Hello Everyone!

We pray this finds all of you doing well. John John, Hannah and I are resting and getting some work done today, and Marc and Sarah Beth are in Udmurtia until sometime on Monday. I just got off the phone with Marc--oh, the wonders of the iPhone, which can get a signal anywhere!--and they are really having a great time. Udmurtia is about 14 hours away by train, located in the western Ural mountains. Last year's International Day of Prayer was focused on the Udmurts, an unreached people group who are more shamanistic than orthodox, which is not unusual in that part of the country. Marc is there with a group doing a follow-up on what has happened since the international day of prayer. Sarah Beth is headed into one of the              villages for a women's group meeting tonight, and she'll be staying with another MK who is traveling with her in the village tonight. Marc is headed to a different village, where he will be enjoying the banya with some Russian brothers. I am smiling even as I type that, because the banya is an uniquely Russian experience which involves a sauna (think a hut heated by burning coals), a pool cut into the ice, and a bunch of branches with which they hit you wherever they think you need to lose weight. Somewhere in there, you're supposed to have tea and cookies with your banya-mates. And clothing...well, let's just say it's very optional. (I didn't ask Marc what he was wearing into the banya, because I frankly didn't want to know.) Then he'll go back to their hotel in a nearby city and prepare to preach his first sermon in Russian tomorrow morning. He is very, very excited about the relationships he is making with Russian brothers in the villages, and it's been great to get the chance to not only videotape all of the things that are happening, but also get to participate in ministry. It was good to hear the excitement in his voice, and in Sarah Beth's. They are also enjoying a great time together. We are always aware that in just a little while, S.B. will be in college, so we are eating up every second of our time with her.

Other than that, it's just been an absolutely crazy week. We had last-minute house guests for a few days, Hannah had a big presentation, and there were the usual language lessons on top of everything else. Plus, it is getting dark and cold quickly. In fact, I have struggled this week with sadness and what I can only call "the blues," and a fellow missionary gently reminded me that I often struggle with the weather when it gets gray. So the sun lamp comes out this week! This Florida girl is awfully thankful to work for a company that takes mental health really seriously--seriously enough to provide a sun lamp for those of us for whom the gray can be overwhelming. Would you pray this week that I will recognize what I am struggling with when I see it, and not be discouraged by it? 

We are getting ready for Thanksgiving already, and we're pretty excited about that. We have lots and lots of people coming, and that should be fun. Having lots of people honestly helps us not to feel homesick. Thanksgiving is, across the board, a difficult day for many missionaries, because it is an American holiday, and no one else is celebrating it. So we are thankful for that.

Marc met a potential student for our English club on the train. Please pray that he will be able to make contact when everyone is back in Moscow, and perhaps move this young man (who is from Udmurtia but lives in Moscow) into a discipling role with Marc here in Moscow. 

Well, guys, I think that's it. Please continue to pray for the many people we come into contact with, that we will see everyone through God's eyes and not our own. Our neighbors have been very unfriendly from the start, but slowly are turning the corner on their opinion of us. We are consistently being greeted and smiled at by several families here in the building--a real answer to prayer. We are especially excited because the girl who lives with one of the young men next door to us seems particularly friendly and ready to--maybe--make a relationship of some sort with us. Pray that we will take advantage of any opportunity the Lord provides. We are praying for boldness, a need to see others come to Christ that makes it impossible for us to miss opportunities to share His love. I'm praying that for you, too--may we all have a boldness and a hunger for everyone to know the love of Jesus! I pray that each of you has a wonderful, restful Saturday, and that you know how much we appreciate each of you.

Blessings!

Kellye (for all)

Back In Moscow

We are back in Moscow after a great two weeks in the Czech Republic. Sarah Beth is on a retreat with the rest of her high school, and John John and Hannah have spent the afternoon playing with friends here in our apartment, so we've had a nice, quiet day today--nice for us since we have done nothing but run since we returned late Tuesday night. Our conference was great, and we thoroughly enjoyed our time with friends. Thank you for the prayers we know you spoke on our behalf. We had time to rest and recharge a little, and some much-needed time outside of Moscow.  As we look at our second year on the field, we have several things we would like for you to be praying about on our behalf: --contentment with our lives in Moscow --continued ministry opportunities --Marc's travel schedule/new project: Engage Russia; Marc and Sarah Beth leave on Thursday night of this week for Udmurtia, in the Western Ural Mountains --changes in the IMB: in November, a total restructuring of the IMB will be announced, with new leadership and new organizations; please pray that these changes, which directly impact us, will be effective in broadening access to the gospel; please also pray that we will be wise as we make decisions about our future (where we will live, what kind of work we will do, etc.) --God's best; our prayer right now is that what we will seek is His best, even when that isn't the easiest path We love you and appreciate you so much. We would encourage you to watch the Baptist Press at the beginning of November for more details about changes in YOUR mission organization. We believe God is at work around the world, and we're so honored to represent you in this part of the world.We hope your week is wonderful! Blessings, Kellye (for all)

Hi, Everyone!

It's been a big week at the Hooks house. Sarah Beth had her first soccer match, John-John had cub scouts, Hannah had a great piano lesson, and all three were off on Friday for a faculty retreat for the school, which I attended. The retreat was good, but I was glad to be back home last night. Of course, I've been up since five, so I'd be even gladder if I could go back to sleep!

This week looks typical. Lilliana does go into the hospital on Tuesday for a procedure that we hope will help her stand better--she is very dizzy all the time. We noticed last week that when she would stand up, she would teeter a little bit from side to side. Please pray for her health, and that God will continue to draw her to Himself. 

We will have Bible study this afternoon, of course, and we ask that you continue to pray for the ways God is at work in that time. We also ask that you pray for our English club, that more may feel comfortable moving from English club to Bible study.

On the family front, we have a pretty normal week--school and all the usual things that go with it. All three kids are doing well at mid-term, which we're really pleased with, and school continues to be such a blessing in our lives. Will you please pray that God provides the tuition for the second semester? As of right now, the tuition is taken care of for the first semester. John-John and Marc do leave on Friday for a cub scouts campout. That should be fun. Please pray for their safety, and for the time they will share as father and son. We are swiftly realizing how fast the time is flying.

We are also struggling with John-John as he has continued difficulty sleeping. Will you please pray that God gives us guidance as we try to help John-John regulate his sleeping patterns? He is doing well at school, but by the time he gets home, he is so tired that he's almost hysterical. Unfortunately, that tiredness doesn't translate into sleepiness, so it's a perpetual cycle. We are praying that God will show us the way to help him solve this problem.

Well, the LSU/Auburn game appears to be getting interesting, so I'm going to go watch that for a while. We love you all, and we pray that God is at work where you are just like He's at work here. Thank you for your continued prayers!

Blessings,

Kellye (for all)

Blessed by many activities

Well, it's Saturday night, and like many mothers across the world, I am watching college football and waiting for my teenager to get home. So while I wait for the domophone to ring to tell me Sarah Beth is home, I thought I'd send you a quick update.

It has been an unbelievably busy week. I have worked full days this week subbing for another teacher. Put that together with a visiting team, preparations for friends who are returning to Moscow tomorrow, and not one but two teas to help with/attend, and it all adds up to quite a week. Of course, we never lose sight of what our lives were like this time last year, when we were not even in Moscow but waiting anxiously to arrive. As we think over the last year and the struggles that have come with our transition here, we are so grateful for a busy life full of activity and ministry and friends. What an answer to prayer that life is!

On Sunday, Sergei did come to our house for Bible study. It was such an exciting time for us. When Sergei was leaving English club on Thursday, Marc asked him if he was coming on Sunday again. He said he was, and that he thought he would bring Artur, his brother who has just moved to Moscow to study at the State University here. Then Liliana called to say that she would like to come tomorrow, because she is feeling better. What a great day of Bible study we are looking forward to tomorrow! Please continue to pray that we will be able to move people from English Club to Bible Study. And pray that God would move in the heart of our Russian friends in a way that is beyond logical explanation. 

This week is full of soccer, piano, cub scouts, school projects, and all the other things that fill our lives. That doesn't, of course, even include the wonderful ministry opportunities we have. Please pray that we would be able to juggle and focus on the things that are God's priorities, and not just what we want to do. We always want to choose His best rather than just the good things we can come up with on our own. 

Marc met with Ed Tarleton on Monday, and together they came up with a really exciting schedule of travel for Marc, one that balances ministry needs with family needs successfully. Marc is still hammering out the details, but he is very excited about the places he is going to get to go in the next year. Please start to pray now for his safety, for his language ability during these trips, and that everything he produces honors God's call on his life and the work God is doing in these areas where there is no evangelical presence. 

Well, my 16-year-old is home from her soccer party (where they tie-dyed their socks for some reason), so that's my cue to hit the pillow. Everyone in the house, except for John-John (who may just be too active for the germs to catch up with him), has a cold/cough thing going on...and I have yet another ear infection. The weather turned nasty this week--cold and rainy and gross--and we're battling the same stuff that plagued us last fall. Please pray that we will build up our immunity and be able to fight against the continual cold. This is a miserable place to not feel well. Trust me that little is worse than riding the metro with an ear infection. Just take my word on it. :o)

We love each of you, treasure your friendship and support, and pray that you are safe and dry (for my friends in Texas) and sound as you read this. Thank you for loving us and holding us constantly before the throne. 

Blessings!

Kellye (for all)

Eleven Months and Counting!

It's hard for us to imagine that we have now been here for eleven months. How big is our God?!?! If you'd have told me ten months ago we'd still be here, I'd have laughed. And yet, here we are, settled into the school year and enjoying life. It is late on Saturday night after a full Saturday, and we are watching Ohio/Ohio State as we wait for the Sooners of Oklahoma to take the field.  Marc and John-John spent the day with some of our Russian friends at a picnic outside the city. Though it was really the last thing he wanted to do after a really busy week, our friends were so excited that he came, and he had the chance to teach them a little about American football. It ended up being a wonderful time, and as they went back to the bus station, one of our friends, Sergei, talked to Marc about maybe joining us in Bible study tomorrow. We are so grateful to the team from FBC Allen, Texas, who laid the groundwork for the movement we are starting to see toward moving some of our friends into a Bible study. We would not have a single one of these contacts without the sacrifices of that team to come here to Moscow, and their faithfulness to continue to pray for those relationships to flourish and grow. God rewards faithfulness, and we believe their faithfulness is being rewarded in the growth we are seeing. This coming week is going to be very busy. Besides the normal things--cub scouts, piano lessons, and soccer practices--I will be working full days each day due to the absence of the other English teacher, and we have a team visiting from the States with whom we'll be doing some work. We also have a farewell tea on Friday night for a friend who is moving to Siberia to work and a tea on Saturday for the visiting team. Tomorrow we will have company for most of the day as the parents of some friends in Siberia have a 12-hour layover in Moscow and will be joining us for the day. Oh, my goodness! I'm tired just looking at all of that. Please pray that we will stay focused and peaceful in what looks to be a pretty chaotic week. Also pray that the visiting team, who will be working with several teams here in Moscow, will have a fruitful experience that will challenge them and give them a lasting connection to Russia. On Monday, Marc will be meeting with Ed Tarleton to determine projects and travel for the next year. This is an important meeting for us, so we would ask that you would pray that Marc and Ed would have wisdom as they schedule projects and travel for 2009. Marc is very excited about several trips that have been proposed, and he's even more excited to be digging into the work he loves so much. Our prayer is that we can find a healthy balance between the traveling necessary for Marc to do his job and the time his children (and wife) need him to be home. That can be a delicate balance, as many of you know. We appreciate your prayers. Finally, cold and flu season has started arriving in Moscow, and Hannah is the first to start sniffling. We are praying to head this off at the pass. As silly as it may sound, would you please pray that we have a healthier winter this year than last? We have discovered something called Zicam, and it does seem to make a huge difference, so we've pretty much made Hannah bathe in the stuff tonight.  Well, it's just about time for the Sooners to start playing, so I'll draw to a close. We are so grateful that you take the time to read this, to pray for us, to share our situation and needs and prayers with those you know. We just couldn't do this without you. We hope your week is wonderful, and a little more relaxed than ours! Blessings, Kellye (for all) p.s. The pics are from Sarah Beth, who is taking photography this year. These are a few of her experiments with different lenses, etc. She's a pretty talented girl!

What A Great Week

We hope you are having a great Saturday like we are--watching college football. I must admit, though, that it's made us a bit homesick as we watch the images of home. We are currently watching Virginia Tech play Eastern Carolina and enjoying our Saturday night.

School continues to be such a blessing to us. We had a great week. Sarah Beth is playing soccer, Hannah is singing in the choir, and John-John starts Cub Scouts this week. We are diving in to everything the school has to offer. We are also praising God that the school received its education license this week. Thank you for praying for that.

Our friends, the Tarletons, also returned home this week, an event we have very much been anticipating. Of course, the days ahead without our beloved friend, Teri, will be hard, but we are so grateful for the time God allowed us to spend with them this summer, and we are thrilled to have Ed, Rachel and Rebecca home. Thank you for continuing to pray for them.

We will have been here eleven months this week. Unbelievable! So much has happened during our time in Moscow, and we are so grateful for the ways God has stretched us and grown us, and for the time of peace and contentment we now find ourselves in. Thank you for the many, many prayers you have said on our behalf these eleven months.

We are also grateful that Marc successfully navigated the world of the car accident in Moscow. Another driver was passing on the left (on a two-lane street, of course), and ran into Marc's side of the car. The car wasn't hurt, and neither was Marc, but he had to deal with both the other driver and the police when they came. He did so successfully--no small feat! Marc has decided he's going to add a whole new section of vocabulary to the lexicon--what to say to the militsia!

Please continue to pray that God will move in a big way in our English Club. We had two new people Thursday night. We are really, really excited about how well the club is going, and by the relationships we are developing. We have not successfully made the move from English club to house church, yet, but we pray that is coming soon.

We have just had a great, normal, every day week here. What a blessing. In the worries of visa issues, language issues, and family issues, we have come to appreciate the week in which nothing big happens and life runs smoothly. I do think you would have enjoyed my trip today to buy Sarah Beth soccer socks at the sporting goods store. It turns out that somewhere in my language study, I missed the word for socks. So I grabbed a pair, hunted someone down, and then made a complete idiot of myself asking where the socks for girls who play soccer might be. I even managed to pick up a soccer ball and make what I imagine to be some soccer moves to illustrate my point. Nothing, my friends, is as humbling as the trip to the mall when you must buy something specific. Nothing. By the way--I got the socks. :o)  I hope during your week, you will have at least one opportunity to try to explain yourself in a language you know but don't know. And I hope if that happens, you'll say a little prayer for us and smile. We love you all so much! Have a great week!

His,

Kellye (for all)

p.s. The pics are of Marc because I hardly ever remember to put up pics of my good-looking man. The two on the left are from AGM (yes, he has on a fish-cap), and the one on the right was taken at the zoo in Kiev, Ukraine.

It's been quite a week...

Here are some of the things that made this a BIG week in the Hooks' household:

--we said goodbye to our friends, the Roberts, who headed back to the other side of Russia

--we received an email on Monday telling us that a friend of the family was paying for four months of the kids' tuition at school. That leaves us with only a little over $1500 left to pay for this year

--the kids and I (Kellye) started school at Hinkson Christian Academy on Wednesday (John-John passed out on the couch and slept for 12 hours after school!)

--we received our documents from the Russian government, which means we will be allowed to stay in the country (Hallelujah!)

--we resumed English club after a three-week break and had a FULL HOUSE!

--with our documents, we can once again drive the car, allowing us to pick up more than just a day's worth of groceries--another hallelujah, because my kids were starving!

--we received THREE packages, including one from a VBS class at our home church in Florida, full of goodies for us to enjoy (and enough vanilla extract for an army)

As you can see, this was a tremendous week for us. I can't tell you the relief we feel to have our very important documents back in our hands and know that we are going to be able to stay in the country. HUGE for us. We are so full of praise, we might just explode. Here are some things we would ask you to pray about this week:

--tomorrow is our last Sunday with Dima before he heads to France and Italy for a two-year study program. I will be presenting my testimony in Russian for the first time to the group, so please pray that I can spit out all those syllables in a way that is understandable and meaningful, especially to Dima. We believe Dima is VERY CLOSE to making a decision for Christ--would you pray that tomorrow would be the day?

--our friend, Ed Tarleton, and his daughters, Rachel and Rebecca, are heading back to Moscow this week following the death of their beloved Teri. Would you please pray that this transition would go as smoothly as possible, and that there would be peace and comfort in being home? 

--the decisions regarding our school, Hinkson Christian Academy, are scheduled to be made this week. There is a round-the-clock prayer vigil at the school Monday thru Wednesday. Would you pray that God would show Himself in a mighty way in the licensing process of this place that is so important for the missionary community of Moscow?

--finally--would you pray that our hearts continue to be consumed with a passion for this place and these people, but above all, for our God? We know that faithfulness is what He requires, and we want to be found faithful. Would you just pray that we would continue to be 100% faithful to His call on our lives?

What would we do without you? Well, we'd probably be back in Florida! Never do I want a week to go by without telling you how much we appreciate and need your prayers. We love you, and we're so thankful for you. We pray that God is blessing you in your faithfulness just as He has rained down blessings on us this week. We love you and are praying for you! 

His,

Kellye (for all)