Easter

It’s been an interesting experience celebrating holidays in a different country…good interesting, not bad interesting, however. This past Sunday we celebrated Orthodox Easter–one week later than Protestant Easter. I met one of my students and some of his friends at 10:30pm on Saturday night, and we walked to the big Orthodox church about 15 minutes away. When we arrived there were cars everywhere and people everywhere. At first, we went inside, where there are tons of beautiful icons and fresco-like things painted on the walls and ceilings, and found a good place to stand. (In Orthodox churches outside of America, there are no seats or pews. Everyone stands throughout the entire liturgy. I don’t know how the old ladies do it!) People kept piling inside, and it was getting rather tight, so we decided to join the rest of the congregants outside.

There was a video screen for the people outside to see what was happening inside. We stood and listened and watched. The whole thing was quite beautiful—different men church leaders chanting scriptures and prayers, women and men singing responses, people moving around with incense and prayers blessing different things. It’s a beauty often left out of Protestant churches and services. And then, at midnight came the climax of the service. A procession of deacons led by the patriarch, I believe, followed by other church leaders and congregants marched out of the church to bells marking the beginning of Resurrection Sunday. When they made it outside they did a giant loop around the congregation, and there was definitely a spirit of celebration about the crowd.

Then the procession reached the steps of the church and the patriarch swung the thing of incense around and said “He is risen!” and we said “He is risen indeed!” This went on a number of times before he went to the front doors of the church, knocked on them, the doors were open (in a way symbolizing the opening of the tomb), and he entered the church building followed still by the procession. It was truly a beautiful service, and I’m truly glad to have experienced it. It makes me think about the way we often celebrate these kinds of holidays in America.

We left shortly after and followed the crowd out. The lady I was following, as she was holding a candle, accidently lit her hair on fire. It didn’t burn too much, but it was kind of funny.

So happy Easter to you! Here’s to the one who, rather than taking up arms took up a cross to defeat evil and bring us life. Here’s to the one who, rather than bearing a sword bore our shame. Here’s to the one who died a seemingly foolish death defying the kingdom of the world’s ideas of success and victory. For as we know and find undeniable hope in, his death was not his defeat; it was death’s defeat. And we thank him for defeating death, which festers inside of all of us, without arms but with his own blood. And we know that the grave did not hold him, nor shall it hold us to whom he offers that great gift of victory.

He is risen! He is risen indeed!

Tea Party?

I think we Americans have a serious problem with instant gratification. While Bush was spending billions of dollars each month to “liberate” Iraq our mouths were shut because we didn’t feel the pinch in our pockets at the moment. We had the gratification that we so desire—even though it was a false gratification. Now, Obama—who’s been in office for only a few months—is spending billions, and we are up in arms throwing tea parties. It’s an interesting concept, but to me it just proves how fickle and selfish we are.

Sure, it’s okay if we support our president going to war and killing hundreds of thousands of people, just as long as it doesn’t strain us financially at the moment and the battle is in the name of “liberation’. But when it comes to some liberal raising taxes forcing us to take more money from our fat wallets, then, oh no, we must fight this evil. Let me ask, what is more evil: higher taxes or killing innocent people? Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar. Give to God what belongs to God. Our money bears the image of our Caesars, but we bear the image of God. What’s more important? What should we be working to protect?

I am as guilty as any for I too initially supported Bush in is war to “free” Iraq. I used to believe that America was the last greatest hope for the world, that we could offer freedom, and that democracy was ultimate existence, but then I came to realize that I cannot serve two masters. I had forgotten about this simple statement made by my true Lord—who is our only hope, who can offer true freedom, and in whose kingdom lies ultimate existence.

“What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans and the homeless, whether the made destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty or democracy?” – Mahatma Gandhi

And then I would add, What difference does it make to God whether his image, his creation is destroyed in the in the name of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty or democracy?

Beginning of April

April is off to a good start. The last couple of weeks have been really enjoyable in the classroom, and spring seems to be here for good (I think I might have said that in my last post, but hopefully this time it’s for real). Today I walked to Maikakduk, as usual, and I enjoyed a dry, somewhat cool walk.

Earlier this week one of our national friends took us to a Korean restaurant to try something I’d never eaten before–dog! And, may I say, I was pleasantly surprised. It was good. We had 3 different dishes that used dog meat. The 1st was a blood sausage. The 2nd was dog soup, and the third was a heavily spiced bowl of dog ribs and liver. All in all, it was a fun time with our student experiencing something very new.

Life feels pretty normal these days…it has for a while now. I have a pretty solid routine established: I go to bed around 12 each night and wake up at 8 each morning. Mon-Thurs I teach from 4:30-7:45. Tues and Thurs I have Russian language lessons. Wed I teach an English club for 2 hours. Fri morning I walk to Maikaduk, and then in the evening we have guy students come to our place and play games. Sat I walk to the bazaar and eat some delicious food then play either kind of football. Sun is chrch.

In a couple weeks Erich and I are going to go to Kyrgyzstan and meet up with some of the other American teachers there. We plan to get into the mountains a bit. I’m really excited to see some elevation variation.

Also, I’ve decided to stay home rather than return to KZ in the fall. I can’t completely say why I’ve chosen this, but it feels like the right thing to do at this point.

Blessings and peace