Every trip is different. Some of the, however, are “differenter” than all of them. At least four times today I have heard or read that these are unprecedented times. I would agree. Conducting one of my four yearly teaching trips to Russia right now should qualify it for being the “differentest” one–so far.
It started this morning by way of taking a ride from my friend to the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport. This is his way of supporting my ministry and I am always encouraged and empowered by his faithful readiness to take care of this leg of my journey. The only unusual thing about this leg of the trip was having to go all the way around the airport due to the road construction right at the entrance.
Okay. I can live with that.
As far as the rest of my itinerary, it will be different by including only one teachers’ conference. The rest of my events will consist almost exclusively of church groups, seminaries and Bible colleges. Most of public schools are now on a two-week long “sanitary vacations” due to the second wave of the pandemic after they all opened for in-person classes a month ago. I will also limit my in-country travel to a minimum – again, in order to avoid crowded trains, busses and railroad terminals.
I will teach for one week in St. Petersburg and for two weeks in Moscow with a quick stop half-way between them – in Tver. My schedule also includes a number of online classes which I could just as easily have taught from Minnesota. They just happened to fall during the time I am in Russia.
So far, I made it to JFK International Airport, and am awaiting a Turkish Airlines flight to Istanbul. I will have an overnight layover there and a chance to see Hagia Sofia …recently turned into a mosque. Three other itineraries – with Delta, KLM, and Air France – were all cancelled, after first accepting my payment. These companies have apparently discovered a new and very profitable business strategy: selling tickets and refunding the money a few weeks later–after having its use in their account. At least there is no issue with lost luggage or pilots’ strikes…
Please keep me in your prayers during these… unprecedented times.
