September 16, 2001

Dear Friends and Family,

We have be in touch with some of you over the past week, but with many of you we have not been in touch for a considerable time. We don’t forget about you ever, we have just been quite busy after a very busy summer. We wanted to find a moment now to reach out to you all and share with you the love and prayerful support that has been extended to us from our Russian friends and colleagues. We have received e-mails and phone calls expressing their
condolences and concern, and we have had many conversations on the street. I saw our landlord at the metro the other day, and he was so very upset about what had happened in the U.S. and wanted to be sure that our family was okay. Many people have put out flowers and candles at the U.S. embassy, and many are praying for America.

We had a group arrive from the United States the day of the disaster. After standing in line in customs for about three and a half hours, we got them to the hotel in time to see the first footage of the disaster. We were all stunned. The violence against America has clouded a long-anticipated trip. They have been worried because they knew that their families were worried. Now they worry because the situation for flying back into the United States is so
uncertain. It is difficult for us to get complete information. One couple was scheduled to fly out today via Czech Airlines. Czech Airlines in Moscow has not been answering the phone, and when I went to find their office, the street
numbers in the phone book did not exist. Finally, they called the office in Prague yesterday and got some encouraging information. They will fly to Prague this afternoon and hope to leave for Newark tomorrow as scheduled. Please pray for their safe and timely return home. The rest of the group is scheduled to fly out on Wednesday, September 19. Currently, they are out in
various cities, big and small, in the provinces, visiting their partner churches. Please pray that they are able to quiet the worry and accomplish what they came to do—to get to know the people and church that they are now partnered with. We know that they are all in good hands. They have all felt safe in Russia. Tomorrow they return to Moscow. We will have time to talk with them about what they experienced and they will have time to digest it a little before they return to the U.S. Please pray for their safe return tomorrow and on Wednesday.

As our country has grieved, we have grieved with you. Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with you.

Peace and blessings,

Ellen & Al Smith