Settling Into Moldova

Nathan and I arrived back in Chisinau Moldova about supper time on Saturday. Just before dark, we decided to walk in the direction of the city center, partly for simple exploration (we haven't been more than a few blocks away, except in a crowded van or bus), and partly to get our bearings. We were both confident that we are south of the center, so we started walking north. Made a kilometer or more, and seemed to be approaching the edge of town. Decided that our flat must be on the southeast corner, so we headed west, supposing that we would then run into more of the city. No luck. Turns out we are on the northeast side of town. We eventually made it nearly to the center, but still didn't quite find it, and with the help of a bus, found our way back to the McDonalds near our flat where we got our supper (today we finally found a city map, with which we feel much better oriented...we bought one each).

McDonalds is a bit different here. For starters, they serve beer. The other difference is the clientele. McDonalds prices are pretty expensive for your average eastern European, and especially so for residents of Moldova. So the only ones who frequent the place are the few who are wealthy (most everyone in Moldova is quite poor...but then there are the few who were positioned well to enrich themselves when the change in government came some years ago). On Saturday evening, it was full of the wealthy, as could be seen by simply checking the parking lot and watching the drive-thru: late model Audis, BMWs, Mercedes, and Range Rovers. We on the other hand had walked 4-5 km to get there!

They have better restaurants however. Today, just before the departure of Brace and Larry for their return to the States, the four of us went to a restaurant downtown where Brace had once eaten on an earlier trip. Nathan had lamb. I had pork cutlet and stuffed eggplant. All very good. The service was better than any restaurant I think I've ever been in. The customary greeting just inside the door is with cups of wine for men, and flowers for ladies (he seemed a bit aloof when we didn't take the wine). Napkins on the table forming little cones, starched beyond belief. Waiters who speak four or five langauges, dressed in traditional Moldovan costume. We had some extras such as special teas and desserts, and the bill for four was about $45. Still, we'll probably eat there again only once before we leave. It's just so far above the average Moldovan's ability.

Sunday morning we were outside at 6:40 am to be picked up by Second Serghei in his van, with First Serghei and his sister already on board. Nathan and Brace and I joined the group for the ride to Balti to meet with the assembly there, made up almost entirely by women. They meet in the home of Vera (sp?), the lady standing next to me -on a chair- in the photo. She is exuberant and a very likable person. Standing between Nathan and me is Serghei Corcimaru (first Serghei).

One big problem in Balti has been jealousy over the benevolence given to them by American brethren, through the hands of Serghei. Serghei is tasked with the difficult job of giving those funds to the various saints there and elsewhere according to their need, deciding who is really in need and who is not. Some appear to be more interested in the financial help than in spiritual things, and become jealous when they think they need something more than another. At least a couple of them are suspected by the others to be attending mainly for the purpose of getting this financial help. All this has created friction within the group, and in Serghei's description, the financial help turns their interest to physical needs and clouds their interest in spiritual things. On this Sunday, Brace presented a very good lesson on gratitude and serving even in difficulties, and I presented a lesson on the miracles of Jesus (a previous question of theirs), focusing on the idea that the real purpose of the miracles wasn't to solve all the physical problems of everyone; in addition to being evidence, those miracles taught something about the nature of the real purpose of Christ: healing our spiritual blindness, cleansing us of spiritual disease. At the close, Serghei made an annoucement concerning the benevolence he had been providing: that it must cease. He told them he would like to help them in both ways, spiritual needs and physical needs, but that the provision of physical assistance was interfering with their ability to receive spiritual help...and so he must choose one or the other; that being the case, he said his choice had to be spiritual assistance alone (except in exceptional cases). I could see in the faces of a couple of them that they were not at all happy about this (and at least one of those two is one whom the others suspect of being mainly motivated by financial help); but others seemed to understand.

Later in the day we were back here in Chisinau to meet with the local assembly, where Brace and Larry presented their final lessons before returning to the States.

Today, Monday, is in Serghei's words our Day of Rest. No studies. Thus the trip to the center and shopping, and the restaurant described above. This evening though, Serghei's nephew came over to the flat Nathan and I are sharing. Dennis (the English form of his name) is a very bright 14 year old, a Christian, and speaking English just about as well as Serghei himself. But he has never really learned to sing, so I had offered last evening to give him some singing lessons tonight in exchange for some Russian lessons, or as he calls them, our singing Russian lessons. He saw for the first time that he can sing and sound good, and is eager for more help in the coming weeks. Nathan had been writing on the computer a few feet away, when he surprised us with the flash of the camera while Dennis was helping me with Russian. One other note: Dennis led Nathan and me in prayer this evening, in which he included, "...and we pray for the kids who are on the street, and cold, that You will help them and comfort them, and let them be warm."

Getting Caught Up

Okay, this is the fourth entry I've written today, in an effort to get my blogging caught up to the calendar. I could have put it all in one entry, except uploading pictures takes forever with dial-up, so it's easier to get it done in separate entries. SO...to read these in chronological order, scroll down to the entry entitled "Long Time, No Blog," and work your way up from there.

Additionally, I need to contact some of you. Would John Lawrence, Noemie Arrellano, and Ryan Gilchrest each email me. Thanks! (I don't have email addresses with me)

Catching Up: Wednesday-Saturday

Our host in South Bohemia (the region of CZ where I lived) was Roman Vacha, a very good friend of mine, but not a Christian. In addition to looking forward to seeing him, I was hoping to renew our conversations about God and the Bible. The latter was only minimally realized. Roman simply doesn't think God exists, and believes he is too busy to spend much time investigating the possibility. Busy he is...but not too busy for that. We did enjoy seeing one another again though.

For our second day there, Roman had a trip planned for Nathan and me. We went at midday by car to Kvilda with bikes mounted on top; then rode some 20 kilometers one-way: through Sumava (nearly equivalent to the Blue Ridge Mountains), crossing the border into Germany; stopped along the way to pick and eat a few wild blueberries from the low-growing blueberry bushes that cover the forest floor; through the German town of Finsterau, and up the lower reaches of Luzny mountain, and then hiked the rest of the way up to the peak, for really great views. The biking trail was not along a ridge, meaning lots of ascents and descents...of course mostly ascents. Nathan and I were both beat by the end of the day, me worse than him. As I told Roman during the ride, when I lived over here for 5 years, I had European legs (lots of walking and riding kept them in good shape), but I unfortunately have American legs these days. Still, it was a great trip and a great day, some 40 km round trip. Near the end of the ride, we stopped at the source of the Vltava River which runs through the Czech Republic, including through the city I used to live in and through the heart of Prague. The spring was bubbling with cold clear good tasting water. It was my third time to visit the source, and it was nearly completely dark by the time we got there. After much picture taking, Roman opened his thermos and gave us each some hot tea he had prepared that morning. Temp was down to around 40, so the tea felt good.

Thursday, Nathan and I made a hasty tour of Cesky Krumlov, crown jewel of South Bohemia. It's a small town with the Vltava winding through its heart, looping, nearly redoubling on itself three times. On the precipice above one bend of the river is the castle, overlooking the city below. And the city itself still has the feel of a town of a few hundred years ago. I'll never tire of visiting this place. Heading out the lower end of the castle grounds is a bridge over what might be called a dry moat: a depressed area where 3 bears were and are kept to guard the entrance area. But we were rushed by the time we reached this point, and took less than 10 seconds to see if the bears were in view to be photographed. Didn't see them in view so began running onward to insure we didn't miss our bus out of town. But on that bridge above the “dry moat” were two other men as well, in clothing we both found interesting: the traditional Austrian pants to just below the knees, with long thick socks all the way up. Recall we had only slowed down enough to spend not even 10 seconds “looking for the bears” and neither of us knew the other had the same additional agenda. Getting safely out of ear shot of the bridge, Nathan said as we ran, “I got two pictures of the backs of those men,” to which I replied “Oh cool! I got one of their front.” Crazy Americans.

Just catching the bus, we went to Ceske Budejovice for the afternoon and evening. Though they were unable to host us longer, Jindra and Misa Kubicek had invited us for supper (excellent gulash and dumplings), along with the mother of each of them. All four are members of the church in Ceske Budejovice, with which I used to work. Jindra and Misa were two of the ones I was closest to, and it was a memorable evening. Jindra wasn't quite home from work when we arrived, and Misa was still busy with preparations, so it was their two girls (age 7 and 4) who took us out to the garden (Czechs don't say back yard, they say garden, and this one has truly and always been a garden, full of flowers and fruits). The girls ran ahead eager to show us everything. They ran to show us the pond. And the fish in the pond. And the snail in the pond. They ran to pick us some strawberries still on the plants. They ran to show us the parakeet cage (walking inside, we found three box nests of young parakeets, nine in all). They ran ahead and came back with tomatoes off the vine for us to eat. They ran to retrieve an apple apiece for us. Such sweet little girls and fun to be with.

After supper, I asked if Jindra and his father might be willing to play for us. They regularly play together, Jindra the piano, and his father the saxophone. It was a great little private concert. Mr. Kubicek also told us about the WW2 bombs that fell in Budejovice when he was 16, and about the one that fell in their very yard (the garden we had earlier been enjoying), shaking the house and shattering all the windows. Of course I had heard the stories before, but it was great to listen to him telling them all over again in his animated way.

On Friday, it was back to Prague to be ready for our Saturday flight back to Moldova. It was a fun train ride to Prague, Nathan and I talking with 3 Czech girls in our compartment of the train, and some funny incidents along the way.

Friday evening dinner was with Honza and Pavla Novak, a great couple in the Prague church, with three great kids. Again really good food...I tend to highlight food a lot, don't I? We both ate to the point that I told Honza I felt like I was gonna make his kids go hungry, but they insisted and I happily obliged. I first met Honza on my brief initial visit to Prague in 1991, before he was married and before he was a Christian. There is now a growing maturity in the Czech churches that is good to see.

Another change among the Czechs is a growing prosperity. When I left seven years ago, these friends of mine (for the most part), rode bikes and trains and buses wherever they went. Most of their kitchens were plain little communist kitchens. Now they all have cars they use with regularity and have nicely remodeled kitchens with nice lighting fixtures and built-in dishwashers. And a few are getting out of the ubiquitous panelak apartment buildings 7-10 stories high, by building their own single-family homes. It's becoming a different world.

Saturday found us at the airport, leaving the Czech Republic until who knows when I might get to go again. I do miss that place. I told Honza Vlcek during our first daylight hours in the country, a week earlier, that I was surprised...I had forgotten how beautiful the Czech countryside is. And then there are Prague and Cesky Krumlov. But most of all, there are my friends. Some of my very best.

And now it's time for the month of work I came for. I'm back in Moldova and eager for the days ahead.

Catching Up: Sunday-Tuesday in Prague

After the morning (and only) assembly(described earlier; great to be with them again), we had a potluck with the Prague Christians (good food!), and then I met with the song leaders. After that, Nathan finally got to see Prague. Of the European cities I've seen, I have to say that Prague is the most beautiful. Staromestcke Namesti (Old Town Square), Charles Bridge (built by King Charles in 1357), Prague Castle (seat of CZ government)...great great places. Pictured is a portion of Old Town Square.

Late Sunday evening we got back to Honza and Monica's flat for the night. While we were eating supper with them, the TV was on, and it happened to be tuned to a medical show, and an operation of some sort was being shown. Monica noticed and comments were made about the not-so-appetizing nature of the program, but then Honza mentioned that in fact the operation being shown was "a eunuch surgery." Nathan and I glanced at each other, and then busted out laughing. Honza's mistake, as I quickly realized, was simply incorrect accent placement. Instead of eunuch, he meant unique..."a unique surgery." The same mistake happened once when I lived in CZ, my translator relaying the arguments of the Jehovah's Witness I was studying with as "Jesus cannot be God, because Father is eunuch in His power." It took me a while to figure it out that first time: "They said what?"

Monday we had lunch with Mike and Tatana, and I finally got to enjoy Mike's renowned ribs. Very good, and perfectly complemented by Tatana's potatoes, and typical tomato-cucumber salad. Toured around Prague some more, and then supper with Robert and Tami, who invited Honza and Monica to come also. TWO main dishes: lasagna, and a chicken-spinach casserole. All very good. But best was sitting around the table laughing with these old friends Honza and Robert, and the wives they have each taken since then.

Tuesday Nathan and I ran around Prague a little more in the morning, and then met with Roman Vacha, another old friend of mine from the area in South Bohemia near Ceske Budejovice, where I used to live. Roman took us south for a few days, but that will be my next entry.

Long Time, No Blog

It's been 6 days since my last entry. Been busy having fun in the Czech Republic. Couldn't find time to get online and post. We arrived back in Chisinau Moldova yesterday, met with the church in Balti this morning, got back about 20 minutes ago, and will leave in about 15 minutes for the assembly of the Chisinau church. I should have time this evening after 8 or 9 I suppose to bring you all up to date since my last entry.

Prague, Czech Republic

Flying from Moldova to the Czech Republic our layover time in Vienna got shortened to only 20 minutes between landing and takeoff. Got off the plane as quickly as possible, only to realize that we were not at the gate; we had to load onto a bus which would take us to the terminal, and of course the bus would wait until everybody deboarded and got on the bus. So much for the rush off the plane. Good thing we hadn't been too pushy. :) Anyway, we made the flight, our luggage didn't, but it got put on another flight just 30 to 45 minutes later.

In Prague we're staying with my good friend Honza Vlcek and the girl he met and married since I last saw him. Very good to be in their home. On Saturday we and other Christians from throughout the Czech Republic and Slovakia met together in the city of Brno for a bimonthly study. I helped Charlie Brackett in teaching about personal study. Jindra and Misa from Budejovice were not able to be there...the whole family of five is sick in bed with something like the flu. Got back to Prague on Saturday evening. On Sunday I taught the morning class on the subject of singing: it's purpose and how to make it more edifying. I had been asked to meet with the song leaders while I am here, so the class made for a good lead-in to the song leader session, which we had later Sunday afternoon. Nathan preached during the assembly period on the subject of humility.

Sunday evening Nathan and I had time to run around historic Prague for a while. It's now Monday evening. Today we toured around some more, had lunch with Mike and Tatana Morrow, and are now enjoying an evening at Robert and Tami Hodanko flat, with honza and Monica also invited. Tomorrow we'll be heading to south Bohemia to spend a couple days with a very good friend of mine who lives SW of Ceske Budejovice. Happy trails to all.

Last Study Before Prague

Second Serghei picked us up this morning at 7:40 to make the trip once again to Balti, to study with the women in the church there. There were fewer of them today than on Wednesday, but they appreciated the study. We just got back a few minutes ago (it's 2:30 pm) and it's almost time to head to the airport.

These two/three days here to learn our way around, meet the brethren, and learn where the various studies are have been useful...and full! It seems impossible that we have been here only two whole days (plus 2 parts of days). So many new experiences, new sights, how could it all have happened in so short a time? Of course we'll be heading back here for a month of work, and the other two Americans present will be leaving right after our return here. Spending time with them has been very useful for getting acquainted with things here, and I'm really looking forward to the work ahead.

For now though, it's off to the airport and a week in the Czech Republic. This week is personal time for me, though I'll be teaching on at least 4 occasions while there. It will be great to be in the country where I spent five years of my life, and to be with old friends and see the sights of Prague and South Bohemia.

I've been taking lots of pictures. I hope to get some of them in the Blog soon! Easy process, but I always have only a few minutes to update the blog and choosing pics gets eliminated! I should have more time this coming week.

Of Difficulties, Russian “Peacekeepers,” and Orphans

Last night’s appointment was with a couple (perhaps in their 60’s) who have been Christians only a short time, though they had previous affiliation with a denominational group. We briefly discussed spiritual matters, but the discussion quickly turned to other things. They live in a flat that has a bathroom and one other room. A kitchen down the hall is shared by 6 such flats. She has her own health problems, but his are more urgent. Due to gangrene he lost his left leg from the knee down. Gangrene is in his right foot also now, and it appears he will lose that foot as well. Their pension is $70 per month. It should be more, but the state personnel who assigned them their status for help gave them class 2 instead of their deserved class 1, so that they would bribe him to put them in class 1. Such is the world where communism has had (and still has) its influence. Serghei has been given funds for such purposes, and supplements their income.

This morning it was off to the Transnistria region. The Dnister River flows parallel to the eastern border, leaving a narrow strip just several miles wide between it and the border (see Moldova map link below and right). The people there are oriented heavily toward Russia, and a brief civil war was fought in the 90’s for their independence (whereas the rest of Moldova leans away from Russia). Although Transnistria is not a distinct country, it is governed independently, and a border crossing must be passed to enter the region, complete with passport checking and Russian soldiers brought in “to keep the peace:” Peacekeepers. Serghei calls them “Transnistria keepers.”

Our purpose in going had to do with 2 churches in Transnistrian cities, Benderi and Tiraspol, churches founded by institutional brethren. An institutionally oriented preacher, American, owns their meeting place, and a new one is being built. He brings in large of sums of money from the US for helping the brethren there. Banquets are funded by American churches for these brethren, who live in a region that looks like the old Soviet Union. The new building is reportedly quite an extravagant structure. It’s heady stuff for them. Several of them have problems with the preacher supported by institutional brethren, but in a sense they are bought and paid for by all the money from America. We went today, with news that both the local preacher and the American preacher would be at the study that Serghei usually conducts with several of the Christian from those two churches. They were there, and we were able to compel the local institutional preacher to renounce some things that he has reportedly taught, things that appear to have been used (if used at all) to keep the brethren submissively under his control. Whether he actually taught these views we are uncertain (it may have been a misunderstanding), but if he did teach them, at least it will be very difficult for him to now re-introduce those ideas once he has now clearly renounced them.

Leaving the area, Brace wanted a picture of a certain castle, which, unfortunately for photographic purposes, is now part of a military base there. Pictures are “frowned upon.” Seghei said that if caught, arrests were not unlikely, and beatings would follow. ….so we had to take them discreetly. J Of course it was not until after we passed it, taking pictures from the car with cameras just above window level, that Serghei mentioned beatings. I had taken four as we passed, hoping one would be good. So with the news of beatings, Brace and I started erasing all but the best one, which could be quickly deleted if anyone started asking questions! Of course, we crossed the border without difficulty.

Coming back into town we stopped at an orphanage that Serghei and others have visited in times past. Brace in particular has visited there, and later sent them funds collected from individual Christians in America. As a result, their already scheduled “Teachers’ Day” activities were delayed until our arrival, so that they could include us. The kids performed for the teachers and us: readings, music, a skit, etc. I’ll write more about this later, but have no more time right now. I also wanted to write about the concentration camp survivor we met, but that will have to wait as well.

This evening we are invited to Serghei and Anna’s flat for a social gathering of the Christians here, and it’s time to go.

On The Ground

I’ve finally found a chance to get online! Our flights went well, though in Budapest Hungary the girl at checkin looked at our tickets, did some checking,and told us “It is cancelled” “Our tickets are cancelled??” “No, the flight is cancelled.” But she said she could give us standby tickets for the same flight. (???) I asked about our luggage - “Yes, it is all on the plane” Anyway, we eventually got on the plane and all was well. We arrived here at 3:30 pm local time, having gotten no sleep that night on the plane, and with little sleep the nights previous. My possible sleeping time on the plane was spent talking with a young Romanian who currently lives in Atlanta. He taught me some Romanian, and we talked about faith and many other things as well. We’ll be in touch when we both get back to Georgia

Serghei met us at the airport, and it was great to see him again after 8 years. He showed us the shopping possibilities in our neighborhood, we bought some groceries, and by then it was time for a Bible study at the meeting place of the church here. Exhausted, I was glad that two other men visiting and teaching here were already responsible to lead the discussion that evening, though Serghei had fun scaring me that he wanted me to teach that night. Brace Rutledge and Larry Paden are here but will soon be heading back to the States. Brace presented a lesson, which was followed by much discussion and many questions. Soon the questions were on completely unrelated topics, and there was a lengthy discussion of wine and alcohol with two different views being presented. I hope to further this discussion in coming weeks.

Nathan and I both noticed something we thought was quite significant; that although opposing views were being advocated, and strongly so, that these brethren were just as warm and friendly with each other following the study as they had been upon their arrival for the study. It was wonderful. A number of brethren could stand to learn some things from their example.

We finally got home, got to sleep, and got some good rest.

We were up again at 6:30 a.m. to be ready for a trip to go to a city in northwestern Moldova today. Larry, Brace, Nathan and I were driven there by a second Serghei in his van (his job is hauling loads of whatever somebody wants hauled, thus he owns the van). Although Second Serghei was at the study the previous night, I had not had a chance to get to know him, so the drive back and forth today was a good opportunity. Without exception, it is always a joy to get to know the Christians of Eastern Europe.

The city where this morning’s study was is Balti, in northwestern Moldova (see map link at right). There is a church there consisting entirely of women, though one man was present for the study, along with about 7 women. Brace again led the discussion, and they also had questions. We have another study in an hour and a half, at 6pm, with one of the older ladies in the church here.

Interesting sights on the highway to Balti. I’ll share one with you. Very frequently along the road, we would see a cow or bull resting or standing eating right at the road’s edge. People who own cattle, maybe one or two or three, but who don’t own land (or possibly for other reasons also), tie them up on the public easement along the highway so they can graze some there.

Moldova is so much poorer than much of eastern Europe, and certainly moreso than the Czech Republic where I previously lived. I am told that one reason for this is that foreign companies are unwilling to come in, due to the lack of contract law here. Those in power would apparently rather continue the system of bribery that prevailed for so long in so many of these countries.

I hope to do some teaching before leaving for the Czech Republic on Friday, but if not, these two or three days were really just for getting a feel for things, learning my way around, and settling in. We’ll be back here after a week in CZ, and I’ll have more teaching opportunities then than I can handle.

It’s GREAT to be here. It’s a joy, and it’s a good work. See you back here again soon.

About to Fly Out

This is just a brief entry to welcome you all to my blog. My nephew Nathan and I should be leaving the house around 8:30 in the morning (monday morning), take care of a couple of errands, and eventually get to the Atlanta airport and take off at 2 pm. In true Smelser fashion, I'm way behind and rushing to get things done. Sorry fellow Smelsers, but you know it's true. Our arrival in Chisinau Moldova will be 3:30 pm Tuesday (8:30 am Tuesday here in Georgia), after stops in New York's JFK and in Budapest (where Nathan and I have a 4 hour layover...just long enough to get to the town center for a bit and then back to the airport). Should have some interesting tales to tell by the time we get on the ground in Moldova...if I have immediate internet access. Hope you'll check back.

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