November1998
Dear Friends! Krasnojarsk, 25 November 1998
"For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise apon you, and his glory will appear over you." Isaiah 60:2. With this verse we greet you all heartily for the Advent and Christmas season, and would like to enable you again to participate in what God is working here: The dark and cold season has begun again, and dark and cold is also the present situation, as well as the future of Russia. For the Russian situation prices have risen to uncountable heights, while the wages are low as before, if they are paid at all. "For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples." And yet I do not cease to be astonished at what God does in this small congregation here in Krasnojarsk. The congregation and the internal community grow; here is the place, where the individual can be filled, where hope triumphs over necessity, where in the midst of darkness around us the glory of God shines out. That is not anything that we could have caused or made, that is the gift and grace of God alone, and I am astonished over it again and again full of thankfulness. "But the Lord will arise apon you, and his glory will appear over you." This gift, that Jesus' light and glory radiates out again and again in all darkness, we wish you all, because there is also darkness in the brightly illuminated cities of the west at Christmas, except that in them it is often not as obvious as here.
Since I have not written now for a very long time, I would like to review a little further. At the beginning of the year our dear Mami (Rudi's mother) visited us. It was very nice that she could share in our life here, and despite the iciest frosts which we had, fit in smoothly in our everyday life. With her came, like Rudi had already mentioned, Waldemar Rausch, "our" intern, who did a six month internship in our congregation in the context of his study in Hermannsburg. This was a very enriching this time for us, and it was hard for us to let this friend, who had become very dear, return to continue his further studies - We would gladly have kept him here.
In June we traveled to Germany for our official vacation. Leaving Krasnojarsk was difficult for me, but then I could nevertheless enjoy these three months so much. If I look back now on this time, it appears to me like a dream, simply because the life in Germany, particularly in the heath village of Hermannsburg, was so different. And I really enjoyed it that in the morning already the birds twittered and Jonathan could play outside before I had risen, moreover the fact that the children could be outside a lot and were very balanced. Everyday life goes so much more easily. We have so many good friends, dear and supporting families, and there are so many people, who are interested in our work and bring us gifts, acknowledgment, and support. At the end of our vacation the return to our second homeland, of which one heard as much uncertain and dark in the news, felt difficult for me. Through a couple days in a monastery, as well as through our renewed sending in the chapel of the mission seminary, God reminded me however again of the commission which we have from Him, and which I can also affirm completely once again.
And so we are sent thus again for the next three years to Krasnojarsk and are braced for what God intends here. We were particularly pleased to see that the congregation life also during our absence continued happily, particularly that the assistants for the children's service had continued independently, which went well and strengthened their self-confidence. Now the KiGo (children's church service) work is also much more fun for me, because I am no longer so much the leader, but we really work as a team. I am astonished here also! The development is similar in the house circle. Ever more people are actively involved, tell of their experiences with God, put questions, try to find answers, and work through the text together. Also the circle of the co-workers in the church service is getting larger and it has built a group, which concerns itself strongly with the formation of the worship service.
In the last weeks we have particularly enjoyed experiencing and discussing these various developments with Stevie and Michael Fendler. In the context of her second vicarate Stevie has done a 10-week internship in our congregation, and Michael, who is likewise a minister, accompanied her. For all of us here it was simply enriching and, particularly for Rudi helpful to have two more theologians with us. Together with them we could visit also the Synod and a following congregational seminar in Omsk, in which we all participated in different topics as advisers, which for me was quite a new and beautiful experience. So if God wills and if it is the way for her, perhaps they will return to us at the end of their training (spring 2000), in order to step into the service of ELKRAS [Evangelical Lutheran Church of Russia and Other States]. Please pray also for the correct decisions.
Since the summer was quite full and lively, here now in Russia I enjoy more simply being here in peace at home again and spend much time with the children. That must I also, because I have begun with Jonathan to learn to read and write German. I have brought along good teaching material from Germany and so give thus daily one hour instruction, disguised with eyeglasses and head cloth as Mrs. Teacher Schmitt, which still makes for us all (Anna Maria also usually sits with us) much fun and also shows results. Otherwise Jonathan again stays in kindergarten without problems. Here in the city he only lacks sometimes the liberty and opportunity to roam, that he enjoyed so much in the summer. Anna Maria had forgotten much of the Russian language, so that we brought her also to the kindergarten, in order to acclimatize her faster again. Since these stays were again and again interrupted by illness however (once she was very ill, but thank God is well again), she has not gotten warm enough, so that she will probably remain a while longer at home. We pray however that she will find a friend, so that she becomes more secure in the Russian language.
Outside it is today -20 degrees Celsius (-4 Fahrenheit); in addition an icy wind blows, but the sun shines from the blue sky and I notice that these ice-cold winters already also belong completely to our life. And so I am happy in the cosy Advent season, as we also come with frost-turned red cheeks from cold weather into the (unfortunately only so-so) warm dwelling, by candle light drink hot cocoa and eat baked cookies and tell stories or sing Christmas carols - if you want, just come by and celebrate with us!!!
Rudi: Many of you, who met me during the summer, probably noticed - I was very preoccupied with myself, suffered under lack of motivation and regularly felt: I simply cannot do more. Everything was too much me (and still I am not yet very eager to share - tomorrow a courier goes to Germany and this letter waits now already for weeks). If I look back at my appointment calendars from the summer, I am surprised how much I still had going on. However probably some of you especially noticed, that I did not announce myself at all. Several of my very good friends I have not called in three months Germany. Uwe, Wolle, Ecki and Renate, Eckard Krol... It was a terrible time for me and it was difficult for me to return here when I knew that it will not get easier and help is not not yet concretely in sight. Seldom in my life have I so lain before before God and pleaded for help.
Now we have already been two months here in Russia again and I am grateful that I find my peace again, confidently put much aside, to take time for other things sometimes. If the congregation in the last three years visibly grew very strongly outward, then we notice now a stronger growth inward. People begin to apply the word of God to their life and ask more strongly about ethical consequences for their life rather than simply posing questions of understanding. Yet this development is accompanied very strongly with forms of envy and competition between congregation members becoming more self-confident, who accept responsibility. How important it is now to make clear the difference again and again between Soviet business, in which people must be stepped on and bitten in order to get desired position, in order to enjoy power and privileges, and the body of Christ, in which those in the first row should be and can be the greatest servants. Also for me it is a question again and again, how I deal with my power and authority in a congregation, whose church leadership I draw on.
Concerning my second automobile journey across Russia along with Dirk Freudenthal I will not report, but I hope nevertheless that he, as a genuine writer will bring something of it to paper. Only this much: with a coworker of the mission work, with whom I already played in the sandbox, it was very good to spend such an intensive time and to stir some of what has connected and separated us for decades. Thus it was far more than an auto trip.
Kirsten: At the close of this letter we would like to thank you all cordially again, for all the support on your part and also for all the comforting and encouraging meetings during the summer. Unfortunately we saw many of you not at all or only seldom and we do understand, if someone is disappointed and may not hear our request for understanding any more. We simply note that it is not possible for us to maintain all contacts properly in the intensity in which they perhaps have existed at times. That is unfortunate and we see for it thus no other solution than such round robin letters and the hope, that you can understand and accept it. At the same time we are astonished at your loyalty, despite some disappointment, for which we thank you. Thus hearty greetings to all, may you be richly blessed at Christmas and already in this Advent season, s Bogom (God be with you)
your
Rudi and Kirsten Blümcke