See you at the Square

Thank you to everyone who prayer for our time at Red Square. We had a lot of students and teachers come out. I had the priveledge to pray with some awesome Korean students. We prayed Korean style, which is everyone basically prays outloud at the same time. It usually gets more intense as we are praying and then starts to die out and one person closes it. While praying I really thought of Russia and Korea. It made me feel big in the prayer time and that my prayers were really big and important. Even greater was the feeling of my bigger God answeing those prayers for the people of this world. Here are some pictures from out time there. Thanks for your support of the Lord's ministry here in Moscow.

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didi you see that dog? what was that dog doing up on those steps next to the Kremlin where only important military people sit?

Oh he is showing us what he thinks about Communism!!!

Me and my Korean prayer group at See you at the Square. They are so awesome. You guys rock.

Prayin for the World

Please pray for us as the school has their "See you at the Square" pray session today after school. This is our version of the "See you at the pole" official prayer time. We travel as a group of teachers and students(those who want to participate)to the middle of Red Square and pray. It is a little scary because so many people stare and the guards don't like it and sometimes we get mocked, but the Lord is in control. Please just pray that we will be a great witness and that the Spirit would flow through us as we pray for this country, school and world. God Bless.

The Arrival

     So the new academic year begins, and there is always fun with us Clark’s. So here is how our trip back to Russia unfolded. In the wake of the whole Britain terrorist thing security at the airport is pretty tight. The new band is on any liquids and gels. Soon we are going to have to travel with no luggage and practically naked because of the restrictions. I need to take a moment and explain that I hate the check-in counter at airports more than anything, well Russian passport control is actually number one on the hate list but this comes close. We are always worried about the weight of the bags and problems that might happen. This year the problems came. Our luggage was five bags strong this time, one extra for the school, and they all weighted around 70 pounds. This is only after we frantically moved stuff around and took some of our precious, glorious food out and left it with my Dad. That alone was a nightmare and there were many tears shed for my lost syrup, brown sugar and mustard. We managed to get all the bags down to 70 pounds and checked, but then the guy said our flight was cancelled. I am not sure what happened but I made him call to confirm this and he or rather the computer was wrong.

     Finally we headed to the security check-point. I forgot to take my laptop out so they got made about that and said they had to look through my bag. No big deal. They also wanted to see inside Sarah’s carry-on, which contained stuff we had yanked out of our bags earlier in the rush to get through. I didn’t think much of it until they pulled out our two toiletries. Stunned is the only word I can use. So I kissed a $20 bottle of cologne, our toothpaste, lotions, sprays etc. goodbye. For clarification the lotions were Sarah’s not mine. They must have thought we were terrorist. Not the brightest thing we have done. The nice thing is that the rest of our trip, all 20 hours of it went well.

     Now we are just trying to find our landlord to register here. Our allotted time is already up so we will probably be fined for that but our landlord is at his vacation home outside the city and tracking him down is very hard. Other than that we are just trying to get our rooms fixed up for school, which starts next Wednesday. Orientation has gone well and we have enjoyed getting to know the new teachers. With the affects of jetlag waning we are looking forward to another wonderful year here at Hinkson and know the Lord will do great things. Thanks for your continual prayers. God Bless.

Currently Listening Almost There By MercyMe, Mercy Me Who am I? see related

I WILL TAKE 10,000 FOR THE WIN PLEASE

Well the summer has been an exciting one for Sarah and me. Sarah and I traveled over 10,000 miles in the first month we were here. We swam in the Atlantic Ocean one Saturday and dived into the Pacific one week later. Coast to coast and my right leg was hurting from that all that driving. It was all worth it though. We spent some wonderful time with Sarah's family, had to say bye to Nancy after spending a year with her, got to witness my Grandmother's 99th birthday in Pennsylvania, visited some great friends in Canonsburg (sorry to those we missed), hung out with the Osborn's in California (first time there-it was awesome-they are thinking of giving me a star of my own on the walk, sorry again to those we missed--Hoffman withdrawal), had dinner with the infamous Fritzmiller's and Madam Monica--infamous means they are more than famous, and finally ended up back in Texas to once again secure my dominion over the realm of insurance. The last one might be stretching it but I am actually helping my brother sell insurance, so if you need any I am your man.

One major exciting moment for me that lives on in my back regularly is the time I head butted a tree after flying off a four-wheeler. The tree won, but praise the Lord for helmets and smart brains like mine that say put the dumb thing on. I was very dazed and confused after the hit, but over all was not too messed up. I have a sweet scare on my leg from the exhaust pipe, which adds just the nicest hint of décor to my chicken legs.

The final big news is that I sent off yesterday for our visas. Triumphant chanting should be heard echoing through whatever halls you find yourself reading this news bulletin. The big question is, "Will they let the Clark's in again?" Bring it on oh sweet morphing government standards. Fire your missiles of red tape upon us.---Lord please just get us through.  So what does it take to get a visa these days you ask? Well months of waiting for documents, only to be gathered with more documents, a sweet mug shoot of one Daniel Clark, an unthinkably evil shot only to prove that my moral standards are not slack (HIV test shot) and a rather substantial withdrawal from the ever depleting checking account. One Russian visa $450, the looks on my student’s faces when I assign a semester project, priceless.

Another Russian Day!

So the good side or the dark side of Moscow first? That is the question. I suppose the dark side will keep you engaged for longer so that is where we will start. For those of you who are reading this in Moscow I am sure your response will be “Oh that is Russia for ya!” But for those of you who are from the other lands prepared to be bewildered.

I had a few friends over last night, one of which is my bro Dan Baxter. He is blessed with the ability to speak Russian and so usually becomes the translator if such a need arises. Well the need arose, because my landlord and his wife came over to collect rent. A stack of 93 twenties is impressive looking no matter who you are. Well evidently it was too impressive for my landlord, though all the money was going to him anyway. I guess the fact that he was inebriated must have had some kind of dulling affect on his comprehension skills. Perhaps there is something to that whole drinking to much thing. Anyway my landlord goes to bathroom and then to the sink room to wash his hands. While inside he calls my friend Dan Baxter inside for a chat I presume. After about five minutes my friend leaves the room but then shortly returns carrying his wallet. I found this odd but did not say anything. As soon as Dan came out he said he had to go and went to the front door. I saw him out asking what all that was about. His reply was “I will call you later to talk about it”, with a look of obvious trauma. My landlord received all the money and off he and his wife went.

So what do you think happened? You are all just dying to know aren’t you? Well ponder know more for here is the answer to the mystery. My landlord asked my friend to steal three of the twenties that I had sitting aside from the rest for him. Arguments given for why he should with their corresponding rebuttals.

1)      It is the Russian way: It is not the American way

2)      I want it to give to my wife: I will not steal from my friend or anyone

3)      I own this apartment….: If you really need money I will give you some but will not take it from him.

That is right folks. My buddy went and gave him 2000 rubles ($70) of his own money so he would not make trouble with us. Well I want the trouble now. I am hotter than a firecracker on the fourth of July. Do me a favor and pray for me since I have to deal with this and it is on the wake of our next big adventure, which is a part of the good side.

Today we leave for South Korea. My wife and I have the pleasure of being chaperons for the Senior Class trip to South Korea. It will be a great time because it is a new culture for us, a time of ministry as well as sight seeing and most of all we will be with an awesome group of kids.

As much as we love all the kids here at Hinkson we are also excited about the approaching summer months. Sarah and I will be traveling to visit her family in North Carolina at the beginning of the month of June and we will be in Pennsylvania for my grandmothers 99^th birthday. If any of ya’ll are in that area we would love to stop by and see you. Just give me an email and we will try to set something up.

Thank each of you for your continued prayers for us and our ministry here at Hinkson Christian Academy. It is an honor to serve Him in this way. May He continue to bless each of you according to His good and perfect will.