I’ll have to fly to Japan in a couple of weeks to leave Russia so I can re-enter with a new visa. Please pray b/c I have a lot to do to make that happen and my present visa runs out at the end of this month.
Working on writing/compiling a booklet for the church to sell to tourists etc. … who ask for the history and pictures of the building of it and then the destruction by fire, the takeover by the soviets etc. … It will help raise money for the mission outreaches.
English class is going really well, and I am now completely able to be my outgoing, blunt, goofy self and am comfortable with people there (and at church and on the street for that matter!). The students told the Russians I know that they like my class b/c I smile a lot and we laugh and they aren’t afraid to answer etc. … so that was a big encouragement for me to just be myself. My tutor says I’m learning quickly and I’m actually able to create sentences sometimes, yay! Ii learned how to say hey good lookin’ come here … ha ha ha, don’t worry I’m learning very important and meaningful sentences and can actually communicate a bit now. One of the street kids we’ve been with a lot got new gloves the other day with us and turned as if boxing, thinking I was one of his friends behind him, and then was like, oh I’m so sorry, yada yada,and I just blocked and “hit” him back and told him in Russian not to worry, that I have 4 brothers:) He got
a kick out of that. Very cute.
Went to the orphanage 2 days this past week, and the kids were sick, so I stayed with Ilona (about 3yrs old. We were there a few weeks ago on her very first day, and so she has been weighing on my heart) in a quarantined room with a mask on, and she was crying so much that I felt like maybe I was traumatizing her instead of helping, but the caretaker just said that it didn’t matter who was there, and left again. And so I said, ok I guess I have to do this. So I just started praying and I picked her up even though she didn’t seem to want me to and told her it was me, and thankfully I know how to say “it’s ok” and “I know.”… Then I started to sing and rock her, and I thought again how God works in such a universal way through the perception of love and safety and through the senses … gentle touch, calm empathetic eyes, music, movement, rhythm … She became peaceful and smiled, and we drew and played a bit, and then I held her again. It was time then to give her some more medicine, and I had to go, and then she didn’t want me to put her down, which of course was worse than not being wanted at the beginning. I can only hope and trust that the time I have with them and the love and prayers will make up for any sadness they might experience when we leave … b/c there’s so many, I don’t think we’re with any of them long enough to create attachments, but that’s always of course what you worry about. We are also getting them an air conditioner and supplies, so at least I know those concrete things will be good …
We have now started a program on our own for the street kids we’ve come across right here in our section of the city. They don’t go to the one I was working with before b/c the older kids there take the things they get. And they don’t go to the state-run center b/c the adults treat them badly and the older
kids “do bad things.” We knew that something had to be keeping them from choosing a bed over concrete. So, we feed them every night, and what continues to astonish me is how they are not as hardened as one would expect. They are polite, they love to laugh, they happily mug for the camera, they choose healthy food over junk, and they refuse things they don’t really need, which boggles my mind. Hmmm, boggle, that would be such a fun game to have here …:) Where was I? …Australia … lol (laughing out loud). Sorry, the movie The Princess Bride for those who don’t know …
So, today, Anton and Dima, the two who really have no even temporary place to go to get off the streets, are taking Mark and I to their “home,” which, from what I can gather, is in a little hill type place next to some pipes for the heat. We are working on getting an apt. through the church, where we can at least have the kids shower, bring our doctor to take care of basic medical needs, and get them sleeping bags so they can sleep there, especially during the winter. It’s definitely not a permanent fix, but it’s a good transition-type arrangement until we can have a permanent center or something. There are other street kids we’ve heard about or seen, so there will be more and more. We took these five the other day to the Chinese market and got them all winter coats, hats, warm shoes, gloves, socks and underwear. They were thrilled, and one of the Chinese owners said he knew they were street kids and what we were doing and so cut us a deal on all the coats and socks we got at his place. There is goodness everywhere. For those who want names to pray, the boys are Sergei, Sergei, Dima, Anton and Slava, and their ages are 13-16.
Better end this now … It was just a spontaneous update anyway since I was here on a Saturday and the computers were free. I wish you all many warm days,
warm embraces and warm smiles.
“… whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, and if there is anything worthy of praise; meditate on these things (Philippians 4:8). Have a great weekend!
erin
