Dyedushka (Grandfather) with Earflaps

Today on the way to the marshrutka (minibus-taxi) stop to Russian lesson, I saw a dyedushka (grandfather) with a time-worn face. His bright blue eyes sparkled from beneath his large brown fur hat with ear flaps. We were near a DVD store when I passed him, and loud techno music was blaring from the speakers, strategically placed at each end of the building. “What a lot of changes this dyedushka has seen in his lifetime.” I thought as we neared each other: this loud music, the shops being full of things to buy, all the cars in the city . . . when I passed him, I smiled, because I suddenly realized 20 years ago he wouldn’t have passed an American on the street. I am one of those changes!

Grateful to God for His Protection

Right Fuse Burned Out

Just before I left Russia I opened my bedroom door and even though my nose was stopped up, I could smell something burning.  My roommates, Mark and Sara and I looked around and determined it was the washing machine.  I called a washing machine repairman.  He checked everything and said, “It’s not the washing machine.”

I didn’t believe him.  “It has to be the washing machine!”  I said, “It smells terrible when it runs.”  On a whim, he checked the fuses – and there it was.  One of the fuses was smoldering.  Although he is a big strong guy, he couldn’t unscrew it, and had to use pliers to wrench it loose.  He said the wires were probably burned all the way into the wall, perhaps to outside the apartment.  “It is imperative you call the emergency electrician right now.”  He said, “You could have burned down the whole apartment building, or been poisoned.” 

The electrician arrived at 10:00 pm,, fixed everything and told me, “These fuses are from the 20th century.  You need to join the 21st century and get breakers.”  I have purchased the breaker thingys and the bar they mount them on the wall with, and will have them installed soon.

 At my Russian lesson the next day I noticed my teacher was distressed.  When I asked her what was wrong, she told me her good friend’s 36 year old athletic son died yesterday after returning home from a volleyball game.  He was at home alone and his wife returned to find him dead.  A fuse was smoldering and he died of asphyxiation.

 I was grateful that when I was growing up, any time there were fumes in the house from cleaning products to cigarette smoke, Mum opened all of the windows.  Because of the smoldering smell I had opened all the windows in the apartment.  I am grateful to God for His protection.