| Allison is now with us for the holidays.
She has made it through her first term at Carleton College. She
has worked very hard, studying like she has never had to study before,
but has also found time to enjoy other aspects of college life.
In some ways, I think it has been more of an adjustment for us than
for her. She was already used to not having her parents nearby.
Allison is not a good correspondent. Last year, the friends who
took care of her kept us up to date. Now we have long periods of
silence. We have had to adjust to not hearing from or about her.
We do trust her to make good choices, but we feel so much more out
of touch.
Al began teaching this fall at the mission school that the girls
attend. He is teaching mathematics, which he loves and he enjoys
working with the young people. Still, it has meant a good deal
of adjustment. I now do nearly all the traveling. The girls don't
like it, but they have gotten used to it. We realized early in
the school year that it was important for me to try to limit the
traveling to one trip a month when possible (it isn't always possible).
It has been a challenge to keep each other up to date on schedule
demands, meetings that we now attend separately, and our individual
understanding of priorities. Al is able to manage some of the
meetings in Moscow and he makes many of the phone calls. We have
to work harder at communicating, but that is a good thing.
Our work has begun evolving in new directions. The Twinning Program
has been expanded this year to include churches of ELKRAS (the
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Russia and Other States), as well
as churches in Belarus. With the addition of ELKRAS partners,
the program now includes the three churches that were well established
in Russia prior to the revolution. In Belarus, the partnerships
are both with Baptist and Orthodox churches. There are also possibilities
for partnerships with ELKRAS churches there, as well as with a
small Reformed presence, but our work in that country has only
just begun. We are at the relationship-building stage. Working
with the different churches has been an area of significant stretching
for both of us. Each is culturally quite different and they don't
really communicate very well with each other. As many of you have
probably read, there have been significant problems with dialogue
and inter-church relations this year in this part of the world.
We believe that we are called to stand here among our brothers
and sisters in Christ, open to and in dialogue with each of them
as they struggle to find ways to be in dialogue with each other.
Sometimes the stretching is strenuous.
Ellen has made four trips to Belarus this year, getting to know
the people and work of the Belarussian Round Table for Inter-Church
Aid, an ecumenical organization with Orthodox, Baptist, Lutheran,
Reformed, and Bible Society representation. Working in partnership
with the Belarussian Round Table, our work has moved off in some
other new directions. Ellen, along with colleague Gary Payton
(PC(USA)'s regional facilitator for Russia, Belarus and the Ukraine),
has worked hard this year to become familiar with the projects
of the Round Table. The PC(USA) is finding ways to connect there,
focusing primarily on the needs of the victims of Chernobyl and
the rapidly growing HIV/AIDS epidemic. We are broadening our understanding
of the health issues that face Belarus and all the countries of
the former Soviet Union. We are stretching.
Soon Allison will return to the U.S. We are moving from Advent,
preparing for His coming, into Christmas. Here we will celebrate
Christmas twice, for many of our partners celebrate Christmas
by the Orthodox calendar (on January 7). New Year's is also celebrated
twice, as the old calendar (the Julian Calendar) is still honored
here. Our thoughts and prayers will be with you all on the far
side of the ocean as you too enter this joyful season.
But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you
good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today
in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ
the Lord."
We ask for your prayers for our partners here who work to preach
that good news to all the people. There are so many obstacles
and difficulties, but they are not afraid. Please pray also for
inter-church dialogue. We are brothers and sisters in Christ and
the problems that face this region need united efforts. Finally,
we ask for your prayers for our family as Allison returns to the
states again and as we move forward into another year.
Peace and blessings,
Ellen & Al Smith
The 2003 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 94
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