PART TWO
*
There
is absolutely no comparison to the cramped former Soviet Union freighters we’ve
travelled on, to this journey aboard Danish owned DFDS Seaways. DFDS extended a
very special discount to the FSAOF subsequent to Sven communicating with
management and explaining the purpose of the mission and long history using the
DFDS in his tour design and management decisions at Scandinavian Airlines and Finnair.
They
booked us as truck drivers into a shared cabin with two ‘other’ truck drivers,
Polish. We made no objections –
We were prepared to experience a few surprises,
and another one was immediately offered us; they very kindly upgraded us and
provided a comfortable two-berth bunk cabin and looked after us very
well. They even gave us free vouchers for an evening meal and
breakfast. Sven has a talent of getting the best out of people,
ultimately for the benefit of others.
The
overnight crossing was not too rough. The toughest part was the 4.30
alarm call to be ready for breakfast and leaving the ship around 7.00am.
We departed the Klaipeda, Lithuania port and headed east for Latvia.
We
travelled for miles upon miles with a stunning rising sun that was absolutely
glorious, initially shimmering through white snow-laden trees, bouncing off frozen tundra. The now deserted stately
stork nests became ever more common as we drove toward the Russian border.
It was a six hour journey and fortunately with not too much traffic on the
roads. And most of the towns and villages that we travelled through were closed
for New Year celebrations, so mostly candle lit windows and wood burning stoves
sending cinders and willowy smoke to mix with gently falling snow.
We
arrived in Daugavpils around 3.30 in the afternoon as the afton’s greyness settled
over Daugavpils.
Major
Glad Ljungholm
End Part Two
* I want to add some necessary comments to this report.
Lt. Col. Ken Johnson, implied verbally and in writing, while serving in Moscow, Russia as the Territorial Commander, Eastern Europe Command, that the FSAOF may have used the Salvation Army’s name or logo in soliciting funds and support for the FSAOF mission projects without the Army's consent. Nothing could be further from the truth, and one can only guess at the reason for such allegations. We have consistently avoided referencing or linking our fundraising and other solicitations to any and all official Salvation Army sites or commands.
Following
a period of 6 years serving as reinforcement officers in Scandinavia and
Eastern Europe my then wife and I returned to the USA Eastern territory in
command of a new major SA initiative. We divorced and consequently resigned as
required by SA regulations. We were immediately offered positions as civilian
employees, with me taking on the position as Assistant to the Divisional
Commander. I resigned in order to pursue my teaching vocation in the form of a
professorship in a state university and continued teaching until my retirement
age, all the while remaining an active Salvationist, participating in various roles
and holding local officer positions.
Ken
Johnson was recently returned to his home territory from Mosow and where he now
serves as a Divisional Commander.
7 comments:
I'm not at all surprised that successors to Cathy's and your work would fire arrows at you. Yours was one of the most blessed and impressive SA country plants in modern day Army history.
Retired officer and Ukraine witness
Perhaps one day you can share with detail the challenges of opening fire. The pioneers' historic achievements will be celebrated by most and envied and besmirched by others.
Former officer
Sweden
Good for you for speaking out against the TC. I do wonder at the attitude of some of our leaders, both at divisional level and higher. Certainly some of it more than hints at a lack of genuine agape love. Leaders - be aware: when you talk the talk, you must walk the walk, otherwise you appear to be hypocrites, and will be recognised as such.
Opening fire in a first generational pioneering setting is and will always be challenging and, more often than not, very rewarding. Eastern Europe has proved that point to a large extent.
To actually stabilize and move it on into a second and third generational outfit usually requires different skills and personalities alongside a free pioneering spirit that will be allowed to explore fresh fields of harvest.
Such have got the habit of rubbing or even clashing mightily as free spirited pioneers do not always have much time nor patience for protocol.
Pioneers can also find it, understandably so, sometimes hard to allow others to take over from them at the appropriate time to allow for a different slant and progression from infancy into maturity to happen. And with change of leadership comes change of emphasis and direction.
Overseas appointments often happen with visa restrictions and required work permits, in addition to many, many other obstacles to free movement.
Should these be curtailed or even flat out denied then people have to leave the nation. Add to these personal health issues and inter-personal matters, then you get a complex jig-saw puzzle of where a next appointment should be that is not to the progress detriment of someone else.
I do not know Colonel Ken from Adam but wish him and his wife all the best in their current roles as divisional leaders in the USA.
ps..... since when have they been demoted from Colonel to Lt Colonel?
ACTIVE UKTI
Five years in Russia -
1. Never sought to learn about Russian culture, history, language, religion-
2. Endorsed 'westernisation' of Russian SA
3. Made no effort to live by Russian salvos' living standards
4. No vision - no creative talents;- the basics required to build and broaden the SAs evangelistic effectiveness
5. No lasting contribution
Bottom line- Peter Principle
SA Australia
(edited - some comments deleted by blog administration)
To: 'ps..... since when have they been demoted from Colonel to Lt Colonel?'
With apologies; a simple oversight.
Thank you for sharing your journey with us, Major Glad.
Active officer, London
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