Pavel and Wil meeting.

Thursday July 16

In the photo above, we (Lorraine, Philip and Wil) are standing outside the apartment in Moscow. The rest of the team will join us on Saturday.

On Thursday evening, the Triggs and Tokarchuk families enjoyed dinner together at the Takarchuk home just outside Moscow. Pavel Tokarchuk has been our point person in planning the camp outreach and is in charge of the Moscow office. We enjoyed a delicious meal, listened to daughter Nina playing piano, introduced them to "Barrel of Monkeys" and Philip enjoyed a game of chess.

We're About to Leave!

In just a few hours, we'll be heading out of the College Church parking lot bound for Russia! Pray for us as we board the planes, connect in Washington DC, go through customs, and adjust to life in Asia. It is so great to have the whole team back together again. We are really looking forward to all that the Lord is going to do on this trip!

get to know the team--part nine

Brian Picken is a proud Wheatonite, born in Wheaton, graduated from Wheaton College, and now working in Wheaton for a financial company. Brian loves serving in the college ministry at College Church and in his free time likes to play sports with friends, work out, and read.

HELLO FROM MOSCOW

Lorraine on Wil's blog. She's new at blogging. Passport control was a snap, and as we walked through the green nothing to declare channel, we were greeted by our friend and colleague Paul Torachuk. He expertly packed his VW van with our baggage and we soon arrived at Russian Ministries' apartment—always feels like "home" when we walk through the door. Wil was very happy to have Interet access while here—right, Nathan? We've been bombarding him with e-mails. Happy piece of news: Sveta's—a friend from our very first STAMP trip in 2001—husband is leading the Maloyarslavets camp. Can't wait to reconnect. Hurry up team, and get here.

get to know the team--part eight

Lorraine Triggs is wife, mother and homemaker. She is also the senior writer at Russian Ministries and a College Church missionary. At church, Lorraine has been involved with children's ministries for many years and is the editor of the church newsletter, Fellowship Journal. She is excited to be a part of the 2009 STAMP team. Lorraine enjoys gardening, reading, attending live theater and being a martial arts mom.

get to know the team--part seven

Stanley Okoro is a recent grad of Wheaton College who now works for DeVry University's Business school as a recruiter. He enjoys reading, frisbee and cruising the streets of Wheaton. He has many leather-bound books and his apartment smells of rich mahogany. Recently he spends a lot of time trying to fit more hours into the day, albeit unsuccessfully.