Letters from Central Asia

5/30/06

I am in Pavlodar and am leaving for the country villages tomorrow morning -- and will probably not have email access until I get to Barnaul next week.

I was really blessed yesterday. I arrived to Pavlodar and quickly found a place to stay. Then I went looking for food and accidently took the wrong bus. I got lost for a few moments and then recognized the street I was on and began walking in the direction of the restaraunt I wanted.
Suddenly I heard someone calling my name, I turned around and it was my friend Oxana who works for Rebirth. It turns out that the organization moved their office to the other side of town last year, and I just happen to be walking by the office, and Oxana just happened to be there late teaching a German class, and just happened to open the door for an instant for some air as I just happened to be walking by!!!! Had that not happened, I would have had a bear of a time finding them!

Anyway, they have me all set up to visit two villages tomorrow and the next day -- and after I visit them on Friday, I will make for Russia. The last village (Sharbakti) that I will visit, I really like (I was there last year). I am going to visit with the mayor's assistant and see about living accomodations for us if we come next year.