Online Photo's

For those of you who would like to see many more pictures than you will find here, feel free to visit our new photo hosting site at http://gjandvicka.zenfolio.com
I am still in the process of organizing the pictures, but feel free to browse around. The site offers photo processing from respected photo finishers so you can order prints made and sent to you if you like. Also, there are some really cool features to play with such as the "slide show", etc.
Enjoy!

Chukchi people - the reindeer herders

Chukchi people live inland and raise reindeers. There are about 15 000 chukchi people in Russia and only 1 500 Eskimo. Their cultures are very unique. They have their own languages, tales, beautiful songs and dances. Unfortunately only old people remember the language in our day Youth speaks only Russian.

This is a traditional Chukchi house called Yaranga. It made out of the reindeer skin and it is very easy to take apart and move where the owners are moving. I show Emma and Stacia how to make a fire with a fire making kit.

Some drums and a reindeer head

Man's outfit - two peace suite: pants and parka

Women's outfit - one peace suite.

Eskimo people - Marine mammal hunters

New Chaplino is an Eskimo village and here are some of the things about Eskimo from the museum.

Traditional Eskimo women's outfit - very colorful and comfortable
The harpoon with the toggling head - invention of the Eskimo people for the marine mammal hunting

Black spots are the 5 villages that are in Provideniya region, many others(marked with clear circle) were closed by the government

Another invention of the Eskimo people - skin boat

Some modern weapons for the wale hunting

(oh and Anastasia's head)

New Chaplino trip with my Mom

I know that some of you wanted to hear some stories and see some pictures of my mothers visit to Provideniya. So here is one trip to New Chaplino with her. She went there for the first time and she liked it, but on our way back to Provideniya when we stoped for a picnic she got so cold that I had to give her my vest and after only 20 minutes of being there she wanted to go home:)

On the picnic
Mom trying to make Anastasia smile for the picture

Mom and Emma posing around some flowers

A rock skipping competition:)

Wale bone swords

On her first trip to Provideniya in 2005 we didn't do much touring of the area as it was still cold and the roads were bad and Emma was only 7 months old, but this time it was summer and we took her to New Chaplino and to the Flower Bay. She also went to Emma Bay almost every day with Emma and we went to the Light House and semitary.

My little prayers and God's answers

It is hard for me to write a lot in English both because I do not like to spend too much time and trying to describe what I am thinking in Russian with English words can be difficult. But I have to share with you this, so forgive me all mistakes or if you will get confused with anything...
I looked back in my journal before we went to Russia last time and on April 2 I had a big list for God of those things that I wanted to give to Him and not worry about. Here is how he answered me:
1. I asked Him for wisdom to pack only necessary clothing for the girls and take with us enough diapers, wipes, baby food and formula for Anastasia. - All the clothes I took lasted almost 5 month and Emma started to outgrow some only at the end of our stay. We had enough diapers and wipes till GJ came back from Alaska with another box and that lasted for us to the end-we didn't buy more diapers while we were in Russia and that saved us a lot of money as they cost over $1 per one diaper! Baby food and formula lasted long enough for Anastasia till she started to eat normal food and she didn't need formula anymore.

2. I asked God to help us not to spent too much money on the food that we were going to bring with us - One brother in Christ gave us several bags of dried fruits and two big cans of nuts to take with us and you know how expensive those things are!

3. I asked Him to help us to get everything that some people from Provideniya asked us for and if there was something we could not bring that it would be not a big deal - That was answered!

4.I asked God to help me to finish a scrapbook for GJ's grandparents before we leave - He helped me and I did!

5. I prayed that God will protect us from satan's attacks and protect us from the evil - He protected us in many ways.

6. I asked for help to forgive and love so others will See the Lord in us and I asked Him to help us to witness about Him - Amen!!!!

7. I asked for help to register GJ while we are there so we will not go against the rules - He got registered and we found an organisation to make him a new propusk (permission) so he could come back soon.

8. I prayed that the paperwork for our apartment will be done and that I will complete the paperwork for Anastasia's certificate - After more than 4 years of waiting we were able to finish the apartment paperwork. Praise God! I went to the organisation that supposed to give me a special paper for having another baby and they didn't like the fact that she was born in US. So I left the documents and they told me to come back in a month. I came back thinking that I need to bring more papers and the certificate was already there waiting for me!

9.I asked God to help me to bring only those books that I will need for the ministry.

10. I asked God If He wanted help my mom to come to Provideniya and see us - We wanted to go and see her this year but it would be too expensive for all of us to go there. We went to Provideniya and I asked mom if she will be willing to use her vacation and come to see us. She has a free airplane ticket and it is easier for her to come to see us then for us to go and see her. She didn't want to come to Chukotka again and I know that it was God Who changed her heart. She changed her mind and came and spent 6 wonderful weeks with us!!!

I had other needs that were related to the ministry such as:
- That God will open doors and prepare the way for us to come to Provideniya
- To start "Mom's in Touch" prayer group with ladies
- To start a Bible study with ladies as a part of Sunday school
- To do 2 special outreaches with the church ladies

You know that all that happened and God is the one Who did it. Sometimes I pray for big things and do not think that my little things like packing food and clothing matters. But God took care of my every little thing that I asked for so IT DOES MATTERS TO HIM!

Emma in AWANA

After we got back from Russia we signed Emma for AWANA as she is old enough to go there this year. She is in the Cubbies and she just loves it!!!

Emma in her uniform

First time on the line
Holding a rope with her groupmates. She is in the red team.

Our Princess

Today with dressing Emma I felt like we were getting ready for a wedding:) She was beautiful princess on her Birthday just like her Russian Grandma Toma wanted. She is the one who gave Emma her dress, purse and shoes.
Our little girl is four years old! It is hard for me to believe. Kids do grow fast!!! She changed our lives and this is indescribable miracle from God.

Happy Birthday Emma

Playing in the snow

We have been having a lot of snow lately and it is not the first snow. Yesterday I went outside with the girls to play in the snow. They loved it! Emma started to make snow balls and Anastasia just walked around. I think this is a first time for her when she is actually walking in the snow:)

Here is Emma getting her snowmashine ready so she can go riding with daddy:)

More of the Museum Part Three

This exhibition was devoted to the 20th anniversary of the Flight of Friendship between Alaska and Chukotka. For 40 years there were no communication between the Eskimo people in Russia and their relatives in Alaska because of the "Ice Curtain" And in 1988 the first group from Alaska came to visit their families. Even the old and sick people came as they didn't know when they will have another chance.

I am pointing again
The main display
An airplane with delegation
The chronology of the Russia - America history and a picture of the swimmer Lynn Cox who swam from America to Russia through the Bering Strait.
Greeting the group
Alaska Governor came to visit as well
Together again after 40 years of separation

More of the Museum Part Two

This is an exhibition hall. Where you can see new things like somebodies art or thematic display

Emma plays with an old phone
Picture of the local artist "Entering the Bay"
Another picture "An Anchor"
This is a furniture of the 1950th that came from somebodies apartment
Some pictures of the old Provideniya

More of the Museum Part One

This how I usually start my tour:) I point to the Provideniya on the map and tell that it was founded in 1937 as a sea port and that there is 9 hours difference with Moscow and we are one day minus 3 hours ahead of Nome,AK. The pictures a darker then I would like them but you can see things anyway.

me
Walrus scull and double tusks walrus
This flag with Lenin made of the seal skin and randier fur and it says in Russian and Chukchi language "Lenin is our flag"
Some wall hangings made of the seal skin
Old pictures of the Eskimo and Chukchi people

The Museum

Provideniya museum was founded in 1985 and has been one of the best museums in Chukotka. Officially it call Berengia Heritage museum as it preserves the cultures of Chukchi and Eskimo people who are native to the Bering Sea area. And of course the theory about the land bridge between Alaska and Chukotka and that people came to America by this bridge. So all that land called Beringia.

So here is the museum building - one of the oldest in Provideniya
Entrance in to the museum
GJ posing with the girls by the flags of Chukotka and Russia
This you can see going up stairs in to the exhibition halls