The GATOR inside

Showin my colors at Victory Park and Red Square

TOURISTS!!

Yea so right now we are tourists to the max. We probably stick out really bad. We have been driving around Moscow and making a few stops. I'll post more pics later. Just had a quick chance with wifi now. Going to Kremlin and Red Square soon 

Tiger hunt status: complete? Maybe?

We found Father Steve a tiger in the super market inside the mall here in Moscow. 

His response: "but... But but tigers don't wear overalls..." 

Roughing it??

Because we are staying so far outside the city, we were able to stay in this very nice hotel for pretty cheap. The rooms are spacious and comfortable. This morning we came downstairs for breakfast and saw before us a feast! As Father Steve put it: "a foretaste of the heavenly banquet." We had unlimited coffee and cappuccino; even Emily enjoyed the coffee! 

Rachael: With God…at Nadhodka General?

Privet! This is Rachael—currently I am 34,000 feet in the air, and am musing upon what the Lord has tried to teach me in Russia, specifically the 4 days I spent in the infection unit at the local hospital in Nakhodka—or as we affectionately called it, “Nakhodka General.” For this trip, I served as Formation Director, and the over-arching theme I felt on my heart for our trip was “Surrender to Divine Providence”, or “Total Abandonment.” I read about five books on this topic before coming to Russia, so I felt well versed enough to teach the group about it. God, in His infinite wisdom and love, often tests us with what we know in our heads so it can produce growth in our own hearts. So, the Lord, who is a good doctor and knows where I am sick in my soul, led me into a strange hospital to be healed both bodily and spiritually as well.

This was my pillow . . . 

I was pretty sick from the get-go upon arriving in Russia. My delicate stomach was at war with me, ‘nuff said—and I wasn’t alone. Matt was also sick due to his pre-existing condition of Crohn’s—so we entered into this experience together. We were in good hands, as Victor drove us to the hospital in a van—which we coined the “party bus” as we all were laughing deliriously with Russian techno music pumping from Tyler’s phone. I mean we were in a rough spot—we may as well laugh! We got to the hospital and had the doctor examine us only to find out we had to stay overnight for more testing (rectal swabs!) and stool samples. Luckily, I was put in the same room with Matt, and we had Tyler and Yury (our faithful translator) also stay in our room. It made an interesting living situation, but we all found great joy in each other’s company despite the circumstances.

This is Matt and Yury in our room that all 4 of us shared. 

The next day was very promising—I felt great and was ready to leave. Yep, Lord I learned my lesson—I can go now. The doctor came back in the room only to tell us that we could not be released from our little hospital room reminiscent of 1940’s war hospitals, but we had to be quarantined for an additional three days. “Three days! In a Russian hospital?! Lord, tell me no!” I told everyone that I would pray that we get released that day, and in my mind I was in deep denial at the thought. But, as the nurses continually kept returning with IV’s and rectal shots (OUCH) I knew I was in for the long haul. To be noted by the reader: I don’t “do” Western medicine. I’m deathly afraid of antibiotics, and I research all medicines before I put them in my system. How did Jesus teach me to trust and surrender my control? By elimination—I couldn’t decline, and I couldn’t argue—they speak Russian. Only God can know how hard this was for me… but I felt Him prodding me “Don’t you trust me, little one? Remember, all things work for the good of those who love Me.” There was hopefulness now—God wanted me in this hospital for a reason. Together, the four of us could offer up the circumstances and events towards the conversion of Russia, and also for all the young adults attending the 17^th Annual Catholic Youth Conference. We could use our sufferings to build up the body of Christ—knowing that Jesus works out in our own bodies the redemptive work of salvation.

By the third day in Nakhodka General, I felt a great peace with my situation. Peace transformed into great joy as I realized the Lord had not only healed me physically, but also interiorly I was cleansed. I felt a deep gratitude for my stay in the hospital because I knew it taught me how to trust Christ a little bit deeper. In a small yet beautiful way, we got to share in the suffering of Fr. Walter Ciszek, the author of the book “He Leadeth Me,” which we read as a group before the trip. If you have not read this very inspiring book, I highly recommend it. It will change the way you look at Providence and the events of your life. In the book, Fr. Ciszek, an American Catholic priest, is captured and imprisoned by the NKVD for 23 years, five of which he spent in solitary confinement. In a special way, I felt God was allowing us to enter into the experience of Fr. Ciszek by being confined to a hospital room for almost four days in the middle of a mission trip. It was the tiniest sliver of his experience, but it taught us the same lesson it taught Fr. Ciszek: God is in complete control and we just have to accept all events, circumstances, and persons He sends us as means for our own sanctification.

Matt and I finally back to our normal selves at camp. 

On a lighter note, I must add this: I think I had asked for it. And so did Matt. We both prayed at the beginning of the trip that something weird would happen on the trip. Yep, we asked God to make weird stuff happen to us in Russia—so, I guess the Lord was like “Okay…I got something special saved for both of you.”  Ha, thanks Lord. No—I mean it, thank you. I was deeply inspired by my experience. Especially by the three souls you surrounded me with—which by your providence was for a reason—Matt, Tyler, and Yury. Thank you Matt, for teaching me how to suffer. You were so joyful even in the midst of great physical pain—your smile lifted me up and showed me how to accept the cross with joy and to carry it with Jesus. Tyler, thank you for loving us with a true fatherly affection and bringing us excitement, treats, and fun stories from the “shanty-town” everyday. You worked your hardest to make us feel secure and comfortable during our stay—and I haven’t laughed that hard in ages. You made it very light-hearted! And lastly, Yury, thank you for your inexhaustible care for Matt and I. I have no words—you fed and took care of us for days on end, and even into the camp when we returned from the hospital. You were living charity—and I am personally challenged and edified by your example and life.

So lesson learned: if you’re gonna pray to God for “weird stuff” to happen—be prepared. He’s got something big up His big, billowy sleeves. But don’t worry—He loves you and He does all things for the good of those who love Him. 

Sisters in Russia

By Emily

I know that Chris has mentioned the sisters of Vladivostok countless times, but they really can’t be spoken about enough. Vladivostok hosts Sr. Maria Stella and Sr. Catherine Marie, two of the first members of the Servants of Jesus the Lord (for non-Catholics reading, that’s the name of a community of Catholic nuns), and they are absolutely incredible.

Sister Stella (left) and Sister Catherine (right)
at the river on the last day of 

They were there when we walked off the plane in Vladivostok; when we left at five this morning, they were awake to eat one last breakfast with us and to help us pack the van to overflowing with our bags. Hugs were passed around while we held back tears, and I couldn’t get over how much these wonderful women had done for us in three short weeks. (To be honest, even typing this makes me tear up.)

Sisters are intended to provide a sort of spiritual motherhood for the people of the Church. This was something I’d never previously understood, not having had more than a few minutes’ conversation with a sister. But when we were far from home, they did look after us as if they had been asked by our own mothers to care for us while we were, quite literally, on the opposite side of the world. Sister Catherine made sure Amanda and I ate when we got sick, and each time I was afraid in Lesozavodsk, Sister Stella was present to reassure me with her quiet strength. In meeting them, we were given a powerful view of the family God has provided for us—quite simply, they showed us love without making us feel that it had to be earned, and they poured every drop they could as a healing balm over our souls. It’s easy to sit in Mass and hear abstractly that we’re all family through Christ, but the concreteness of their love and affection for us drove the nebulous idea into reality.

I am so, SO thankful for having had the opportunity to go to Russia. Every experience in this country has been amazing and humbling, but utmost among them has been being allowed a glance into the lives and hearts of two very holy women. They have given up so much to serve in Russia, and their willingness to go where love is needed inspires me to travel past my own desires and take a hard look at what God is asking me (and all of us!) to do with my life.

Missy: Friendship That Transcends Language

By Missy

Twenty-five young adults, half English-speaking, half Russian-speaking (with a few that didn’t speak either as their first language!) and five translators made for an interesting 8-day young adult conference. How would it be possible to communicate when you and the other person don’t speak the same language and you’re left to your own devices?

I was asked multiple times before I left to come on mission in Russia how I would communicate with those that I met, or if I had learned any Russian. Nyet! (Nope!) I picked up a few essential words, like hello, goodbye, yes, no, please and thank you, and maybe a smattering of other small things. But for anything more, hand gestures or a translator would have to do. And just as I suspected, I discovered that friendship transcends language.

We began our time together with Mass and prayer, half-English, half-Russian. Our foundation of faith was well laid, and our friendships were initially based upon the beliefs that we all profess, in whatever language is our mother tongue. Catholicism is something we could all understand and it is what brought us together in the first place!

Beyond that, we became acquainted with each other often without words, using a different language: the language of the heart. Over time, we learned each other’s names and some small details about each other’s lives, mostly, I’ll admit, through the broken English conversations the Russians were brave enough to have with us. But without common speech, we had to look at each other with a deeper gaze, and come to know each other through actions and through our character. You see, practicing what you preach becomes a whole lot more important when you can’t preach at all! We couldn’t tell our new Russian companions about our faith in Jesus Christ; we had to demonstrate it. We couldn’t tell them about who we were as people; we had to show them with our lives!

Most of us at the beach after our retreat day 

I didn’t always need to understand what one of the girls was saying because she often came up to just give me a hug or a smile. When one of the Russian guys picked a flower for one of the American girls that had been sick, no words were needed. Pats on the back, smiles, handshakes, hugs, thumbs up…these visible signs of care, affirmation, and love spoke louder than any bilingual conversation could have. Sure, we might have formed more substantial friendships if we could have shared our stories with each other, or spoken a kind word without the intervention of a translator, but perhaps God did not intend that for our time together. Instead, I learned a valuable lesson in living a life worthy of observation, one that demonstrates who I am as a person, and as a disciple of Jesus Christ. Whether I was successful in my lived Christian charity or whether I betrayed my identity as a Christian at times, I’m not sure. I know I have a lot of room for growth in this area, and this experience has prompted deeper reflection on how I can put these lessons into practice.

By the end of the week, the thirty of us exchanged heartfelt goodbyes and tight hugs as we parted ways, international friendships sealed by shared experience of faith and fellowship. I left the Far East amazed at how closely connected I felt with these Russian brothers and sisters in Christ and how much I enjoyed their company, despite language barriers. Whether I’ll ever see them again, I don’t know, but I am grateful in a new way for Facebook, which will keep us connected…and for the “translate” button. :)