Terry's Russia Blogosphere

Socialism - Is That What We Really Need?

"...from each according to his ability, to each according to his need" (Karl Marx).

The philosophy of Marx, Engles and Lenin has always been popular with the left-leaning politicians and the media. 

Marxism seems to promise a better life to those who have very little.  However, the method of that better life is the problem. 

The above quotation from Karl Marx, the real founder of communism, starts with the phrase,"...from each according to his ability...", which in essence means that those who have will be forced to give most or all of it to those who do not. 

I have noticed, especially in recent years, that when financial times get tough it once again becomes popular to say that those who have worked and earned will be forced to give more than their fair share in order for those who have not earned will have their fair share. 

It always seems rosier to look to the past as well and say how great the good ol' days were, as you can see in this picture of many older people wishing for the return of the Soviet system.  From those whom I have talked with over the years the Soviet system was marked by lack and low quality goods.  One simple reason for that was socialism.

I think that it is time we learn from the past and not strive to repeat a failure!  Socialism takes.  Liberty is smothered by it and personal freedoms are lost for the "greater good" and "fairness".  The only way for Marxism to function is by empowering the state to take everything and redistribute it as the state sees fit.

Is that what we really, really want?

Spring Painting Season in Moscow

Well, the Spring painting season has begun here in Moscow. 

As an example, I took this picture of a nearby statue which has been repainted for the summer season.  I call him "Platinum Lenin".  He gleams, he glistens and he even almost glows in the sun!  You can see him from a mile away!

This statue is interesting in that it was obviously torn down in the early '90's.  He's cracked all the way through and his nose is missing.  When they threw off communism these statues were some of the first targets, yet, he has been repaired and gets a fresh coat of paint each year. 

This year's paint was outstanding though.  He's usually a dull silver and quite unremarkable.  Now he is downright luminescent! 

Lenin statues are not the only things that get a new coat of paint for the Spring though.  It reminds me of our Army policy of "if it doesn't move, paint it". 

Fences, posts, curbs and trees all get the treatment. It really helps to freshen up the city.  If you can see the curbs around this monument you can see that they're painted too.  This year, we got a colorful change from the usual black and white.  Our curbs are now a bright gold and green!

I woke up one Saturday morning to the smell of oil based paint.  Wondering what was going on, I went over to the window to see crews of central Asian workers slapping paint all over the place.  When I went down later to get into the car I found that my little black car had psychedelic wheels!  It was almost flower power man.  Dig! 

Now I am with all the other cool cars running around our streets with green and gold tires. 

I'm glad Spring has sprung.  Our park is being beautified too.  They cut all the branches off the trees and painted the trunks where the branches were, you guessed it, green.  At least the tulips are coming up through the ground.  In a couple of weeks it will be really nice. 

Now if the city would only turn off the central heating in the offices and apartments; it is already over 70 degrees here and the heat is still blazing.  The official dates for turning it off is May 15th.  Maybe we'll have a few days of warm temps and they'll go ahead and shut them down. 

I'm ready for a walk in the park now. 

A Place of Suffering

I am touched on a deeper level in my heart at the suffering which has taken place here in Ukraine; the more we spend time here in the capital Kiev, the more we are touching history with our own hands.   

Ukraine is a small nation not only in landmass but in human population as well.  Indeed, there would be millions more people here had it not been for World War II and the Soviet years under Josef Stalin and his subsequent dictators.

During the war there were literally tens of millions of lives snuffed out in this place.  Death was not limited to one group of people either.

When Hitler sought to conquer the Slavic peoples by genocide, his first target was Ukraine.  He swept into this nation with Operation Barbarossa, bringing an invading army of three million Germans.  At first, the Ukrainians welcomed them as they pulled into town by cheering them in the streets.  They were already tired of the Soviet Union's domination of their nation which was barely 20 years old at that time.  They soon found the Nazis to be inhuman as citizens were hanged in the streets and all rights were taken away. 

I lament the fact that history is so soon forgotten.  Human suffering is always the result when individual rights are taken away by government.  That suffering can come gradually or suddenly, of course, but it comes just the same. 

After the Nazi regime was pounded to defeat by the Red Army, the communists had control of Ukraine and the idea of democracy was only a dream.  The prevailing concept over the years was that when socialism goes away we will have order and freedom, just like in America.  Now America is trying to become like the Soviets and I fear for the citizens there too.

It is time for us to look at the not so distant past and realize just what it is that we are giving up.  Ukrainians are still fighting for their survival and independence.  Religious freedom must be maintained and a stable democracy is the only answer to that. 

Thank You From Kiev

New Team Members Arrive

Just this week, we welcomed our new team members to town from the States. 

It has been quite a process indeed.  I don't know if you could even relate to it if I were to go into all the details.  Sometimes, there are so many hoops to jump through that you can become weary.  Other times, things can flow so smoothly that you wonder what you missed. 

Our team here is becoming complete.  Randall, Carol and Lea will join us as we work here in Russia.  Randall will be our music director and the whole family will join in wherever they see a need.

We have been getting them set up with mobile phones, Internet, international phones, rent contracts, registration and on and on.  We are so happy to have the Richards family joining us as missionaries here in Russia!  Welcome to a wonderful country....

Refuel With Rick

Here is a great, daily on line devotional from our pastor. 

Refuel With Rick

 

What is God's Plan for the New Testament Church?

Many church leaders have asked themselves this question.  What is God's plan for the church?  Unfortunately, is seems, many more have only given this question a secondary glance after they have established unscriptural traditions for themselves and their people. 

When Jesus Christ was raised from the dead He gave instructions to his leaders.  He also gave them His power to carry out those instructions.  Acts 1:8 defines God's plan to carry out the work of Jesus after His ascension to the Father's right hand. 

In other words, God gave us everything we need to do the work of bringing the good news of what Jesus did for us.  We have His Power, His Word and the Name of Jesus.  We have dunamis power which gets miracle results, we have Authority by God's everlasting Word and we have Delegated Authority through His name.  We are Ambassadors of Heaven.

If the modern day "church" is lacking in a move of the Spirit of God then we are perhaps leaving out one of these key ingredients in what we are doing.  If you bake bread, for instance, and leave out the yeast it does not turn out right. 

The same is true for us as believers.  We must follow the plan as mapped out in the Book of Acts if we want to get the same results.  Ever wonder where miracles are today?  There's your answer.  Modern day believers do not believe everything written in the Word and therefore aren't acting upon it. 

We are beginning to experience a true move of the Spirit at our English Language services here in Moscow as we become established in His Word.  When we know our place we can step into the best of what God has for us today. 

In The Frosty North

Lately, Moscow has seen a little dip in temperatures.  You can probably see from the meter on the right.

Its not that I mind cold temperatures though.  Some of our friends have wondered how it would be to live in a place so famous for its cold.  I think it is all a matter of what you get used to and prepare for.  Outside, I expect to be frozen a little so I always dress in layers.  Thankfully, I got a new coat for Christmas this year!

Inside though is another story.  Last night, after returning home from the airport, we had to winter proof the whole apartment with tape and foam stripping around the windows.  The wind was blowing in like a howling storm.  You could almost see snowflakes flying in with it! 

Even after doing everything this apt. was still frigid all night, which did not add to the jet-lag we already were feeling.  I slept more after having blankets piled on than before at least.

Tomorrow morning, I get to start the car after three weeks of sitting so I can go to the market.  This should be fun since tonight its -4 degrees F. 

I'm not complaining though, I love the winter.  Everything is fresh as it gets colder and colder.  The colder it gets, the less germs can exist.  So goes the ancient wisdom anyway.

Happy sledding everyone....

Merry Christmas

We hope your Christmas this year is filled with goodness and thankfulness. 

Our family is resting at home this year in West Virginia.  We do not often get to come home for the Christmas holiday but this year we wanted to be here with our oldest son, Trevor since this is his first Christmas after moving from Russia.

I must say, it is wonderful to see Christmas celebrated just about everywhere we look.  Unless you travel all over like we do it may be difficult to realize how great it is.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year....

Twas the Month Before Christmas

 

  *Twas the month before Christmas*

*When all through our land,*

*Not a Christian was praying*

*Nor taking a stand.*

*'Cause the PC Police had taken away*

*And the reason for Christmas - no one could say.*

*The children were told by their schools not to sing,*

*About Shepherds, and Wise Men, and Angels and things.*

*It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say,*

* December 25th is just a 'Holiday'.*

*Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit*

*Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!*

*CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod*

*Something was changing, something quite odd! *

*Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa*

*In hopes of selling books by Franken or Fonda.*

*As Targets were hanging their trees upside down*

* At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.*

*At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears*

*You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.*

*Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty*

*Are words that were used to intimidate me.*

*Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen*

*On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton!*

*At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter*

*To eliminate Jesus, in every public matter.*

             *And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith*

* Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace*

*The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged or discarded*

*The reason for the season, was stopped before it started.*

*So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Dream Tree'*

*Sipping your Starbucks, Listen to me.*

*Choose your words carefully, choose what you say*

*Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS , not Happy

Holidays!*