A fat cat in a pot:
A Postcard from Estonia — Moving Ahead
Olga and I have spent some time in Estonia recently. Dave Hulley (seated at left, below), the board chair of Stoneworks International, was here to learn about our new work. It was good to introduce him to our many new friends in Estonia; Dave then spent time Russia visiting with folks there. This weekend leaders from a ministry in the UK will meet us in Estonia to learn more about our projects and how we partner together.
We are in a planning stage for a few upcoming projects in Estonia. I met with Artur Põld (seated in front, below) to discuss the center for disabled children we plan to start in Jõhvi, Estonia. The original lot we hoped for is not available, but we looked at other properties and talked about various aspects of the project. In addition to discussions about the building and legal issues, I’m helping coordinate experts in the USA who will help plan programs for the children, and the architect has begun preliminary planning. I’ll meet with the architect on Monday.
We also visited Camp Gideon (above, note the beautiful Gulf of Finland in the background) and spoke about short-term evangelical mission teams that will serve there in July and August.
The very best part of the trip has been the deepening of relationships. We had a very good time of prayer with several members of the church (below). It is very good to walk with people and see how God is working in their lives. Most of all, we’re thankful for the good relationships God is giving us.
Sunrise, Sunset
This is something I’ve thought about fairly often but could never really visualize, until now.
Below are two Sun Path Diagrams, one for St. Petersburg, Russia and one for Athens, Georgia, my home towns. They show the sun path and sunrise and sunset on the longest and shortest days of the year. (I got them here.)
Here’s the key — the Green line is the path of the sun on the June 21 (the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere); the Blue line is the path of the sun on December 21 (the shortest day). The Orange line is for November 9, 2010.
Saint Petersburg:
So you can see a few interesting things —
In St. Pete on June 21 sunrise is at 4:35am (rising in the NE) and sunset is at 11:26pm (in the NW). The sun at its height is at about 50 degrees. Look at the path of the sun. It’s really amazing, so very different from what I grew up with (below).
On December 21 sunrise is 10am (in the SE) and sunset is at 3:54pm (in the SW). With the sun only about 8 degrees above the horizon max. That doesn’t give much sunshine!
And for fun here is Tulcán, Ecuador, VERY close to the equator:
And here is Inari, Finland, in Lapland, above the Arctic Circle:
The sun doesn’t rise on December 21, and it doesn’t set on June 21. Very cool. I’d love to go there sometime.
A Snapshot from Finland
I chopped some firewood today. It was good to be in the cold air doing some physical work.
I know of a small hunting cabin in the Adirondacks that has a sign over the fireplace: “He who cuts his own wood is twice warmed”. In Finnish it’s “Ken omat puunsa pilkkoo, sen tulee kahdesti lämmin”.
I experienced that truth today. I was warm chopping it and now I’m warm by the fire.
I know it’s a bad picture; sorry about that.
Snow At Koppero
This was the view outside this morning here in Finland — wet snow, but it didn’t stick.
10 Years Ago
Ten years ago, I left the U.S. on November 2 and arrived in Russia on November 3. I did not know how long I would be in Russia. All I knew is that I was to be part of a team to start a Russian charity (now known as MIR) and help run it for a while.
Over this past decade, God has been teaching me lessons. Some of which I’ve learned and some of which He continues to teach, to get them through my thick head. I am, even at my age, still a child in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Here are a few thoughts as I reflect back — Continue reading
Dog and Escalator
I’m a sucker for a cute mutt. You can see more animal fun here.
This doggie was confused by the escalator:
A Snapshot from Estonia
Today we visited the Keila Waterfall west of Tallinn. It’s the second largest waterfall in Estonia, having a 6 meter drop. The water volume is down now, but it really roars during snow-melt.
A Snapshot from Estonia
Tallinn’s Town Hall on the main square in the old city. Town Hall (Tallinna raekoda) is over 600 years old (c.1402) and retains its original form. It is the only gothic style town hall in Northern Europe.
150 years ago — Report of Russian secret police
It’s remarkable to me how many of these themes continue to affect Russia, 150 years later.
from De Rebus Antiquis Et Novis:
Since 1827, The Third Section of His Imperial Majesty’s Own Chancellery produced special reports for the tsar, describing the moral and political situation in the Russian society. Four years ago, a large share of these reports was published by the Russian State Archive. Below are some short excerpts from the report summarizing the events of 1860, 150 years ago. Five years had passed since the coronation of Alexander II and only one year remained till the most important act of liberalism in Russia in 19th century (the last three words were, probably, not necessary).
Moral and political review of 1860
On revolutionary projects
For thirty years already, the aggregations of political emigrants in England, France, Belgium and Switzerland have constituted the source of all destructive projects in Europe. The revolutionary propaganda was led by Joseph Mazzini, the tireless advocate of the Italian freedom and the universal republic, in which this dreamer sees the future of the humanity…
The bombs, thrown in 1858 in Paris by Orsini, have proven the extreme danger of the ideas of the emancipation of Italy for the French throne…
Politicians see in the preparations for the popular resistance certain signs of the upcoming merge of the Italian question with the Hungarian, Polish and the Eastern questions. The future may confirm this guess, but it is already clearly seen that the tools chosen for these plans prove their revolutionary and democratic nature.
On Polish expatriates
The Polish emigrants include the expatriates of 1832 and 1848. The former, due to their number and influence, are more important than the latter, who mostly left Poland in young age, because of their inclination to life of leisure, without strict political principles…
According to the directions given in the speech [by Adam Czartoryski], instructions were sent to the Poles in the Tsardom to do nothing till the liberation of peasants […] but that they should make the Polish peasants believe that the Polish aristocrats forced the Tsar to liberate them. Continue reading
Mike and Olga Cantrell 