Hi from Georgia!

Traveling to Georgia (to the city of Tbilisi) from Baku, Azerbaijan by train was exciting to say the least. I don't even know quite how to describe it. The compartments were small, four beds to a room. They gave us sheets and blankets but I didn't trust them at all. The bathrooms were alright, although everything would dump straight out onto the tracks. We were stopped at the boarder for a total of 4 hours during which they locked the bathrooms so the sewer wouldn't spill onto the tracks right in front of the boarder control people's check point. Could be smelly... but my bladder almost exploded.

The city of Tbilisi is green and lush compared to Baku. Situated in a wide winding valley, the city spreads itself up the sides of the gently sloping hillsides and is beautiful at night. Our hotel (hostel, really) is on the side of one of these hills and we have a terrific view. It's such a different feeling from Baku. The people here are amazing. They love to come up an talk to us and are open and curious. The young people are very European on the outside and dress modern--it feels more familiar than Azerbaijan, where people dress shockingly nice when they're out and about.

Almost 80% of people here are orthodox Christian and that gives the place a drastically different feeling from Muslim Azerbaijan. There's a freedom here that is so refreshing, but the bondage of people to a completely dead and works based form of truth is disturbing. Georgians are completely open to hearing about Christ, but if you tell them they are not Christians they will be deeply offended. I've never been in a country that is so completely historically "Christian." It's strange coming from historically Budhist countries to see the similarities in their bondage... only things aren't as dark and twisted here.

As for what we're up to, my team is divided into two ministery groups. One group is going to an orphanages three hours a way and doing a vacation Bible school. It's hard on them both physically and emotionally. Three hours there and back on poor roads is enough to tire anyone out, but the conditions at the orphanage are shockingly poor. I haven't been there yet, but everyone is warning me to be well prepared to cry my eyes out. The other ministry group, the one I'm in, has spent a rather low key week helping out at an English/Georgian high school doing some teaching as well as some work projects. I've loved it... although it's had its challenges of its own. The school is in a beautiful forest in a valley/park in the middle of the city. Even though there's city all around, the school itself is pretty isolated. There's nothing around and to get there we have to walk on a muddy, sewer drenched road. It's smelly, but beauitful.

This weekend, I'm going to a village with a few other from my team and helping a pastor do a special evangelism service. I think we're going to be the main people gathering attraction... and I hope the pastor is the one who's going to be preaching. In any case, we're spending the night with a Georgian family and heading back to the city on Sunday. Next week I'm on the orphanage round, finishing up the vacation Bible school with the kids. After that, we're off to they city of Batumi, on the coast of the Black Sea for a week to work with a college ministry. Then we're back in Baku to catch a flight to Portland.

So that's the general info. I'm a little sick at the moment. I was just talking the other day about how I was one of the only people on the team who hadn't been sick this whole trip... haha. I spoke too soon. As for me personally, working with the team has had its up's and downs. I exploded at my leaders on Monday and, after taking the day to cool down and reflect, was able to have a very productive and clarifying conversation with them the next day. But please pray for me. I need a lot of wisdom, a lot of patience, and an attitude that builds up instead of tears down.