Новость

Of course only a few weeks have gone by since my last post, but it feels as if it has been an entire month! So many things have been happening, or at least it feels like it.

Winter has finally come to Ukraine! I don’t know why this is exciting. After months of unseasonably warm weather we were met with our first snowfall of the year this past week. Let me tell you, now it is COLD! Although I am no friend of winter weather, it was beginning to feel as if I was missing out on a part of the true Ukrainian experience!

Grammar class has been going strong. For the past three weeks I have had a regular group of ten students, which is far more than I had thought would come. It has been a real blessing for me, as I enjoy spending time with the group twice each week. In a few days we will be getting ready to embark on our trip to Budapest, Hungary and Uzhgorod, Ukraine, which I am very excited for! I’m looking forward to exploring and seeing all that Budapest has to offer, within reason of course. After our holiday in Hungary the schedule will begin to run with full strength. Monday nights will be devoted to my grammar class. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I will be teaching another beginning adult ESL class, and of course Fridays will be our conversation group as always. I will be one busy girl, but it will be extremely worth it, of this I am sure.

For all of my prayer warriors out there—thank you so much for your diligence! I have needed much prayer during my time here, and I have really felt it all working in the different aspects of my life. Keep it up! And if you think of it please keep the adult ESL classes in your prayers, especially as I will be getting a new group of students in February. It is my desire to be able to introduce them to God, to a relationship with Christ and to the church that I am working with.

An interesting yet somewhat unfortunate tale from the orphanage…
Recently, during one of our twice-weekly visits to the orphanage, I was playing UNO with a couple teenage boys and one girl. These are some of the older students whom I have enjoyed building relationships with in the last few weeks. During one of our games, however, I spent the majority of time explaining to this one boy why he should not use certain English profanities, all of this is occurring in Russian by the way (kudos to me!). Looking back on the experience it gave me a chuckle. At the same time I began to think about what an awesome opportunity I have to be with those kids in that place, and to be able to minister to them through relationships, as I know that they most likely have no Godly influence in their lives. Please pray for this one boy in particular, as he has a dynamic charismatic personality who could be an influential leader of others for Christ one day. I am praying that God would do the impossible in his life.

ФОТОГРАФИЯ!

These are some pictures I took recently while on a walk down to the sea.

Isn't the sunset amazing?

There is something about fishing boats that is so beautiful!

Living Radically in 2007

Recently, I realized that my time in Ukraine is almost halfway over. During one of my prayer times, God really put within me the desire to live radically in 2007. Radical living this year will allow me to make the most out of my remaining time here in Ukraine as well as the time to follow when I return to the United States and to my university.

Things to Look Forward to in 2007

Being a new year, I thought it would be a good idea to analyze things, and to make a list of what I am looking forward to this year, so here it is:
• Beginning a new ESL class for adults.
• Taking the college group deeper and expanding it.
• Going to Hungary and Uzhgorod, Ukraine in February!
• Restarting the beginning ESL class for adults and receiving new students!
• Teams arriving in May and being able to serve them and help with their ministries.
• The Duvall Church team coming near the end of June!!!
• Returning to my family and friends.
• Returning to the university.

More Praises & Prayer Requests

Praises!
• That I have been able to assimilate into the host culture! Hooray!
• That I am becoming more and more conversational in the Russian language.

Desires for 2007 in Ukraine (AKA “Prayer Requests”):
• That the college group would expand to include more outreach to other university students.
• To continue to assimilate into Ukrainian culture.
• To live radically.
• To continue to develop relationships within my adult ESL classes, and that they would be tools for sharing the Gospel.

Я настоящая украйнская женщина!

I have been immensely enjoying getting to know more and more of Ukrainian culture. I am taking every opportunity that I can to experience Ukrainian life, whether it is riding the bus or walking down the street. Recently, I was told by a new student in our conversation class that her first impression of me was that I was a Ukrainian woman. I was also told by my good friend Inna that my conversational Russian is improving. I am proud to say that after four months of living here I am well on my way to becoming a real Ukrainian woman!

Life After New Year's

After welcoming the New Year in Ukraine, the holiday break has come to an end, and the routine has started up again. For the month of January I am teaching a class on the basics of English grammar, which is keeping me busy so far. The bible study and fellowship group for university students has also started back up again, and I am looking forward to what this year has in store for it.

Praises & Prayer Requests

*PRAISE*
*For the affirmation from Don about the college group.
*For all of the relationships I am building, especially with my new friend Inna.
*I have been able to find a place here, through my relationships, playing bass on the worship team, and leading a bible study.
*PRAYER*
*For my relationships to be taken deeper.
*For my language skills to improve so that they can be.
*For my adult English class for relationships to continue to be formed.
*For college group that we would be able to grow together spiritually and relationally.

An Answer to Prayer

Honestly, I have never seen myself as an answer to prayer. But this last month it has been amazing to see how I have been able to be a part of God’s bigger plans here. This week while Don (long term volunteer and ESL coordinator here) was visiting for the Christmas holiday, we were discussing the college group. He told me how he had been praying for someone to step in to fill his shoes while he was at home on leave, and how he was also praying for someone who the students could better relate to, etc. It was much needed affirmation that I was in fact this person! Praise the Lord! What an immense joy it is to be used by Him in His plans! I truly have enjoyed having Don around these past few days. We have discussed endlessly about the college group and about our vision for the college students here in this city, and how they are not only the future leaders of the church, but the future business and political leaders of Ukraine as well as of the world. I look forward to seeing where God directs this particular ministry here in Berdyansk.

Christmas & New Years

On Saturday December 23rd, we had our large Christmas gathering, which was wonderful. There were twenty-one of us gathered in the Smith house for Christmas dinner. For the first time it actually felt like Christmas. Being able to help prepare food and to relax with friends really made the holiday special. I began to think less about being so far away from home and from my family and began to appreciate my new place here. Sitting in the back of the house playing Dutch Blitz and Rook with friends Inna, Oksana, Bill, and Don reminded me of the post-dinner festivities of playing new games with my cousins on Christmas day.

Christmas Day
Christmas day started out pretty low key. We woke up to the breakfast bell at 8:30, had breakfast, a time of worship, and then spent the rest of the morning opening gifts. Nearly everyone who came Saturday brought gifts, so needless to say we were there quite awhile. I was given gifts from people that I only know on a first name basis. I will be writing a lot of thank you cards in Russian, which will be good practice. Following presents I was whisked away to the village with Don, my friend Inna and her mom to visit friends that lived out there. It was a wonderful time! I am discovering quite well that a foreign guest will never leave the table hungry, or even comfortably full for that matter. You will leave the table painfully full, but what great food it is, and what a joy it is to be with the people! This evening helped to affirm me in my conversational abilities, as I was able to converse with my hosts. I am truly praising God for his provision and blessings of great friendships with the Ukrainian people!

Conversation Group Christmas Party
This past Friday night our conversation group had a Christmas party in which we watched the Jimmy Stewart Christmas classic “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Prior to the film the poem ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas was read as well as the Christmas story from Luke. Following the film we partook in the singing of Christmas carols. As usual, our group was thankful and appreciative. Above all, a good time was had by all!

New Year’s Gift Giving at the Orphanage
This week we were able to give gifts to the children at the orphanage. It was quite the rewarding experience. A good deal of time was spent wrapping gifts individually so that each child would have something special to open. All of the gifts came from a shipment from a church in the Washington. After several years of being a part of things such as Operation Christmas Child, it was especially interesting to be on the other side of things, to see the gifts being distributed to the kids.

Session Ending

We have concluded the first session of English classes at the center here in Berdyansk. My adult class concluded by playing Wheel of Fortune, the all time classic American game show game. I have very much enjoyed my group of students. It is very rewarding to work with adults because they truly have a desire to learn English and are committed to study. I look forward to seeing more of them in January when I am beginning a grammar class. Please pray for this! It is my hope that through these classes God will open doors in peoples’ lives, that by being drawn into the church facility that they will be exposed to what takes place and hopefully (and prayerfully) be brought into a relationship with Jesus Christ.