July 17 - Traveling Back to Winnipeg Part 1

Around 2:30 this morning I decided to lay down for a nap before having to leave at 4:00am. When my alarm went off at 3:45 I definitely did not want to get up!

It was sweet because a bunch of the girls got up with us to say goodbye again, even though we all said goodbye last night. 

So now I am starting off on my 30 hours of traveling home...I didn't want to leave Russia, but I also can't wait to get home. All of this travel time is TORTURE! :)

But all of this time also gives me a chance to reflect on this experience. 

One of the great things I learned was when I just arrived at OM in Novosibirsk. I was exhausted, not feeling well, and just all around cry baby-ish from the cancellations and delays in my trip. Kristina told me that she believes when Satan knows that something good is going to happen, he throws things in our way, trying to stop us. That really helped me to put all of the challenges throughout the mission trip into perspective. I no longer felt sorry for myself that all of these things were happening, but I felt absolutely wonderful that he could not stop me. So the flight problems, the yucky beds, the scary toilet and shower, the bed bugs, the outhouse in Yashkeno - all of these things could have made me have a miserable time, but because I know that with God I am stronger than that, I not only survived but thrived. I was constantly reminded of that saying: "Be the kind of woman who, when you get out of bed, the devil says, "Crap! She's up!"

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." - James 1:2-3, 12

Another valuable thing I've learned on this trip is that I can go anywhere in the world and find family in Christ. Language doesn't matter. Smiles are smiles, laughter is laughter, tears are tears, and God is God. I am amazed that even though we couldn't verbally understand each other, I still found amazing friends whom I love so, so, so much. And even working with the kids was great because they just don't care what language you speak! They just hang off your arm and love you right back.

One of the problems with short term missions, however, is that you form such amazing relationships and then you have to leave. It is neat that I have friends in so many different parts of the world, but that closeness is so hard to keep once you are apart. Hopefully thanks to email, Facebook and Skype I will be able to keep my new friends close! Myself, Olga and Arisha already have plans to Skype together. Olga will help me to learn more Russian, and I will help Arisha to learn more English. Her and I have vowed that by next summer when I come back I will be able to speak to her in Russian and she will be able to speak to me in English. I'm already quite surprised at how many words I know! I am definitely going to miss hearing the beautiful Russian language when I get home. 

OK, I just have to say...I am in the Moscow airport and really needed a chocolate fix. So I went to this coffee place and got a bottle of water, fruit leather, and this chocolate slice thing. I sat down to enjoy my lovely chocolate when my taste buds were insulted by the presence of...RAISINS! Who puts raisins in chocolate cake? Just saying. So alas, my chocolate fix was not what I had hoped. Woe is me. 

Now I am on the flight from Moscow to Toronto. It feels like it is never going to end! I thought that it must be almost over by now, only to realize I still have another 4 out of the 10 hours yet. The pilot just announced that we are flying over Finland right now! I keep trying to read, watch a movie or play games but I can't keep my eyes open! But when I go to sleep, it's only for a few minutes at a time. Grrr. I'll be looking forward to being in my bed tonight! 15 hours to go!

OK I just stood up at my seat to take a stretch, and noticed that there is a teeny weeny dog on the seat in front of me! It is so adorable. His owner is sleeping in the seat next to him, and on the puppy's seat there is a puppy pad (in case of accidents), a water bowl and food in a bag. He actually bought the seat for his dog! While I was standing looking at him, he did the classic turn arounds before having a poop on the seat. The owner is still asleep - if I had a plastic bag I'd just bag it up so that it doesn't smell, but I don't! Yes, I think about many strange things when I am traveling for so long! Haha :)

I wonder why the flight from Toronto to Moscow was only 8 hours, but it is 10 hours going back...

Now I'm sitting at the Toronto airport - I just had the most AMAZING roasted vegetable pizza! Oh pizza, how I've missed you!! I have an 8 hour wait until my short flight back home! What to do...what to do...