have a few trips under my belt, I no longer worry about the unknowns. Sure, there will be some new unknowns this time around, like visiting a new place and meeting new kids, but by and large, I feel like I “know the ropes” with regard to traveling toRussia. Besides, I know that God will take care of our team throughout our journey together.
I’ve titled this blog post “Expecting the Unexpected.” I’m sure the team will encounter unexpected challenges throughout the week, and we’ll have to work through them. That’s not the “unexpected” I’m referring to, though. As I make final preparations for this journey, I do so with the anticipation that God will bless the orphans, staff, and the team of travelers in many unexpected ways. I think God likes to surprise us, and I want to be where God is doing surprising, unexpected things!
When the team arrives at the Slobodskoy Orphanage next Monday, I’m sure there will be lots of excitement. The kids and staff will be excited to see the team, and the team will be excited, too, to see old friends and make new ones. I’m excited about everything God has in store for us. I’m expecting God will bless this journey in wonderful, unexpected ways, and I know I won’t be disappointed!
Chris Wood (21 October 2011)
Notes From Russia: Day 2
The Face Of God
After 40+ hours of travel time, including planes, a train, and a bus, the team arrived in Slobodskoy around noon on Monday.
After checking in to our hotel, we made our way to the orphanage. We received a boisterous welcome that included live accordion music, and songs (in English) from some of the kids.
One of our first activities was to make name tags with the kids. One of first kids I met was Petya (short for Peter). As we talked and made name tags, Petya and I got on the subject of birthdays, and I mentioned to him that today is my mom’s birthday. Petya disappeared into another room for a few moments, and came back with a sheet of stickers and a blank sheet of paper. He began putting stickers on the paper, and then he asked Koss, a translator, to write a message on the paper. Petya then gave me the paper, and said “When you return to America, give this to your mother.” This little boy, a stranger to me until today, had made a birthday card for my mom!!
When I come on one of these trips, I’m always looking for the face of God in the people I encounter, and that’s just what I saw today in Petya. I can’t wait to see him again tomorrow, and I’m excited to see what happens as our week here unfolds!! I have a feeling my encounter with Petya was just one of the many surprises in store for us this week.
Chris Wood
Slobodskoy, Russia
10/24/11 11:00 PM
Notes From Russia: Day 3
Language As A Bridge, Not A Barrier
We end each day at the orphanage with “family time.” Each team member is matched with a group of kids and we spend time together in the kids’ rooms before bed. This is a wonderful opportunity to talk with the kids, and Galina has encouraged us to share our faith and life experiences with them, in the hopes our influence will be of benefit to them. My group is made up of 5th and 6th graders, some of whom recently transferred here from another orphanage. I only met these kids yesterday, but already they are telling me they love me and that they’re happy to know me.
“Good night. I love you. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
We didn’t have a lot of time tonight for family time – only a few minutes to tuck the kids in their beds. When the time came to tell my group goodnight, my translator was busy with another task, so I headed upstairs to my group’s room alone. The kids know by now that I know some Russian, and they’re really fascinated that I can read and speak some of their language. As I climbed the stairs to the third floor, I considered what I would say. My Russian repertoire is limited, but I was able to tell each of them three things in Russian — “Good night. I love you. I’ll see you tomorrow.” I know it wasn’t much, but it was enough to show them that I love them, too.
Usually, language presents a barrier that can only be bridged by one of the wonderful translators who round out our team. In my case however, tonight’s tuck-in was more special because I was able to do it alone, with my own words. The light in the kids’ eyes and the smiles on their faces showed me that it meant just as much to them as it did to me.
Chris Wood
Slobodskoy, Russia
25 october 2011
Notes From Russia: Day 4
Field Trip With A Purpose
Today we travelled to Kirov, the capital city of Kirov Region, with about 40 of the older orphans. We spent the morning touring an art museum. Galina, the orphanage director, makes it a priority to expose the kids to many aspects of Russia’s rich culture. She wants them to gain an appreciation of art, music, history, and literature. Later in the day, we attended a vocal jazz concert, which was presented by an art school in Kirov.
Between the art museum and the concert, we visited Tech School #18, where many Slobodskoy graduates attend trade schools after graduating from the orphanage. We also visited the new Ministry Center (MC), which has been constructed inside the tech school. The Ministry Center exists as a resource the orphan graduates utilize after they leave the orphanage. Already, two activities directors have been hired, along with a social worker and counselor. We met with the MC’s director and discussed her vision for what the new MC will become. The MC is maintained and staffed by Fund Nadezhda, the Russian counterpart of Children’s HopeChest.
The main purpose of the day was to expose the kids to the Ministry Center, so that when they graduate they will know that help is available to them – help with life skills, job skills, legal help, counseling – the list goes on. Russian orphans are entitled to certain government benefits, but often, they don’t even know what help is available to them. This new Ministry Center will make sure they are not “on their own” when they leave the relative security and predictability of life in the orphanage. On a side note, we enjoyed seeing the first snow of the season blanket the region in white. It was quite a day.
Chris Wood
Slobodskoy, Russia
26 October 2011
Notes From Russia: Day 6
Blessings All Around
After a couple a busy days (Thursday & Friday) with the kids and staff, today we will say goodbye. I am thankful today for the many seeds of relationship that have been planted this week. Everyone on the team has been blessed beyond words. At this point, I have so many memories, so many encounters, big & small — it’s a bit overwhelming. But I know God will use these relationships to bless the kids, to bless the staff, and to bless the team.
Tonight, we will board a train for Moscow and begin the long journey home. There have been many conversations, many hugs, and many gifts given and received. Last night, as I gave gifts to the kids in my family group, I reminded them of a simple truth — The greatest gift of all is love, and I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to come here love to share in God’s love with my new friends in Slobodskoy. My next post will come from Moscow — The train trip back will give me some time to step back to look at the big picture, as I reflect on how God has used all of us this week — the American team, the translators who help us to communicate, and orphanage staff, and the kids who live here — to be blessings to one another in name of God’s love.
Chris Wood
Slobodskoy, Russia
29 october 2011
Notes From Russia: Day 7
Coming Home
Coming home should be easy……but for me, that’s not entirely the case. This is the part of the trip where I feel I haven’t done enough. I could have connected with more kids, given more gifts, or had deeper conversations. I feel like I have received much more than I have given. Since leaving Slobodskoy yesterday, I have felt like a well of emotion is building in me. I’ve tried not to think about the kids today because I’m afraid I’ll lose my composure.
The kids there have so little – yet they have given me so much. Kids I didn’t even talk to hugged me goodbye. One boy, Petya, even gave me a stuffed animal that one of the team members had given to him. I wasn’t prepared for the depth of the love the kids showed towards me during our visit.
Coming home makes me appreciate all that I have – my wife Beth who held down the fort back home so I could make this journey, my two beautiful daughters who gave up their daddy for nine days, the nice home I live in – the list goes on.
I’m thankful also for the new friends I have made in my fellow travelers. The eight of us now share a unique bond that no one can take away. When I joined this team, I was “that guy from Virginia.” Now, though, I’m part of a unique family that stretches from Virginia, to North Carolina, to Florida, and all the way to Slobodskoy.
God is good, everywhere, all the time!
Chris Wood
Slobodskoy, Russia
30 October 2011
Notes From Russia: Final Reflections
I Hope They’ll Dance
I was up late Friday night in Slobodskoy, working on a slideshow, which was to be presented Saturday morning as part of our closing concert. I admit I felt a bit overwhelmed by the task before me. I had several hundred pictures to look through to find “just the right ones.” I wanted to show as many kids as possible, but to be honest, I didn’t know enough of the kids yet to do that. I wanted there to be funny ones to make people laugh, and heartwarming ones that would make people say “Awwwww.” I wanted also to show the group participating in activities together. I wanted a lot.
I decided to start by limiting the length of the show. I needed to pick one song, about five minutes in length. The first song to pop into my head was Lee Ann Womack’s I Hope You Dance. The song is special to me because my wife Beth sang it at each of our two daughters’ baptisms. So, I had my song, and I began to choose pictures. It meant for a late night, but I finally made it to bed around 2:30 AM.
When the time came to present the show, I felt I should talk about the song, since the kids and staff would not understand the lyrics. I explained that it was a song about the dance of life. In this dance, there are many opportunities to receive the blessings of friendship, love, and happiness. We need only to step out onto the dance floor and open ourselves up to receive them. I wanted to leave the kids with this image in the hope that, as they grow and mature, they’ll choose to dance in life instead of watching it from the sidelines.
In a way, my decision to follow the call to Slobodskoy was my way of “dancing.” I knew God would have great things to show me there, and He showed me much more than I ever expected. As I return to work and family and all the things that make up life at home, I have a number of hopes for my new friends in Slobodskoy. I hope they will have good health, safety, and happy times, of course. But most of all, I hope they’ll see each day as an opportunity to dance.
Here is the link to the slideshow: http://youtu.be/kYZWQ1YbmAc .
Chris Wood
November 2, 2011
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[Editor's Note: The following notes from Russia are from Chris' trip to Ivanovo in 2010.]
Notes From Chris, May 2010: Ivanovo
See the travel log below written by Chris during his 2010 trip to Russia when he visited and served the orphan graduates in Ivanovo.
Connecting With Orphans In Russia: Day One (20 May 2010)
The team is on its way! They met at Centreville UMC this afternoon and then flew out of Dulles Airport. Chris Wood of Brosville UMC met his partners for the first time today. Off they go. The next time we hear from them they will be on the ground in Moscow. Below is a photo of our Russian orphan care mission team (photo by Barb Shaiko). From left to right in the photo are Chris Wood, Liz Ernest, Jan VanCamp, and Scott Lodge. Pray for them, pray for the young orphans they are about to visit.
Chris Wood, Liz Ernest, Jan VanCamp, and Scott Lodge
Connecting With The Orphans In Russia: Day Two (21 May 2010)
This is the first of what we hope to be a couple of messages today. We haven’t heard directly from the team yet, but we know the flight landed safely and on time in Moscow, at about 3 AM Eastern Time, or about 11 AM Moscow Time. They intend to spend the remainder of the day in Moscow and travel to Ivanovo on Saturday. Stay tuned for more!
Chris sent a short e-mail today confirming they have arrived safely. More news later!
Connecting With The Orphans: Day Four (23 May 2010)
We missed a day while the team traveled from Moscow to Ivanovo. But this fresh news just arrived from Chris in Ivanovo this morning:
“We arrived in Ivanovo last night and attended the Orthodox Church this morning. The Grads arrived at the Ministry Center after lunch. I have talked with Yana (she was sponsored by Jack and Suzanne Hiler) and Grisha from Petrovsky. Yana said she would contact other Petrovsky grads and invite them to come. The excursion with the little kids from Petrovsky has hit a snag. They are required to use a bus with shoulder-type seat belts, but they are having trouble finding one big enough. The event is scheduled for Tuesday, and Lena assures me she’ll do everything she can to make it happen. I have suggested using two smaller buses (which are more likely to have shoulder-belts). Keep your fingers crossed! I’ve also seen familiar faces from last year’s trip — Igor, Lyosha, Ruslan. I’ve also seen Ira Myasova. Lots of babies and toddlers running about. The young mothers program is growing by leaps and bounds, it seems. More tomorrow.” — Chris
Connecting With The Orphans: Day Five (24 May 2010)
“Today I have spent a lot of time talking with Yana and Ruddick (he was sponsored by Lisa Stevens). He is in tech school here in Ivanovo, but he has a house in Petrovsky (he’s from Petrovsky originally). He visits the orphanage often, and I plan to pick his brain as much as possible for info. on the little kids. So far I have learned that Slava will graduate this year. Sveta L. has moved back home with family. Katya P. is well (she was sponsored by Jeff and Linda Harlow). I plan to ask Ruddick more about Katya over dinner tonight. Others we know who are still in the orphanage are Eldar, Sasha S., Sasha Kursky, Sergei, Maksim. Most of the kids who are there now are ten or younger. I’ll keep asking Ruddick questions…..he plans to come here every day this week. This afternoon we visited the Sport Complex with the grads and took them to an exotic bird exhibit. The grads really enjoyed it. Tomorrow is our excursion with the orhanage kids. Still no word on whether the bus issue can be resolved. Lena has been making lots of calls to try to resolve it… Ira M. came today and picked up her gift. All is well…..more later.” — Chris
Addendum: Staff at the Ministry Center were unable to secure a bus large enough (and safe enough) to transport the Petrovsky orphanage kids for their outing. So, the team will not see them this year. Sad news!
Connecting With The Orphans: Day Six (25 May 2010)
“This morning we toured three more apartments of graduates living in the Ivanovo area. There are many needs there, and I feel Centreville is on the right track by helping the grads make their homes more livable. One young lady named Lena is married to a Petrovsky grad who left the orphahange before visits from Americans began. I asked Alyona, and she had heard of him. Haven’t seen many grads today, due to the excursion with Ivanovo #1 orphanage kids. I did see Alyona briefly. She is working now, in a cafe, so she can’t come to the MC much. She hopes to get off early this evening and come back. She says Andrey is well, but is not sure if he will come by. The rollerskating excursion with the Ivanovo#1 kids was bittersweet. I felt happy for the kids and for the Centreville team, but sad that the plan to see Petrovsky’s kids did not work out. The kids were wonderful though. They gave me hugs, took pictures with me, and talked with me as if they knew me already. What matters to them is that WE ARE HERE! I’m reminded of Jeff’s sermon on ‘incarnational love.’ All that matters to these young kids is that someone cares enough to travel around the world to see them. Tomorrow we will travel with the grads to Palekh, for touring and horse back riding. I may even get on a horse myself — it will be my first time. Wish me luck. More later……” — Chris
Connecting With The Orphans: Day Seven (26 May 2010)
“Today we visited the village of Palekh, which is famous for it’s painted lacquer boxes. We visited museums, had lunch, and then went on a horse riding excursion. The most fun part of the trip was the bus ride back to Ivanovo — the Americans sang traditional American songs and the Russians sang some of their songs for us. We had many laughs together. We sang “Old Mac Donald” and tought the grads to join in on E-I-E-I-O. They got a big kick out of it.” — Chris
Connecting With The Orphans: Day Eight (27 May 2010)
“Today I have seen more Petrovsky grads. Ira Ryshkova came and we talked for a couple of hours. She had to leave, though, because she got a call from her boyfirend, whom she has not seen in a year. (He’s in the military.) I’ve also seen Yana and Ruddick again today, as well as Sasha Andreyikus, and Lena (sponsored by Thelma P. of Franktown). Yana, Ruddick and Lena plan to join us for bowling tomorrow. This afternoon we saw the new Shrek movie. The grads all enjoyed it very much. Even the Americans liked it, even though we couldn’t understand it. Afterward we were treated to a short concert by a children’s choir. All is well here. Tomorrow (Friday) will be our last day with the grads. Goodbyes will be hard, but we have all had a great week together. I’m sad that our week is coming to an end, but I am anxious to return home and get back to normal life.” — Chris
Connecting With The Orphans: Day Ten (29 May 2010)
This update from Chris comes from Moscow. The team said their good-byes yesterday and traveled to Moscow to prepare for their flight out tomorrow.
“I saw Andrey on Friday. He lives in Vladimir now and visits the Ministry Center there. He is doing well and we had a nice talk. I didn’t get a chance to check email on Friday. It was a busy day. I will forward Lisa’s and Thelma’s messages to Elena at the Ivanovo Ministry Center right now. She’ll make sure they get them. She has their phone numbers. Yana is getting the Hilers e-mail. Translations are sometimes inaccurate, but she gets the gist. I have conveyed to her that they continue to pray for her and she was happy to receive the gift from them. See you all soon! I’m ready to be home and see everyone again. I have tons to tell you…. Gotta run for now. Dinner is soon. We’re at the Ismailovo Hotel in Moscow. I’m glad, since the Cosmos Hotel doesn’t have an internet cafe like this hotel does.” — Chris
Connecting With The Orphans: Day Eleven (30 May 2010)
This much we know. They landed safely in the U.S. Chris is heading home now (Thanks Herb and family!). More details, more stories, later.
Connecting With The Orphans: Looking Back (31 May 2010)
Jeff has asked me to write one more blog entry — a look back at the week I have just spent with orphan graduates. First, I want to thank God for safe travels and the new friends I have made from Centreville — Jan, Scott & Liz . I am thankful also for my family, friends, and church family here at home who made this trip possible. Without the love & support of countless individuals, the trip would not have happened.
Looking back, I can still hear the laughs and see the smiles on the grads’ faces as they enjoyed the fun activities we shared with them. But the fun we provided them is not an end result, but rather a means to lay a foundation of trust. I spent a great deal of time in one-on-one (plus translator) conversation with these young people. I admit it was awkward for me at first, but as the week progressed, I found myself more comfortable with the graduates and our talks moved beyond superficial chit-chat. We talked about how hard it can be to grow up in this world, even under ideal circumstances. We talked about their dreams for the future, and the worries they must face every day — “Will I get enough to eat?” “What if my belongings are stolen from the dormitory?” “Where can I turn for help if I need it?” I shared with some of them a recent personal struggle I faced a few weeks before the trip. It was a situation that caused me a lot of worry about the future. Then, one day, as I walked up the floor at work, it occurred to me that I was not in control. Then and there I made a promise to myself and to God that I would trust in his plan for my life, no matter what happened. In the end, my situation was not as bad as it seemed — or could have been. I think God sent me down that road of doubt and brought me back again so that I would put my trust in Him — it also gave me a fitting testimony from my own life to share with the grads. They got the message I think — when times are bad and the future is uncertain, we have to remember that we are not in control. God is running this show, and He has been all along.
Often, missionaries to far off lands talk of “bringing God” to those we are ministering to. Well, we didn’t bring God to Ivanovo — He was already there!! I saw Him in Ruddick, who gave me updates on the kids at the Petrovsky Orphanage. I saw him in Yana, who dreams of being a veterinarian, and is chasing that dream with all her might. I saw Him in Andrey’s appreciation for the gift of a better smile and a more confident outlook. I saw him in Lena’s smile as she & I recognized each other from the 2008 Orphanage trip. God was there in the form of a married couple who approached us during an apartment visit and offered to purchase the apartment (and settle a large debt left by two boy’s parents eight years ago). The apartment was far from the city center, and selling it will allow a young man named Sergei to secure proper housing closer to his Technical School (and move out of his brother and sister-in-law’s home). I saw Him in Kshusha, a little girl who lives in Ivanovo’s Orphanage # 1, who after meeting me for only a few minutes, asked me to write her a letter. I saw God in the Ministry Center staff who are there, in the trenches, helping young orphan graduates deal with their day-to-day struggles. I saw Him in my fellow team members and in the translators. God was there, every step of the way.
I have many stories to tell — some are happy; some are downright tragic. Looking back, I can see it’s time to look forward. CHC’s Russian subsidiary, the Nadezhda (Hope) Fund, has a vision for the future that involves not only teams who travel the Ministry Centers, but also a new partnership with the Technical Schools many of the grads attend. Yes — Nadezhda wants us to come and have fellowship with the grads, but they also need us to come and teach these young people — they envision camps based in Bible study and spiritual matters, camps focused on life skills and budgeting the tiny stipends they receive from the government. They want to send case workers to the Tech Schools, reminiscent of the Disciplers that once visited the orphanage. The list goes on. This ministry has changed a lot since the days of fun and games at the orphanage. If we continue to look backward and ask why those relationships were so abruptly interrupted, we could lose sight of these new goals for the future. It’s time now to look forward, as we continue in our commitment to the orphans’ futures. Time will bring these younger orphans back to us eventually, as they grow older and graduate. For now, we put our trust in God that they will thrive under their caregivers’ watchful eyes….and if God is willing, we will see them again.
I remember a few weeks before the trip, a lady in the church stopped me after the service and sad, “So, Chris….you’re going to Russia by yourself?” “That’s the plan,” I told her. She leaned towards me and, with a worried look in her eyes, she asked, “Is that gonna be OK?” For starters, I was never by myself. I carried with me many blessings from our God — the love and support of my family, the prayers and financial support of my church family, and the excitement of our partnership with Centreville UMC. So, to answer this lady’s question — Yes, it was OK. It was better than OK, but only because I wasn’t alone.
In closing, I think it’s safe to say that this orphan care ministry has changed my life (again.) But to me, that’s what God does….He is constantly working on each of us, shaping our lives and changing us into better servants of His will.
– Chris
Bit Of News
Now for some other news: We raised enough money for Andrey’s dental work. Scroll down for photos of Andrey. Thanks to all of you for your contributions — in prayer and in dollars. Both are needed. Chris Wood from Brosville UMC traveled with Centreville UMC to Ivanovo in 2010 to see Andrey and the other orphan graduates May 20-30. Thanks for your help. The money for Andrey was delivered to the Ministry Center staff. As of now, February 2011, we have not heard about progress on Andrey’s teeth. We’ll keep you posted.
For now…enjoy a few previous photos…
My Petrovsky Boys — A Special Group Of Guys
This is one of my favorite photos, taken in May, 2008, my third trip to this orphanage. I am with five of the boys at the Petrovsky orphanage in Ivanovo Region, Russia. From left to right: Alyosha, Eldar, Maksim, Sasha, and Slava. When this photo was taken, our time to leave the orphanage was drawing near, as were the relationships.
The Gang Of Petrovsky Graduates In Ivanovo
This is the group of young adults were visiting the Ivanovo Ministry Center in Ivanovo. They are the graduates of the Petrovsky orphanage — an awesome, talented, good-looking group of young adults! Andrey is in the back row, third from the left.
Andrey and Alyona, brother and sister.
These two delightful young adults are graduates of the Petrovsky orphanage. Alyona lives in Ivanovo. Andrey lives in Furmanov. Both are serious students. Alyona has been a regular visitor to the Ministry Center.
