It has been a couple days since we returned from Slobodskoy Russia, stopping along the way in Kirov for the final supper with the translators and disciplers, and then Moscow for a day of rest and gift shopping before boarding the flight back home to RDU. The train ride back between Kirov and Moscow is…

(The following post was written en route to Moscow. The team has arrived safely in Slobodskoy and spent a few hours with the kids this evening.  Please continue to pray for the team and the kids and staff at the orphanage.) It is intriguing how things work out. There is a sense to it all,…

It was 9pm on Friday night.  I hadn’t begun to pack for the trip, and the plane was scheduled to pull out at noon on Saturday.  Not sure why I felt so at ease, I dragged out a suitcase and began to search through drawers and the closet for a minimal amount of clothing for…

We’re not doing very well keeping our conversations reasonably quiet, and the woman in charge of our sleeper car is agitated.  She looks down the hallway every few minutes and tries to hush us.  We are momentarily less noisy, but quickly our talk and laughter rise to the same unacceptable level.   We are spilling out…

It’s 11:30pm on Monday night.  We had another very busy day, equally as meaningful as yesterday, but more focused and comfortable after getting a good night’s sleep in the little hotel by the lumberyard.  Some things make strong impressions in our minds that ultimately shape our views of the world, and much of what else…

It’s 2:50am on Sunday morning and sleep is fleeting.  The steady beat of the train tracks drums up through the sleeper car.  Some families by themselves in a berth with two sets of bunk beds, some sharing berths and the few travelers on their own have become part of someone’s family.  After a few hours…

Author:  Robert N. is on his second trip to Slobodskoy. Traveling with him are his wife and youngest daughter, while his oldest daughter offers prayers and support from college. It’s been a quick year since the Spring 2010 trip to Slobodskoy.  We are currently at 39,000 feet comfortably tucked into the cabin of a jumbo…

Over the last 24 hours, the Slobodskoy travelers have been acclimating ourselves to the “normal” routine of being home, yet we continue to find ourselves returning the orphanage in our thoughts and our discussions. Everyone we encounter wants to hear about the trip, see pictures of the kids and learn more about “what’s next” for…