Tues., March 1st - Humor: Courtesy of the Hermitage

Toured the Hermitage today - it was BEAUTIFUL!!! I have to say though, there is something just not right with them displaying a bust of John the Baptist! This flung the door wide open for a whole bunch of sick jokes and anyone who knows me knows, you can't leave the door open like that expect me not to walk through! lol I mean no disrespect for John the Baptist - after all, Jesus chose him to baptize Him. But, in combination with a very busy schedule and lack of sleep, this was hysterical! Regardless, the Hermitage was wonderful -I could spend months in there and not see everything! I'd like to go back, but I'm not sure it'll fit into the schedule. We made a quick stop at the Lego store in "the center" (the center of St. Petersburg) and a stop at the grocery store, then off to the English only round table discussion group. I listened to Anatole give his testimony. It's incredible to me that a person living in this culture could find a relationship with God. There is religiosity and idolatry all over the place. He said that as a small child he remembers looking at the idols that his mother and his grandmother prayed to and thought "maybe God exists in this somewhere." He accepted Jesus at age 24 and walked faithfully Him, despite not going to church because there was no evangelical church anywhere around where he lived. After a year he moved, and then was able to go to church. His pastor saw his passion for God and sent him to "missionary school" for 3 years, then he returned to Russia as a missionary in his church for 10 years. He is finishing his Bachelors degree in May and then is hoping to work on his PhD in Holland, to be a career missionary. How awesome! I look forward to hearing more at tomorrow's group - but not until after I see my boy!!!