16 in Russia

Maybe you know, maybe you don't...  I turned 16 in Russia.  

I was 15 when my bible teacher Mr. Wagner asked me if I wanted to join him on his next trip to Russia. The good citizens of Russia had recently been allowed more freedom of religion which sparked a bit of a revival. Many people were coming to the Lrd but there were few people to teach them.  Mr. Wagner went to Russia every year to do just that. 

After asking my parents and praying about it we decided that I should go. Overcome with excitement I grabbed a toy car and small globe. I drove the car about the globe and exclaimed "look ma' I'm a world traveler!" The spirit hit my mom and I and we just looked at each other like 'woah.' This is how I was first introduced to potentially being some kind of traveling minister. 

My parents purchased 80 Russian Bibles for me to take. They made my luggage a little on the heavy side but it was well worth it! So, one large bag with the Bibles and some clothes and my two carry-ons went with me. It was only my two carry-ons that made it. This is how I learned to pack light.  I had two shirts, two pairs of underwear, two pants/shorts, and two socks. This had to last me for a whole month.  

At the end of the day I would wash the pair of clothes I had worn and hang them up in the shower/bathroom and change into my 'clean' clothes before bed. I’d wear the clothes I slept in all day to let my other clothes dry out and then repeat the process again that night. You’d think I would have gotten smelly but I didn’t, and if I did no one seemed to notice or care.  J

The bathroom was also the shower. You could sit on the toilet and still take a shower. It was quite a novel idea to me at the time, very fun.

One day at the school a woman came up to Mr. Wagner and told him about a kids camp her church was having. Next thing I know I’m sitting in a Wuz (the Russian version of an old VW van) on my way out into the country with no translators for 5 days. This was my favorite part of the whole trip!

There was a small kitchen on the south side of camp.  This kitchen was basically an old shed (like we’d have in our back yards) with a couple mobile gas grills in front.  The dining room was about 20 meters (sticking with the Russian theme) north of the kitchen.  It was packed with rectangle tables and bench chairs. Having benches instead of chairs means you get to sit up close and squeeze lots of people in at the table.  It had a good community feel!  What I remember most about the dining area was the fly tape.  Every meter or so there was a fly trap tape hanging from the ceiling. You had to watch where you stood up or you might get your head stuck in the sticky fly paper!  The dorms extended north from the dining area, first the boys then the girls.  Then another 20 meters north there was the chapel and a multi-purpose room.

East of campus there was a lot of open space, soccer fields, trees, volley ball court, etc.  West of the dorms was an old swimming pool.  It was only about one thirds full. I’d say no more than half a meter deep at the bottom.  Lots of weeds had grown around it and the water was green.  Just next to the ‘pool’ were the showers, two open air stalls. You get to take a shower while the whole country side watches.  The open side of the stalls faced away from campus but it was still quite an experience for a young impressionable child of 15.  J

I believe I showered three times in those five days and every time was quick.  There was no water heater so there was no goofing around.  Showers were strictly business. This is where I developed my 2 minute shower technique.

When I arrived to the camp they were having a talent show. I remember a kid doing an impersonation of an older staff.  Everyone was rolling on the floor laughing. Then an adult got on stage and shooed them off.  His impersonation had been so good I recognized the adult as the one they had been impersonating!

No one at the camp knew but the next day was by birthday.  We had a hearty bowl of rice cooked in milk with a little sugar for breakfast.  Then I helped watch the children.  They wanted to learn some American games so I taught them how to play duck duck goose, and red rover. After that was lunch: vegetable soup with lots of cabbage and buckwheat.  Then some free time. We played soccer and badminton…  all the good games.  Then we had soup with some bread for dinner.  I had a blast learning to communicate with them without a translator.

That night after the service a group of giggly girls came up to me and motioned for me to follow them and ran off into the dining room. I followed them into the dining room and was met with a shout of ‘surprise’ followed by what must have been a Russian birthday song.  They presented me with a large painting they had made for me.  It was a little running rat holding a bouquet of flowers and a suit case. There were some Russian words written on it as well I didn’t get translated till later…  “We are running quickly to give you a happy birthday.” It was such a joyful and humbling experience. We sat for a while talking and joking then someone brought in a cake, candles and all.

This was a sacrifice for them. Many of those families lived off of 3-5 dollars a week, some less.  I have no idea how much this cake and poster painting cost them but it was good and very appreciated. What a loving and giving group of friends I had found!

At the end of the week there was a party.  The multi-purpose room was cleared out of all benches and tables.  Two lines were forming in the middle of the room.  A girl grabbed my hand and smiled as she drug me across the room into the lines. I didn’t know what was about to happen but everyone seemed really excited about it! She faced me and grabbed my hands and held them up in the air to make an arch. Everyone in the lines did this.  Then from the opposite end of the room I heard a joyful roar and see a stampede of children and staff running under the arms. I was getting a little nervous…

As the children ran through one of them grabbed my hand and dragged me with them to the front.  They faced me and held my hands up in an arch again. I finally understood what was going on.  The people in the back were running through the arches and grabbing their partners to the front then joining the arch again.  The whole time everyone is shuffling to the back of the lines to run down the middle.  I’d say there were about 200 people in all. No AC, no fans, no music, few windows.  We did this for about 2 hours.  The room was filled with laughter and smiles. It got a little smelly but who cares!!  It was such a blast!! This is still one of my fondest memories.

The next day I went back to the school where Mr. Wagner was teaching.  I will never forget the memories from that camp.  Thank you Lrd for providing me with the opportunity to see the world and learn about some people who love You.

Welp, That’s my story of how I turned 16 in Russia!  Hope you enjoyed it!

Oh, I actually did get my big suitcase back about a week before we were scheduled to leave.  I was able to hand out the Bibles to the pastors there were really appreciative.  I learned it would have been cheaper to buy the Bibles there but… live and learn!  Hopefully, they are being used well and for the kingdom!!