The Gang's all here

Julie, Rachael, John, Rick, and I arrived in Volgograd Thursday evening about 8:30pm our time, about 11:30am Coppell time. We tossed our bags into the apartments and met up at our favorite Georgian restaurant for mass quantities of hachapuri and other tasty food. The best way to describe hachapuri is think quesadilla, only cheesier. Instead of a tortilla think flat bread. It is the best comfort food to provide relief from a long, long journey such as the one we just endured. Our dear brother Paul Laschanov and his son Michael, our dear sisters Irina Volhonskaya and Renata Germolid, also ate with us, and as Texans say "we put it away." After dinner we went our separate ways. Rick and I made a quick in-and-out to the corner grocery store for some bottled water. I crashed before Rick who was still going strong at 1:30am. Rick the bold.

Yesterday morning we met for breakfast at the Grand Cafe, another ritual. Since it was Friday everyone was either at work or at the university, so the only friend who showed up to meet us was Kate Turapina (formerly Alifanova, but she married a year ago this month). You may remember Kate, she is the young lady who stayed with our family during the summer of 2008. After breakfast she took me to the local bank to exchange dollars for roubles, and we're set to meet next week at her and her husband's apartment for some dinner. The rest of the day was getting accustomed to the time change, more grocery shopping, unpacking, and...nap. Two hour nap which made me feel a lot better.

Last night we were invited to dinner at the home of Lera and her mother. Homemade borscht, salads, cheese, sausage, bread, and other tasty food. Lera was also one of our former students who spent two summers in Coppell and is a delightful young lady. Her mother, Galia, was all smiles and made us feel at home. Really, truly, made us feel right at home.

David arrived last night about 9pm so the gang's all here. It's good to have him here. He was dog tired but this morning was up before me!

This is not the most riveting news you will have read today. This I know. Blogs are supposed to be more informative, or at least more entertaining, but our first few days here are pretty uneventful while we adjust to the 9-hour time difference.

I have been praying every day, many times during the day, for God to show me the way here. I was in the market yesterday wandering up and down the aisles, and as I walked I prayed. Not that I was looking for any, but there were no Emmaus moments. Just people hurrying about with their lives. Tomorrow is another day.

More later from the Motherland.

Salt and light.

Mike