April update
Hello Everyone,
How are you all doing? Since my last update I’m doing much better! My house is close to being back together and over Easter break I was able to get a lot done. I have put up pictures, painted some areas and made the outside of my house look a little better. I still have lot of work to do around my house but I’m told you always have work to do.
I have enjoyed seeing my family and friends over the last couple of months. My brother Chris and his wife, Grace will be having their second child in August and it’s a girl. It’s close to a year from the time my dad was hurt. He is doing well even back to golfing two days a week. My parents were down in Florida over Spring Break to help my Grandmom who broke her leg a month ago. As for my friends, I have two weddings and a baby shower coming up.
I started to substitute teach about a month ago. I have enjoyed going into the different grades. I have really enjoyed being in the 1st and 2nd grade classrooms. The students are sweet and still enjoy learning. I have had to relearn some things to be able to teach the students. The staff at the schools have been really nice to me helping me learn the ways of the school.
I was having some health problems with my heart. It was a problem I was born with but had not showed up for over ten years. The doctor said it was caused by stress and caffeine. I have been doing well for the last two weeks by not having caffeine and going to yoga. I am doing much better and with time the doctor said I should be totally better if I keep doing the same things.
The UMC in Smolensk has been closed because of having Sunday School classes. The government said churches could only have Sunday School classes if a licensed teacher is teaching the lesson. From my knowledge a church does not have to have a licensed teacher for those lessons. Pastor Sasha would not stop having the lessons and was told that the church would be closed. Please keep the church and members in your prayers. Pastor Bob will be traveling over soon to speak with the government about this problem and hopes to clear it up.
I’m always praying to return to Smolensk, Russia this summer with the Youth Team going on June 26th. I do not know if I will be able to get the money to go over because I do not have a full time job at this point. I would love to see my friends and be able to get my stuff that I had to leave behind. It has been a surprise for me over the months looking for something then remember it’s in Russia. I laugh at myself each time saying 'Oh yea I didn’t think I would need those shoes or that shirt'. I still think about what I would be doing in Russia some days. I have been emailing and calling some of my friends to see how everyone is doing. Nastya’s Mom should have her third daughter by April 18th. Anton and his wife had they first child in March. Yana won a English composition where she would come to the USA for a year and she will learn soon if she was picked out of a 1000 students in April or May.
I hope you are all doing well. Thank you for all your prayers and emails. I will send some pictures from our friends in Russia. If you would like to support my mission back to Smolensk this summer, you can send the support to Rev. Charlies H Mayer Jr. 17 Pine Tree Lane, Mays Landing, NJ 08330. Thanks for everything you have given to me. I hope I can return the blessings you have given to me back to you one day!
<>< julieJ