Imagine, if you will, eating a breakfast of small pillows of chocolate.  If you can imagine that, then for sure you can imagine a zebra wearing a dress carrying a jump rope (see picture).  

I first experienced this cereal on our first mission here while attending a mission-wide youth conference (see the link here ). I saw this while shopping the other day and decided that I must take one home for additional study (it's all academic, I assure you).  I cut one in half for all to see. 

Yes, that is chocolate stuffed inside every square.  After some intense study, I can assure you that in spite of its near zero nutritional value, it produces a calming influence.

We had a chance to visit the Estonian Museum of Occupation (Vabamu).  This museum chronicles the lives of

Estonians while being occupied by a foreign power.  As you may suspect, the Soviet occupation had devastating effects on lives of normal people.  If you were well connected in government or politics or education, you were the first ones to be rounded up.  If you weren't executed, you would be sent away to Siberia.  Many never did return, having died in captivity.  In spite of these, and many other difficulties, most Estonians stayed true to the hope that their homeland would someday be free again.  On a different day, we visited the KGB prison cells.  This gave us a whole new level of understanding of how Satan dehumanizes through physical and mental abuse so that people lose hope.  These were dark times and people were fearful to speak of anything with their neighbors for fear of being accused of being a collaborator.  The stigma of that fearful way of life is still evident today.  However, the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ is flickering here and beginning to turn into something bright and wonderful. The younger generation will turn the key, not so much to close the door on Estonia's dark history, but to unlock the door to a wave of enlightenment that can only come from people following the covenant path. 

At the entrance: A tribute to those who were only given a few minutes to pack a single suitcase before being sent to Siberia

Video display of survivor stories about escaping, being sent away or had lost family members.

Soviet propaganda posters on a Russian star with Stalin gazing on.

One of only a few boats that actually made it to Finland while trying to escape.

A description of the KGB prison

One of many cells, cold and dark

One of the many steel prison doors

People were stuffed into this broom closet, sometimes for days, just to wear them down.

A board to leave your sentiments about freedom

But never again.  Estonians are very patriotic and love their freedom.  Today just happens to be their independence day and it is marked with military parades and speeches and a lot of national pride.  It is a national holiday, even Google knows.

Most places are closed.  A big cake was presented for all to eat right after church today.

We had two baptisms on Saturday.  Again, it was held at the Radisson Olümpia Hotel. 

View of the Tallinn cityscape from the top

It was a sweet experience.  Our dear Õde Smith-Driggs who is an accomplished singer, was asked to sing at the service.  As the intro finished,  Õde Smith-Driggs, with her angel voice, began to sing "I'm Trying to be like Jesus" in Estonian.  As the lilt of her voice caressed our ears, the Spirit came rushing in and I watched at how profoundly it affected our new convert, Mairi, as she wept during the whole song.  Is it any wonder why angels sing?  A song can create a conduit for the Spirit to speak and to testify.  Certain musical chords, when sung, sometimes fill me with a nostalgic and homesick feeling . . . almost a memory of a far away home where such music was once enjoyed.  Tears will most certainly follow.

Missionaries and their converts

First, Mairi

and then Alicia

Afterwards, a celebration at our apartment

With homemade apple pie with their names written on it.  Can you read them?

So at some point this past week, we went on a date to Pizza Americana.  They have a Route 66 theme to the place with pizzas for each state where Route 66 passes through.  We opted for the good 'ole American style burger.  Sadly, our eyes were bigger than our bellies and we had to take some of it home.  Yes, it was very good.