10.14-24 years ago today I arrived in Moscow Russia.

10.14-

10.14.1993

24 years ago today I arrived in Moscow Russia.

A note in my wife’s journal was to represent a total change in my life for the next 14 years and really forever.  If you had told me before the church meeting on Wednesday, August 25, 1993 that my wife and daughter, Amy, 15, would want me to travel to Russia on a short term mission before the year was over I would have said, “That is impossible.”  I could not have imagined it.

This from my wife's journal, 8.25.93

“At church, Ron Gholston, spoke about teaching the word in Barnaul Siberia for three weeks the past January 1993.  He told of going there and the people.  They have an amazing hunger in their hearts. People who had been pushed into atheism for 70 years. John and Clara Nell Petree are going in October ’93.  Lois Adams was sitting in front of us and asked Larry if he would like to go.  She said she would help pay his way.  On the way home Larry asked Amy and I how we felt about it, and we both said, “you should go.”  He was shocked and excited and called John and Clara Nell when we got home.”

Many friends and family and the Oak Ridge church of Christ and Southeast Church of Christ in Aurora all contributed to make the trip possible. I am thankful for all of them. 

In the next few weeks I had to get a passport and study the basic lessons we planned to teach.  We had to learn an overview of Russian history and traditions.  We needed to learn basic phrases though we would have translators when we arrived.  We had our bags packed with extra food and all kinds of hand out materials by the time we arrived in Moscow.  

We were due to land in Moscow on 10.4.93.  A day or two before this date the state department shut down travel to Russia. 

10.4.93,  Russia had a constitutional crisis.  Boris Yelsin was being thrown out as the leader.  He gathered the military and brought tanks against their “White House” to end the uprising.  

Then things settled down a bit and our trip to Russia was back on schedule.

10.13.93, At the airport our small group of three from SE left from Denver at 7.30am.  Flew to Atlanta.  Picked up an additional 50 people headed to Moscow, then on to Barnaul, Siberia.  14 time zones from Denver.

10.14.93, We landed at Moscow Domodedvovo International airport. 

We spent the day in a hotel in Moscow rearranging our luggage to make sure all of us were within weight limits.  Again we had a training briefing for our 50 plus mission workers.  At this point there were not many people in the outback regions of Russia where we were headed who had ever seen an American or heard one speak.  

We spent the day in a hotel in Moscow rearranging our luggage to make sure all of us were within weight limits.  Again we had a training briefing for our 50 plus mission workers. 

     

I left for my first Russian mission trip on 10.13.93 and arrived in Moscow on 10.14.93.

If you believe in God who is the father of Jesus Christ then nothing is impossible. 

If you believe in God who is the father of Jesus Christ then nothing is impossible. 

Matthew 19.

¹⁶ Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”
¹⁷ “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”
¹⁸ “Which ones?” he inquired.
Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, ¹⁹ honor your father and mother,’^[c] and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’^[d]”
²⁰ “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”
²¹ Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
²² When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
²³ Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. ²⁴ Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
²⁵ When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”
²⁶ Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Ephesians 3.

²⁰ Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Larry Wishard

10.14.17