 I seem to have a deep desire for Russia. It is hard to suppress. I think next summer we will have to arrange a trip there to see if this obsession is Godly or "me"ly. Ever since I was a young boy I have had an obsession with this country. I can remember sitting in front of the tv watching international hockey cheering for the Russians to defeat the Canadians while my Mom's common-law bf shouted at me for cheering for the commies. I didn't care, the country fascinated me. Winston Churchill has said that "Russia is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma"; and I tend to agree. The country is less than desirable in the natural, in my opinion, but there is something about it that I have never been able to shake off. I tend to search news articles on what is going on in Russia more than anywhere else, even here in North America. Politics bores me to tears, but I am always wondering what Medvedev and Putin are up to. I have the theme song for Чебурашка as my ring tone, and my Twitter page currently has the little bear-type-thing as the wallpaper. I have learnt more Russian than any other language (try some below!) in a fraction of the time it took me to learn even a minute amount of Portuguese, or French, etc. In 2004, I remember watching the news on Beslan and having it tear the heart out of me; and I was overwhelmed at having the opportunity to travel to Beslan and preach in a small church in 2007.
All these things have positioned me towards Mother Russia, and it is hard to direct my eyes elsewhere. So, sooner or later, I will have to step foot on that soil and selflessly love it to death, and into Life.
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