Three quick pictures:
Valerie got hold of our camera and made some interesting pictures, including this self-portrait:
She also used her little shovel as a microphone, singing and dancing in the yard:
And we had a classic Finnish sunset:
Quite a Week
This involves a bus, a plane, a van and a ferry. It started on Sunday —
I’ve been looking to purchase a used mini-van for use as our ministry in Europe expands. Our little red car is getting a little long in the tooth, and I felt that the time may have come to find a good traveling car since I’m on the road so much these days.
I have been looking for cars in Germany. Prices are lower there, and Germans take good care of their cars. A month ago I sent an email to a private seller (not a dealer) in Germany but never heard back from him. I looked at a lot of other cars after that . . . .
Sunday: After driving from Russia to Estonia, I check my spam folder and notice a reply from the seller; it’s three weeks old. I write asking if the van is still for sale, and it is. We exchange several emails as I get more information. After talking with Olga and coming to agreement, I book a flight to Hamburg (using frequent flyer miles).
Monday: After taking care of some business in Jõhvi, I take a bus to Tallinn and spend the night with friends.
Crossing from Russia to Estonia
I’ve just arrived in Estonia after a very nice drive from St. Petersburg. I took a little video while I was in No Man’s Land on the bridge between Ivangorod, Russia and Narva, Estonia.
Two fortresses face one another across the Narva river: on the Russian side Ivanogorod Fortress was built in the 1490s, to fend off the Livonian (German) knights. Herman Castle, a Danish and then Livonian Teutonic fortress from the 13th century, sits opposite on the Estonia bank. It’s quite beautiful, really.
I’ll be here a few days, working on a few items related to the center for disabled children we plan to build here in Johvi, and I’ll also visit with our good friends here.
Perspective
A Ride in Tavrichesky Park
A friend in Estonia, Artur Pold, bought Valerie a bike last week. I took it to Russia with me a few days ago. We went for a walk/ride in the park across the street from our flat in St. Petersburg:
We are so very thankful for the many good friends and great family we have in so many places — Russia, Finland, Estonia, Belarus, Montenegro, and the USA.
The Estonian Coast Road
I took a drive along the Estonian coast of the Gulf of Finland, following the old Royal Road, the other day:
I made video of this same same road during the winter.
A Snapshot from Estonia
I’m in Estonia now, doing a little work on our ministry flat and taking care of some personal business and program work. I visited Camp Gideon over the past few days and took this picture of one of the main buildings that overlooks the Gulf of Finland. It’s beautiful here this time of year.
A Snapshot from Russia
You don’t see this every day —
At dacha last week, a member of our family (who shall remain un-named) was cleaning the inside of the reservoir we use for the water system.
(That’s our banya in the background.)
My First Disney Post
And probably my last.
This is random, but I find it interesting:
A Postcard from Dacha
We are back in Russia after a great visit to the US. We arrived in St. Pete a little over a week ago. After battling jet lag, we are finally back on schedule.
This weekend we are at dacha (rhymes with ‘gotcha’). A dacha is a Russian country house, anything from a hovel to a mansion. Olga’s grandparents own a house in a small village south of the city. We came here to open up the house and prepare for the summer. Part of that involves planting. Above is a picture of Olga planting carrots. We’ve also done a lot of mowing and cleaning (and eating and sleeping).
This is Valerie’s first visit to dacha and she loves it. She had her first Russian banya (sauna) last night and really liked it. We’re very happy to have time here. For those of you who have asked, Valerie is recovering splendidly from her hernia surgery. She barely missed a beat.
Next week I (Mike) go to Estonia to do some work and have meetings about the center for disabled children we plan to open in Johvi. We are renting a flat in Johvi, and I need to spend some time there, too. Recently two missionary families stayed there in our absence. It’s a real blessing to people.
Camp Elama is getting ready for a full summer, I’ll be with a team in Montenegro in July, and MIR will send about 50 foster children from Russia to a Christian camp in Estonia. Stoneworks is hoping to open a home in Belarus for young men who have graduated from orphanages; we’re calling it Timothy House. There’s a lot going on, as usual.
We are happy and thankful for all our good friends and family all over the world. God has blessed us, and we thank Him.
Mike and Olga Cantrell 