Come before Winter ~ Peterhof, RussiaSeptember, 2007
The following was written by Mariana Long.
(Apologies for the formatting of this post. I have spent hours trying to make it look as nice as Mariana's actual report, but alas Blogger is not very nice and won't let me. It's still an incredible report. Enjoy!)
Two weeks before leaving for St. Petersburg, Russia, the Come before Winter suitcase that I was to check with my luggage was delivered to my house. I was a bit taken aback when I saw the inventory list. Along with other gifts, I was taking thirty-five Bibles in this small suitcase into Russia with me. Memories were triggered!
September, 1963. Roy, Brother R. J. Smith and I were preparing to go to Poland. The phenomenal “Iron Curtain” was still fresh in world news. It stretched all around the north, east and south borders of Austria – only 30 miles from Vienna where we lived. As we packed the car to make the trip, Bibles were carefully laid in the bottom of the trunk. Reams of typing paper and carbon paper were stacked on top of the Bibles. A flat of citrus fruit, suitcases, blankets, and other traveling necessities covered everything.
We approached the Austria/Czechoslovakia heavily patrolled border with items that could easily be confiscated. We waited anxiously to be allowed to cross the border. The guards looked through the first few layers of items in the trunk – never getting to the level of the Bibles – and motioned us to go. The same scene was repeated as we left Czechoslovakia and crossed over into East Germany. As we stopped at the checkpoint going into East Berlin, the car was thoroughly searched inside and out – with mirrors being used to search underneath the vehicle. A measuring stick was inserted into the gas tank to assure regulation depth. Search dogs surrounded the car. Still the Bibles remained safely stowed in the trunk. Again, we were allowed to continue.
From East Germany, the journey continued into Poland. After being detained several hours – for unknown reasons – we traveled across Poland and on into Warsaw. The Bibles were delivered to our Christian brothers there and we all breathed a sigh of relief.
We approached the Austria/Czechoslovakia heavily patrolled border with items that could easily be confiscated. We waited anxiously to be allowed to cross the border. The guards looked through the first few layers of items in the trunk – never getting to the level of the Bibles – and motioned us to go. The same scene was repeated as we left Czechoslovakia and crossed over into East Germany. As we stopped at the checkpoint going into East Berlin, the car was thoroughly searched inside and out – with mirrors being used to search underneath the vehicle. A measuring stick was inserted into the gas tank to assure regulation depth. Search dogs surrounded the car. Still the Bibles remained safely stowed in the trunk. Again, we were allowed to continue.From East Germany, the journey continued into Poland. After being detained several hours – for unknown reasons – we traveled across Poland and on into Warsaw. The Bibles were delivered to our Christian brothers there and we all breathed a sigh of relief.
September 21, 2007. I passed by the customs desk at the airport in St. Petersburg, Russia, toting a suitcase filled with Bibles . . . and no one was even attending the station! Amazing! The changes that have taken place in the last 44 years are incredible. Opportunities are endless. God is good!
The Come before Winter team spent a short Friday night in St. Petersburg. Saturday morning a 45-minute drive took us to Peterhof, where our 13th renewal would take place. Peterhof is St. Petersburg’s famous and spectacular Imperial estate. The summer palace was built by Peter the Great between 1714 and 1725.
Now, before you start thinking about the team staying in Peter the Great’s summer palace, you need to understand that we stayed across the street in what once were the horse stables of this famous man! However, the stables have been cleaned up and are now being used as a hotel with meeting rooms. Those are the facilities we used!
Our dining hall was once an arena used for the horses to perform before the Tzar. The dirt floor has been replaced with a wooden one. The balcony where the Tzar once sat to enjoy the performances still overlooks the dining room. The spectacular ceiling would remind one of a scene from a Harry Potter movie. Beautiful!
When we returned from having lunch Saturday, we were greeted from the window by Rebecca Talley, our Ambassador from Tanga, Tanzania – East Africa. She completed our team of fourteen!
All day Saturday and Sunday evening, we spent preparing for the renewal. On Monday, thirty-nine women arrived from Belarus, Ukraine, Poland, Germany, Romania and the following cities in Russia: St. Petersburg, Moscow, Barnaul, Tomsk, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Biysk, Samara, Lubertsi, Rostov-on-Don, and Salekhard. Amazing women!!! Nan, the woman who came from Yuzhno- Sakhalinsk was grateful that she was able to fly to St. Petersburg. A trip by land from her home to St. Petersburg would have been a 7-day journey by train across all eleven times zones of Russia. Her home is on a small island very near Japan. What a pleasure to watch her absorb everything with such great joy!
The days were filled from early until late with incredible singing, worship, prayer, silence and solitude, and the study of Philippians.
Thursday, the participants shared with everyone what they had extracted from Philippians, examining first the broader context and then focusing on the narrow text, 3:15-16. It was remarkable to hear what they had learned from their study and especially to hear their commitment to allow that knowledge to make a difference in their lives.Good laughter and cleansing tears were experienced by all!
There is no way to explain what happens in five short days to so tightly bond fifty-three women, coming from all over the world. Perhaps the explanation is simple: we spend much time together in God’s word, praise and prayer. There is very little time for rest, so as always, we left physically spent and yet spiritually and emotionally renewed and energized.
As we sang with incredible harmony in a very public place – as we spent time studying the Bible – as we enjoyed silence and solitude with open Bibles in the open courtyard of the former stables of Peter the Great – as we walked back and forth from our rooms to the meeting place – and as the women tucked their new Bibles and many other gifts into their suitcases to go back to their homes all over Eastern Europe, Africa and America, I could not help but think again about how things have changed since the 1960’s when none of this would have been possible.
We gathered up our things with a heavy heart, said good-bye to our sisters in that part of the world, and started our journey home – filled with excitement to return to our own families.We were asked many, many times, “Would you please express our appreciation to all those who gave so generously to make this possible for us?” So for ourselves and for them, we say, “Thank you! Thank you!” And again, “Thank you!!!!”
“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
The Come before Winter team who served in Peterhof, Russia in September, 2007, back row from left side: Karen Alexander, Suzanne Simpson, Kelliann Hale, Nola Meyer, Jeanene Reese, Mariana Long, Jamie Atchley, Catherine Goode, Suzy Jeffrey, Rebecca Talley, Jayne Ford, Cynthia Agnell, Shelley Park, Georgia Freitas.
