The Blessing of Water

We got a telephone call at almost 11:00pm a couple of weeks ago. It was a man telling us that he was from the "Water Canal" and that they'd be shutting off our water for a few days, so store up! The ironic part is that I'd JUST gotten done telling Leif that I was done touching water for the day (my hands were so dry) and I'd slathered them in lotion and covered them in socks. So, what could we do? We filled up the bathtub with water, filled all the pots, pans, and bowls we could find with water, took a shower, and went to bed.

Well, days went by and we had water. The conclusion we came to is, "Someone is playing a joke on us!" (both relieved and slightly bothered by the conclusion). But Leif asked his friend, Chingis, who called the Water Canal for us, and- yes, the information is true. They just aren't sure when it'll happen... sometime in the next month. So, how long do we live with pots and pans all over the house? How often do we fill the tub with water? These are questions we've been pondering. In the meantime, each day I thank the Lord for water! Hot or cold, I love it all.

Leif went on a backpacking trip in the mountains this past weekend. He'll post some pictures after he swaps some with friends. His trip sounded like all of the stereotypes of Siberia- icy, stormy, windy, and bitingly cold. I'm happy he's back safe and sound! I went to a nearby village with some teammates one day and sat through an awards ceremony at a little school. The directors there presented us with medals around our necks- as the special foreign guests. Before the ceremony, someone passed out newspapers that spoke out against capitalism and promoted socialist ideas. It was really eye-opening that many people actually want to return to communism. I was especially surprised to see this in a largely-Buryat village. I felt like the trip helped me to understand a little more of Russian culture.