Another week has flown by...

Hello everyone!
How are you? Time seems to be racing past - it seems like it will be no time at all before I am back in Durham!
We had a really great weekend away in Zelonogorsk - we spent one night there, and generally had a lot of good fun. We ran a Soul Talk (an interactive cafe type entertainment where we discuss spiritual ideas in films, art, music, literature...) where we discussed optimism and pessimism - it was really interesting. Then we roasted some sausages on the BBQ, had a chocolate fondue, and played some games. The weather was lovely on the Sunday especially, so lots of people played sport. We also watched the Sound of Music (in keeping with the theme of optimism...), and in general a good time was had by all. We stayed in the hostel type place that we are hoping to hold the English Camp at in the Summer. I'm looking forward to it (although possibly after having solved the problem of only having 4 showers between 80 people...)
I had a great time at the orphanage yesterday. Rather than helping with English homework, I was sent outside to "supervise" the little kids as they were riding round on their bikes, and playing in the sandpit. So I got to make sandcastles! But then the kids were all called in for a meeting about their behaviour (or lack of good behaviour maybe), and we ended up sorting their socks into pairs, and mending any holes...
Language wise, things have been better recently, although it is definitely worse when I am tired! I did also have a funny scene in Chinaya Lozhka (the Tea Spoon - a pancake and tea cafe), when they decided that they weren't going to listen to my Russian, they specially got me an English menu, and failed to listen to what I had asked for. It was really embarrassing, and they would get no points for customer service, as they failed to realise that I could understand what they were saying, and no, I didn't want cheese and green herbs with my pancake. Grrr.
This week, I also seem to have either had a lot of conversations about, or personally encountered a lot of drunkenness here. It is obviously a very big problem, although the good news is that it has affected so many people so badly that they will not drink anything at all - they have seen what alcohol can do. We had an interesting scene on the bus on the way to Zelenogorsk, where a drunk man was removed from the bus by the police because he had refused to pay the fare and had shouted abuse at the conductor. Apparently though, the Russian students near the radio at this point said that he then got on the bus behind and did the same thing. I was also on another marshrutka at about 11.30 am, and someone holding a bottle of beer could barely get off the bus - he then started walking around and singing. It is such a shame that for some people, that is the solution. It reminds me of how much we need to pray for this country!
Right, I need to go now, so have a good week!
Happy Russian Easter!
Sarah
xxx

Hello everyone!
Well, it probably serves me right for writing that Sping was here, but it is now on the chilly side again, with temperatures around 5 degrees again...hopefully in a couple of weeks things will be better again!
As usual, things have been very busy. Jo and Aaron left about a week and a half ago now - life is very strange without them! My friend Eleanor came to visit for nearly a week (actually I only realised that she wasn't coming for a week a couple of days before, and I had to re-arrange some things...a bit embarrassing really!) We had a really good time, doing some ministry together, some sightseeing and one of the best parts of the week was the introduction to sushi for Eleanor. As I considered this an integral part to life in St Petersburg, I arranged to meet some girls who also life sushi. A good time was had by all, and also an interesting conversation about Russian Easter traditions, such as egg-painting.
The evening after Eleanor had left, we had a girls party. Rather than making cards, this time we decided to decorate photo frames, and we did a journey around Misha and Meredith's flat, finding out about Easter. It was good fun. We had about 20 girls there. It was also a good opportunity for the old Polytech team to get to know the girls from our side of the city, and vice versa.
I have been to the orphanage "The Ark" twice since I last wrote. The first time, we were greeted by a total riot in the boys room, but eventually they calmed down enough to do their homework. They really love working with Indira - they will do almost anything for her - it is amazing to see. I helped with the usual English homework, and then went to play with the little girls. I had completely forgotton how important winning or losing is at that age! Sometimes fights break out there, which are almost as rough as the boys are. One little girl in partucular will play a board game by herself, and even if you play too, she throws the dice for you. She will invent the rules (or even the game) as she goes along - it is hilarious. Yesterday there was a group of us playing a German game, so none of us knew the rules, so it was very creative. I can only stay there for 2 hours, as I have to go home for my language lesson with Anya, but I nearly wasn't able to leave last night, as the girls wanted me to stay so much they were clinging onto my legs... I love going there so much - I wish we could go there more!
This weekend, we are going to Zelonogorsk again, for a sort of retreat/fun weekend away. We are deliberately not planning anything so we will see what happens. Hopefully people will come, they will all have fun, and there will be lots of opportunities to share the Gospel!
Lots of love
Sarah

Spring has sprung! (Well, maybe...)

Hello everyone!
Spring seems to have arrived. Blue skies, temperatures of around 12 degrees (big change from last week's minus 5!) and the melting of the snow have led to people crowding the streets, especially young people. It is really exciting, particularly as now the clocks have changed, it doesn't get dark until maybe 9pm. It is such a contrast from the time before Christmas when it didnt get light until 10am!
Talking of the clocks changing, it was really rather funny on Sunday morning when Luke showed up at church an hour late, along with several other people. The church itself was completely packed though - we had a lot of Americans visiting us, as on Saturday night the church put on a rock concert. There were two American Christian bands playing, and an American pastor spoke. Although the crowd that was there was predominantly teenagers, it was really exciting to see maybe 7 or 8 people there trust in Christ. I think my highlight of the week was seeing one girl who had just prayed to accept Christ into her life being hugged by her friend - it was a moment I will always remember.
My flat situation may have changed dramatically, almost overnight. I may not have to move now, as it may be that the American lady will not come back - she is not sure. I am also now allowed to have one or two visitors over, so that should be alright. I think that the hassle and expense of moving would possibly be more than the results that it would give. I can't say for sure just yet though. On Monday I realised that in my rent I am also paying for another mother/grandmother, as I was told to tidy my room. Huh.
Yesterday I went back to the orphanage. I really love it there, and it really makes any problems I might have (especially with moving/accommodation) really pale into insignificance. I spent a little while yesterday trying to get one of the little boys to say the letter w. He kept saying v, and I gave up in the end. Another girl was reading a text about seasons and months in Britain. It was really interesting, especially to learn things I didn't know about April Fools Day, and that they think that Fathers Day is really important, etc... She didn't really want to behave either, so it was good fun. I'm not sure that she will be able to answer the questions in class, but there you go.
Other interesting things that have happened this week involve meeting some Mormons on a mission in Carls Jnr, a burger bar. It was interesting as they we obviously surprised to meet so many people who spoke English there, especially as we also bumped into lots of people from Chruch there too... I also proved myself to be highly unfit after trying to run for a bus. It was really embarassing, as I missed it, and then had to wait at the stop with all the babushkas who had seen my attempt (and were looking disapproving, but probably trying not to laugh!) I was telling Indira, one of the students Jo and I have been discipling, and she suggested that we should go running together sometimes. Sounds like a plan!
Time to go. Have a nice week.
Lots of love
Sarah