From a long line of Salvationists...

Anita and the Eastern Europe Terrotoriy's training principal Captain Sveta Sharova flank the great-great-great-great-great grandson of William Booth. Major Patrick Booth met our two ladies at the ETL conference in Amsterdam.

Good friends and fellowship

Anita sits alongside Mary and Katie Salarishvili, daughters of Georgia's Regional Commanders Gia and Eka Salarishvili. We have known the girls now for five years.

We stayed with the Salarishvili family in Tblissi during our educational travels. This is The Salvation Army's latest property purchase in Georgia. Property is very important to our service due to escalating rent expenses everywhere in our Territory.

Mary Salarishvili offers a walnut which has soaked in its shell in honey. Delicious!

Good Edjukation matters

Anita brings a lesson to officers at Georgia's continuing education seminar in Tblissi.

Territorial Corps Sergeant Major Yuri Gulyanitsky addresses local officers in Tblissi with a powerpoint presentation on Salvation Army internationalism.

Anita investigates Amsterdam's Red Light District. The Salvation Army has a corps in this particularly disreputable part of town, and Anita attended this corps while in the Netherlands on a European Training Leaders Conference.

Georgian journey

Brad enjoys a local Georgian dish, Hingkali, in the capitol city of Tblissi while he and Anita conducted a week of educational seminars there.

Cadet Rezzo climbs the extremely tight staircase to the Georgian classroom at Tblissi Central Corps. Brad taught doctrine with the cadets, meeting them for the first time since they began classes in Georgia in September 2007. Most Georgians still cannot secure documents for travel to Russia.

Here the Georgian cadets seek warmth from a space heater due to the unusually cold weather in Georgia.

'tis the Season...

Kettles come to Moscow! We were able to play carols and put out a stand at two theaters (real theaters, not multiplexes) and raise a little money for corps programs. Captain Ellen Tidman of St. Petersburg in the North mans the bell while in town as an auxiliary instructor for cadets.

Notice the cute flute player on the end? Brad did...

Thanks again!

The Herivel family, Rich and Brenda, enjoying their first Thanksgiving since coming to the Eastern Europe Territory from The Salvation Army's Central Territory, returned a favor by hosting Brad and Anita for a belated Thanksgiving feast. The turkey was, according to Brenda, "not a butterball", but made for great leftovers!

Get me to the church on time...

Brad conducted a wedding, his first in Russia. The couple were legally married several years ago, but never had a church wedding. We have witnessed many couples ask The Salvation Army for such a service since we first travelled overseas. Territorial Corps Sergeant Major Yuri Gulyanitsky, translating for Brad, is brother to the groom, Alexei.

Still thankful...

See below for explanation...if you can call doing dishes in the tub something which needs explaining.

Thanksgiving Joy

Major Rich Herivel joined us for Thanksgiving turkey and the works. We kept him company while his wife Brenda was in Norway. Due to water and electric being cut off in our kitchen, Brad made mashed potatoes in the bedroom, and Anita (as you can see) washed dishes in bathtub...

CLICK FOR LARGER PHOTOS!

Friends, remember that you can click on any photo for a larger version. It is recommended that if you want to save photos (for dart board targets, place mats...) that you save the larger versions. However you view our blog photos, we hope they communicate to you how much we care about our time abroad from the USA, serving the Lord simply by saying yes to His call. Thanks for your support as this time continues.

Back to the books (and seminars and...)

Anita and Brad have really hit the ground running following their summer trip to America. Here a few glimpses into their routines lately.

Anita meets to train education coordinators from around the Territory, including Captain Vic Tidman of St. Petersburg (Russia North) and Major Brenda Herivel (Russia Central).

Brad mans the First Year Officer Seminar in Kiev, Ukraine. Delegates travelled in from Moldova, Georgia, and Russia.

Here delegates for the First Year Officer Review pose happily. Brad poses baldly.

Taganka Corps worship group warms up. Some normal participants are out with various winter illnesses, but the Lord blessed the service and the music offered there.
Taganka Corps' Sunday School welcomes a new member--little Lena Kotrikadze, just moved into town with her parents, Captains David and Anya. Anita regularly heads up this program with volunteer helpers.

Worship at Taganka Corps' holiness meeting is filled with seeking hearts, including a number of our cadets up front. The sermon theme for the month is, "We need each other."

Officers completing nine, ten, and eleven years of service gathered in Moscow for a week of sessions with Territorial Leaders. Here their prayer circle concludes their time together.

Delegates for the 9-11 Year Officers' Review smile at their shared accomplishment. Territorial leaders Commissioners Wim and Netty van der Harst (second from the left) share in their happiness.

Brad teaches delegates at the Five Year Officer Review in Kiev, Ukraine. Delegates each also received an interview with our top Territorial leaders to review developmental progress.

Here delegates to the Five Year Officer Review worship in a small hall at the "resort" where we stayed for this week-long event.

Anita teaches a craft to Home League members of Taganka Corps. With no ladies on the Corps' officer staff list, her help is welcome!

London Visit

Anita recently dropped into London for an ETL conference, and thrilled at the sight of the Canterbury Cathedral. Here's pic from the beach, gazing at the ocean during a brief moment without the famous London Fog.
Barry and Raemor Pobjie, our former Territorial leaders here in Eastern Europe now "luxuriate" in their London flat, when they are home from international travels as International Secretaries.

Good friends

Steve and Wendy Morris, two of our session mates from Officer's Training School, smile at our reunion during the Southern Territorial Bible Conference.
Ellen Tidman and Anita chill out during a break at Bible Conference at Lake Junaluska.
Vic Tidman and Brad compare bellies. Brad grimaces as he tries to hold it in...

Grandparents!!

Born September 20th, Gracie Maye Caldwell already charms onlookers with her ready smile and stylish wardrobe. Our first grandchild...

Towering Figures

Riding the Staten Island Ferry, we briefly encountered Lady Liberty, looking good for her age.

The Chrysler Building's watery image reflects from another downtown New York behemoth.
Grand Central Station's above ground terminal entry point is dwarfed in the shadow of the Met Life building.

NY NY

Here's the New York Stock Exchange in all its economic glory.

















Central Park presents a surreal level green oasis amidst the artificial forest of concrete and steel surrounding it. Taken from atop the Eiffel Tower.

The sons of us

Jason and his wife Tracy took us on a tour of the Turkey Creek Nazarene Church in Eastern Kentucky where Jason serves as youth pastor while completing college. Tracy would give birth just a few weeks later.

Jaron and Brad relax on the Staten Island Ferry while passing the Statue of Liberty. Jaron is in his final year of college at SUNY at Purchase.
Justin and Jaron take in the huge expanse of Grand Central Station in NYC.
Justin tests the carpet in our cabin at the Salvation Army Southern Territorial Bible Conference.