HAPPY THANKSGIVING
I will have Thanksgiving with my students this year! Helen’s high school will have a little Thanksgiving party to share with me and at night I will teach my younger students about the idea of Thanksgiving! I am looking forward to seeing what the students at the high school will do for Thanksgiving! This year, I am very thankful for you all! I would not be sitting here emailing you about my time in Russia if I didn’t have all of you. So my wish on this Thanksgiving is that all of you have as many blessings as you have given me!
Before I sat down to write this email to you, I looked at the clock to see what time it was and I knew Anya would call me in a little bit to see how my day was! I have told you before that we talk for only a couple of minutes each night but my heart is so full of love and joy to have that call each night! She has been doing really well in school getting 5’s and 4’s (A’s and B’s). Her English is getting so much better and she has received a new English book that she studies after her lessons to learn even more English. I am really happy that she is putting so much into her schooling. Anya will stay at the same school for two more years then take exams to enter the University. This week Anya will be dancing on Thursday and has asked me to come see her! She said it’s not for Thanksgiving but we can act like it is for me on my holiday!
I have been reading 'Falling for God' by Gary W. Moon. It has been so helpful to me. I feel this one part uses the correct words to explain how I feel about being in Russia! It was also great because the movie the author is talking about my friends Nina, Bronwyn and I would quote from all the time in high school and maybe sometimes still! The movie is The Princess Bride. ' As the movie opens, we see the heroine going about chores on a farm. Her name is Buttercup. Soon we meet a young man who works on the farm and answers to the name Farm Boy. Whenever Buttercup asks Farm Boy to do something for her, he always replies, 'As you wish'. And that’s all he ever says to her. As they grow into their hormones, Buttercup seems to be developing a crush on Farm Boy. One day as he is about to leave the room, she asks him to fetch her a pitcher, which is within easy reach for her. Farm Boy walks over, then stares into her eyes, lifts the pitcher, and in a breathy whisper says, 'As you wish'. In that moment, returning his gaze, Buttercup realizes that every time he has said, 'As you wish', he was really saying, 'I love you'. And when we respond to God with the words, 'As you wish' we are doing the same.' Being here for me is saying, 'As you wish'. As Farm Boy would do anything for Buttercup, I hope that even if something is only a reach away that I will keep saying 'As you wish' to God’s call for me. This part of the book made me rethink how I have looked at traveling to Kiev, paperwork trouble, cold weather, getting meetings going, homesick and learning life in a new country. When I answered God’s call to come, it wasn’t just for the easy things like getting a call from Anya each night but for all the other things that come with it. I am so thankful that God has called me and I did answer with 'As you wish'.
Helen just rang me to tell me the librarian is looking forward to the start of my lessons for the students. I had to hold off because of my paperwork, I didn’t know if I would be still be here. I will have six students from the United Methodist Church and students that have Learning Disabilities! My heart is so happy to have those students! As I have been in Smolensk, God has been working in me to not be unhappy about having a learning disability. Having students with Learning Disabilities really made it clear that I am here to help those students see that having a Learning Disability doesn’t stop you just teaches you how to learn in different ways. For me, I was blessed with parents that were behind me to give me the best teachers so I could have a education. I hope to be a teacher that will give those students the idea that they can do anything!
Please keep my trip to Kiev in the Ukraine in your prayers it will be the first week of December. With the help of my best friends, Josmar and Nina! I have been able to see that for some reason God is calling me to the Ukraine even for only a couple of days. I will be able to see this pretty city and learn more about the United Methodist Church in the Ukraine. I am so thankful that I have such great people in my life to keep sharing with me to help understand!
I will send some new pictures after Thanksgiving so you can see what we did here in Russia on the holiday! Have a great week! Enjoy your family and friends! <>< JulieJ