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One day in 1999 a mission team flew from Illinois to a nation about the same size as the state of Kansas. As the team went to Belarus great excitement mounted. Everyone on the team was full of enthusiasm, joy and adventure. With many Americans on the team, several translators were selected to assist in communications. During this trip, old friends reconnected, and new friends were made. The atmosphere was full of joy.

The team leader, David Bielby, stayed with Misha & Tamilla Apektonek. The Apektoneks displayed the wonderful hospitality that so many Belarusians are famous for, lavishing full breakfasts for them every day. The atmosphere of a warm welcome thrilled all the Americans. And…humor, that international language, filled conversations day after day.

One interpreter had a crew cut and his hair was about ¾” long. This made his hair stand up straight all over his head even though it was a little longer. One of the other interpreters taught us to greet our crew cut interpreter, “Privet yohzik”. When we did everyone busted into laughter. Privet is an informal Russian greeting…kinda like “Hi” and yohzik means hedgehog. So we had said to him, “Hi hedgehog”. The phrase made the Belarusians laugh so often that we started saying it over and over again to get a laugh. Before we knew it, David was nicknamed, “Pastor Yohzik” and almost everyone would greet one another with phrases like “Privet yohzik” (Hi hedgehog).

After several days of this, a few of the guys were riding home to the Apektoneks. As they drove down the dirt road leading to the new house, Misha suddenly stopped. Jumping out of the car, he picked up a stray Belarusian hedgehog that was wandering across the street. He put it in a box in the back seat of his car and we took it home. That night the yohzik was kept in the Apektonek home. You can only imagine the buzz that was created when word spread we had an actual living yohzik staying in the home where the Americans were.

The next morning when we rose everyone went to see the hedgehog. It was gone. Our yohzik had escaped from the box. We turned the house upside down looking for that hedgehog. After quite a search we discovered it hiding in a very dark crevice under the basement stairs. Picking up this now famous critter, Misha delivered it back to it’s wanderings on the side of the road where we found it.

Years later, the nickname yohzik has lasted as an affectionate way of saying hi among those in the Vineyard who have either been to Belarus at one time or another or know some Russian. All one has to do is say, privet yohzik with a twinkle in his eye and a knowing member breaks into a broad smile. The sweet memories linger in so many hearts.

In November 2002 a call went out for everyone in the Vineyard to step up and help in the church. By January 2004, a plaster casting of a hedgehog sitting on a rock with the words welcome written below it was discovered in a local retail shop. After purchasing the item, it was designated as the official Vineyard Yohzik award. And so the congregation had an election in January 2004 to see who was the most guest friendly member among us. Since that first Vineyard Yohzik award, this little critter has stayed in four different homes. The one who has the Vineyard Yohzik award is the official ‘Keeper of the Yohzik’. It’s actually an important award because of what it represents in our community culture. Since we recognize that every guest may need to encounter Jesus when they visit our services, it is one of our highest values to meet and to hep guests feel welcome here.  So the ‘Keeper of the Yohzik’ is someone honored among us. The ‘Keeper of the Yohzik’ is selected by their peers as the most guest friendly member for that year. Could there be any better way to illustrate this than with a prickly hedgehog?

So the next time you are at the Vineyard Christian Fellowship of Bloomington/Normal try greeting one of the members with a friendly Privet Yohzik!