Let’s go to Russia! THE LUTHERAN CHURCH—MISSOURI SYNOD
“Dobrh dien!”[DOH-breh dee-YEHN] Mission Friends!That’s Russian for“Good day!”Come along on a special trip to Russia, officially known as the Russian Federation. Join me as we explore the biggest country in the world and its people,and discover how our missionaries are helping to bring the story of Jesus to its people.
People of Russia
Russia is home to many different
kinds of people.More than80
percent are Russian,descendants
of a group of people called Slavs
who came long ago from
Europe.There are many other
ethnic groups found in the
country,including Tartars,
Ukrainians,Chechens,
Germans,Jews,Eskimos,
and Finns.While84
percent of the country’s
people speak Russian,
there are around100
different languages also
spoken by all of these
different kinds of people.Our
missionaries are working with
Lutherans in Russia who
come from German or Finnish Let’s Visit Moscow!
??
You can’t visit Russia without stopping to see Moscow!Though Moscow only became Russia’s capital in1918,its history goes back about800years to the time when settlers on the north bank of the Moskva River built a “kreml”or walled fortress—a word we know as “kremlin.”Today,more than10million people live in Moscow.
Inside Russia’s Kremlin are great domed churches and cathedrals,a palace,
museums,and government offices.The
most famous church there is St.Basil’s
Cathedral,with nine chapels,each with
its own decorated,onion-shaped
roof.
Don’t forget to eat some ice cream when you are here.Despite cold winter temperatures that drop to14degrees Fahrenheit,Muscovites(as people from Moscow are called)eat about170tons of ice cream every day!
Cities and Towns
Most Russian people live in the cities and towns of the European part of Russia.In recent times,however,fewer farm workers are needed,so more and more people have moved to cities and towns.Now about three times as many people live in Russian cities and towns as in country areas.
If you lived in a Russian city,your family would most likely live in a two-room apartment or small house,perhaps shared with another family.If you are lucky,your family would own a dacha,or summer home in the country.People grow vegetable gardens at their dachas for extra food to eat during the long https://www.doczj.com/doc/7915439396.html,nd and Climate Russia’s6,592,734square miles (17,075,200sq km)makes it almost twice as large as the United States.Be ready to set your watch many times as you travel through11time zones!While a boy plays soccer during the late afternoon in Moscow,a girl in far eastern Vladivostok is already eating breakfast at the start of a new day!
Did you know?
?Russia lies in two continents,Europe and Asia.Fourteen countries share a
border with Russia.Estonia,Finland,
Latvia,Lithuania,Norway,and
Poland are in Europe and Azerbaijan,
Belarus,China,Georgia,Kazakhstan, North Korea,Mongolia,and the
Ukraine in Asia.
?The coldest inhabited place in the world is in the Siberian part of Russia-at Verkhoyansk,where the
temperature can drop down to-96
degrees Fahrenheit.
?The icy Russian winter lasts from November through March,and up to
nine bone-chilling months in Siberia,
which is close to the icy Arctic Ocean.?The hottest part of Russia is the southwestern part.
?A dry climate and poor soil make farming difficult in most of Russia.
Some areas of Russia get less than
eight inches of rain a year.
?The busy Volga River is the longest river in Europe,and a Russian
national symbol.
?Three of the longest rivers in the world are in Russia—Ob,Yenisei,and Lena.All are so wide that if you stand on one side,you cannot see to the
other.
?Some of the world’s largest oil and natural gas fields are in Siberia.The
hilly land and cold weather make it
very hard to mine and ship these
much needed resources.
Map
Activities Look at the map and do the following activities:1.Find Moscow,the capital of Russia,and draw a star by https://www.doczj.com/doc/7915439396.html,ke Baikal is the deepest,largest fresh water lake in the world.Draw a fish in it.3.The Ural Mountains divide Russia between Europe and Asia.Draw a line of the evergreen trees that grow on them.4.Find the Kamchatka Peninsula and draw several of its 25volcanoes on it. 5.Look for three different land areas in Russia.?The tundra is a treeless plain.Its ground is frozen all year long.It lies in the northern,arctic part of Russia.Color it gray.?The taiga is an evergreen forest that stretches from one end of Russia to the other.Color it green.?The steppe is a level,treeless plain that lies in southern Russia.Here rich soil is found for growing crops.Color it yellow.
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Lake Baikal:The
“Gem of Siberia”
The400-mile-long Lake Baikal is the
largest freshwater lake in the world.You can
look down far in its clear water,and still not
see its mile-deep https://www.doczj.com/doc/7915439396.html,ke Baikal holds
one-fifth of the world’s fresh water!
Heat from deep in the earth warms the
bottom of the lake and causes the water to
move oxygen around it.Because of this there
are more than2,000different kinds of plants
and animals found here,with half of them
found nowhere else in the world!
Scientists were worried because factories
began pouring toxic chemicals into the lake.
Rivers that run into the lake brought other
poisons.The Russian government is working
to make Lake Baikal clean and beautiful
again.
Word Bank
The Flag of Russia ??Did you know that Russia,like the United States,has a red,white,and blue flag too?With the end of the Soviet Union,the red communist flag was taken down and the traditional red, white,and blue Russian flag from the days of the czars was put up again. Leave the top stripe white.Color the middle stripe blue and the bottom stripe red.Russia’s Economy
How do Russia’s people earn a living?The following word search will show you some of the main parts of Russia’s economy.Find and circle the words from the Word Bank;look up-and-down,and back-and-forth.
coal
beef
cattle
dairy
cattle
diamonds
fishing
flax
forestry
grain
herding
industry
oil
potatoes
shipbuilding
vegetables
Russia’s History
In the sixth century,the first people to settle in Russia were a farming people called Slavs.The name“Russian”comes from“rus,”the name of the Vikings who swept down from the north.The nation of Russia began in the ninth century when the Slavs beat off both the Vikings from the north and nomads from the south to set up a state around the city of Kiev.
Christianity came to Russia when Prince Vladimir I became a Christian in988A.D.His people were baptized and the idols they worshipped were tossed into the Dnieper River.
Russia has had many times of trouble.First Mongols from the south ruled the land from the13th to the15th https://www.doczj.com/doc/7915439396.html,ter some of Russia’s czars,or emperors,killed their own people.Ivan IV,the first czar of Russia, became known as Ivan the Terrible because of the way he killed hundreds of people and took over their land.
When Peter the Great became czar in l682, he wanted to change Russia into a modern country.He moved the capital to a new city,St. Petersburg,named after himself.Peter the Great was followed by Catherine the Great.Catherine was Peter’s wife.Before she was married to Peter,she was a German princess. When she became the ruler of Russia,she invited German settlers to come live in the Ukraine.
Over the years,the Russian people had much suffering as other countries sent their armies into Russia.Swedish,French,and German armies invaded the country,but were finally defeated.
Czar Nicholas II gave up his throne in 1917,during the difficult time of World War I. At this time Vladimir Lenin led a takeover of the government by the communists.This was the start of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics(USSR).
On December25,1991,the huge red flag of the USSR came down from its flagpole over the city of Moscow.The USSR was no more. Boris Yeltsin became the first president of this new Russian Federation.Vladimir Putin,a member of the Russian Orthodox Church, became the next president of Russia.
The change from communism to a free-market economy has not been easy for the Russian people.We pray that God will help people of Russia to find a life free from times of trouble that have been in their history.
The Russian Alphabet
??
If you look at the Russian alphabet,
you will have to look hard to find any that look like the English alphabet. Russian uses a Cyrillic alphabet that has many letters taken from the Greek alphabet.Only five of the33 letters match our own letters.
This is what the Russian alphabet looks like.
The Cyrillic alphabet is named after a Russian Orthodox priest named St.Cyril who,with his brother, made the alphabet to go with the Russian language.This alphabet is written as it is spoken,which makes it very easy to spell and
read.
Let’s Learn Some Russian Words!
Here are some Russian words to try to say:
hello drahst-VOO-yeh-teh
good-bye da-svee-DAHN-yeh
please pod-ZJAH-lys-tah
friend drugk
father PA-pa
mother MA-ma
Jesus E-E-sus
church TSER kof
More to Do:Try to combine some of the Russian words together.
German Club—A Mission Story
Alexander’s parents were Russian and German.He was a boy during World War II and lived through a lot of hardships in a village in the Ukraine,which was part of the USSR. Even though Alexander was baptized in the Russian Orthodox Church when he was young, he couldn’t go to church under the communist rule of the USSR.
For fifty years Alexander lived in northern Russia.One day he heard about a German club and decided to learn more about his German roots.At the German club,Alexander met Pastor Sergey Shanin.Pastor Shanin invited Alexander to come to a Lutheran church.Most of the other club members only wanted to learn German so that they could move to Germany, where life was easier.Alexander was different. Soon he gave up learning German,but was very happy to have the chance to go to church. Alexander was confirmed at Christ the Savior Lutheran Church,and became a faithful member.
Alexander was an old man when he learned about Jesus’love for him.It is never too late to tell others about Jesus!
eligion in Russia???
What do you think it would be like to live in a country where the government said you were not to believe in God?That is what life in Russia was for Christians living under75 years of communist rule.Churches were closed and worship was not allowed.Many Christians had to pray to God secretly in their homes.The“official religion”of the country was atheism,the belief that there is no God.
Since the1990s,Russian people are once again allowed to attend church.Church buildings have been given back and are being repaired.Once again God’s people can meet together to hear His Word and sing His praises.
In Russia you can see many churches with “onion shaped”domes.This shape allows the snow to blow off.Most of these churches belong to the Russian Orthodox Church,the main religion in Russia.Inside Russian Orthodox Churches are special pictures called icons.These pictures have special meaning to Orthodox Christians.Many candles light the church,and as the people worship,incense is lit.Other religious groups found in Russia are Roman Catholics,Protestants(such as Lutherans),Muslims,and Jews.
The LCMS works closely with the Evangelical Lutheran
Church of Ingria in
Russia to train
church leaders and
start new churches.
But,even today,
there is still
suspicion about
various religious
groups in Russia.
Missionaries
must work with
an existing
Russian
Christian church.
It is because we
work together with
the Ingrian church
that the Russian
government lets
LCMS missionaries
work in Russia.
et’s Eat Borscht!
Ask a Russian what their national food is,and they will say“borscht”[BORE sht]or“vegetable soup.”Most of the vegetables they eat every day go in it--potatoes,cabbage,carrots,beets,and onions.Follow this recipe and enjoy soup eaten by children in Russia.
What you need:
?3cans beef broth
?3soup cans water
?2large potatoes,peeled and diced ?3large carrots,peeled and diced ?1small can sauerkraut and juice ?1small can beets,sliced
?1small can tomato sauce
What you do:
https://www.doczj.com/doc/7915439396.html,bine beef broth,water,potatoes,
and carrots in a large pot.
2.Bring the mixture to a boil over
medium heat.
3.Reduce the heat and simmer for20
minutes.
4.Add sauerkraut with juice,beets,
and tomato sauce.
5.Simmer for30minutes longer.
6.Serve with Russian black bread or
rye bread,spread with cream cheese and butter.Music and God’s Mission
One of Russia’s most famous composers was Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky.You are probably familiar with the music from the ballets“Swan Lake,”“Sleeping Beauty,”and “The Nutcracker”as well as the“1812 Overture.”
Russian people enjoy listening to music and attending concerts very much.LCMS missionaries and Lutherans in Russia often sponsor music concerts.“The Musical Heritage of the Lutheran Church”was the name of one concert featuring the music of Johann Sebastian Bach,a famous Lutheran composer from Germany.The concert included music with Biblical and Christian lyrics. Around250people attended the concert in Moscow and learned about Lutheran music traditions.Russian translations of the songs are provided at the concerts as well as the address of a local Lutheran church.In the program,Bible verses are printed next to the lyrics of Christian songs.Through the music, printed programs,and message from a Russian Lutheran pastor,many people hear about Jesus their Savior.
Let’s Pray!
You are a special
mission partner when
you pray for mission
work in Russia.You
can pray:
?for Russian
pastors,like Rev.
Sergey Shanin,as
they tell
people—young and
old—about Jesus their Savior.
?that many people in Russia who grew up believing that there isn’t a God will come to faith.
?for LCMS missionaries as they train Russian church leaders and help churches
there.
?that you will look for ways to tell your friends and family about Jesus.
Our trip to Russia is over,but not the work of the missionaries who live in Russia.For more information about the spread of the Gospel in Russia,the missionaries who work there,or how you can become a missionary,please write to me at:Send an e-mail to:https://www.doczj.com/doc/7915439396.html,@https://www.doczj.com/doc/7915439396.html, Mission Friends LCMS World Mission 1333S.Kirkwood Road St.Louis,MO
63122-7295
ord Game
Review the new words that you’ve learned in this issue of Mission Friends .Fill in the blanks with the words that match the meaning.There will be a special message in the circled letters.
1.Coniferous evergreen forests of sub-artic lands covering vast areas of Russia.
2.People with no permanent home.
3.A Russian country house.
4.The fortress of Moscow that houses governmental and cultural buildings.
5.A small wooden panel painted with a religious image.
6.A member of an ethnic group that originally came from Central Asia and later moved to Russia.
7.The belief that there is no God.
8.A level,treeless plain that is found in southern Russia.
9.A written system developed in the ninth century for Slavic people based on the Greek script.10.Skilled horsemen and fearless soldiers from Asia who attacked Russia in the 13th century.11.Members of a government system that owns all farmland and the means of making products in factories.A Russian Game Russian children like to play a game called “The Waters of the Sea are Troubled.”This is how you play it.1.Choose a leader.2.The leader says:“The waters of the sea are troubled once.The waters of the sea are troubled twice.The waters of the sea are troubled three times.Freeze!”3.All the players freeze.4.The leader chooses one player who then acts out a sea animal like a dolphin or walrus.5.The child chosen becomes the new leader.Bye for now,Mission Friends 1.__________2.____________3.__________
4.______________
5.________
6.________
7.______________
8.____________
9.________________________________
10.______________
11.____________________
The special hidden message is:
______________________!
THE LUTHERAN CHURCH—MISSOURI SYNOD
In This Issue
Palmer Parrot introduces your students to the
country of Russia.They will enjoy learning more about
the people of Russia and the mission opportunities there.
Please review the LCMS World Mission Web site,
https://www.doczj.com/doc/7915439396.html,/prayercards,for the current
list of career and volunteer missionaries serving in
Russia.Please download these prayer cards and regularly
pray for the missionaries.Allow students to take prayer
cards home and encourage them to pray often for the
missionaries and the people they work among.LCMS Partner Church Russia’s two officially registered Lutheran church bodies are The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Russia and Other States (ELKRAS)and The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria in Russia (ELCIR),which is a partner church of the LCMS.Both churches have
congregations in all parts of the Russian Federation.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria in
Russia’s (ELCIR)roots date back to the late 16th century.
Ingrian people are ethnically related to the Finns.Before
the Soviet regime most Ingrians lived in the area around
St.Petersburg and surrounding the borders of Finland
and Estonia.Since the early 1990s some of the ELCIR
congregations were reopened.Today,there are roughly
11,500members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of
Ingria in Russia with 75congregations.LCMS Mission in Russia LCMS World Mission began working in Russia in 1992,and assists both The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Russia and Other States (ELKRAS)and The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria in Russia fellowship with the ELCI,and since that time,the ELCI has become LCMS World Mission’s main mission partner in Russia.Evangelical Lutheran Ministries is the registered name under which LCMS World Mission works in Russia.The LCMS World Mission team is involved in theological education on several levels.At the highest level,the mission provides professors for class work at the Theological Institute of the ELCIR.The team also provides pre-seminary classes in cooperation with the Theological Institute at remote locations in Russia.And finally,the team coordinates church-worker training
seminars in 17different cities.
The mission team works to provide means to insure
solid church plants through the funding of church
buildings,because religious entities without buildings in
Russia are often suspected to be cults by the local
populace.LCMS World Mission personnel also serve
through outreach seminars and events at eight regional
mission centers and six mission training centers
throughout Russia as well as in various local
congregations.Strategic Alliances LCMS World Mission works with other mission agencies to further the spread of the Gospel in Russia.These strategic alliances are listed below.?Lutheran Hour Ministries —radio broadcast ministry and contacts
?Lutheran Heritage Foundation —translation of
theological texts
?MOST Ministries —short-term mission teams
?Orphan Grain Train —humanitarian aid deliveries
?Pastoral Leadership Institute —mission leadership
training
?Lutheran Social Services of the South —child
adoptions.
Let’s go to ...
Russia!
Notes/Extension Activities for the Student Pages
?Icon painting is an important part of Russian’s religious heritage.When Orthodox believers show reverence to an icon,they believe they are showing reverence to the reality it represents.The Orthodox Christians believe that Jesus is the ultimate“icon”or“image”of God,and that as God lives in them,they also become“icons”of
God.Icons are traditionally painted on wood using
tempera mixed with egg yolk for more permanency.The abstract background is usually gold.Have your
students draw Jesus in the style of an icon.
?Many Russian Orthodox crosses have a cross with two more pieces than the cross we use in our crosses.The
top piece reminds us of the inscription Pilate had nailed above Jesus’head;the bottom piece marks where Jesus’feet were.Glue together cut pieces of craft sticks to
make the cross.For a more ornate cross,use notched
craft sticks and break them into the desired shapes.
?Show children the picture“I and the Village”and other works by Russian-born artist Marc Chagall.Ask the
children to draw a picture in which they show the
special things they remember about the town in which they live.
?Take a virtual tour of the Hermitage Museum in St.
Petersburg at https://www.doczj.com/doc/7915439396.html,.
Catharine the Great began collecting art in1764and
her Winter Palace is now home to more than3million works of art.
?Carl Faberge,the court jeweler to the czars,made jeweled eggs for Russia’s rulers.Glue sequins or
decorative craft“jewels”to either a plastic egg to make your own Faberge egg.As an option,paint and glue the sequins to a wooden,craft-store egg.
?Russian children sometimes play with clay toys.A traditional figure is the rooster,painted in bright
colors.Provide commercial,self-drying clay in bright
colors for making the rooster,or make homemade flour clay for students to mold,bake,and paint.
?Easter is the main religious holiday in Russia.In contrast to brightly colored Ukrainian eggs,the
Russians use onion skins to dye their eggs yellow and brown.Some of the eggs are blown and painted.Have your class dye blown eggs in yellow dye made from
onion skins boiled in water,then draw pictures on the eggs with markers or acrylic paint.Try to use Christian pictures,or a Russian Orthodox cross.For natural ways to make different colors of egg dye,use boiled red
cabbage for a bright blue color,beet juice for red and
boiled spinach for green.
?Peter Tchaikovsky is probably Russia’s most well known composer.Check your library for recordings of some of his most famous ballets:“Nutcracker,”
“Sleeping Beauty,”and“Swan Lake.”Use children’s books based on these ballets to prepare the children for the music they will hear.Play a segment of the
music for the children to hear.If videos of the ballets are available,pick a section for you class to watch.
Another famous piece by Tchaikovsky is the“1812
Overture”;tell the children how the music represents the Russian defeat of Napoleon.Have the children
listen to the music,then draw a picture to go along
with the joyous ending of the piece.
?Have the students read the Russian folktale “Petrouchka”or“The Firebird,”then draw a picture
illustrating the story while listing to a recording of
Igor Stravinsky’s orchestration of the story.
?The Russian Orthodox Church is the largest Christian church in Russia.With the children,research what
the Orthodox Church believes,using either a reference book or the Internet.If a Russian Orthodox Church is in your community,consider visiting it with your
children.
?Many people in Russia today are atheists,the result of years of government teaching that there is no God.
Ask the children what they would say to someone who did not believe in God.Provide puppets for children to use as they work together in groups to role-play the
conversation they might have.Finish having the
children talk about how they can be a Christian
witness to those in our own country who do not know the story of Jesus’love for them.
?The Siberian tiger,the largest tiger in the world,is now an endangered animal.Check the Internet to find out the latest information about its survival.Have
children research it and draw a“Wanted Alive”poster describing its basic characteristics.
?The gray wolf is a fearsome creature in Russian folklore.Have children see if they can find both a
Russian folktale featuring a wolf and scientific
information about what this animal is really like.As an extension,have the children write a“new”folk tale, using the wolf as it really is.
?Make two temperature graphs,one for Moscow and one for your own https://www.doczj.com/doc/7915439396.html,e a newspaper or
internet weather Web site to track the temperature
for several weeks.Determine an average high and low for each week.Encourage the children to think how
they might dress and play differently if they lived in a climate like Russia’s.
?Use a roll of paper to construct a Russian time line to display on a wall of your room.Have children work in groups to write and illustrate the names of key events in Russian history.
?Assign each child a figure in Russian political or cultural history.Ask the children to both draw a
picture of and write a descriptive paragraph of their
character.When finished,have the children work
together to place the pictures in correct chronological
order for a display.
?Write the words“customs”on the board and ask your students to try to define them.Explain that every group of people has its own,special ways of doing things.
Have the children listen to the following Russian
customs,then try to think of some customs that people follow in the part of the world in which they live.?Never shake hands over a threshold.
?It is very rude to show the bottom of your feet.One must carefully cross one’s legs.
?It is proper to bring a gift of wine,candy,or flowers when visiting someone else.
?Give an odd number of flowers for celebrations and an even number for funerals.
?Grandmothers have the last word!
Another Recip—Blini
During the week before Lent begins,Russians traditionally eat blini(BLEE-nee),a pancake smothered in butter.Because butter was a forbidden food during Lent, this was a way of removing it from the household.
What You Need:
2c.flour
2eggs
https://www.doczj.com/doc/7915439396.html,k
Salt to taste
1tsp.baking soda
A little sugar(optional)
What You Do:
https://www.doczj.com/doc/7915439396.html,bine flour,salt,soda,and sugar.
https://www.doczj.com/doc/7915439396.html,bine milk and eggs,then add to dry ingredients.
Don’t over-mix.
3.Pour a little batter onto a hot,lightly greased frying pan
or griddle.Turn when bubbly.
4.Serve smothered with sour cream,sprinkle with sugar,
roll and eat.Other popular toppings include meat with sour cream,caviar(fish eggs),fish,jam,or honey.
What One Person Can Do:A Mission Story
In Puskin,20miles south of St.Petersburg,stands one of the first churches to be reopened in Russia.It opened in 1977,long before the collapse of Communism.
The church was opened because of the requests of one woman.For15years she submitted application after application asking the government officials to give the church back to the congregation and allow worship services in it again.
Finally the authorities gave in to the woman and let the church open again as the only church in the city.As soon as the services began,people came in from miles around,filling the church Sunday after Sunday.Answer Key to Russian Economy Word Search
Word Game Answer Key
Vocabulary Words
Atheism:The belief that there is no God. Babushka:A Russian grandmother.
Blini:A light fluffy pancake eaten the week before Lent begins.
Borscht:A European soup made with beets. Communism:An economic system in which the government owns all farmland and the means of producing goods in factories.
Cyrillic alphabet:A writing system developed in the ninth century for Slavic people,and based on the Greek script.
Czar:The Russian name for emperor or king. Sometimes written as“tsar.”
Dacha:A Russian country house.
Ethnic group:A group sharing a common and distinctive culture,religion,language,etc.
Free-market:Regulated by the forces of supply and demand.
Icon:A small wooden panel,painted with a religious image,that is common in Russian Orthodox churches, homes,and monasteries
Kremlin:The fortress of Moscow,housing governmental and cultural buildings.
Mongols:Skilled horsemen and fearless soldiers from Asia who attacked Russia in1237.
8.Tai g a
9.N o mads
10.D acha
11.Krem l in
12.Ic o n
13.Sla v
14.Ath e ism
15.S teppe
16.C y rillic alphabet
17.M o ngols
https://www.doczj.com/doc/7915439396.html,m u nists
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Nomads:People with no permanent home.
Slav:A member of an ethnic group,which originated in central Asia and later moved into Russia and Central Europe.
Steppe:A level,treeless plain that dominates the landscape of southern Russia.
Taiga:Coniferous evergreen forests of sub-artic lands covering vast areas of Russia,especially in Siberia. Toxic:Affected or caused by toxin or poison.
Tundra:An artic region of treeless plains and permanently frozen soil that crosses the extreme north of Russia.
Especially for Primary Teachers
Another way of making a matroishka“nesting doll”is to photocopy(enlarging the size as desired)the three doll shapes from the Primary Page for children to color and cut out,then glue the shapes to three sizes of envelopes.When finished,the children place the envelopes into each other, going from the smallest to the largest.
Internet:
Children's Search Sites:
Two good children’s Web sites mentioned in the “Parent’s Page”are Yahooligans(http:https://www.doczj.com/doc/7915439396.html,) and Ask Jeeves for Kids(http:https://www.doczj.com/doc/7915439396.html,).
Ask Jeeves the question,“Where can I find information about Russia?”to get a more selected list of sites which include both general and comprehensive information about the country,a map,favorite foods,as well as what you can see on a bicycle tour though Russia!
Search“Russia”in Yahooligans for a much more comprehensive list of sites to enter in a wide range of subjects,including the art,biographies,culture,castles, royalty,fashion and clothing,travelogues,and history. Useful Web Sites:
For an up-to-date map,as well as comprehensive information on Russian geography,people,government, economy,communications,transportation,military,and transnational issues,check the CIA World Factbook on Russia.https://www.doczj.com/doc/7915439396.html,.cia/publications/ factbook/rs.html
The Library of Congress Federal Research Division provides extensive historical information about Russia. https://www.doczj.com/doc/7915439396.html,/frd/cs/rutoc.html
http:https://www.doczj.com/doc/7915439396.html,/kids/world/europemed /russia.html leads you to the Peace Corps“Explore the World”site.From there you can click onto more detailed sites telling about Russian foods,holidays,favorite activities,and more!
If you want to go to find links to sites in Russia, including some of the places where LCMS missionaries are working,try“Information and News”and click on “Russia on the Internet”or one of the other Web site options found at https://www.doczj.com/doc/7915439396.html,/~transnat/ russinfo.html.
Books for Students:
Bradley,John.“Russia:Building Democracy”.Austin, Texas.:Steck,Vaughn,https://www.doczj.com/doc/7915439396.html,es an illustrated newspaper format to tell of the social,political,and economic changes in post-communist Russia.
Brown,Julie,ed.“USSR.”Milwaukee,Wis.:Gareth Stevens Children's Books,1989.Though it describes life before the Russian Federation,the book contains attractive illustrations of the many facets of life in Russia as seen through the eyes of a young girl.
Harvey,Miles.“The Fall of the Soviet Union”. Chicago,Ill.:Childrens Press,1995.Describes the transformation of Russia from a socialist to a free-market economy.
Kendall,Russ.“Russian Girl:Life in an Old Russian Town.”New York,N.Y.:Scholastic,1994.Beautiful illustrations tell the story of a nine-year old girl who lives in the l,000-year-old Russian town of Suzdal.
Kort,Michael G.“The Handbook of the Former Soviet Union.”Brookfield,Con.:Millbrook Press,1997.An illustrated guide to the new countries that formerly comprised the Soviet Union.For upper elementary grades.
Lye,Keith.“Passport to Russia.”New York,N.Y.: Franklin Watts,https://www.doczj.com/doc/7915439396.html,es many pictures and diagrams to describe political,economic,and social aspects of Russia today.
Maxwell,Kathleen Burton.“Russia.”New York,N.Y.: Alfred A.Knopf,1998.A well-illustrated summary of the land,history,people,and culture of Russia from its earliest history to the present.
“Russia:Then&Now”.Minneapolis,Minn.:Lerner Publications Company,1992.Describes the land,history, people,of Russia,as well as the problems it faces for the future.Contains many photographs along with an upper elementary text.
Torchinsky,Oleg.“Russia.”New York:Marshall Cavendish,1994.A comprehensive description of modern Russia.For upper elementary grades.
LCMS World Mission
1333S.Kirkwood Road
St.Louis,MO63122-7295
1-800-433-3954
https://www.doczj.com/doc/7915439396.html,
Let’s Make Friends in Russia!
Your child has just joined Palmer Parrot on a quick trip to Russia,known officially as the Russian Federation.There he or she learned more about this vast land and its people, including the work of missionaries to bring God’s Word to a land where it recently was forbidden.
Review the Student and Primary Pages of Mission Friends with your child at home.Help your child to do the activities included in these sheets.The following questions will help your child share what he or she has
learned about Russia.
1.On what two continents is
Russia located?Europe
and Asia.
2.What is the capital of
Russia?Moscow
3.What are three types
of land in Russia?
Tundra,taiga,and
steppe.
4.What is atheism?
The belief that
there is no God.
5.What important
event happened
in Russia in1991
The USSR ended
and the Russian
Federation was
formed.
ctivities to do together as a family:
FIND Russia on a globe or world map and compare it in size to the United States. Count together how many time zones cross the country.
LEARN more about LCMS involvement in God’s mission and Ablaze!—a mission movement to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with100million unreached or uncommitted people by the500th anniversary of the Reformation in2017—by visiting https://www.doczj.com/doc/7915439396.html,/ablaze. Prayerfully seek opportunities to witness your faith in Jesus.
TAKE a“virtual tour”of Russia with your child using a children's Internet search site, such as Yahooligans(http://yahooligans. com)or Ask Jeeves Kids(https://www.doczj.com/doc/7915439396.html,). Both will list and describe up-to-date Web sites you can click on that describe in more detail some of the topics mentioned in this issue of “Mission Friends.”
GO to a local production of Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker”at Christmas time,or check-out or rent a video of it to show to your children.“Sleeping Beauty”and“Swan Lake”are other famous Tchaikovsky ballets and the “1812Overture”is also well-known. COLOR a Mission Friends Map or Bookmark.Order these and other children’s mission resources by calling1-800-433-3954. Many resources are available free of charge or for a small fee.
LISTEN to a recording of Russian folk music or folk tales,especially the musical version of“Peter and the Wolf,”likely to be found in your public library.
TAKE your children to a local museum and look for Russian art.Look for an icon and talk about the religious figure found in the picture. If no museum is near,look through a book on Russian art at the local library.
PRAY that God’s Word continues to be proclaimed in Russia.Download missionary prayer cards at www.lcmsworldmission. org/prayercards.Post the prayer cards where you can easily see them and pray regularly for these missionaries. SUPPORT mission work in Russia.Call1-800-248-1930for more information.Free coin boxes and offering envelopes for children are available.
GO to your public or school library and check out books about Russia.Look for picture or fiction books about Russia to read together.You also might want to look for poetry by Alexander Puskin.Many Russians know his work by heart.
WATCH videos about Russia,both fiction and nonfiction,found in your local public library or video store.Check with a local travel agency for other information.
LEARN more about Lutheran mission work in Russia by visiting https://www.doczj.com/doc/7915439396.html,/. COOK a Russian recipe—from the Mission Friends Student Pages,the Internet,or a Russian cookbook.If your community has a local Russian restaurant,go there to sample the food.
PRAY a game of chess or dominoes,both very popular Russian games,with your children.
SING the Russian lyrics to verse one of “Children of the Heavenly Father.”
BOZH-yee DE-tee dnyom e NOCH-yoo,
Pod kre-LOM yevo bes-PECH-ne
ZVYOZ-de v NE-be,PTEE-tse?v PO-le
Nee e-ME-yut LUCH-shey DO-le
LISTEN to audio interviews of missionaries at https://www.doczj.com/doc/7915439396.html,/audio. INVOLVE your child in God’s mission in a variety of ways.Articles on children’s mission involvement are posted on the LCMS World Mission Web site—www.lcmsworldmission. org/children.
CONTACT a local college or university to see if there are any Russian international students enrolled there.Invite a student to your home for some American hospitality. PRAY for God’s mission every day.Pray For Us,a monthly prayer calendar,is available for download at https://www.doczj.com/doc/7915439396.html,/ resources/prayforus.
Let’s go to ...Russia!
Do you have any toys made out of wood?For many years,Russian children have played with wooden toys.One of these toys is a nesting doll called matryoshka [mah-TRYO-shkah].Each doll opens up to show a smaller doll inside.Someone forgot to finish this set of Russian nesting dolls.Finish the dolls by drawing bright flowers on them.
“Babushkas”and God’s Mission
What do you call your grandmother?Russian children call their grandmother “Babushka ”[BAH-bush-kah].The word babushka is actually the name for the scarf that older Russian women wear on their heads.When your parents were your age,people who ruled Russia did not want people to pray to or talk about God.Many Russian children learned
about God
from their babushka .These Christian grandmothers brought their families together to worship Jesus and pray to Him.Some even baptized babies,because there weren’t any pastors.God used babushkas to teach their grandchildren about Jesus—they were special missionaries.Something to think about:Thank God for the good things your grandmother does for you.Make a card for her and write your favorite Bible verse in it.Russian Wooden Dolls
Make a Bear Puppet What you need:?Brown paper bag ?Construction paper ?Markers or crayons ?Scissors ?Glue
What you do:
https://www.doczj.com/doc/7915439396.html,e the side of the bag with the fold for the front of the bear.
2.Cut and glue paper ears to the top of the bag.
3.Draw or glue on the bear’s eyes,nose and mouth.
4.Put your hand inside the bag.
https://www.doczj.com/doc/7915439396.html,e your bag to act out or tell a story.The Russian Flag
What colors are on our country’s flag?Red,white,and blue.Did you know that Russia’s flag has the same colors?
Follow the code to color in the flag.B =Blue R =
Red R ell Me a Story
??Do you like folk stories?So do Russian children.In their stories,the Russian brown bear is often a hero.In fact,the bear symbolizes Russia,like the American bald eagle is a symbol for the United States.The Russian wolf is usually a bad character in Russian stories.“Peter and the Wolf”is the story of how a little boy outsmarts the wolf that is trying to hurt him.You may find both the story,as well as music written to go with it,at your public library.