Hello all,
I think you have been getting updates from all over, but I also wanted to give and update on our current status. Yesterday afternoon we had to say goodbye to our readers, the church, and Mariupol as we headed for the airport in Donetsk and then on to Munich. Right now I am sitting in the Munich Airport getting ready to board the plane back to Charlotte, North Carolina where we will have about a three hour layover before returning to Dallas tonight. It's difficult to put into words the emotions of the past several days. In some ways I feel like we don't truly know the pain of saying goodbye as well as Tim does, or others like Brandon and Katie Price, who have invested so much of their lives into this work. However, even after just two weeks, it's difficult to think about not seeing all these wonderful people on a daily basis. I think that is the beauty of a short term mission trip. It gives you the chance to fall in love with a place after being there for only a short time. I wonder how many long term missionaries have been inspired by a two or three week trip? And I wonder if whole church could be filled with a passion for missions if they could just step out in faith for a few weeks, and catch a small glimpse of what God is doing throughout the world? Maybe it doesn't take leaving the borders of our own country, but just opening our eyes to what is happening in our own neighborhoods, and communities. By the time we were finished reading we did not have any baptisms. There were a few visitors last Sunday morning, and possibly this morning as well, but on the whole there were very few visible signs that our work was making a difference. However, I believe that seeds were planted. I believe that friendships were made between the readers and the church members, and they are all in God's hands now, just as they were from the very beginning. And now as we board the plane in just a few short moments, the last thing that I would say is thank you. Thank you for your prayers, and for you encouragement. Thank you for your comments, and your thoughts, and for partnering with us over these past two weeks. My hope is that all of you would get the opportunity to have a similar experience. One in which you are inspired by the work that God is doing, and the love that is running through all the members of His family. We love you all and are so thankful for this opportunity.
I will end with this encouragement from Paul:
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Our love and thanks,
The 2009 Let's Start Talking team
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Several Stories from Several Days
Hello all,
I'm sorry for the lack of updates over the past several days. I have been getting home fairly late at night lately, and I haven't had much of a chance to update the blog. It has been a good few days. It's hard to put into words the emotions of a short trip like this. It is very different than going somewhere with the intention of staying long term. In some ways it feels like we are doing a lot, and yet in other ways it seems like we would have to be here for years before we would really be productive. It's during those times when we have to remember that God can use each moment, however short it may be.
Well, as was mentioned in the last post, we had our first LST party this past Saturday. Although it was slightly hectic, overall the party was a success. We probably had nearly fifty people show up, all of which seemed to enjoy themselves very much. We played several different games and even taught the lucky attendees to do the hokie pokie! All in all it was a lot of fun and we continue to pray that deep lasting relationships can be formed between the readers and the church. As for the rest of the weekend, Sunday and Monday were our rest-days, which in reality were used not so much to rest as to do a lot of the things we had been wanting to do the previous days, that due to our full schedules with the readers, we had not been able to do. We spent some time during those days with both readers and church members, seeing different parts of the city, and just enjoying our time together.
Yesterday was a really special day. Here in Mariupol the church that we are working with owns a big building. One part if it is the area where the church meets every week, and the other part is what is called the Transitional Living Center, or TLC. The TLC is a place where orphan teenagers can live while they attend trade school and look to begin a career. Last night the LST team made dinner for all of the TLC kids and people involved in the work that goes on there. We spent most of our free time between readers cooking and setting up for the 25 plus people who attended the dinner. It was so encouraging to see everyone together smiling and laughing and sharing a meal. We are separated by a language and a culture, but we were united last night as family by the love of Christ.
As we look towards the end of our time here in Mariupol, we are starting to think about how to close our time with our readers, and what to leave them with as we leave to go home. This can be a tough question, and sometimes it can feel like there is just not enough time to say everything that needs to be said. Several of our readers like Alex and Alyona and Alevtina, and so many others like Kate and Valeria are really progressing in both their English and their understanding of who Jesus was and what that means for their lives, and we are just starting to build relationships with other readers like Bagdan and Ira. However, there are just a few days left, and it can be hard to leave when it seems like so much more can be done. But God is faithful. He is able to continue working when we are thousands of miles away, and that is what is most important. We want to thank you again for your prayers and support. It's not over yet; we still have one party left!
Love and thanks...
P.S. I have changed the picture site, and made it a little bit easier to navigate (I think... :-) ) so please feel free to look at some of our new pictures at: http://picasaweb.google.com/LSTMARIUPOL
God Bless!
I'm sorry for the lack of updates over the past several days. I have been getting home fairly late at night lately, and I haven't had much of a chance to update the blog. It has been a good few days. It's hard to put into words the emotions of a short trip like this. It is very different than going somewhere with the intention of staying long term. In some ways it feels like we are doing a lot, and yet in other ways it seems like we would have to be here for years before we would really be productive. It's during those times when we have to remember that God can use each moment, however short it may be.
Well, as was mentioned in the last post, we had our first LST party this past Saturday. Although it was slightly hectic, overall the party was a success. We probably had nearly fifty people show up, all of which seemed to enjoy themselves very much. We played several different games and even taught the lucky attendees to do the hokie pokie! All in all it was a lot of fun and we continue to pray that deep lasting relationships can be formed between the readers and the church. As for the rest of the weekend, Sunday and Monday were our rest-days, which in reality were used not so much to rest as to do a lot of the things we had been wanting to do the previous days, that due to our full schedules with the readers, we had not been able to do. We spent some time during those days with both readers and church members, seeing different parts of the city, and just enjoying our time together.
Yesterday was a really special day. Here in Mariupol the church that we are working with owns a big building. One part if it is the area where the church meets every week, and the other part is what is called the Transitional Living Center, or TLC. The TLC is a place where orphan teenagers can live while they attend trade school and look to begin a career. Last night the LST team made dinner for all of the TLC kids and people involved in the work that goes on there. We spent most of our free time between readers cooking and setting up for the 25 plus people who attended the dinner. It was so encouraging to see everyone together smiling and laughing and sharing a meal. We are separated by a language and a culture, but we were united last night as family by the love of Christ.
As we look towards the end of our time here in Mariupol, we are starting to think about how to close our time with our readers, and what to leave them with as we leave to go home. This can be a tough question, and sometimes it can feel like there is just not enough time to say everything that needs to be said. Several of our readers like Alex and Alyona and Alevtina, and so many others like Kate and Valeria are really progressing in both their English and their understanding of who Jesus was and what that means for their lives, and we are just starting to build relationships with other readers like Bagdan and Ira. However, there are just a few days left, and it can be hard to leave when it seems like so much more can be done. But God is faithful. He is able to continue working when we are thousands of miles away, and that is what is most important. We want to thank you again for your prayers and support. It's not over yet; we still have one party left!
Love and thanks...
P.S. I have changed the picture site, and made it a little bit easier to navigate (I think... :-) ) so please feel free to look at some of our new pictures at: http://picasaweb.google.com/LSTMARIUPOL
God Bless!
Friday, July 3, 2009
Party Time!
Greetings from Mariupol! I can't believe the weekend is already here. Tomorrow we will have our first LST party for all the readers and church members. We have invited all our readers, and so hopefully they will all come, and be able to connect well with the church. Things are going well, but we are working hard. This weekend will bring with it a much appreciated break for all of us.
Here is an update from Emily:
Greetings from Mariupol! What a joy to be back in this city and working with more of God's children here. I cannot believe that tomorrow is Friday. This week has been busy as we settled in, went grocery shopping, and started reading with our new friends. It has been a pleasure seeing many Christians whom I met two years ago during my first visit to Mariupol.
I read with about 6 people each day, and then have a group of about 6 children that I spend time with to help them practice English. As far as I understand, English is taught in every grade level in school, but since it is in a classroom, the children do not practice speaking very much. Their handwriting is wonderful and most of them know the English alphabet. It is wonderful to be here and working in this way.
Thank you so much for your prayers for our LST team and for those we meet.
Emily
Thank you again for all of your support. Please pray for this get-together, that the readers would form a special connection with the church. We will give an update in the next few days on the outcome of the party. Have a wonderful fourth of July!
love and thanks...
Here is an update from Emily:
Greetings from Mariupol! What a joy to be back in this city and working with more of God's children here. I cannot believe that tomorrow is Friday. This week has been busy as we settled in, went grocery shopping, and started reading with our new friends. It has been a pleasure seeing many Christians whom I met two years ago during my first visit to Mariupol.
I read with about 6 people each day, and then have a group of about 6 children that I spend time with to help them practice English. As far as I understand, English is taught in every grade level in school, but since it is in a classroom, the children do not practice speaking very much. Their handwriting is wonderful and most of them know the English alphabet. It is wonderful to be here and working in this way.
Thank you so much for your prayers for our LST team and for those we meet.
Emily
Thank you again for all of your support. Please pray for this get-together, that the readers would form a special connection with the church. We will give an update in the next few days on the outcome of the party. Have a wonderful fourth of July!
love and thanks...
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Pictures!
Please enjoy some pictures from the first several days of reading! More to come soon!
God bless you all!
God bless you all!
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