I don’t know if I can beat the excitement and funny stories from my last blog but I’ll give it a try:) I’m glad that so many of you enjoyed it.
Well, what can I tell you about this past week… Last Saturday, I had class from 9-2 as usual with Ivan, Tolya, and newcomer, Mesha. He is also from China and seems to know more about what he’s doing/saying. He says he knows a little English but I haven’t heard anything other than him saying, “I know a little English.” Hhhmmmmhh. We shall see. Anyway, at 1pm our teacher told us to pack up and follow her. I didn’t have a clue where we were going but I’m getting used to following people around blindly. And hey, we were getting out of class early:) She brought us to the main auditorium at the university where, lo and behold, all of the other Asian students we hang out with were. Come to find out it was a presentation/concert for the female teachers in honor of the 8th of March- “Woman’s Day.” I guess they decided that us foreigners needed to experience some Russian culture. Anyway, it was a fun concert cause I got to hang out with Tolya, and my friends Anton & Vera. Ivan went to the bathroom at least 20 minutes before we left the classroom. He didn’t have his phone with him for us to call him on so he totally missed the concert. Poor kid.
Pretty sure I laughed at parts of the concert that I shouldn’t have but nobody kicked me out. And pretty sure none of us foreigners knew exactly what was going on most of the time. They gave out some special awards to a bunch of the teachers and they would go up to the stage to accept flowers. They would even do a little curtsey! It reminded me of “The Sound of Music” when they are at the concert at the end of the movie when everyone is clapping, giving flowers, and curtseying. You know the part where the family doesn’t come out of the tunnel to accept first place in the competition? …. Anyway… I put up some pictures of the concert and a video of one of the dances on facebook. I find it difficult to describe the concert ..….. A bit much? There were a few groups that performed that I really wanted to ask, “Are you for real?” There were opera type singers who came out in ballroom dresses and had videos of lightening on the screens. And the light effects… Oh Lord. Any light, didn’t matter what color, was going whenever the light person felt like it. If all of them were on at the same time that was totally fine. Ohhh wow. I have never experienced anything like that concert. But like I said, we got out of class early:) This is a pic of one of the bands....
I had a mini English lesson with some of the Asian students the other day. They had me writing on the board and everything. I’m trying to teach them how to say, “How u doin?” just because I think it would be funny to hear once in awhile:) The guy who told me of his love really likes to have a “dialogue” with me. It usually goes, “Hello”, “Hello”, “How are you?”, “I’m fine. Thank you for asking.” I just like the part where he says, “I’m fine. Thank you for asking.” cause that’s when he starts laughing. He called me over from across the room the other day and asked what city I was from. I told him and he just walked away deep in thought. I walked all that way why exactly?
Saturday night, was a completely different experience from the concert. I crossed from one extreme to the other. I went with the Eshelmans and the Hinsons to a homeless shelter where Cecil was invited to preach. The shelter is located just past the last bus stop on the edge of town. It was pretty dark out there and there wasn’t much light to see the buildings or anything. It might have helped if I had seen things more because I was not prepared for what was in the meeting/eating house. The meeting house was tightly packed with people sitting shoulder-to-shoulder and back-to-back who all turned to watch us come in. I felt like I stepped back in time when I entered that room. It just seemed like something you would see in an old war movie or something. I would say there was at least 80 people stuffed into the room. Almost immediately I felt ashamed of any complaint I have made about not having the right clothes, or not liking a certain food… An incredibly humbling experience. Sometimes the smell wasn’t very pleasant but that is the case in many places in Russia. Most restrooms don’t have toilet paper, soap, or paper towels so you are out of luck if don’t bring your own toiletries. It was a good service and the people were very responsive to Cecil’s preaching. After the sermon, they had their evening meal and we were invited to stay. They served soup and bread that they make in their own brick ovens. They didn’t have enough dishes for everyone to eat at once so they would wash dishes as soon as someone was done eating. On church on Sunday, Tonya asked everyone to bring any dishes they don’t use for us to bring to the shelter. I hope there is a good response with that. I would like to go back to the homeless shelter in more light so I can really see everything. I guess in the summer they have gardens and they also have some of their own farm animals. I took a few pictures but they aren’t the greatest. I felt funny taking pictures considering the situation. The Eshelmans took some on their camera so I’ll have to see how they turned out.
The next morning we had church. The alarm went off way to soon after being out late at the shelter:) Every Sunday after the service we go off into a side room for fellowship/food time. My first Sunday there, a lady told Cecil to tell me that I needed to push my way to the food. Apparently Russians have a smaller personal space than Americans. She came over a few seconds later with a plate full of food for me. So the next Sunday I made sure to get plenty of food so no one would go to the trouble of helping me. But then a man was concerned because I didn’t have any tea. He went and got Tim to tell me that I needed some tea. So the third Sunday, I had it all figured out. I grabbed a plate of food and my tea so no one would have to bother getting me anything. I even found a chair to sit where they could see me eating. But then the pastor’s wife, Natasha, asked why I didn’t have any cake…. I give up.
Something that has and is still difficult for my American brain to understand is the shopping situation here. In America, we are taught to make a list and try to go as few times as possible in a week. Some people manage to take just one trip a week to the grocery store. Fill up the car with groceries! By saving time we are saving money. But here its totally acceptable if you go every day. Most people don’t have cars so they have to carry whatever they buy all the way home. I would also say that part of it is because of needing to buy things fresh, like bread. Bread is literally everywhere and in everything. I don’t think I have had a meal where there wasn’t any bread or at least a grain type food. But the first few times that I went to the store I made a list of all the things that I would need for the week and possibly longer… Yeah that didn’t work and I think the store people hated me. They actually ask you before they start ringing up your stuff if you even want a plastic bag. And if you do want a bag they try with all their might to fit everything you buy into that one bag. I only know of one bigger grocery store that has their own bag. That is, one with a logo and stuff. All the other grocery stores have a small black bag which I think is partly because people have to lug whatever they buy all over town. But anyway, as much as it against everything I’ve been taught and as much as I dislike going to the store never knowing if someone is going to ask me something in Russian… I go more than once a week. Shocking I know…. I will now make friends with the cashiers and be able to fit everything in those tiny black bags. Hooray for me. Hopefully this change in me will not be permanent.
On Sunday I helped Tonya prepare for a tea party for some ladies in honor of Women’s Day on March 8th. It’s a pretty big holiday here and girls of all ages are congratulated and given gifts just because they are female. We had sandwiches, all kinds of sweets and, of course, tea for the ladies. There were 7 of us and then all of the kids. I helped babysit so the ladies could talk. I put up a video on facebook of one of the little girls complaining that she couldn’t go on the top of the bunk bed. It was hilarious. Wednesday there was a second tea party held at the Hope Center that Tonya organized. It was for a larger group of ladies so there was more work to be done:) But it really turned out to be a lovely party. My pastor’s wife, Natasha, was telling Tonya that she was so surprised at how nice everything was. She had not expected table cloths, real tea cups, and all of the delicious food. Tonya told her that is was something she learned from America:) I’ve put a few pictures on facebook so you can see what it all looked like.
I was very blessed on Women’s Day. I spent it with the Eshelmans relaxing and then getting ready for the tea party. Vera Eshelman painted a picture for me to put on the wall in my room. I already have it up:) Deanna E. bought me some cream that she picked out herself. And Tonya gave me a rose as I was leaving to go to my dorm room. But also having the opportunity to serve these ladies was a gift in itself. Yes, I was blessed on this Womens Day:)
Love is so amazing. Father God gave the greatest gift of Love. He gave it me. He gave it to you. I am alive because of His Love. My heart and my soul are ALIVE because of His Love. Without it I would be cold and dead inside. Not really living. Not ever experiencing the depth of my Heavenly Father. But with this gift of Love, I’m alive. When you experience this great Love, life has new meaning. You can actually feel His deep Love for you. Can you feel it? Can you hear Him whispering his love to you? He’s saying, “Come away with me! Let me show you the beauty of my Love. Its depth. Its riches. Its fullness...” Only Gods Love can make you whole again. Only this can fill the void in your heart. Only God can set you free. In the book of Judges (5:31) an incredibly wise woman named Deborah said, “So may all your enemies perish, O Lord! But may they who LOVE you be like the sun when it rises in its strength.” What a picture that creates in my mind! To be like the sun rising in the morning. I know I talked with you last time about Gods Love, as well as now, but let me leave you with what is the prayer of my heart. Ephesians 3:16-19, “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through this Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” Amen.
I have a few prayer requests. One is a little strange. When I sit for long periods of time in what you might call a “student” position (you know when you are leaning forward and writing a lot) I get an uncomfortable sensation in my left shoulder blade. Sometimes it feels like a thin stream of extremely cold water and sometimes it feels like super hot water. The other day it reminded me of what it felt like to get a wart burnt off. Well, I’ve had this feeling before but not as frequent or as intense as I’ve had it lately. I guess its cause I’m in class longer than I was in the States and always needing to be in that “student” position. I would appreciate your prayers concerning this. It’s not always painful but definitely distracting and uncomfortable. My second request is quite simple but a little expensive. I could really use a refrigerator for my room. I don’t have a microwave either but a refrigerator would be more useful right now. I can’t buy anything that needs to be kept cold like milk, or eggs. So yeah, a fridge would be awesome:) My other request I think was said best by Paul in his letter to the Ephesians, “Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel.” Ephesians 6:19. His words but they resonate in my heart.
Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. I appreciate you all so much! Oh and fyi for all of you. I’m hoping to give a tour of my dorm building and parts of the university on video… I’ve been planning this for awhile but I thought if I put this in a blog I might actually go out and do it:) I’m not sure how doing it at the university will go but I’d like to try. Some places here don’t even allow pictures so we’ll see. Anyway, stay tuned. You are all amazing.
An official Women’s Day participant,
Leah
No comments:
Post a Comment