Unlike any week we have been on the mission field, this week has been a combination of exhilaration, exhaustion, excitement, and trauma. (Sorry, I couldn't think of anything else that started with 'ex'.) We spent the week with RamCorps, a group of musicians from the University of Mobile, and they took care of the exhilaration, exhaustion, and excitement. We went to different venues, watched them play concerts, and then watched while they made relationships with the people we met. We had three new people on Thursday night at English club as a direct result of the work they did this week. We sent them home on Thursday, and while we're glad for the rest, we already miss them. They were wonderful, and they did a great, great job here in Moscow.
The trauma was a result of a broken pipe in our wall, which spewed about four inches of steaming hot water onto our floor, and then into the apartments below us. Our neighbors were not happy with us at all, completely ignoring the fact that we did not break the pipe but were victims, too. We think they are all appeased now, and that relations are again on speaking terms, but it's been a tough week dealing with the damage and the angry neighbors who have showed up at our door.
We have also found out that another unit on our team, a family we love very much, is heading back to the States. We know that this is never an easy decision, and we are praying for their peace about it. When we came to Moscow, our team had six units. (Our company counts a single as a unit and a family as a unit.) Now, we are down to two units--us and another family. Please pray for us as we seek the Father's will for the next step our team will take.
Something else to pray about is what will happen to our team's house church when the other family leaves for Stateside assignment in July. Please pray with us as we contemplate where to take the church and in what direction. It is extremely difficult to plant a church here, and we do not want anything to happen to the church that is already in existence. In addition, we have had several people in the last week ask us if we will be having a church in our home when the other family leaves. There are some logistical issues with that, so we are praying through the different possibilities. Please pray with us that no matter what, God would be glorified, and our team's little church would be protected. (By the way, I am assuming you all know this, but I don't use names of other missionaries for security purposes. Our team is here on a platform, and to use names might endanger that. I do actually know everyone's name!)
Here's a story just to let you know how God is at work. On Thursday night, Irina was new to our English club. When I told her as she was getting ready to go that I was so glad she had come, she told me that she had really enjoyed herself, and that she understood now why people want to come every week, because our home is inviting, and the environment is fun and friendly. Pray that it will be only a short time before Irina asks us why our home is that way. There are spiritual conversations waiting to happen there. We are starting to see progress every week. It is such an exciting time to be here!
As you go through your week, please know that we do not take for granted your prayers, and that we appreciate every prayer said for us. We are starting to really feel like this is home, and we know that is a direct result of the prayers you have lifted on our behalf. Thank you so much. We love each of you, and we are so glad to have warriors out there, lifting up our arms when we become too tired. We love you!
Blessings,
Kellye (for all)
p.s. Monday is Marc's 40th birthday! Say a special prayer for him on Monday!
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Another Busy Week
While much of our week has been caught up in the volunteer team from the University of Mobile, it was also a big week for Sarah Beth. As you can see from the pictures, she attended her first formal last night. On Friday, she was elected as Vice-President of the junior class for next year. We can't believe our "baby" is almost a grown up. Continue to pray that God will be at work in the transition of our children to their new culture. Your prayers are working!
This is a busy week--RamCorps has performances every night, and sometimes during the day, too. They are an amazing group of young people, and already God has been faithful to return tenfold what we invest here--last night alone, we had five new people ask to join our English Club. Amazing! Please continue to pray for their time here in Moscow.
This has been such an encouraging week for us. After sitting in class every day trying to learn this hard, hard language, it is so great to be able to go out and use it and feel successful with it. Last night, several people commented on our (Marc and Kellye's) Russian and how well we spoke. God has used that to really encourage us to stay the course and really devote ourselves to the language anew. Please continue to pray for our language acquisition.
Be thinking of us this week and praying. Who knows what God is about to do here? We don't have any idea--but it is certainly a great thing to be in on what He's doing and where He's doing it. Thank you for your prayers and support--know that we never, ever take them for granted.
Blessings!
Kellye (for all)
This is a busy week--RamCorps has performances every night, and sometimes during the day, too. They are an amazing group of young people, and already God has been faithful to return tenfold what we invest here--last night alone, we had five new people ask to join our English Club. Amazing! Please continue to pray for their time here in Moscow.
This has been such an encouraging week for us. After sitting in class every day trying to learn this hard, hard language, it is so great to be able to go out and use it and feel successful with it. Last night, several people commented on our (Marc and Kellye's) Russian and how well we spoke. God has used that to really encourage us to stay the course and really devote ourselves to the language anew. Please continue to pray for our language acquisition.
Be thinking of us this week and praying. Who knows what God is about to do here? We don't have any idea--but it is certainly a great thing to be in on what He's doing and where He's doing it. Thank you for your prayers and support--know that we never, ever take them for granted.
Blessings!
Kellye (for all)
Sunday, May 4, 2008
May 4, 2008
Hello!
We are enjoying a Sunday with nothing to do. Because of May holidays, our church, which meets in a dentist's office, had church yesterday because the dentist had to work today. We pray your Sunday is going to be as easy and restful as ours will be.
A miracle happened on Thursday night at English club. Kasinya and Dasha invited us to a party at their dorm on Saturday night. . We have been praying and praying for a breakthrough in relationships with our English Club students, something that would draw us closer, and here it was. Above you can see some pictures from the party. We had trouble getting the right bus and were late. When I apologized for our lateness, one of the girls replied, "It matters not that you are late. It only matters that you came." These relationships are a direct result of the work done by FBC Allen, TX. Please prayerfully consider a trip to Russia to partner with us. It is a difficult, expensive place to come, and no one knows that more than we do, I promise. But the rewards...not a single face you see above is a believer. None of our students are believers. But every face you see above is seeking something more than what they have. And we would not have met any of them if FBC Allen had not taken on the task of bringing a group here. It reminds me of something one of the leadership team here said to us when we first met with them. Marc had said something like he was just a video guy, but he knew God could do something with that. I'll never forget the response. "But who knows that one video you produce won't change minds and hearts? There could be literally thousands around the throne of God because you were faithful to being just a video guy, but a video guy for God." God is working a miracle in our English Club. We never had any idea that we would love working with university students so much. But God knew. We had no idea what the ramifications of the volunteer team from FBC Allen would be, but God knew, and He is rewarding their faithfulness. We love these people so much. Won't you pray about partnering with us?
We have a meeting with trustees tomorrow, and Marc will be spending his day at Red Square with them after the meeting. He's starting more and more to get to do some things that fall in his "media" department, and he is loving it. Please pray that the meeting goes well. We would also ask that you pray for our entire field, which comprises all of Russia. Many, many folks are having to relocate, either outside of the country or in different parts of the country. Please pray for our leadership as they deal with ever-changing visa laws and decide how best to use the funds Southern Baptists have faithfully given us. They are amazing men. If you could meet them, you would want to work with them, too. Also pray for the many children who are impacted by these moves. No one knows better than we the tremendous difficulty children can have in transitions.
We hope and pray that spring has sprung where you are, and that you are enjoying it. We are thoroughly grateful for weather the last week or two in the sixties. Unfortunately, we are expecting snow Tuesday and Wednesday. We love each of you, and we thank you for your prayers. You are an integral part of our ministry.
Blessings!
Kellye (for all)
We are enjoying a Sunday with nothing to do. Because of May holidays, our church, which meets in a dentist's office, had church yesterday because the dentist had to work today. We pray your Sunday is going to be as easy and restful as ours will be.
A miracle happened on Thursday night at English club. Kasinya and Dasha invited us to a party at their dorm on Saturday night. . We have been praying and praying for a breakthrough in relationships with our English Club students, something that would draw us closer, and here it was. Above you can see some pictures from the party. We had trouble getting the right bus and were late. When I apologized for our lateness, one of the girls replied, "It matters not that you are late. It only matters that you came." These relationships are a direct result of the work done by FBC Allen, TX. Please prayerfully consider a trip to Russia to partner with us. It is a difficult, expensive place to come, and no one knows that more than we do, I promise. But the rewards...not a single face you see above is a believer. None of our students are believers. But every face you see above is seeking something more than what they have. And we would not have met any of them if FBC Allen had not taken on the task of bringing a group here. It reminds me of something one of the leadership team here said to us when we first met with them. Marc had said something like he was just a video guy, but he knew God could do something with that. I'll never forget the response. "But who knows that one video you produce won't change minds and hearts? There could be literally thousands around the throne of God because you were faithful to being just a video guy, but a video guy for God." God is working a miracle in our English Club. We never had any idea that we would love working with university students so much. But God knew. We had no idea what the ramifications of the volunteer team from FBC Allen would be, but God knew, and He is rewarding their faithfulness. We love these people so much. Won't you pray about partnering with us?
We have a meeting with trustees tomorrow, and Marc will be spending his day at Red Square with them after the meeting. He's starting more and more to get to do some things that fall in his "media" department, and he is loving it. Please pray that the meeting goes well. We would also ask that you pray for our entire field, which comprises all of Russia. Many, many folks are having to relocate, either outside of the country or in different parts of the country. Please pray for our leadership as they deal with ever-changing visa laws and decide how best to use the funds Southern Baptists have faithfully given us. They are amazing men. If you could meet them, you would want to work with them, too. Also pray for the many children who are impacted by these moves. No one knows better than we the tremendous difficulty children can have in transitions.
We hope and pray that spring has sprung where you are, and that you are enjoying it. We are thoroughly grateful for weather the last week or two in the sixties. Unfortunately, we are expecting snow Tuesday and Wednesday. We love each of you, and we thank you for your prayers. You are an integral part of our ministry.
Blessings!
Kellye (for all)
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