wfn.org | United Methodists take Russian visitors to Texas Capitol

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

Aug. 6, 1999 News media contact: Tim Tanton*(615)742-5470*Nashville, Tenn.
10-71B{406}

By Douglas Cannon*

AUSTIN, Texas (UMNS) -- United Methodists from three annual conferences
brought 19 Russian visitors to the Texas Capitol Aug. 2 to show them how
state government works.

The Russians, participants in the "Open World, Open Politics" Russian
Leadership Program, were staying with United Methodist families in eight
Texas cities: Commerce, Eldorado, Houston, Lone Oak, Paris, San Angelo,
Sulphur Springs and Uvalde. The cities are in the Texas, Southwest Texas and
North Texas annual (regional) conferences.

The stop at the Texas Capitol marked the midway point in a 10-day visit by
the Russian business, government and educational officials to the Lone Star
State.

While at the Capitol, the Russians:
*	Received a briefing on lawmaking procedures in the Texas
Legislature.
*	Questioned Assistant Secretary of State Jeff Eubank on the election
process and operation of state administrative agencies.
*	Heard Justice Nathan L. Hecht of the Texas Supreme Court explain the
workings of the state and federal judicial systems.
*	Met with state Land Commissioner David Dewhurst and Associate Deputy
Comptroller Mike Regan.
*	
*	The group also toured the Capitol building, stopping in the chambers
of both the House of Representatives and Senate, which weren't in session,
and visited the Lyndon B. Johnson Library at the nearby University of Texas.
*	
*	The Russians questioned Texas officials about:
*	How the state interacts with the federal government.
*	Powers of the governor to influence or dissolve the state
legislature.
*	Possible consequences that state legislators could face for passing
unpopular laws or disobeying statutes.
*	Ways Texas deals with illegal workers from Mexico.
*	Effects of Gov. George W. Bush's presidential candidacy on the Texas
economy.
*	The role of religious beliefs and political-party affiliations on
judicial decisions.

In addition to seeing the state Capitol, the Russians met with business
leaders and local officials in the cities where they were staying, toured
historic sites, visited churches and church-related agencies, and observed
operations of banks, newspapers, hospitals, schools and other enterprises.

The Russians, who arrived in Texas July 27-28, are part of the first wave of
visitors from the former Soviet Union coming to the United States under the
auspices of the Library of Congress. The visits are designed to show current
and future Russian leaders how political, business and social systems work
in the United States, said James W. Symington, executive director of the
exchange program.

As many as 3,000 Russians could visit the United States by Sept. 30,
exchange program officials say. United Methodists are expected to host as
many as 1,000 of those.

The denomination got involved with the exchange program through the Russia
Initiative of the United Methodist mission board.

"For nearly 10 years, the Russia Initiative has been a leader among churches
and other agencies in fostering understanding and partnership between
Russian and American communities and churches," said the Rev. Robert Harman,
an executive of the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries. 

"The focus of our work has been both religious and humanitarian," he said.
"It has helped Russians appreciate the role of voluntary and faith-based
organizations in shaping the values and enhancing the delivery of vital
social services in local communities.

"The U.S.-Russian leadership exchange program offers United Methodists
significant opportunities to extend the social witness of our church in this
context."

Other host organizations include Rotary International; Peace Links, an
international network of women; the Episcopal Church; the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints; and the American Foreign Policy Council.

Besides Texas, United Methodists played host to Russians in Arizona,
Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Maryland and Michigan. The first group
of visitors, which included 32 who stayed with United Methodists, returned
to Russia beginning Aug. 6. The second wave, expected to bring 50
participants into United Methodist homes, began arriving Aug. 3.

During the first week of August, six Russians went to San Angelo as guests
of First United Methodist Church. Other host churches were First United
Methodist Church, Commerce, one visitor; First United Methodist Church,
Eldorado, four visitors; St. Paul's United Methodist Church, Houston, two
visitors; Lone Oak United Methodist Church, one visitor; First United
Methodist Church, Paris, two visitors; First United Methodist Church,
Sulphur Springs, one visitor; and First United Methodist Church, Uvalde, two
visitors.

Visiting Russians didn't know who their hosts would be until they departed
for the United States, said Sergey Gatilov, 43, an official in the Russian
Federation Ministry of Education who is staying in San Angelo.

"It was stated that we would meet many different people from many
organizations," Gatilov said through an interpreter. "Among them would be
religious."

Each visitor expressed interest in different aspects of American society.

For example, Olga Goryaeva, 30, student club director at Kermerovo State
University, said through a translator that she wanted to "figure out if
Russian mentality differs from American."

Many Russian legislators and future leaders have never been to or know
little about the United States, said James H. Billington, librarian of
Congress. "We hope that the opportunity to host so many important current
and future leaders from across Russia will strengthen the ties between our
nations that have already been established by earlier exchange programs."

# # #

*Cannon is editor of United Methodist Witness, the newspaper of the
Southwest Texas Annual Conference.

______________
United Methodist News Service
http://www.umc.org/umns/
newsdesk@umcom.umc.org
(615)742-5472