BRR! (not my picture tho!)Shortly after sending Thursday's missive we lost electricity for almost 24 hours, giving us a very cold night, and forcing us to evacuate our home due to the severe cold (we're very ready for Canada by now!). Hard to believe it can get so bad here, but the older buildings in this city simply aren't built for cold! In our apartment we are generally pretty comfortable until it gets to -10 outside. Up to -20 we have to bundle up. However, since last Tuesday it has been well below that, forcing us (and much of the city) to crank up the electric heaters and stay in one or two rooms. The increased energy consumption led to blackouts, the worst of which hit us Thursday afternoon. With no noticeable heat from our centrally-controlled radiators and no electricity for our heaters the five of us were forced to cram into two beds and bury ourselves in blankets. We survived the night, but since there was no change in the morning we accepted our friend's offer of warm refuge. Lena took Maya & Deena there by taxi and I went to the (warmer) office to get some work done. Meanwhile Sonia remained behind (Nina had joined her earlier in the day) to wait for the electricity to return. We got power back only mid-afternoon, by which time the indoor temperature was well below double-digits. So the four of us ended up staying for night at our friends, while Nina & Sonia tried to re-heat the apartment.
Since our return Lena has spent a lot of time on the phone trying to coax a city official to come and see the state of our radiators. Finally she made it through to a sympathetic ear and a visit has been promised for tomorrow. We pray that some good results will come of this. Sonia returned to school today only to find nearly-freezing temperatures (+2) indoors. Her classroom was only five degrees warmer, forcing students to study in coats and mittens. After six hours of "blue finger studies" Sonia was allowed to return home. Why they even opened school is a mystery!
On a more serious note, the cold has taken its' toll on many Russians: at last count over 40 people have died from the cold. It's a vicious pattern: it gets cold, many drink to feel warm; it then gets colder, people continuing drinking until they can't feel anything and finally freeze to death. The cold also affects the infrastructure; several cities have experienced heating pipeline bursts, leaving thousands of people without central heating. Please remember in prayer those in such situations and those who cannot afford to pay for extra electricity (when it works). It is especially difficult for pensioners right now; most of whom live on their own.
Thank you for sharing the warmth of your hearts & prayers with us!
– Kevin, Lena, Sonia, Maya & Deena
COMING TO CANADA
Good news (we think) on the immigration front: my Dad received a call from Immigration Canada last week to inform us that our application was being worked on. Good to know! ;-) Please remember to pray for the process–all of our plans to come to Canada hinge on the approval of the bureaucrats. If God is not in this application, it will not happen!
BLESSINGS
We have electricity! We have windows that keep (most of) the cold out! We have a roof over our heads, warm blankets, hot water, a gas stove and a healthy sense of humour! ;-) Thank God for all of His provision and care!
PETITIONS
I just received word that my conference interpreter/assistant will not be able to make it. This is very late notice, leaving me with few options. I have a great deal of responsibilities at CCLC, and I need a capable assistant as well as a good interpreter for my four-hour course. Please pray that someone may be found to assist me–we leave for the conference in four days! (Lena would love to fill the role, but Nina is not willing to manage the household for more than a day at a time.)
Preparations for the conference are consuming all of our time at the office. This evening we had several meetings with key volunteers, keeping us in the office until late evening. Please pray for Lena, Nikolai, Ira & me as we seek to get all of our pre-conference projects done in time.
DID YOU KNOW...
...that when it gets to -23, St. Petersburg parents are allowed to keep their children home from school? Today Sonia discovered why that's sometimes a good idea!
...that a zoo in Lipetsk has been giving monkeys wine three time a day in order to keep them warm? And a Russian circus found that giving elephants vodka cocktails can have serious consequences!
ESSENTIAL INFO
Kevin & Lena Hamm are missionaries with Mennonite Brethren Mission and Service International, serving with Christian Camping International/Russia in St. Petersburg, Russia.
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