A FALCON IN THE LAND OF ISLAM

CONGRATS TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL GUYS ON ANOTHER VICTORY OVER THE FORCE. SWEET! LOOKING FORWARD TO GOOD REPORTS FROM FLORIDA.!

HAVE BEEN IN ADYGEA FOR ABOUT A WEEK AND AM GETTING READY TO GO BACK UP NORTH. IT HAS BEEN A REALLY FRUITFUL TIME.


THE ADYGEAN PEOPLE ARE ONE OF THE 6000 OR SO UNREACHED PEOPLE GROUPS LEFT ON EARTH. IT HAS BEEN EXCITING TO GET TO KNOW ABOUT THEM.

I GOT A CHANCE TO VISIT A MUSLIM MOSQUE. IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I HAD EVER BEEN INSIDE ONE. I'M NOT SURE HOW TO EXPLAIN THE SENSATION. KINDA WEIRD, REALLY. COLYA AND I WERE ALONE AT THE TIME BECAUSE LEONID WAS BUSY DOING SOME WORK AT HIS HOUSE, SO WE WANDERED TO THIS MOSQUE. WE ACTUALLY WENT IN THE WRONG DOOR. WE WENT IN THE BACK DOOR AND THE FIRST THING I NOTICED WAS ROWS OF SHOES. YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO TAKE OFF YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU GO IN.
WELL, WE DIDN'T SEE ANYONE SO WE JUST WALKED ON IN. THERE WERE SOME OFFICE TYPE PLACES. WE WENT UP SOME STAIRS AND SAW A SIGN THAT SAID "MUFTI". EVIDENTLY THAT'S KINDA LIKE "PASTOR". WE TURNED AROUND AND WENT BACK DOWNSTAIRS. WE HAD STUMBLED INTO THE MINISTRY OFFICES OF THE BIGGEST SUNNI MUSLIM MOSQUE IN ADYGEA! IF THEY'D ONLY KNOWN! WE SCAMPERED OUT AND INTO ANOTHER DOOR THAT TOOK US INTO THE FRONT OF THE TEMPLE.
IT, OF COURSE, IS NOT SET UP LIKE ANY CHURCH WE KNOW, IT'S RATHER JUST A BIG OPEN ROOM WHERE PEOPLE COME TO PRAY. WHEN WE CAME IN THERE WERE THREE MEN ON THERE KNEES DOING THE PRAYER TYPE THING THAT WE'VE BECOME USED TO SEEING ON TV. I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A SIGN ON THE WALL POINTING TO A PLACE UPSTAIRS WHERE THE WOMEN WERE TO GO TO PRAY.
THE WOMEN AND THE MEN ARE NOT ALLOWED TO PRAY TOGETHER. THE DOORS ARE ALWAYS OPEN AND THE MUSLIM PEOPLE COME HERE TO PRAY AT ANY TIME. I BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN TIMES DURING THE DAY IN WHICH THEY ARE REQUIRED TO PRAY, BUT THEY ALSO CAN COME WHEN THEY WANT TO.


THE SUNNI MUSLIMS ARE THE LARGEST DIVISION OF ISLAM. ISLAM HAS PROBABLY DIVIDED OVER THE YEARS MUCH LIKE THE BAPTIST, METHODISTS, LUTHERANS, ETC., HAVE. ONE GROUP DIDN'T LIKE THE WAY THE LADIES WORE THEIR OUTFITS SO THEY STARTED ANOTHER GROUP. ANOTHER DIDN'T LIKE THE WAY THE MOSQUES WERE BEING LAID OUT, SO THEY SPLIT OFF AND MADE ANOTHER GROUP. YOU KNOW HOW IT GOES. PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE EVERYWHERE. THE ADYGEAN PEOPLE ARE 99.9% MUSLIM, BUT THEY ARE NOT SERIOUS MUSLIM AS WE THINK OF IT. THEY ARE LIKE THE RUSSIANS ARE ORTHODOX, OR LIKE SOUTHERN BAPTISTS ARE SOUTHERN BAPTIST FOR THE MOST PART. THEY DON'T TAKE IT THAT SERIOUSLY. THEY BASICALLY FEEL LIKE THEY ARE BORN INTO THEIR RELIGION.



IT IS A GOOD PLACE FOR US TO START WORKING WITHIN THE 10/40 WINDOW OF THE WORLD, I BELIEVE. WE CAN BEGIN TO LEARN ABOUT ISLAM THROUGH A RELATIVELY BENIGN GROUP OR MUSLIMS AND BUILD ON THAT KNOWLEDGE TO GO FURTHER SOMEDAY DEEPER INTO UNREACHED PEOPLES.


I'D APPRECIATE YOUR PRAYERS AS WE TRY TO REACH INTO THIS AREA AND EXPAND GOD'S KINGDOM AMONG THE MUSLIM PEOPLE.

IN ADYGEA

HEY FALCONS! BEEN A WHILE SINCE I CHECKED IN AND FOR GOOD REASON. I'M NOW IN SOUTHERN RUSSIA IN WHAT IS KNOWN AS THE CAUCUSES. OF COURSE, YOU KNOW THIS REGION BECAUSE YOU'RE HOME SCHOOLERS FOR THE MOST PART AND GOOD IN GEOGRAPHY. IT IS THE REGION CALLED THE REPUBLIC OF "ADYGEA". IT IS MOSTLY MUSLIM IN THIS REGION AND WILL BE THE SITE OF THE 2014 SUMMER OLYMPICS.
I'M HERE ON A FACT FINDING MISSION TO SEE ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF PARTNERING TOGETHER WITH ANOTHER MISSIONARY HERE TO BEGIN A WORK WITH THE ADYGEAN PEOPLE. THERE ARE 130,000 ADYGEAN NATIONALS AND LESS THAN 1% OF THEM HAVE EVER HEARD ABOUT JESUS AND HOW TO COME TO KNOW HIM AS SAVIOUR. THE PICTURES AT THE BOTTOM ARE OF A YOUNG MUSLIM LADY WHO JUST BECAME A CHRIST FOLLOWER SATURDAY NIGHT. I'LL TELL YOU HER STORY IN ANOTHER BLOG. HER NAME IS ANGELA.
I APPRECIATE YOUR PRAYERS AS I SPEND TIME GETTING TO KNOW THIS REGION. IT IS AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT WORK. I'LL BE CHECKING IN MORE REGULARLY NOW, SO WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU.


CONGRATS TO THE THE VARSITY ON A REALY GOOD REGULAR SEASON AND MAKING IT INTO THE PLAYOFFS. ALWAYS WISH YOU COULD WIN IT ALL, BUT IT'S MOST IMPORTATANT TO HAVE DONE YOUR BEST AND TO TAKE WITH YOU GREAT LESSONS FOR LIFE AND HOW TO BETTER WALK IN GOD'S KINGDOM.

I KNOW YA'LL ARE GETTING READY FOR FLORIDA. ENJOY! IT IS RIGHT AT THE FREEZING MARK HERE DAILY. BUT WE HAVE SUNSHINE. PRAISE THE LORD.


GOD'S BLESSINGS. REMEMBER, IF YOU HONOR GOD, HE WILL HONOR YOU. ROOTING FOR YOU FROM ADYGEA, IN SOUTHERN RUSSIA.

MONDAY IN RUSSIA

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ONCE AGAIN CONGRATS ON THE WINS FROM THE WEEKEND.! TOLD EVERYBODY HERE ABOUT IT!

WE GOT TOGETHER WITH UNIVERSITY STUDENTS THIS PAST WEEKEND OUR GUESTS FROM ARIZONA DID A DAY OF ENGLISH WITH THEM. WE HAVE SOME REALLY SHARP YOUNG PEOPLE IN OUR CLASSES AND THE TEACHERS WE PARTNER WITH ARE GREAT. WE HOPE TO USE ENGLISH AS A TOOL TO INFLUENCE THESE YOUNG PEOPLE FOR CHRIST.

YESTERDAY WE WERE IN A SMALL VILLAGE CHURCH IN A PLACE CALLED KASPLI. IT IS ABOUT 40 MINUTES OUTSIDE OF THE CITY. WE'VE BEEN HELPING THE WORK NOW FOR ABOUT 4 YEARS. THESE IS A VERY POOR VILLAGE AND THE PEOPLE ARE LITERALLY FORGOTTEN BY MOST. WE ENJOYED THE WORSHIP WITH THEM AND THE OPPORTUNITY THAT GOD IS GIVING US TO MINISTER THERE.

TODAY WE HEAD OUT TO ONE OF THE ORPHANAGES WHERE WE WORK AND WILL SPEND SOME TIME WITHTHE KIDS THERE. THE WEATHER HERE HAS BRIGHTENED CONSIDERABLY TODAY AND WE ARE ACTUALLY SEEING THE SUN FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE.

I'M THINKING YA'LL ARE GETTING READY FOR FLORIDA, RIGHT? WILL YOU PRACTICE LIKE USUAL? CHECK IN SOMETIME AND LET ME KNOW HOW YOU'RE DOING.

SUNDAY

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!! GOOD WEEKEND FOR FALCONS FANS! SOUNDS LIKE BOTH GAMES WERE REALLY CLOSE. WELL, THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS AT THE END OF THE YEAR. MIDDLE SCHOOL I'M REALLY PROUD OF YOU!!! WE FINALLY SCORED A 2 POINT CONVERSION! A ONE LOSS SEASON IS SUPER. YOU CAN BE PROUD.

I'M HEADED OUT FOR CHURCH IN ONE OF THE LOCAL VILLAGES NEAR SMOLENSK TODAY. THERE WILL BE ABOUT 20 PEOPLE THERE, BUT THAT IS GOOD FOR A RUSSIAN VILLAGE. THE PEOPLE ARE POOR AND NEEDY, BUT THEY LOVE GOD. I ENJOY
WORSHIPPING WITH THEM. I HOPE YOU ENJOY YOUR DAY WHEREVER YOU WORSHIP. ONE OF THE IMPORTANT THINGS IN LIFE IS WORSHIP. GIVING TO GOD WHAT HE RICHLY DESERVES.

MAKE SURE TO CHECK IN WITH ME SOMETIME. I'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THE GAMES.

WAITING FOR WORD

I'M WAITING TO HEAR HOW THE CROWN GAME WENT. SOMEBODY SEND ME WORD. I'M EIGHT HOURS AHEAD OF YOU TIME WISE AND I STILL DON'T KNOW.

SPENT THE DAY YESTERDAY WITH OUR GUESTS JUST KINDA TOURING THE SMOLENSK AREA. IT'S THE FIRST TIME FOR THEIR GRANDSON TO BE HERE AND HE ENJOYED SEEING THE TOWN WE WENT TO THE MARKET, THE CATHEDRAL AND WW II MUSEUM. TODAY WE BEGIN WORK AT ONE OF THE LOCAL UNIVERSITIES WE WORK IN HERE.

TODAY IS A BIG DAY FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL!!! LET ME KNOW HOW IT GOES AS SOON AS YOU CAN. I'M WAY ROOTING FOR YA'LL.

STAY FOCUSED. MINIMIZE THE GOOF OFF TIME. REMEMBER THE FIRST HIT WILL SET THE TONE FOR THE REST OF THE GAME. NO STUPID PENALTIES. IMPACT!!!!!

YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE THE BEST TEAM IN THE WORLD TONIGHT, JUST THE BEST TEAM ON THE THAT FIELD. ---LOU HOLTZ

GUESTS ARRIVE

OUR GUESTS ARRIVED FROM ARIZONA TODAY AND THEY ARE WORN OUT!! BY THE TIME THEY FINALLY ARRIVED IN SMOLENSK THEY HAD TRAVELED FOR 24 HOURS. THEY ARE A HUSBAND AND WIFE WITH THEIR 12 YEAR OLD GRAND SON. IT'S HIS FIRST TIME TO TRAVEL ABROAD AND I'M GLAD FOR HIM TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY. IT'S A GOOD THING TO GET A PERSPECTIVE ON LIFE OUTSIDE THE U.S. WE HAVE BEEN SO BLESSED IN OUR NATION FOR SO LONG AND IN MANY, MANY, WAYS HAVE TAKEN IT FOR GRANTED. YOU ONLY HAVE TO VISIT ANY OTHER COUNTRY TO SEE THE DIFFERENCE. WE HAVE YOUNG PEOPLE VISIT WITH US EVERY YEAR AND I ALWAYS PRAY THAT GOD SPEAKS TO THEM ABOUT HIS WORLDWIDE KINGDOM. I WANT THEM TO SEE THAT GOD LOVES THE WORLD, NOT JUST AMERICA. THAT GOD SENT HIS SON TO DIE FOR ALL PEOPLE GROUPS, NOT JUST ENGLISH SPEAKING WHITE PEOPLE. THAT GOD DOESN'T SEE NATIONAL BOUNDARIES. THAT GOD WANTS TO USE SOME OF THEM IN PLACES WHERE THERE ARE NO CHURCHES. MAYBE THIS LITTLE GUY WILL SEE SOME OF THAT. HEY, MAYBE SOME FALCONS COULD GET THAT VISION SOMEDAY AS WELL. HOW COOL WOULD IT BE TO HAVE SOME FALCONS ON MISSION FIELDS ACROSS THE PLANET. THEY'D BE TOUGH TO BEAT!!!

JUST A COUPLE OF DAYS TILL GAME DAY!!! MAKE THEM COUNT. I'M THINKING ABOUT YA'LL. PRAYING FOR YOU.

FOOTBALL IS LIKE LIFE--IT REQUIRES PERSERVERENCE,SELF DENIAL,HARD WORK,SACRAFICE,DEDICATION, AND RESPECT FOR AUTHORITY. - VINCE LOMBARDI

WEATHER REPORT FROM RUSSIA

FALL IS NOT USUALLY A BEAUTIFUL TIME IN RUSSIA. SUMMER CAN BE PRETTY, AND WINTER, WITH ALL THE SNOW, CAN BE FUN TO LOOK AT, BUT FALL IS USUALLY NOT VERY NICE. SUCH IS THE WEATHER WE SEEM TO BE HAVING HERE RIGHT NOW. I HAVEN'T SEEN THE SUN SINCE I GOT HERE AND THERE'S NOT MUCH PROSPECT FOR IT SOON. THE TEMPERATURE IS IN THE 4O'S STILL AND THE WIND IS CALM, SO THAT'S A PLUS. I UNDERSTAND YOU GUY'S ARE IN FOR THE FIRST FREEZE OF THE YEAR TONIGHT. WAY TO GO. YOU BEAT US TO THE LONG UNDERWEAR.

OUR FRIENDS FROM ARIZONA ARRIVE TOMORROW AND THEN OUR DAYS WILL BECOME REALLY BUSY. ONE OF OUR STAFF GUYS WILL LEAVE IN THE MORNING AND DRIVE TO MOSCOW TO PICK THEM UP. IT'S ABOUT A 5 HOUR DRIVE ON REALLY BAD ROADS.

HOPE YOUR PRACTICES ARE GOING WELL. THIS IS A WAY BIG WEEKEND FOR FALCONS. WORK HARD. BE A GREAT TEAM. BE A GREAT TEAMMATE.

I'VE NEVER KNOWN ANYONE SO LOYAL. IF YOU ARE LARRY BIRD'S TEAMMATE, YOU ARE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PEOPLE IN THE WORLD TO HIM.---KEVIN MCHALE (ABOUT LARRY BIRD)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, COACH WADDELL!!!!! WHAT A GREAT GUY!!!!!!

ARRIVED IN RUSSIA

I ARRIVED IN RUSSIA LAST NIGHT ABOUT 9 P.M. AFTER DRIVING MOST OF THE DAY IN THE RAIN. SPENT ABOUT AN HOUR ON THE BORDER BETWEEN ESTONIA AND RUSSIA. OTHER THAN THAT THE TRIP WAS UNEVENTFUL. RUSSIAN ROADS ARE NOTORIOUSLY BAD. I NEVER TAKE OUR ROAD SYSTEM IN GEORGIA FOR GRANTED AFTER HAVING DRIVEN HERE FOR SO LONG. IN FACT, GEORGIA HAS SOME OF THE BEST ROADS IN THE WORLD. THINK ABOUT THAT NEXT TIME YOU'RE STUCK IN TRAFFIC SOMEWHERE AROUND ATLANTA.

WE'VE LIVE AND MINISTERED IN THE CITY OF SMOLENSK FOR THE LAST 12 YEARS. SMOLENSK IS ALMOST EXACTLY MIDWAY BETWEEN MOSCOW AND MINSK. MINSK IS THE CAPITAL OF BELARUS. WE HAVE ABOUT 450,000 PEOPLE AND IT'S THE FIRST FAIRLY MAJOR CITY THAT YOU COME TO AS YOU ENTER RUSSIA FROM EUROPE. IT'S A VERY OLD CITY AND IS ONE OF 13 "HERO" CITIES IN RUSSIA. IT IS DESIGNATED A HERO CITY FOR THE ROLE IT PLAYED IN WORLD WAR II. IT LOOKS A LOT DIFFERENT THAN THE CITIES IN THE U.S. IT IS A MIX OF VERY OLD AND VERY NEW BUILDINGS. LIFE REVOLVES AROUND THE CITY CENTER AND MOST PEOPLE WANT TO LIVE IN TOWN AS OPPOSED TO OUTSIDE, BECAUSE IT'S EASIER TO GET WHERE YOU NEED TO BE. ALMOST EVERYONE WALKS TO WHERE THEY NEED TO GO, IF THEY LIVE IN TOWN. HOWEVER, IN THE LAST 5 YEARS AUTOMOBILES HAVE TRIPLED IN THE CITY AND IT'S REALLY HARD TO GET AROUND BY CAR. WE LIVE IN AN APARTMENT IN THE CENTER (MOST PEOPLE HERE LIVE IN APARTMENTS), DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM A PARK.
IN THE EVENINGS HERE IT IS NICE TO JUST GO OUT AND STROLL THROUGH THE CITY. ALONG THE WAY, I'LL TELL YOU MORE ABOUT THE CITY AND THE WORK HERE. FOR NOW I'M INCLUDING A FEW PICTURES OF TOWN AND WHERE WE LIVE.


TODAY, I WILL BE TRYING TO GET ADJUSTED TO LIFE HERE AGAIN. THAT ALWAYS TAKES A DAY OR TWO. I HAVE GUESTS ARRIVING FROM ARIZONA ON FRIDAY AND WE WILL BE DOING MINISTRY IN A LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL AND UNIVERSITY NEXT WEEK. I'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT LATER AS WELL.


HOPE YOU HAD A GOOD PRACTICE DAY YESTERDAY. I THINK ABOUT YOU GUYS OFTEN. THANKS A LOT FOR THE COMMENTS YESTERDAY. LOVED IT!!! IT HELPS ME STAY CONNECTED TO HOME AND TO YOU. I'M REALLY MISSING NOT GETTING TO BE THERE FOR THE LAST GAME. PRAYING THAT THIS WILL BE A FRUITFUL PRACTICE DAY TODAY AS WELL.! STAY IN TOUCH.


"IF YOU TRAIN HARD, YOU'LL NOT ONLY BE HARD, YOU'LL BE HARD TO BEAT" - HERSCHEL WALKER

CLICK ON "COMMENTS" BELOW AND LEAVE ME A MESSAGE. WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM MORE OF YOU! TALK TO YOU TOMORROW.

A FALCON IN ESTONIA!

I ARRIVED IN ESTONIA SATURDAY AT ABOUT 6 P.M. ACTUALLY, I ENDED UP TRAVELING THROUGH DENMARK AND SPENT 6 HOURS IN THE AIRPORT IN COPENHAGEN. I COME THROUGH ESTONIA IN ORDER TO PICK UP A CAR THAT I LEAVE HERE AND THEN TRAVEL ON TO RUSSIA. YOU'RE ALL GOOD IN GEOGRAPHY SO I WON'T NEED TO TELL YOU WHERE ESTONIA IS. HOWEVER, FOR THE PARENTS SAKE I'LL TELL YOU THAT ESTONIA IS ONE OF THE FORMER SOVIET STATES LOCATED ON THE BALTIC SEA. IT'S A TINY LITTLE COUNTRY OF ONLY A LITTLE OVER 1 MILLION PEOPLE. ATLANTA IS LARGER (POPULATION WISE) THAT THE ENTIRE COUNTRY OF ESTONIA. IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PLACE THOUGH, AND I ENJOY THE PEOPLE HERE. I WENT TO CHURCH WITH SOME GOOD FRIENDS IN THE CITY OF TALLIN AND SPENT THE DAY WITH THEM. TOMORROW I WILL DRIVE ON TO RUSSIA. IT'S ABOUT A 6 HOUR DRIVE. THE WEATHER HERE IS WAY UGLY RIGHT NOW. COLD AND RAINY. SUN IS SETTING EARLY AND RISING LATE, SO THE DAYS ARE REALLY SHORT.

THIS WILL BE A BIG PRACTICE WEEK FOR YOU GUYS, SO MAKE SURE YOU GET THERE EARLY AND TRY TO MINIMIZE THE GOOF-OFF TIME. MY SON, ROBERT WILL BE HELPING OUT COACH WADDELL THIS WEEK, SO REMEMBER HE'S NEW AND CUT HIM SOME SLACK.

HEY, CLICK ON COMMENTS BELOW AND LEAVE ME ONE. LET ME KNOW HOW YOU'RE DOING SOMETIME. I'D LIKE THAT. I'LL BE POSTING HERE ALMOST EVERY DAY, SO CHECK IN DAILY!

"IF YOU DON'T INVEST VERY MUCH, THEN DEFEAT DOESN'T HURT VERY MUCH AND WINNING IS NOT VERY EXCITING." - DICK VERMEIL