I have learned it is a big part of life in missions... saying goodbye that is. With a short term team you know the goodbye is coming... but with others it is like it sneaks up on you.

We are already in week 3 of the DTS. Crazy how time flies. September 19th was a historic day: the very first DTS in Vladivostok started. Four staff, eight students, 5 nationalities, one dog - all living in a little house in the suburb of Vladivostok.

God is doing great things - it never ceases to amaze me how He has put this group together. We all have a desire to learn more about God, follow him with all we have and make Him know here in Vladivostok and where ever else God lead us.

The other day a friend asked me if I knew some games to play with kids. I said well, some I know…. and with that I was already signed up to run the games in a Christian kids camp in Vladivostok. No one really knew how many kids would be there – we have also never been working with that church before, so it was quite interesting. There were about 20-30 kids form the ages 5 and up. To lead games is usually my least favorite part to do in kids programs, but this time it was really fun. Masha was playing with the younger kids while I was assigned to the older ones.

It is Saturday afternoon now and we have just cleaned the apartment. Today is our day off and we plan to go to the beach. Vladivostok is surrounded by the ocean, but in the city itself the water is pretty polluted, it even has a sign ; no swimming (which doesn’t mean anything here in Russia). But there is part of a beach about 40 min drive from here, where it is quite nice – but every one else with a car thinks the same thing – so it is usually quite crowded. But even that I do not mind, since I am sweating, just sitting in front of my faithful pink apple laptop.

After a pretty intense time of ministry we were able to take a few days off! My two friends from Switzerland were coming to visit us here in the Far East and that was the perfect opportunity to rent a car and drive up to Mashas parents Dacha (something like a Summer garden). This was my first time driving a car with the wheel on its right side. Here most of the cars are imported from Japan, but we still drive on the right side of the road. Every time I wanted to put on the indicator I first wiped the front window, because the switches are opposite side.

The grandmothers and grandfathers have been waiting for us on the bench outside the home. Our friend, pastor Ruslan, had told them that we would be coming. As soon as they saw us their faces lit up. Babushka Serafima smiled and gave me a big kiss as I hugged her. Over the past visits she and I have become really close. Originally she is form Moldova, so she speaks with an accent, too. Babushka Vera is glad to see us, too. Apparently she had been drinking again, but now she seems more or less sober. ‘How are you doing?” I asked.

Who would have thought that it is so difficult to be the leader of five boys for one week of camp? Because there wasn’t enough Russian speaking staff I was appointed to be the leader of the boys group (I had some awesome non-Russian speaking guy helpers). These are not the nice polite kind of boys. One of them hasn’t gone to school for about two years, just because he doesn’t want to. He definitely has a problem with rules and discipline.

Yesterday we went out to the street kids center to do a bible lesson. Once a week Masha and I take the bus and and visit the christian shelter 'Living Hope'. Three times a week kids can come there to play, to eat, to hang out and – most important - to learn about God. Yesterday three 13 years old boys I have not met before came. Pasha had to fight against sleep from the very beginning. Apparently they had been up most of the night. Of course they are tired now, they are just boys!

9th of May: probably the biggest holiday in Russia. Flags everywhere, people smiling, kids holding balloons, eating shashlik outside, watching parades and so on. My friend Masha and I went to a small town 250km north of Vladivostok - Mashas hometown. The same thing: everyone is happy that today 65 years ago Russia defeated Germany.

This is Jhenya and myself on the first day that I ever met him.

They have been here almost 2 weeks and I thought you would enjoy hearing about their first impressions, their favourite days and the different things they think about Russia.

It has been way to long since I have taken the time to write on here and update everyone on what has been happening in my life and in YWAM Rostov on Don. It is 2010 now though, so here is a new start to this blog!!

Again a blog from Moscow Mc Donalds. It does have free Wifi, but it is really slow. I have just received all the Mongolian visas for our team. I had to travel to Moscow to hand in all the applications and passports for the Visa. Of course they won’t let you do that that easy: first I had to get the power of attorney from each student. That was ok for the Russian students, but there is one girl from Finland.