Xhabarovsk - Youth Ministry Course

October 2007 -

An 8 hour train trip to Irkutsk and one late flight later,

and I arrived in Xhabarovsk (pronounced "Ha-bar-ovsk") to

teach a 2-week Youth Ministry course at MTI, an extension

Bible Institute in the Russian Far East. BEAUTIFUL city

. . . I actually had some moments of culture shock

since the roads and landscaping were so different from the norm.

Fall City Center view from the 9th floor apartment where I stayed.

19 students plus the director and another

student from the other course.

Trying to teach, but everyone knew

someone was taking a pix, so . . . :)

Tonya - main, in-class translator - she's gold

. . . and not just her shirt!!!

Group assignment - creating a mock youth ministry.

Valera will return to Kyrgystan to begin Youth Ministry.

Okay, yes, Olya (my translator) and I ARE in the sauna

correcting finals, but it was the quietest hiding

place in the whole house. No the heat isn't on!

Xhabarovsk Missionary Team (Cecil & Tonya, Aaron & Beth, & Elf)

along with guest Missionary Professors Arnold & Joy Lastinger

eating shashlik (like shishkabobs) at a park on the banks of the

Amur River - this river separates Russia from China. We are about

6 hours from the Pacific Ocean here and north of Japan. Some beautiful Russian Orthodox churches in this town.

Cecil & Tonya's kids - Timothy, Vera, and Deanna . . .
it is very fun to be a part of their conversations
which are a constant mixture of Russian and English!

Sitting in front of another beautiful

Russian Orthodox Church w/ Beth.