The road to St. Petersburg took much longer than expected. Each of the connecting legs—two flights and a bus—was delayed anywhere from one to four hours. Thankfully, I was able to return my train ticket and catch a last-minute flight. In God’s perfect timing, I began my first presentation at a youth conference at St. Peter Orthodox Church merely two hours after completing a two-day journey from Minnesota. From then on, each day brought a new group of students in a different setting: the State Pedagogical University, St. Petersburg Bible College, public schools, and more. Each audience presented unique challenges for sharing the Gospel with evidence (also known as “FaithSearch Discovery”), requiring adjustments for age group, educational background, and academic context. I am never bored by teaching the same material, because every group—and every individual—is unique, special, and worthy of my full respect and attention to their personality, interests, and expectations.
Working alongside my local ministry partners is always a joy. Pastor Vladimir from Vyborg not only arranged a full day of teaching and fellowship. He also gave me a tour of his beautiful city on the Baltic Sea. Its cobblestone streets and medieval towers, dramatic granite cliffs, and picturesque harbors made this part of the trip especially memorable. I look forward to returning soon to serve in the parishes of my new friends, Fr. Maksim and Fr. Mikhail.
My three short days in Moscow allowed me to teach at Kolomna Seminary, a Sunday School, and—hopefully (still awaiting confirmation)—at a Bible class for an AA-style support group tomorrow. The weather grows colder each day, and on today’s commuter train ride I watched the trees outside turning golden yellow. Lord willing, I’ll enjoy an extra week of summertime during my upcoming visit to Vladivostok!
