October 4, 2003

Contrasts

Dear Friends,

Usually contrasts are a good thing. They add to the rich tapestry of life. Sometimes they are a stain or tear in that tapestry.

Last weekend, Al and I traveled to Belarus with a group from Madison Presbyterian Church of Madison, North Carolina, for their first visit to their partner, an Orthodox church in a village just outside of Minsk. I had visited the church a couple of times, and I knew how warm and welcoming the priest was, but I still didn't know what to expect from this visit. Our first attempt at partnering in Belarus, our first attempt at partnering with an Orthodox church, and Al's first trip to Belarus, a lot of firsts were involved in this trip. Communication had been harder than usual because of the challenges of contact with a village (no email!). I had been assured that someone would be there to meet us at the train. Father Sergei's warm welcome as we exited the car wiped away my concerns and I began to feel the joy I always feel when I am among my friends in Belarus.

We spent three days with the “Church in Honor of the Birth of the Mother of God” in Tarasovo. The openness of this congregation and the warmth of their reception were extraordinary. We worshiped with them, we ate with them, we talked and we laughed. We celebrated the bonds we have in Christ, and felt surrounded by the warmth of Christian love. Orthodox worship is of course very different from our own Reformed traditions, but I recognized familiar parts and certainly felt a part of a Christian community. We have much to learn from one another, and this was the beginning.

As we walked along to the platform to catch the train for departure, Father Sergei pulled me aside for a moment. He too had been concerned about this visit. He hadn't known what to expect from a bunch of Presbyterians. He wanted to tell me how much they had enjoyed this group; they had felt what we had felt.

And now for another contrast. I'm not even sure what yesterday was the 10th anniversary of, but I will not soon forget the march I witnessed here in Moscow. I was trying to get across the river to a restaurant to meet Al, our girls and two of Emma's little friends so that we could celebrate her seventh birthday

As I reached the bus stop at Park Kultury, policemen were lining the street, blocking the lane in front of me, pushing the traffic further and further away from the curb. This, of course, created a bottleneck. Looking up the street at the approaching bus, I wondered how we were going to get to it when it finally reached the stop. Looking in the other direction, I realized that it would be a long wait. Coming across the bridge that I wanted to cross was a column of marchers. I realized that the demonstration that Al had told me about at Oktyabrskaya was not staying put, it was on the move. As it approached, the first thing I saw was a protrait of Joseph Stalin being carried by an old man. I was shocked. You don't see images of Stalin in Moscow. As the parade moved past I recognized the usual assortment of elderly Communists. Their system betrayed them, but they have not yet given up. As the column continued I was surprised by the number of demonstrators. Then, two groups approached that did not fit the usual mold. The first carried red flags with a white circle and, in black, AKM. The K was formed by the image of an AK47 assault rifle. These were young people. Some of them wore scarves over their faces. The second group, also young, carried similar flags, red field with a white circle and a black hammer and sickle. As they passed me, they began shouting "Slava Nazii" (“Praise to the Nazis”) and raising their fists in the air. It was sickening. I found myself stepping back from this image, even though these groups were flanked by police officers and riot police. It was hate.

I have known about the Neo-Nazis in Moscow and Russia. As I stood there within a few feet of their ranks, I found myself praying and hoping that Al and those four little girls were not also witnesses of this ugliness.

As we celebrate World Communion Sunday tomorrow, let us remember the unity we have in Christ Jesus and give thanks to God, for it is our hope in the midst of the hate of this world. That hatred is not limited to Moscow or Russia. It is global. May our global Christian fellowship be the stronger voice.

May the peace and blessings of our Lord be with each of you.

Yours in Christ,

Ellen & Al

The 2003 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 94