Two Sunny Days!!!
How are you all doing? I’m doing well this week. My homesickness is nothing like it was. Thank you for all your prayers helping me through the first month in Smolensk. It was very hard on my heart to be here. I had great emails from friends and family sharing with me lots of love plus some words telling me to just get over it. I needed both of those kinds of emails!
Things are nicely moving forward. Today I meet with the Director of the library. She is a very kind woman with a heart, open to the idea of me teaching at the library and told me she would help me with anything I needed. I believe she will. When Helen was telling her the reason I was here, the Director started to tear up thinking that I would do this for her people. What I learned that touched my heart, was this library was not just any library, but one for the blind and those with learning disabilities. How great is our Lord, that He would put me with people that are open to those children in a country that normally pushes these kinds of people far away! I am able to help the library by renting the room each month. The library doesn’t get much money from the government so my rent payment will be a big help for them. The Director keep asking if I was Russian. She told Helen that my hair and face looked Russian. It was sweet and lead to a discussion about my hair being so long. Helen told her that I am growing it long again to give to women with cancer, donating it this time in honor of my friend’s mom. She sends her blessing to all of you for letting me come here and bless all the people. One a funny note, she said she will marry me off this year because Russia needs more people that are this caring and she also said all my single friends are welcome, please come anytime!
I am really enjoying teaching the younger children twice a week. My students are really sweet and loving. It is a place where I feel at home. My older students are doing a good job learning as much as they can each time we meet. I have been showing them pictures of life in the states. Most of the students like the pictures of NYC and my family. Russian families are not as large as in the USA so my family looks like 3 or 4 families together.
I hope everyone is doing well, please send any prayer requests you have. Each morning I have been taking time to read and pray which has been a very big help to my heart. I have on my frig that bright green paper that says "Is what I’m thinking, feeling, and doing building trust or breaking trust? – Thanks Dave and Janet!
As for my prayer request this week! My friend’s husband, Alex is much better and at home. Lots of the youth here in Smolensk are sick for different reasons. Please pray for their health. My friend’s Dad is having his rotator cuff surgery on the 24th. My friend Diana will start working as a student nurse in the hospital on the 25th. Jack, two-year-old boy, had a very bad allergic reaction and the doctors are still working to find out what was wrong with him. Thank you for covering everyone with prayer!
This next week is for James Kemble from Edith Kemble. Thank you for your help in this mission! It is a blessing to have you be part of this! You will be helping over 30 students learn English this week along with having two Bible lessons, one for women and the other for youth.
Talk with you all soon! Email anytime, I do write back! <>< julieJ