Tartu, Estonia: Sunday, August 10
It’s been a whirlwind of a couple of days. But, here I am in for the first time in my life outside of the United States. There was time today to walk the streets of Tartu. We have had plenty of interaction with each other and with our Estonian hosts since we arrived Thursday.
Getting over jet lag was a challenge, but it did not stop us from sightseeing, dining, meeting and greeting, praying, planning and touring Tartu and the surrounding area.
First, some observations about Estonia.
- The weather is similar to North Dakota with one exception — wind. There’s no wind.
- Because there is no wind, the pine trees that populate the entire land mass with the exception of cleared fields and cities grow straight as lodge-pole pines.
- The climate is moist and everything is green and greener.
- It is warm in the sunshine and cool in shade.
- Buildings are not air conditioned so my wardrobe is a bit warm. It cools off nicely at night and we can keep the windows open as we sleep because there are no bugs. Windows are designed very cleverly so they may be opened in two different configurations. There are NO screens.
- Traffic is everywhere and so fast, you must really be careful about jaywalking.
- Transportation includes buses and bikes and scooters. If you are walking, keep to the right or you’ll be road kill.
- Everything is designed to be as efficient as possible. It’s amazing how beautiful the buildings are.
- There are buildings here from the 1600s. Rather than tear them down, they renovate and cherish their history.
- Yellow is apparently a favorite color in our hostel.
- The population of Tartu loves to be outdoors. Nearly every restaurant we have had the pleasure of enjoying has outdoor seating. If you are cold, they will offer you a blanket to keep you warm.
- The food is amazing and presented with such beauty and variety it is a feast for the eyes as well as the tummy.
- Language is not as big as a barrier as I expected. Everyone knows more than one language and I feel like I need to learn some other language somehow, someway.
Our first day trip to the country side
Our first day trip was to see the hiding places of Pastor Siimon Haamer’s father, Enoch, during the Russian occupation of Estonia. It is impossible to believe how difficult those years would have been for his grandmother and her three children. They were separated from his grandfather, Pastor Harri, who was arrested and sent to a Soviet slave labor camp. (See the book from the previous post).
It was nothing short of a miracle how the events lined up and save the family from the soldiers. Of course, living in an underground bunker for three years must have felt hopeless many times.
A previous hiding place was a farmhouse currently owned by a woman named Christina. She was charming and gracious. In her barn, currently a staging area for renovation, was an old loom and equipment for processing flax. She used the word Medieval when describing the origin of the loom.
I told her I was a weaver. It created an instantaneous connection. I hope one that will last the rest of my life. After touring three hiding places and hearing the story of Harri’s wife and son evading the soldiers, we ate a local food restaurant serving the catch of the day — your choice of wild boar, moose, perch, or lamb. Everything including the beverages were sourced from no more than 15 kilometers from the table.
After lunching, we walked up Egg Mountain and then headed home for devotions.
Sunday Services at an ancient church
Today, Pastor Bob and I split from the group and attended a church service in Kambja. Pastor Bob gave the message followed by a delightful lunch with the local pastor and his organist.
Before beginning his sermon, Pastor Bob asked me to greet the congregation ages new born to 105 years old. Pastor Andries (sorry I don’t know how to spell his name correctly) who had not made note of my name earlier said, “Do you know what Suu means in Estonian?”
I smiled and said no. He brought his fingers to his lips and said, “Mouth.” It stopped me in my tracks. Pastor Bob and I laughed because of the significance of that remark.
Whatever came out of my mouth after that is a mystery to me, I can’t remember what I said. God is always in the details. On Monday I share my testimony and will be using my mouth as an instrument for HIM.
There are so many things happening I cannot write them all, and I hope my recollection of these first few days with jet lag is accurate. If not, I will make some corrections next week.
Time moves differently here. People linger with us in the warmest most welcoming way. It is an experience that will change me. Your continued prayers for our Bible Camp next week and journey back to the states are much appreciated. Thank you in advance.
INDYchildrendotme 
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