Nolinsk, Kirov region

Thanks for being patient with our technical difficulties. Kirov is a beautiful region, but to get to it is a 14 hour train from Moscow. (We did actually come from Kostroma, but our teams will come straight from Moscow) It has become very apparent that cell signals are worthless! Not to mention that we have no blackberry signal and internet would be out of the question.
However the drive from Kirov to Nolinsk was absolutely beautiful! We have been trying to figure out what to compare it to...mostly like southern ozarks!

Then we arrive in Nolinsk and the orphanage is in the center of town. We were immediately impressed with the orphanage when we walked into the front door. SO NICE! WOW! Our hotel was only a 5 minute walk from the orphanage. A church across the street...but then we start talking with the director and this place is so together on programming and education that we started saying that they are breeding govt agents...or something...stepford kids got thrown around too.

Nolinsk has a olympic level martial arts trainer teaching out of the first floor. Family groups organized by interest: art, music, sports and extra school help. Their day is so structered we only got about 3 hours in 2 days with the kids. A wood craftsman shop for the kids to learn wood working, and an art teacher who teaches wicker weaving. The girls room was hand making silk flowers when we got our tour. And the kids were so polite that I really did not believe I was in an orphanage.

The kids were great there, but as we talked through it-not to lessen the spiritual aspect-but they are so well off there that we really are only limited to helping them spiritually, and that is also a tough subject b/c the director was pretty adamant that the kids are not allowed to have religion 'forced' on them until they are 18 and can decide for themselves. Also not saying that we 'force' it-cause we don't but she made enough of a point that we are wondering what walls we would be hanging our heads against. We did have a great hang out time with the kids before the walk back to the 'hotel.' (It only had 4 rooms with 12 beds between then, 1 bathroom/shower that someone broke in the night...cough...cough...dave)

So we ended our first day in Nolinsk discouraged and frustrated that we got sent to that orphanage on a vision trip, but even more anxious to see the next one. Harrell, the guy from Virginia with us made a bet with Dave that we would pick the one with the shorter name...we are pretty sure he is losing that bet...but the next few days will tell...

Stephanie