Journal for Feb 1-15

Friday, February 1, 2008
Besides my regular morning routine, I worked on finishing up my personal information and references today to send out to Churches that I might be interested in to move too. I am very thankful that all but one of the people I asked to be references for me agreed and have gotten back to me very promptly! One of the big questions is if churches are interested in me! I haven’t done this since 1990 – apply to churches and it is always a time consuming and waiting game. Since I am trying to locate close to where my children are, I sent stuff to 2 churches in NE and one in TX. Well, it’s a start anyway! After lunch, I went to the food market and bought food to make Pizzas at my house for tonight. Several are going to homecomings at their local schools, so I don’t expect too many people tonight. I fixed 2 large pizzas and we had 11 people! It was enough for everyone to have at least 2 small pieces! I was surprised! Then we watched the movie “Cheaper by the Dozen Part 2!” We watched it in Russian with English subtitles. It is a pretty funny movie and clean. Then people stayed around until 10:15 in a very comfortable and relaxed environment. Of course people drifted out and all didn’t stay that late.
Saturday, February 2
Bible Club day. Morning is preparations. In the afternoon we had 7 for the Adult Bible Club and 5 for the Teen Club. I didn’t go to the Bible Discussion at 4 because I had a bad headache.
Sunday, February 3
My Dad has been gone for 10 years. It doesn’t seem possible – he is always still in my heart and thoughts. On a brighter note, we had a good worship, made sandwiches and started going to the Orphanage in Potoki again. We had classes of 32 and 20 kids. It was really good to be with them again! We have really missed them! Then I had just 2 in my Parents Bible Club at 5 at the church building which has just turned into another Bible Club for people from the church – I don’t have any parents coming now, but it has made our fellowship with those from Church that come stronger. At 6 I preached, which I do at all Tuesday and Sunday nights unless otherwise noted. I got home around 8. In the evening Anton and I had a good spiritual discussion. I am so proud of him!
Monday, February 4 – Happy 24th Birthday to Janessa, my youngest daughter!
I tried 3 times during the day to call Janessa and missed her each time, but left messages. In the morning Inna from Kiev came over and we spent a couple of hours together. Then in the afternoon, I had some good quality time with a couple of my students. At 5:30, 5 of us went to the Family Orphanage and had a good Bible study and tea with the family – we were there for a couple of hours.
Tuesday, February 5
I called Janessa early this morning and got to wish her a happy birthday! Sent out a couple more personal info and references to churches in TX. You can be in TX and still be a long ways away from some other place! I did a lot of personal study today. Did some shopping. Had a good devo with 9 people present. Had good fellowship until almost 10. I love these people so much!
Wednesday, February 6
Oksana is out of town for the week to Poland (left on Sunday and will be back next Tuesday). So Yulya went with me to the village of Bugkivka today to study with our 11th form girls. We had a good reunion – I hadn’t seen them since Nov. – and a good study on what it means to be “in Christ.” We got back about 4pm. Then I finished preparing for my English Club in my house with mostly University Students and we had 8 present. It was a good time and a good study. Lord willing, we will be able to use this time as a stepping stone to bringing these people to Christ.
Thursday, February 7
Had a good personal study and am working on some of my charts to make them better. Also spent a lot of time getting ready for the afternoon classes. The afternoon was spent going to Svetlovodsk (leaving about 1:30 – it is about a ½ hour drive over there) to teach at the orphanage there. This was our first Bible Classes with them and we (Yulya, Ksusha and Olya and I) had 3 Bible Classes. One with 5th and 6th graders – 23; 9th graders – 15; and 7th graders – 13. It was a really good beginning!!! We got home about 5:30. For the first time that I could remember, I forgot my billfold and passport. I had no identification and no money and so I was VERY careful for the highway police will stop you for every and any reason. I could have been in a lot of trouble if stopped without this information. I was fine, but it was a bit of a scary thing!
Friday, February 8
I thought I would try and take part of this day off, since I didn’t have one on Monday. The morning was pretty relaxing, but I had people around all afternoon and evening. To me that is what ministry is all about – being around people, growing closer in relationships with them and helping them grow in their relationships with God. In the evening we had another pizza party with movie – but a lot different from last week. Ksusha came over about 4 and wanted to talk and we had a good talk. Then she helped me make chocolate chip cookies – she did most of it and had a blast doing it! We eventually had 14 people over and ordered out pizza. We went and picked it up and finally ate about 7:30. Then we played a game called “Prince a Paris” that most people love that my dad taught me when I was a kid. There were 12 of us playing and we played it for about an hour. We laughed and laughed! Then 11 of us went to a monster movie at 9:30 called “Monstro” in Russian – different English name where this monster attaches NY (Isn’t this where all monsters attach???) and destroys this poor city – this city has been destroyed more times than any other city in history I think! Well it was done with a hand held movie camera and I got motion sickness watching it and had to leave early. The kids told me I was lucky to leave because it wasn’t a good movie – everybody killed, etc.! I was ok the next day.
Saturday, February 9
I went to the market and store in the morning. We had 7 for our Adult Bible Club again. We had 2 for our Teen one. That was mostly my day!
Sunday, February 10
Yulya, Yura, Artem and Ksusha and I went to Komsomolsk for morning worship leaving about 9 and about 9:25 after I picked up everyone. The service was at 10. With our 5 there, there were 12 in worship. I preached this morning and Sasha translated. We finished at got back home around noon. I took the 5 of us out for pizza – yes again! A lot of pizza lately – but it is the cheapest food to take people out with! At 2 we went to Potoki again and good classes there and were finished about 4. Then at 5 Olya translated for me for the Bible Club, but only 2 came – we are going to postpone this class for awhile. But, Nadya, one of the older adult students that came, brought a tort and candy along, so we had that afterwards. There were 11 of us there and we just stayed, sat around and ate and talked until about 9 – it was really nice!
Monday, February 11
I actually got most of Monday off! Just kind of goofed around all day. (Every day of the week, there is something planned and going on, so it is not possible to have a whole day off – who are you going to say no too that wants to study the Bible and that’s the only time they have to do it???) At 5:30 I picked up Ksusha, Artem and Olya and we went to the Orphan home family. We had some good tea time, a very good Bible study and just relaxing family time with the kids and Inna (mother) talking and sharing her life struggles with Olya. Olya is a very good listener for Inna. I got home about 9:30pm – so 4 hour work day!
Tuesday, February 12
We were going to go to the village today to teach the 8th grade class, but I didn’t have a translator so I of course didn’t go. I took Zhenya to the Dr. and then we went to pickup Oksana. Oksana got home from a week in Poland at 1:30 and then the 3 of us went to lunch together. I worked on lessons and prepared for Devo. We had 13 tonight and a good fellowship afterwards.
Wednesday, February 13
My son has given me good advice that it might be better to not talk about specifics of getting up and going to bed, etc. in this. Probably good advice! So this morning when I got up… Just Kidding! My young people here that have computer access have gone rather crazy over a (for me) new craze in computer contacts with each other called facebook. They really seem to love it! Worked part of the afternoon preparing for English Club at 6. Everyone came late and by 10 after no one – I almost left! But we ended up having 7 and a good time. I’m going to start directing my discussion in here to moral themes and issues.
Thursday, February 14 – Happy Valentine’s Day!
Well, I had my car washed 2 days ago because the weather forecast was for a week of dry weather. Well it snowed today and made a mess out of my car again! We (Natasha, Ksusha, Olya and Yulya) drove to the orphanage in Svetlovodsk in a mild snow storm and had 4 great classes with the kids – it was a lot of fun. I was real proud of Olya and Yulya as they co-taught a 9th grade class of girls together – preparing their own lesson and all! They were great! I was eating supper about 6:45 and feeling a bit blue about spending Valentine’s day evening alone, when Olya and Yulya called and asked if the could come over. I said that would be great! So they came and we spent the rest of the evening together and I took them home about 10:30! It was a nice surprise.
Friday, February 15
I cleaned my house –especially bedroom and kitchen’s were a mess for we are having our Valentine’s party tonight. I made sugar cookie doe in the morning and boiled some eggs, etc. getting ready. I tell you this next thing because it is just so Ukrainian. I have my water delivered. I ordered it to come between 8-10. It came at 12:30. Well, I didn’t want to cook, so went out to eat, then bought candies for tonight and went and paid for my internet. Later I cooked the cookies and made hot tuna sandwiches that everybody loves. People brought candies and sweets. Momma Nadya (My oldest student that comes to my house – 31 with a 6th grade daughter that has been with us since she was really little) brought a big, delicious tort – cake. We had 18 for the party, ate, played games and ate some more. The last went home about 9:30. We had 4 people that hadn’t been with us for awhile so if the party accomplished anything, this was worth it!