mamazhenya's Xanga

You never know when you will get a chance....

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:41:37 GMT

Yesterday started off with a bang...or maybe I should say a fall. I was taking a bath, when my landlord's mom showed up to pick up the rent. Well, my bath was really hot, I got up really quick, and I hadn't eaten yet, so as I was standing in the hall talking with her, I started to feel dizzy. I suggested that we sit at the table as she counted out the rent. We sat down and she says she got up to 12 thousand (roubles) when she looked over and I was slumped over the table. The next thing I remember is some strange woman leaning over me, literally saying "do I need to call soon?" ("Soon" sounds alot like the short name for an ambulance here). The dear woman lead me into my room, and had me lay down on the bed. She pulled up a chair and head my hand as I started to figure out where I was. She sat there and talked to me for a half hour or more. In the midst of that, in my weak and vulnerable position, she told me about her son that had died 6 months ago, and she asked me about my church here. She said she wasn't prepared to change her faith, but "thanks to curiosity" she wanted to visit. Because of fainting, we got to talk about Jesus Christ, his death and resurrection, the Bible, the differences between orthodoxy and Baptists. She took a Bible from me, and times for services. Only the Lord knows what will come of it. She didn't want her daughter (my landlord) to know that she asked about it. But I am continually mystified at the opportunities that open up, in the strangest ways, at the strangest times. Praise God that He opens the doors.

The first snow, and other random events.

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:51:11 GMT

It snowed for the first time today. It was one of those massive snow flake kind of snows, that doesn't stick, but looks really pretty as it is coming down. It made me realize that winter is coming, probably quicker than I want to think. More snow would be a welcome thing (I love snow, and if it is going to be cold....), but unfortunately winter also brings short days. It never bothered me in America, but here, in the dead of winter it gets dark between 3 and 4 in the afternoon, and it really affects me. I find it hard not to be a little depressed, and I think it makes me more tired. We are already seeing pitch black nights starting about about 5ish.
I am sitting here writing with three guests sleeping in my apartment. God has really answered my prayer of filling my little home with people, though He definitely went about it a different way than I thought I wanted. I am constantly amazed at how easy it is to have Russian (and Ukrainian) guests. They are so easy going, and so easy to please. So, tonight my fold out couch, and fold out chair and bed are in full use, and I am praising God that I have the places for people to sleep.
So, it is time to sleep. Tomorrow is going to be another full day. I am getting the back window of my car replaced (finally!!). Then there is a wedding at church with a reception to follow five hours later. Somewhere in the midst of that we have some preparing to do for our next Sunday school at the Goreloe orphanage on Sunday. Then, tomorrow night, me and my three guests are going to do something fun (not sure what that will end up being).
Each day is a new adventure.

Let's face facts.....

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 08:07:29 GMT

Let's just face it folks - I am a bad blogger. It is kind of like when I keep a diary (which I am always sort of doing). If I don't write for a couple of days, the sheer weight of all that I should put in there just crushes me, and I don't put anything in there - for months. And thus, I haven't blogged here since the beginning of the summer. Well, it is time to through off that weight, and just start somewhere. So here is what is going on now in Tambov:

*Club Provodnik*
This discipleship ministry has been going on for about three years in Tambov, and it has started up again for this year. I am helping Pastor Vadim with administrative details, with the seminars for leaders, conferences, and traveling to visit the clubs in the different cities. The small group encourages each other to read each day, and share what God is teaching them. They have a lesson each week from the Word of God. And they are committed to praying for each other.

*Orphanage Ministry*
A Team from Truth Church in Tambov have started to travel to the Goreloe Orphanage every other week. We are preparing a Sunday school for the upper grades and just spending as much time loving the kids as possible. We are blessed with a very supportive administration, and very interested kids. This last time we had a team of 12 people go, to handle 3 classes. Transportation is always a problem, unfortunately, and we are still learning how and what to teach these kids, but I am so excited to be, finally, regularly visiting these kids, and telling them about God and His love.

*English Club*
Every Friday, the teenagers have their own Club Provodnik, and right before it, I have English club. The desire is that the teens would be able to invite their friends to English and that they might want to stay for the Club as well. We have only been meeting for two weeks now, but we have already had a guest come, invited by her classmate, Natasha, who attends church. I am excited about this opportunity to make new relationships, though teaching English is a challenge for me.

*X-Radio*
Two mornings a week, I am a DJ on xradio.su, an Internet based radio ministry. Through the site and through concerts that are help in our youth center on a pretty regular basis, this ministry has been a good opportunity to meet kids in town. Several kids from this ministry came to camp this year. We have made several friends, and had many good opportunities to talk about Christ because of these contacts. So, twice a week, I get on there to keep in touch and to help this ministry grow.

*Teacher's College*
Last year, Pastor Vadim, who is a teacher by profession, was invited to give seminars on youth topics (sex, friendship, emotions, etc.) at a local teacher's college in Tambov. Most of the students are female, so he has invited me along to talk with the girls and to, hopefully, build relationships with them. Now, this year, the college has asked him to come every other week, and to speak on spiritual topics!! So, once again, this is going to a regular opportunity to spend with these girls (and a few guys as well), but now with an open door to talk about spiritual things.

Well, those are the basics of my life in Tambov. God has open doors that I was praying for (orphanage) and doors I never even imagined (Teacher's college). It is still hard to live here, but it is also rewarding and right now, as I read over this list myself, I know how blessed I am, to be able to spend my every minute doing this kind of work.

This week, all the SEND missionaries in Lipetsk and Tambov will be together at Transformation Christian Center (our building in the woods, where we have camp) to talk about what we are doing here. This retreat time, I think, will be a very important time for our team. Please pray for us....

If you would like to get my prayer updates (which do come more regularly than the blog entries) let me know! (sendjenni@yahoo.com)

It will be the best of times, It will be the worst of times...

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 19:25:03 GMT

Okay, sorry for the cheesy Dickens allusion, but it is the truth. Tomorrow I leave for a two week evangelism rally in two small towns in the Tambov Province: Kirsanov and Mordova. After that rally we will hold a four day camp for our orphans at the Goreloe Orphanage. That camp will be followed by a two week evangelistic youth camp, which is always the capstone to our summer ministries.

All of these events are very exciting, but very draining. It is going to be thrilling, and a full, rich time, but there are going to physical and spiritual challenges all along the way...will you support these outreaches this month in prayer?

Here are a few things to be praying about:

Evangelism Rallies:

*The living conditions are going to be a challenge (i.e. showers alot less often than I care to admit in print, sleeping who knows where, toilets that are best left undescribed). Please pray that the team of 40 people will be able to serve each other, and remain focused on the those we have come to share with, even when things get unpleasant.

*Kirsanov is a town of about 18,000 people and there is a church there. Originally we were supposed to go to another town, where there is no church, but the local authorities were opposed. So, I can't help but thin, that the Lord has something special in mind for Kirsanov...this is His plan, not ours. Please pray for this town, and that this rally will really spark a fire.

*Mordova is a town of about 10,000 with no church. After this week long evangelism rally, a couple will be moving to Mordova to continue with the work, in the hopes of planting a church there. Please pray that hearts will be receptive, and that many will respond to the Word of God being preached.

Orphanage Camp:

*This is the first camp of its kind being held for these kids, and an American team of Russian immigrants (i.e. Russian speaking Americans) will be putting on this camp, with us "locals" helping. Please pray that this would strengthen our relationship with the orphanage administration and the kids, and that they would respond to the Word of Truth.

Lighthouse of Hope Youth Camp:

* Please pray that we will see many new kids come to this camp. A couple of my university girls took invitations. Please pray that they will attend the camp and that God would change their lives there.

*There is alot of work that goes into putting this kind of a camp together. Please pray for all the workers that are preparing for sports, kitchen work, counseling, drama, english lessons (that's me), and all the others details. Most of these workers will have spent the last three weeks on the road at the Evangelism rally and the Orphanage camp. Please pray for an extra-ordinary boost of strength and energy for this camp.

*Please pray for our Camp Director: Vadim Mihailin, who is also the Pastor of the Truth Baptist Church in Tambov (the central church, my church). Please pray that God would give him wisdom, and the words to say each even and morning as he shares his own story and the Truth about God from His word.

Because of all these events I will not be in internet contact for the vast majority of the next month. But please feel free to write back and leave messages on Facebook, etc. When I do get to the internet it will be great to hear from you!

Thank you for your prayers, for your partnership, for your love. We are in this together.

Love,
Jenni

Monday, July 06, 2009

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 19:13:11 GMT

Okay, I have finally gotten around to keeping my promise to post pictures of my car and apartment on here. Sorry it took so long. Here they are:

This is my 2002 Opel Corsa.

It has been a real blessing to have that car, though she comes with alot of extra responsibilities....

And here are the pictures of my apartment in Tambov:

The bedroom:

There is a balcony off of both of the main rooms

My desk doesn't usually look this clean! :)

My little sleeping alcove, which is a favorite with most people. The wallpaper in there is covered in yellow stars that glow in the dark! :)

The hallway is the first place we changed the wallpaper, from a very ugly large burgundy flower print to a nice green:

And here is my front door (not that I have a back door! :)

The living room is the other big room:

The large couch was my biggest purchase. It folds out into a nice bed for guests and has alot of storage space underneath for bedding.

The Kitchen is the other place where we changed the wallpaper. It is very small, but I really like how it turned out.

That is my washing machine, not a dishwasher next to the sink. I still have to get something to cover over those old tiles on the wall.

That shelf is one of my favorite purchases. I am not even sure why I like it so much, but I do!

The hardest part about this kitchen is that there are no drawers, at all, not one drawer....it took some creative thinking to figure out how to store utensils and silverware.

And last, but not least, the two most important rooms in the apartment.

And the biggest remodeling job....a bathroom with new tiles, tub, sink and cabinet. this room is really nice and all new now!

There is still some work to be done, like hanging a shower curtain, sealing off the tub, and getting a new shower head, but that will have to wait until another day...

Well, there is the tour...tell me what you think!

The rules are always changing.....

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 07:38:04 GMT

Well, this is a new one. Today I got ready to leave, went to the embassy and got my visa with very little problem. By the time I arrived at the train station, I had just less than an hour to get on the train, enough time to pick up some Chicken McNuggets for the road and settle in. My friends and I happily made our way to the train car I was riding in. I got my ticket out and put it in the picture page of my passport, ready to hand it to the conductor. Everything was working like clockwork. Until I handed my documents over. She took one look at my passport and informed me that I couldn’t go on this train. What? I have a ticket. That doesn’t matter, she said. Only Ukrainians and Russians can travel on this train. What? I have ridden on this train several times before. I have a visa for Russia. It isn’t a question of a visa, young lady. Only Ukrainians and Russians are allowed to pass the border where this train passes. A conversation with the head conductor made things more clear, but more bleak. As of April 1^st, Ukraine had made a new rule, stating that they would only allow Ukrainians and Russians to travel across that station on the border. So, any other nationalities (even Belarussians, Moldovans, or other border nationalities) can not leave Ukraine at that point on the border. Russia would have let me in, but Ukraine wouldn’t let me out.

I’ll be honest. I was pretty mad. Mad that I had bought the ticket well after April 1^st and the person who sold it didn’t say anything. Mad that they would make such a crazy rule, and that they wouldn’t let me out! (Okay, fine, you don’t want to let people into your country for some reason, but you won’t let them leave!?!) I was mad because I thought it was the only train that went to Voronezh, and didn’t require me to travel through Moscow. Mad that I lost about 12 bucks on the ticket change because they made some crazy rule, didn’t tell me about it, and some how that is my fault. Every last “the-customer-is-always-right” instinct I had kicked into full gear, let me assure you.

But I wasn’t the only one affected by this new rule today. There was a family of Moldovans who were also headed to Voronezh (my final destination city in Russia) that day. A family of four were traveling, but only one of them held a Moldovan passport, and not a Russian one. So, the whole family had to change their tickets, and change to another train, even though three of them were Russian citizens. (Thankfully, there is another route, that goes straight to Voronezh, though it takes two hours longer and is more expensive. That fact that it just happened to leave later that night, and that there were places available was a miracle in itself!). I was very humbled by this families reaction. It was clearly going to cost them a lot more than it did me, and it was clearly inconveniencing them even more than me (I had an apartment to go to in Kiev and wait out the 8 hours). But they just rushed to get things changed, and laughed about it all. That customer rules the world mindset that my own nation has imbued me can sometimes be a real curse, a disease, and a sin.

Strangely enough, it is probably one of the biggest frustrations here. It hits in so many different ways: rude store clerks, not getting “justice” when something breaks, or is less than satisfactory, very inconvenient spontaneous rules or changes. And at the heart of it all is an ugly word that I hate to think about: Pride. How dare they treat me that way? I paid for this!! (My money is supposed to buy me comfort and convenience along with the product) It isn’t fair, I don’t deserve this, I did everything I was supposed to do and they have no right to change. I, I, I, I, I, me, me, me, me…..the world suddenly gets pretty small (population: One) when my sense of entitlement gets crossed.

As we took the Metro back again to my friend’s apartment to wait, I was a little jealous of those Moldovans. I know they get frustrated too, but their lives, with the difficulties and the lack of justice that are a very common occurrence, has prepared them for life in this world where things are not fair, and there are problems that no one is really responsible for, no one is guilty, it just stinks. They seem a lot less likely to get bent out of shape because of inconvenience.

***********************************************************************

Now I have arrived in Tambov, after about 19 hours in the train. You know what God did? Well, first of all, this train had a 3 minute stop in Lipetsk, which is only an 1 and ½ away from where I leave, instead of 3 ½ hours, so it turned out to be much more convenient. But even better still, I spent many hours on the train talking to the daughter from the Moldovan family, and another lady on the train, who used the bunk next to mine to lay her child down for a nap. The Moldovan is Orthodox, and the other lady used to be Jehovah’s Witness, and now doesn’t go to church anywhere. We talked a lot about the Bible, Jesus Christ, the differences between the different denominations, etc. I got the chance on this train to share about Christ. I guess that is a pretty good reason to have to stay in Kiev for 8 more hours.

I hope I learn from this. Instead of asking the question: “Why is this happening to me?”, the next time I encounter such an inconvenience, I want to look at it with excited expectation: “What is God going to do with this? What does he have in store for me?” I want to remember what the Lord promised us through Paul in Romans:

Всё содействует к благу!

Everything works together for good….

Headed back....

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 20:39:01 GMT

Well, tomorrow is the big day...I am leaving for Russia...I can't believe that two months has already gone by. It seems like years ago that I was in Budapest, and now I have to say goodbye again to people here in Kiev. It is hard to leave this time particularly because I don't know when I will be back here again. But it has been a good two weeks. Some highlights:

* My best friend Beth came over from the country where she serves and we had a good 5 days together, praying, laughing, crying, singing, reading and looking around Kiev. We have had some very similar experiences over the past 4 months, so it was really good to work through that with her.

*My church here in Kiev celebrated their 17th anniversary! It was great to hear all that God has done in and through Transformation Church, many things I didn't know. This is such a healthy and growing church and they have counted me as their own, and pray for me as their missionary to Russia. In fact, they had me say a few words about what I am doing in Russia during the Anniversary service...but they didn't tell me they wanted me to say anything until about 2 minutes before. Spontaneous Russian Public Speaking!! It was a blessing to be with them, and a privilege to be included.

*I had dinner and spent time with several different friends from Transformation. These are the same people I had over to dinner 3 years ago and couldn't really communicate with. It was a wonderful contrast for me to see how much we can communicate now, in Russian. Praise God for giving me a new tongue.

*This time in Kiev afforded me so downtime before th craziness of summer hits. I am grateful for a little chance to refuel the tank for the long trek ahead. Also, time spent with some American friends here (other SEND Missionaries) was encouraging, uplifting, and gave me the much to think about.

*I also got to spend some time with my Russian teacher, who is now my friend! She just had surgery today, and she was VERY VERY worried about the surgery and the recovery. So if you are reading this, please pray for Lena.

Kiev has become a second (or third really) home for me, and I am seeing that I will always have a place to come back to here. On one hand that is hard, because it is a whole other group of people to have to say goodbye too, but, of course, on the other hand, what a blessing to have a whole other group of people to come back to!

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 13:11:58 GMT

I applied for my visa to Russia today, and I am supposed to pick it up on June 24th at 3 pm, and get on the train to go back to Russia at 4:48!! That is going to be an interesting day!! But at least I now know that I can get a Russian visa in Kiev.....

I wrote this on the plane from Budapest to Kiev when I traveled yesterday......

I am floating above the earth, again traveling between countries. I think air travel is too fast sometimes. Sometimes I wish I had to take a boat or a train, so that there was time for reflection. On a boat, there are weeks between shores, and you have time to really think about what you have left behind, and what you are headed towards. At least on a train it takes hours to cover the miles, and there is nothing to do but read and think. But, alas, like everything in our world, we now travel more “efficiently” – which really means just faster, and it takes me just a hour to get from Budapest, Hungary, and all that transpired there in nearly 6 weeks, to Kiev, Ukraine, where I have a history, friends, a church, and a lot of catching up to do in a short amount of time. I better reflect more “efficiently”.

It seems to me that I was in Hungary for more like 6 months, and not just 6 weeks. But, like with most experiences in life, now that I have come to the end of it, and walked through another set of “last days”, it seems like just a blur, just a blip on the radar, it went by so fast. Somewhere in the middle of it, I realized I was allowed to enjoy it. I have left on these “exiles” from Russia somehow thinking that I had to prove that I wanted to come back by complaining about where I was going. I felt guilty that I got to see a new place, and felt like I needed to prove that I wouldn’t have chosen it if I could have stayed in Russia, instead of just enjoying the exciting possibilities of what was handed to me, courtesy of the Russian Federation: a requirement to travel. Funny that it took me nearly a year to figure it out, but I realized I wasn’t helping anyone by not enjoying it. My friends that can’t travel weren’t somehow comforted that I wasn’t enjoying myself (I think they were more vexed that I wouldn’t appreciate something they wish they had), my Russian friends and co workers weren’t looking for reassurance that I was coming back (they think about it a lot less than I do, I think – if I come back I come back…), and my supporters didn’t see it as my sneaky way of getting a vacation (Russia didn’t consult me before it made this law.) In the end, I was just being ungrateful and frustrated for absolutely no good reason. And since life affords us all plenty of natural opportunities for frustration, I figured it was silly to make my own.

So, I spent a month and a half in Budapest. And let me tell you, it is a fantastic city. It has all the benefits of Eastern Europe (cheaper without the Euro, heartier people, really rich culture, less commercialized, touristized, modernized) with a really western (i.e. convenience is king) feel. I supposed it is all in what you compare it to, but I really liked it. I have heard that Budapest has been called the Paris of Central Europe. I think it is better than Paris! The Parliament, the Buda Castle, the museums, Andrassy Avenue, etc, and so on. It did this city girl’s heart really good to be in such a metropolitan, history rich town with so much to see and do, and so much to learn.

And then there was the class. It was a lot of work, but provided me with EXACTLY what I was looking for: a systematic, and effective way to teach English. How to put all that in practice when I get back is still going to be a bit tricky, but now I have a framework. And I learned something about myself. I really enjoy and have some ability in working with languages, even my own. I wish there had been a chance when I was a child to get a head start on this whole language acquisition thing, but I am not planning on wasting any time now. The class also gave me a chance to see myself, and my work through others’ eyes. To be honest, I think my classmates thought I was crazy, and a little bit weird. Russia is apparently not the exotic destination that Vienna or Budapest is, and so to live there seems a little weird to Western Europeans, and Americans, that have the world open to them. And then to live there to tell people about Christ. One classmate told me, “it seems like such a waste.” Working with orphans to provide them with physical things makes sense, but spiritual things seem like a waste of time. It is a good reminder to see the world the way those who are not submitted to God see it. I forget that it is, as Jesus said, “foolishness in the eyes of the world.”

So, the time in Budapest was good, challenging, and stretching. And now it is time to go back in time, to Kiev. It feels a little like when you go back to High School or College, to visit, after you have graduated. Everything is going to be different…their lives have gone on without me (how dare they! J) And yet, there are so many connections there, and memories. I have a lot of people to see and a lot of things to do in two weeks. I am excited and scared at the same time.

And then it is back to Russia. To be honest, I am very nervous about that. The last time, when I went back in February, everything was so different than I expected, and it was such a hard three months, I guess I have really low expectations this time. Maybe that will serve me well. The summer will be very busy, and then in September, as long as I get my permit and can stay, regular life will set in, whatever in the world that is going to look like…I have forgotten what it was like to have a schedule and a normal person existence. I don’t want to have to leave again, but it is going to be strange to not have a departure in the near future. I have become like one of those tundra plants that have very shallow roots because the ground is frozen six inches under. I am going to have to learn all over again how to be a tree, with deep roots, and a long, steady, constant growth in one place.

How did I get here?

Mon, 25 May 2009 15:22:05 GMT

This is a question I ask myself alot these days. I am sitting in a Mexican restaurant in the center of Budapest, Hungary, studying how to teach English, while I wait for a new visa to Russia. I remember when I was a little kid, this all sounded like such an awesome adventure, this galavanting around the world missions life. To see and be in so many different places. And it is adventurous, but in the last three months I have learned that it is for real, and it is hard.

I don't want to belabor the issue on here, but I just want to tell you, my friends, that I am sorry I have not written recently. Honestly, it is because I have receded into my cocoon. I seem to have developed that coping mechanism since I moved overseas. Sometimes I am just too overwhelmed to contact the outside world, even though I desparately want contact with it, with you. Over the last three months, I have gone through ups and downs that I did not expect coming back to Russia. There have been blessings, that have made me remember why I am here, but there have also been disappointments that have cut me deeper than I knew I could be cut. I am not trying to be cryptic, but I am looking for healing for those wounds.

So, here I am in Budapest. Some of the good things? I like the program, though it is very hard, and I definitely see how it will help me teach English as outreach in Russia. I have had the opportunity to share my faith and who the LORD is with two of my groupmates, who have given up on God a long time ago (a good enough reason in itself to come to Budapest). Budapest is a great city, and it has been great to learn some more about history and see the world through another culture's eyes. I am always learning, wherever I go....learning how big the world is, and how much God loves each person on the planet. It is overwhelming sometimes. I am so privileged and excited to see some old friends here in Budapest. To be able to spend time with people that know me really well has been healing and such a joy.

The hard stuff? I am so tired of living out of a suitcase, and not being in one place for long enough to really settle in. I am so tired of being out of Russia, when that is where I know that God has called me. I am tired of being on the road, and not arriving. I am overwhelmed and drained, and not sure what I am looking forward to in the future. A constant change of routine has made it more and more difficult to be consistent in anything. I am constantly fighting to eat right, to get some exercise, to spend the time in the Word and in prayer that I know I need and that I crave.

So, that is the life right now. Sorry this isn't too happy, but I wanted to share with anyone reading this exactly what is going on. I would love to hear from you as well. I miss you all.....more than I can tell you.

Prayer Update...just in case you don't get that email....

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 19:04:11 GMT

Here is my latest Prayer update, just in case you aren't on that list.....if you would like to be please let me know!!

Orphanage Ministry Begun

A week ago, I traveled with a team from Truth Baptist Church in Tambov traveled to an orphanage for kids with special needs in Goreloe (Gar – ell – oyeh) for the first monthly Sunday visit. Each month we will play games, teach Bible lessons and spend time with these kids. Please pray that more people would join this team, as we don’t have enough right now to work in small enough groups with these kids. Please pray for these 137 kids, and their caretakers, that we would be a real testimony in their lives. Please pray for me as I go to visit these kids a couple of other times a month, that I would be able to speak and understand them, and that God would use me there, in their lives, and for His Glory.

Outreaches in Locals Schools and Colleges

Pastor Vadim, the pastor of Truth Baptist Church , has invited me along with him on trips to local schools and colleges to give lessons on topics like friendship, sex education and how to understand and deal with your feelings. Vadim, a teacher by profession, has a real gift with students, and always weaves in a testimony of his own relationship with Christ. He has a vision and a desire to see relationships built out of these contacts. Please give us wisdom as we think about how to expand this ministry, and for opportunities on these visits to make personal connections.

Off to America

Pastor Vadim, Pastor Anatoly Pavolich, and my friend Anya have left for a month trip to the USA to meet with churches that are a part of an Slavic Gospel Mission partnership with the Tambov Oblast. Please pray for them, as they are traveling A LOT and experiences a lot of new things (culture, language, first time in a plane, first time out of Russia, etc. ). If you are in the Cedarville area, and would like to hear more about the ministry here in Tambov , they will be at Cornerstone Bible Church in Xenia , Ohio on Sunday, March 15^th!

Apartment Need

We have just been informed that the apartment that was found for me will not be built until at least January, so it is time to look at other options. Please pray that God would guide us to a good two room apartment in the middle of the city. Pray that we would be able to find a place before I have to leave in May.

English Training

When I have to leave Russia in May, I will head to Budapest Hungary to take part in an intensive month long TESL training program. Please pray for me as I need to get details arranged, get accepted to the program, and as I will need to be very disciplined and committed to this study during that month. Please also pray that God would give me wisdom to know how to use that outreach tool here in Russia .

Connections through Radio and Concerts

Through involvement with a Radio ministry here at the center, I have met three girls who are interested in spending time with an American, and are unbelievers. Please pray that I will be able to connect with Irina, Katya, and Sveta, and that God would use these new friendships for His Glory. Please also pray for me as I participate in this radio ministry, that I would have to words to say (both in English and in Russian), and that God would use this as a good contact with those that don’t know Him.

Thanks so much for your partnership in prayer and support. Please print out this page and remember these needs with me. I love hearing from you, and knowing how I can pray for you.