The Komsomol

During our time at Sovietsk, we had the pleasure of touring the local history museum with some of the kids. I've spent a fair amount of time in museums, but I can safely say that this was the most memorable tour I have ever experienced. In four or five separate rooms and in about thirty minutes, we covered the highlights of the history and pre-history of the town. The guide was very efficient with her words and they did not let us linger or stray from the group. (Another lady followed us and turned the lights off in each room as we left--I have to admire their thrift). The information was comprehensive and the displays had lots of great artifacts and photos. In the natural history section, Sarah and the girls got to be photographed with this strange taxidermied creature that they claimed was a type of dog--I have my doubts.

But of all the great things that we saw, what sticks out most in my mind was near the end of our tour. We were walking through the section on the twentieth century, which of course was most notable for the rise and fall of the Soviet Union. One of the displays had the uniforms of the Leninist Communist Youth League, or the Komsomol, the Soviet's version of the boy scouts and girl scouts.One of our interpreters leaned over and told me when he was younger he signed up to join the Komsomol and was about to be inducted when the Soviet Union fell. I had read about the Komsomol and the end of socialism in Russia in my history books, but had never really thought about what it was like to actually experience it. To be so close and to ultimately fail in gaining membership into the Komsomol was almost certainly not the most traumatic part of the fall of the USSR for our interpreter. But his story reminded me that history happened to real people and even something as momentous as the end of the Soviet Union can be broken down into millions and millions of tiny little experiences like his.

May we introduce to you: Anna

There have recently been some changes at Sovietsk Orphanage in what HopeChest does there. Sadly, Lena is no longer the discipler. We really enjoyed the time we had with here there. But the good news is that we have a new discipler that we would like to introduce to you. Her name is Anna and she will soon graduate with a degree in linguistics from Vyatka State University in Kirov City. We have not formally met her yet (we will, though, in September when we visit), but from what she has told us about herself she sounds like a good fit for the role of discipler. She's very interested in social justice and helping people. And she also enjoys history, politics, and art. I think Sarah and I will get along very well with her.

I'd also like to take this chance to underscore the importance of the discipler in HopeChest's mission. They play an important role as a mentor to the kids and interpreter for us when we visit. They're quite literally the feet on the ground and we really couldn't do what we do without people like Anna. Likewise, if we didn't have the support of sponsors we wouldn't be able to have a discipler at Sovietsk. So, thank you to everyone who generously supports what HopeChest is doing.

Letters!

But this time they are TO you, not FROM you!

To Bethlehem Lutheran Church and all our sponsors,

Thank you very much for your letters. We had great holidays with our friends and tutors. We had different events, now we all go to school and the holidays are far away. We all want to congratulate you on the St. Valentine's Day. We want to wish you all the best!!!!We miss you so much!!! We hope that the meeting that we had, wasn't the last one, and that you are going to visit us again. We think about you all the time and pray for your health. Galina asks about you every time and gives her greetings to you. We congratulate the men on the 23d of February, let all their dreams come true, we wish them happiness, love and all the best.We love you so much!!!!!!

Good bye,Children, the staff and Galina

What a fun little note! As you can see, the translation and transmission of the letters takes some time--this letter was written just over a month ago and came yesterday. (Keep that in mind when writing . . .) But we were so glad to get it and share it with you!

The 23rd of February is Defender of the Fatherland Day--a military holiday that is the closest they get to a Men's Day. So, belated congratulations, Men!

It is sweet when they ask about our next visit . . . little do they know we have a team of 11(!) planning to come and see them! We usually don't mention anything to the kids ahead of the trip, just in case. They have experienced so much disappointment, and anything could happen between now and September (knock on wood!), so we wait until closer and let the caregivers tell them when they feel the time is right. It's hard to keep it in when writing, though!

If you are interested in becoming a pen pal, drop me an email. We have about 5 kids left who need pen pals and a few more who need sponsors.

Thanks to all of you who write, sponsors and pen pals alike. You should know these letters become treasured possessions. Even kids who don't write back are known to keep special stashes of the letters they receive. You are appreciated!

Secret Technology

Something struck me immediately when I first visited an orphanage in Russia. I was completely surprised at the skill level demonstrated by the kids when it came to handcrafts. These kids regularly produce beautiful and intricate crafts that I'm not sure an average adult in the U.S. could match. And when you comment about how impressed you are with their work, they just kind of look at you like they're thinking, "big hairy deal." Not that they don't take pride in their work; they were showing us around and pointing out their artwork hanging on the walls. I really believe that having these skills and a form of artistic expression can be therapeutic in a way for these kids who are carrying with them a lot of emotional baggage.

One of the things that we wanted to do when we visited Sovietsk last August was to have the kids and orphanage staff teach us the skills to make these crafts (and other skills like how to cook and catch fish). I learned from my friend Vadim Petrovich in the picture above a "secret technology" for how to peel birch bark layer by layer, trace on it an outline of some interesting image, and then use a small knife to cut it out and create a silhouette. Apparently this skill is proprietary, so I won't be able to share it with anyone. Fortunately for them, I lack the finesse to do woodworking and the brainpower to remember the secret technology (I think something was lost in translation). But I was able to come away with a beautiful and original piece of art that I created myself. (Or that's how Vadim Petrovich tells it. He actually did most of the work and corrected all of my mistakes.) We've waited for the smell of varnish to wear off before hanging it in our house. But we think fondly about the kids and Vadim Petrovich when we see it.

говорите по-англииский?

Do you speak English? That's among the first questions I ask when trying to communicate in Russia.

In Russia, we would be lost without our translators--many of whom speak multiple languages. Our feeble attempts at the Russian language are met with some level of enthusiasm, simply because Americans are not known for making much effort to communicate in other languages. It's fun to ask the kids "Что это?" "What is this?" and then try to repeat back to them what they said. There is usually a lot of giggling involved, and it gives our hardworking translators a break.

The translators and disciplers become some of the biggest role models for the children in the orphanages. They are well-spoken, well-educated young adults with good jobs. They help build connections between American friends and the kids. They are young enough to still be "cool" but old enough to share some wisdom. Most importantly, the disciplers are committed to the children and spend quality time hearing their stories and offering support. Misha, here, was called "Uncle Misha" by the end of our week at Sovietsk. We are grateful for our friends who have such a direct, positive impact on these young lives.

Last visit, when I asked the children what they wanted to be when they graduate, among the most common answers was "a translator." Of course, it makes perfect sense. What a wonderful goal. But, there are no English lessons at the orphanage.

So, we looked into it. We discovered that hiring English teachers for the next school year is a feasible option. Galina suggested 18 hours a week would cover lessons and extra tutoring for all 29 children, and that would only cost us $43 a week. To cover the whole school year, we would need about $1720.

It's no small number, but it really is doable. We've funded recreational activities, arts, tutors for necessities like math and grammar, and important enhancements like university preparation and driving. Imagine the opportunities that would come from English lessons--increased language skills in general, better prospects for university, maybe even a career working where most orphaned children can hardly dream of. Galina feels strongly that English lessons would help the children, and she said that there is a lot of motivation to study English, especially among the older children.

A few children from HopeChest programs have grown up to become translators and help children just like themselves. Not every child will, but one of our children might. Just imagine the possibilities for Lena, Katya, Sergey, Andrey, all of our boys and girls, if met with this opportunity.

SO, we have a new project going. We are attempting to collect $1720 in $43 increments before August 2009, so the funds can be used for the coming school year. Could you help us out? Donating is easy--click on the badge to the right. Or, could you please consider posting the badge on your blog, Facebook, etc? Just email me and I'll send you the code. Any suggestions about finding funds are welcome!

And Большое спасибо, big thanks, to all of you who care for the children of Sovietsk.

Happy Women's Day!

Women's Day, the 8th of March, is a national holiday in Russia and many other countries throughout the world. Our first two visits to Russia happened to fall during Women's Day, so we were able to experience this great holiday firsthand. Our interpreters explained that it is celebrated similarly to Mother's Day and Valentine's Day. Women usually get flowers and other treats like chocolate and dancing. To wish someone a happy Women's Day, you tell her "Congratulations!"

The holiday started in the United States in 1909 with the Socialist Party of America. But the Soviet Union and the countries in the bloc adopted the day early on in order to celebrate the achievements of women and to encourage gender equality. At first, the 8th of March was heavily politicized but as time passed and women gained ground toward equality, the holiday became simply a day to celebrate and appreciate the women in your life. So, give a woman a hug and tell her how much you appreciate her.

The text on the 1932 poster is: "8th of March is the day of the rebellion of the working women against the kitchen slavery. Say NO to the oppression and Babbittry of the household work!"

A Time for Feasting

On Wednesdays during Lent, Bethlehem holds a Lenten soup supper before the evening service. This week, the Service team hosted dinner. Pastor suggested we take the opportunity to share some Russian cuisine with everyone, so we did! There was yummy food of all kinds--cabbage slaw, veggie soup, fruit, and of course cookies and cake. There was also brown bread, borscht, solyanka, Russian juices and tea, sooshki, and blini. My cooking coaches at Sovietsk would be proud. I thought I'd share some recipes--more to come!

Quick & Easy Borscht

Purists might say I am cheating for using canned beets, but it sure does go faster!

This is to serve 4. There are many ways to make borscht. This recipe is based on the one in The Gourmet Cookbook.

4 medium boiling potatoes, peeled and halved or chopped in big chunks

1 T butter or oil (I usually use half butter, half oil)

2 carrots, julienned
2 celery ribs, coarsely chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 can (14-16 oz) broth (Most borscht uses beef broth. I'm vegetarian, so I use veg broth + sherry. I usually use more broth than the recipe calls for--sometimes nearly twice as much!)

Lots of salt and freshly ground pepper

1 16 oz can of julienned beets (I buy them sliced and julienne them myself.)

Heat butter & oil in large saucepan over high heat. Add carrots, celery, and onion and cook until just beginning to brown. Add broth, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil.

I use a big stock pot and boil my potatoes in this broth until they are fork-tender. I have a big pasta strainer insert, so I just boil the potatoes in that and then pull them out. You could do the same, or just boil them in water seperately, or even leave them in the soup the whole time.

Once potatoes are done, reduce heat to simmer. (Or, if not using potatoes in stock, bring broth to a boil then reduce to simmer about 15 minutes.) Stir in beets and liquid. Simmer covered around 8 minutes.

You can either add the potatoes back in the soup pot or add them as you serve individual bowls. Just know the longer they are in the soup, the more they will fall apart and turn purple. It's up to you!

Garnish with fresh dill and sour cream. I like it with a piece of brown bread and butter.

I hope you enjoy our version of Russian borscht!

A Time for Fasting

Here are some thoughts from Isaiah 58: "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?"

Throughout the season of Lent, it's important to Sarah and me to remember why we fast. Fasting can take on many forms--it isn't necessarily refraining from food. To us, Lent is a time to remember what it is we're actually doing here on earth, to push the reset button, and to renew our committment to justice for the oppressed and food for the hungry and shelter for the homeless. When these forty days of Lent end, Sarah and I will celebrate Easter with a renewed passion for taking care of our kids at Sovietsk.