Introduction
Do you remember the television show Candid Camera? It was funny and clean. From TV Guide: TV Shows: Candid Camera, we learn, “Candid Camera was a popular American hidden camera reality television series. Versions of the show appeared on television from 1948 until 2014. Originally created and produced by Allen Funt, it often featured practical jokes, and initially began on radio in 1947. The show was later hosted by Allen Funt's son, Peter Funt.”
Welcome, dear reader, to the 15th entry in the Mission Work topic section. The focus of this brief article is on our departure over 31 years ago from Nashville to Moscow, Russia, on Saturday, 10/1/1994. It includes a couple of candid camera photographs.
Inspiration for This Article
My “adoptive” sister, Carol Sue, inspired this article. Thank you, Sis.! She emailed me on Monday, June 8, at 10:55 PM. I saw it early the next morning. The email's subject line was “LOOK WHAT I FOUND!!! LOL!!!” The attachment is the first photograph below. It was a “Candid Camera” moment in time over 31 years ago! I had been exposed (no pun intended).
I left Carol Sue a voicemail the following Tuesday afternoon. With no reply, I reached her by phone on Thursday, June 11. (She was having difficulty unlocking voicemails on her cell phone.) Well, we laughed about the photograph below and caught up on life for almost an hour and a half. Even my wife, the “long-suffering” Mrs. Appalachian Irishman, spoke with Carol Sue for a while.
Carol Sue, I plan, Lord willing, to call you after publishing this article! I have to poke a little fun at myself by writing it!
Background to the Photographs Before Our Departure
The Covington and Bryant families were already in Moscow. My wife and I became the third family on the “Mission Moscow” team of Christian missionaries. Newly established churches were already in Moscow and the nearby city of Klin. My wife and I served exactly five years, from 10/1/1994 to 9/30/1999. The Covington and Bryant families returned stateside before us. Young missionaries, who participated in our college mission internships during the summers, arrived after our departure.
My wife and I chose to depart for Russia from the Nashville International Airport instead of the closer McGhee Tyson Airport, near Knoxville. We had already moved our belongings back to East Tennessee from Dexter, Missouri, where I served for two years as an associate minister while we prepared for overseas mission work. Before our departure, we stayed with my parents in Hawkins County and my wife's parents in Etowah, Tennessee.
Our decision to depart from the Nashville International Airport was under the assumption that members of our sponsoring church, the Dexter Church of Christ in Dexter, Missouri, would come to see us off. Sadly, not a soul from our sending church bothered to drive down to encourage us as we began our missionary journey.
Instead, four members of the Charleston Church of Christ in Charleston, Missouri (Facebook: Charleston Church of Christ), delighted and inspired us with their presence! Before Dexter, I had served as the minister in Charleston from 1986 to 1992.
Photographs Before Our Departure
This section includes four selected photographs, out of 25 that we have. The first two are candid camera shots! The final two show members of our church and biological families.
Candid Camera Shots!
While waiting for our departure, my “adoptive” brother-in-law, Michael, Carol Sue's husband, knew that I would use the restroom at some point. Literally behind my back, he took the following rather embarrassing image of me facing the urinal!
At least my pants were up! Yes, the hair on my head used to be black, not gray with a little black like it is now. As an aside, the last time I shaved my beard was on this day of our departure for Russia. I started growing the beard, which I have kept all these years since.
It is said that revenge is a dish better served cold. I wanted revenge! I waited. Michael was quenching his thirst with water. Nature called. He answered. Stealthily, I followed him into the men's restroom and took the following shot:
Wisely, Michael had chosen a stall! He knew what I would do! Hearing me snap the camera, he turned his head. I caught only his back, right arm, and cleft chin. I still laugh when I think about those candid camera moments!
Members of Our Church and Biological Families
Still awaiting our Delta departure time, someone took the following photograph of our church family from the Charleston, Missouri, Church of Christ:
From left to right are shown the church minister and his wife, Carol Sue, me, my wife, and Michael. Smiling, we were enjoying an unforgettable moment in time.
Michael, with his sly grin, must have been up to something. Apparently, my wife forgot to look into the camera.
The next photograph, taken by someone, was of our biological families.
From left to right in the back row were my father, my youngest brother, and my next-to-youngest brother. My younger brother, closest to my age, may have been working. His two daughters, however, were there.
The second row from left to right includes my mother, me, my wife's younger sister, and my father-in-law. The camera caused my sister-in-law's red-eye glare.
In the third row from left to right are my wife, her younger sister, and her mother. My wife was looking into the camera this time.
The final row shows our three nieces. Again, the camera caused the red-eye look for my brother's two girls.
My parents, my wife's parents, and our niece, standing between the other two nieces, have since passed away. We certainly miss them.
Conclusion
The time of our departure was at hand. The call to board was announced. Tears of sorrow from the imminent continental separation mixed with smiles and words of encouragement, love, and pride due to the cross-cultural mission work that my wife and I were beginning in service to our Savior.
Once seated at takeoff, we both began to feel the separation from loved ones. I recall saying, “This is it.” Our two years of preparation were finally being realized. We were on our way!
I recall that we flew from Nashville to JFK International Airport in New York. After a layover there, our flight continued to Sheremetyevo International Airport (Международного аэропорта Шереметьево) in Moscow, Russia. Moscow time is eight hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time. Due to the time difference and the layover, we arrived in Moscow the next day, Sunday.
The other two missionary families and members of the Lord's church in Moscow met us at the Moscow airport. Their warm greetings and excitement at our arrival uplifted and strengthened us.
Eventually, we arrived with our luggage at our apartment just off Tverskaya Street (Улица Тверская) on Trekhprudny Lane (Трехпрудный Переулок). Our second-floor apartment was in building 6, apartment 8 (дом 6, квартира 8). It was within walking distance to the Kremlin (Кремль) and Patriarch's Ponds (Патриаршие пруды).
Initially, the Covington and West families formed the Mission Moscow team. The Wests, however, departed before our arrival. The Bryants arrived a few months before us. During our survey trip to India and Russia in 1993, we stayed with the Wests in the same Moscow apartment. It was familiar to us.
At first, my wife and I felt out of place in the apartment, and we missed our stateside families. I noticed a chest of drawers, which had been under a mirror in the narrow hallway, was not where we remembered it to be the year before. I moved it back to where we remembered it being.
Doing that made us suddenly feel at home. I said, “We are home now.” My wife agreed. We became excited about beginning our five-year commitment to Christian missionary work in Moscow, Klin, and surrounding areas. The adventure had begun.
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