St. Luke's - Russia Mission Trips: The Old Days - Lenin's Home

Happy Tuesday everyone!

Not even a rainy day could keep us from enjoying Ulyanovsk's history today, or keep Susan from making new friends.

At a local museum, we witnessed life in the 19th century. This is a massive cone of sugar. But it was so expensive back then, families would chop it into pieces and share it. Sugar used to cost as much as meat, so putting sugar in tea was a luxury. Can you imagine? The tour guide said she was recently asked by some kids if the candy tasted good back in those days. She replied, "I'm not that old!"

The museum had old soap, tobacco, an iron, kitchen mixers, dishes and cups. One box of 25 cigarettes hadn't been opened in decades. It came from the family of a man who managed to stop smoking, but he still wanted to buy cigarettes. Old habits die hard.

Kettlebells were developed in Russia in the 1700's, primarily for measuring crops. CrossFit would have to wait more than 200 years to use them.

Many Russian houses had a "red corner" (beautiful corner), which was a small worship space. People would start and end their day there in prayer. They had icons on a shelf as part of their worship.

In this painting, a woman is not having a good day at the store. The tour guide said that woman couldn't read, so she asked for help from the store's owner - a person who had a good education. He is reading a letter she received in the mail. What's the letter say? What has caused her to put her hand on her forehead in anguish? Only the artist knows. But it was apparently bad news.

It was on to Lenin's childhood home. I wish I could post a video to this blog, because the tour guide played a recording of what Lenin's mother would play on the piano to put the kids to sleep - Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata.

Touring the rest of the house... with Pastor Nadya doing an outstanding job again with the camera!

The backyard.

Talk about efficiency... here's an area where the kids would dry off and warm up after a bath. A little space above the stove.

Lenin's brother, Alexander, was very intelligent. He was an aspiring scientist, but for political reasons, was executed.

Here's the coat Lenin's father wore. It's now 170 years old.

When the kids did well in school, their father gave them a treat... a croquet court.

The Children's Hospital couldn't allow visitors today, because of flu concerns. But we did get to see the playground the church created for them.

Another beautiful Ulyanovsk park.

The Russian Orthodox churches are stunning. But pictures are not allowed inside. These churches are relatively new, but modeled after ones that were destroyed by the Communist state after the October Revolution in 1917.

We were all treated to a huge dinner at the home of Marina Kornilova. I can't remember if it was a four-course meal or a five. The food kept coming in waves, and it was absolutely delicious. Marina worked so hard to make that experience perfect, and it was better than perfect. We even experienced Borscht - Russia's famous soup. Meat, potatoes, vegetables. Fantastic. We were stuffed. Then came the cake, made with love from Mila Vekshina (as indicated by the heart). Loosen the belt. Then came the chocolate bars as post-dinner presents. It was Thanksgiving in October. The generosity here is unmatched. I can't imagine anywhere else in the world with kinder people.

The day finished again at Ulyanovsk UMC with a fun project of making Holy Spirit gifts - stringing beads and crosses together. Susan did a fantastic job leading the group. But first, she and Nancy enjoy a private moment together with a piano. One of the songs they sang... The Old Rugged Cross.

That was followed by more discussion on the Fruit of the Holy Spirit. Lauranne Harris shared a touching story of her father being more concerned about tornado victims than he was about his final days. He wanted to know what he could do to help people - more than he was focused on himself. Lauranne said that was an example of Christ's faithfulness to us - and her father's faithfulness to God.