6 am and we were up and getting ready for the day. Breakfast of oatmeal and fruit was a success (for Elijah, not us…we already know how to eat, thanks). Downstairs waiting in the lobby for our driver to take us to Elijah’s medical exam necessary for his visa, we met a woman from Tennessee bringing home a 7-year-old girl from outside St. Petersburg. We all were headed to the same medical appointments and caravanned together. What a wonderful little girl from such unfortunate circumstances. But so full of life and hope in her eyes. It makes me smile to think of the life that awaits her.
Elijah passed his medical exam with flying colors. He brings his little Fisher Price music player with him everywhere he goes, and the doctor’s office was no exception. Naked from head to toe except for a diaper and the music player in his hand, he proceeded to dance and sing his way through the exam. The doctor’s comment was “His love for music very good!” Funny how God works these children into families.
We ordered pizza to go at Sbarro across the street and ate in the 4th floor lobby of the hotel. During lunch we met a couple men from Texas and their translator. You can definitely pick out the Americans here…just a different look. They had just returned from Krasnoyarsk, where we were, doing work with a local church. They were at the end of a month-long trip to various churches in Russia, teaching and giving leadership council. We talked for about 20 minutes on the state of the Protestant church in Russia and the differences between Protestant and Russian Orthodox theology. Quite a deep discussion in between bites of pepperoni and sausage. It is definitely taking a much more grass-roots approach here since the fall of Communism. But I’m convinced that’s not all bad. It gets Christianity away from a focus on big buildings, large congregations and anonymous worship, and back to its model. Christ teaching 12 people around a dinner table and the early church meeting in homes, providing direct support to one another and meeting each other’s needs, both physical and spiritual. Pray for continued confidence on those small church leaders here as they meet with difficulties and roadblocks by the state. And thank God for the freedom that we have in the U.S. to worship as we choose.
Found a park in the afternoon with a playground, and with no fear Elijah conquered the slide. A couple times down on his behind and he realized that the thrills were too tame, so headfirst we went laughing the whole way down, Curious George in tow (unfortunately “Handi-wipes” don’t work on George’s dirty little hands and feet). We’re not sure if he’s brave or if he just didn’t know any better. Either way, it is taking a little time for us to get used to having a 2 ½ year-old again and remember that we have to watch him a little more closely. I love that so many things are new experiences for him, and my mind spins with all the “first-times” this little boy is going to have.
Evening ended with a card game called “Apples to Apples”, meeting our new friend and her 7 year-old daughter, Lira, in the 4th floor lobby. Much laughter and chasing little boys filled the lobby of this upscale hotel. I am sad to say that I lost both games, but I did get a chance to demonstrate my mad jump-roping skills with Lira’s rope, completing three double-unders in a row (that’s when you jump once but the rope completes two revolutions to you lay people), much to the awe of all present. Oh yeah! I’m the man….
JP
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