The Dean Family

The winter road is open! Matt Northcutt and I are getting ready to leave out on a supply trip to the city tomorrow morning. It is about a two day trip there, and another two days back. We plan to drive the winter road portion on day one and drive the rest of the way to the city on day two. From what our truck driver friends have said, it sounds like this year's road is in really good shape. We just learned that the short route is open, which is big news since it normally does not open until after the New Year Holiday. The reason for it opening early is that we had very little rain fall this summer, which in turn means that it does not take as long for swampy areas of the road to freeze over. I have spent the last few days going over the mechanics of my van, as well as going through our emergency gear, making sure that everything is in order and properly working. Also, for safety, we will be taking two vehicles. This way, if something were to happen to one of the two vehicle...

Summer is an important time of the year in the North. We have a short season to get everything done outside before winter hits and everything is frozen. We have been quite busy this past summer. Things are starting to calm down after the frenzy of summer projects. One important part of the summer activities is our garden. I have written about the cultural importance of a garden in the past, but in Vanavara it is even more important, as food from the stores are brought up the winter road or flown in by airplane. As a result, it is more expensive. A garden is an important part of our food supply for the winter, it is not just a hobby for us. We had a few unexpected surprises. There was an old greenhouse on our garden spot. I knew that it would need to be replaced someday, but I thought that I could get a few seasons out of it. As it turned out, it collapsed in early spring. Fortunately it collapsed before the time to plant, and I was able to replace it. Another unexpected surprise...

There is a new law in Russia that affects religious freedom. It is a very serious change and warrants much prayer. I know of at least one missionary who has already been brought up on charges. (The trial is currently pending.) There are still a lot of questions about the new law, and how it will be interpreted. We are working with a lawyer to make sure that we do everything according to the law. The following is a general overview of what we know about the law thus far. (A special thanks to Kevin for writing the following points.) Russian nationals can freely witness to whomever they want to about their personal faith, whether via social media or personal contact. (one on one basis) We as missionaries can freely witness to whomever we want to about our personal faith, whether via social media or personal contact. (one on one basis) Evangelistic outreach (passing out literature or holding meetings in public areas on behalf of a religious organization) is permitted IF you h...

Remodel We have been very busy the last few months with the remodel of the apartment. The remodel is very important, as it communicates permanency. We want people to understand that we have come to stay for long term, we are not just passing through, and that we want to be a contributing part of the village. You may remember from earlier letters, that when buying or renting an apartment, things like kitchen cabinets, sinks, light fixtures, and so on are not included. That said, by default, every time one moves, he is walking into a remodel on some level. This time our remodel was quite a bit more extensive. The floors and walls needed to be made level and plumb. This is not an uncommon problem in regions like this. It arises from the unique difficulties in foundation work due to the depth of the frost line. The result is that things need to be leveled and plumbed on occasions. Our particular apartment was well overdue. We have most of the hard work done, and now we ar...

Our plans for Vanavara are moving along. It has been a very busy few weeks. Between buying the supplies for the Vanavara housing project, meeting delivery trucks, packing our belongings for transit up the winter road, moving my family from the village of Shila to a temporary apartment in the city, and all the other little details that go with such a move. Our plan for the next few months is this: my family will live in the city for a few months while I prepare the flat in Vanavara for their arrival. Missionary Matt Northcut and I will make trips up the winter road. We have met a truck driver who lives in Vanavara. He is going to transport the bulk of our building supplies and we will follow him, like a caravan. This is also the safest way to travel on the winter road, as if one person runs into a problem he is not stranded in dangerously cold weather. We plan to start our first trip tomorrow. We spent most of today packing the truck with building supplies. Please pray for us in the ...

The Good News: First and foremost, I thank the Lord for His protection, things could have gone terribly wrong. Praise the Lord that no one was hurt. As to the condition of the van;  if it was a typical van, it would have been totaled; but because it is designed for off-roading, everything is beefed up. As a result,  the suspension and frame held together surprisingly  well. Prior to the accident, I had went through the engine compartment replacing anything that even looked worn out. (A very important step, as you don't want to break down on the winter road.) Nothing in the engine compartment was damaged, praise the Lord. That work was not in vain. The Repairs Needed: Earlier this week Missionary James Pranger and I replaced some steering components so that we could move it . (We had to bring it in on a flatbed.) Here is what I know so far: - It will need extensive body work. - It will need an alignment done. - It will need two new rims and tires. - A new seat...

Let me start out by saying that I am OK.  Our car is not. I had planned on writing this week to tell everyone about our van. We had bought a van for the purpose of winter road travel. It is a Russian UAZ van designed for both on and off road driving. Its four wheel drive, high ground clearance, and low gear ratio make it ideal for the winter road. In addition to that, its  stout suspension allows it to carry a heavy load. We had planned to use it to transport goods and ministry materials over the winter road. As you may recall, there is no road going into Vanavara during the summer, so most goods are transported across the winter road. This is especially important to us as we are planning to get our apartment ready this winter, which includes some remodel work. Also, we are planning to move our household goods up this winter. This van was key to many of our plans. I had just finished going through the van mechanically. It is dangerous to break down on the winter roa...