Estonia Summer Campaign - Day 1

Our summer campaign has finally started, beginning with the safe and timely arrival of our friends from Portsmouth Citadel. I am delighted to report that the songsters landed safely in Tallinn – and managed the journey from Portsmouth without losing anyone en route!

En route to the corps we passed one of the advertising posters

A short bus journey from Tallinn airport to the Humala Guest House (which will be ‘home’ for the next few days) allowed just an hour’s settling in time before we all made for the bus stop and the journey by public transport to Kopli corps. With limited local SA transport available, the songsters have been issued with 5-day public transport passes and will be travelling around the city by bus, tram and trolley bus. This, in itself, will be a witness, with 30uniformed Salvationists mingling with locals.

As is traditional, Captain Ave, Major Julia and their team had prepared a great welcome dinner and the fellowship around table was great. Julie enjoyed the biggest bowl of vegetables ever seen - and Barry did a great job as host :-)



After a few official words of introduction, welcome and thanks, we went for a walk and tour of the Old Town. Tallinn is blessed with a beautiful, medieval city, and the opportunity to see the sights before the real hard work begins tomorrow could not be missed. The walk up the steep steps to Toompea looked a little daunting, but the view from the top was worth the effort. Evelin did her best to lead the group - holding high the Union flag for the group to folow. At significant points Evelin gave a little information about the points of historical interest. Was it helpful - or was she just making it up? We might never know! Either way - great fun.

Evelin leads the group - with her flag!

Returning to the Guest house around 9pm, we proceeded to take over the small lounge on the 3^rd floor, making it our own unofficial ‘songster room’. The laughter went on long into the evening, as people adjusted to the 2-hour time difference and the very light nights that Tallinn is blessed with during the summer.

The hard work starts tomorrow with 4 concerts; 3 in popular open air tourist venues around the city and then the opening night at the Paljassaare music festival.

We pray God will watch over us all – keep us safe as we travel, but (more importantly) use the campaign as a witness to His love and the ministry of The Salvation Army in Estonia.