Socks and Sandals

Anyone who knows me knows that I will find a way to wear my Chacos anywhere during any season. I will wear them to class, to go shopping, to church, to go on a hike, and just around the house. Since we've been in Russia, I have only worn my tennis shoes once. My feet are in heaven! Russians have no shame about their feet and will even wear socks with sandals. Well, the men will anyways. The women keep to their sky high heels. However, I have plenty of women wearing tiny little socks with their sandals and their heels so I guess my socks and Chacos combo (Sockos) isn't that terrible!

Last week we partook in the loveliest of English camps along the Ob River about an hour and  a half outside
of Tomsk. Including all of the Americans there were 62 people in total. Allie, Alissa and I were not just teaching English at camp, they were teaching us Russian. My personal vocabulary expanded from 5 words to 55 words. I was beyond encouraged by fellow believers who were present at camp as well as the generous students in my class. I got to teach the very basic, beginning, no prior English class. They had so much patience and were an absolute blast to teach. Teaching beginners English requires you to slow everything down and really focus on how you pronounce every single syllable. After camp on Friday I was still speaking slower than a turtle walks but man, was I so understandable! The Russians even told me that I was pretty decent at teaching pronunciation. This is only made possible by my professor, Mr. Sukany, and the Good Lord up in Heaven.

We were greatly blessed at camp with many new friends and cannot wait to start getting settled in here in Tomsk. We have found places to stay for the second half of July, all of August, and will be making our visa run in the very beginning of September. So for the next four weeks we are in a slight limbo and are still praying for a family, or multiple families, to take us in. Please join us in this prayer.

I could never express my gratitude towards all who have helped me get to Russia and the loving Lord who has allowed me to take part in His great work. Thank you for all of your prayers, encouragement, and time. Your love is felt, even if I am living 12 hours in the future!

By the way, Russians know how to make some good grub. Let me take a second to give mad props to the cooks at camp who cooked the meanest porridge and the best lentils I've ever had the pleasure of gobbling down. And the girl we are living with, Ann, she can cook a meal fit for a king. As Jimmy Fallon would say, "It's so great! My man. SO great!"

We Have Arrived

We have made it to Tomsk and it is lovely. We have just begun this journey and are still in the Honeymoon phose so each new thing is still very exciting. A young woman named Ann has taken us in for a few days before English camp and is taking great care of us. The trip here was very long and exhausting but we are slowly adjusting to the time change, the temperature change, and the fact that the sun doesn't set until 11. This next month is about to be crazy because thye have just informed us that we will probably be spending our homestay in a couple different villages outside camp and potentially going to help with a children's camp for two weeks in July. Heyooo! I love camp!

Please keep praying for Allie, Alissa, and me as we continue to adjust, begin to learn the Russian language, and figure everything else out for the next six months. We can't wait to start teaching English and make new friends. Lastly, our visa is only a 90 day visa so we will have to get another one in September. Please be praying that everything will go smoothly with our visaas and that we won't have to spend too much time away from our new home.

Peace and Blessings

Simply Getting There

Alissa, Me, and Allie

The journey to Russia these past few months has been a long one. There have been mountains of paperwork, reading, writing, and packing. We are a week out from leaving and I couldn't be more excited to step on that plane with Allie and Alissa next Wednesday! These two girls have become a huge part of my life and we are still in the States. I look forward to learning a new language with them and growing in our walk. We have been preparing for these six months for the past three years. I cannot believe that the time has finally come!

Many people have been asking me if I am excited to be heading to Russia and I am still unsure about how to answer. I say yes because I am excited about the opportunity but it is all still so surreal. My suitcases are sitting open in my bedroom and my visa is still on its way via FedEx. This journey began 3 years ago but I feel as if it still has not started. I am trying not to have any expectations about anything and I think this is the biggest reason that I am remaining pretty ambivalent about the whole situation. Father has a plan and it is not reliant upon my feelings and emotions. What happens happens. For now all I can do is follow His will, stockpile everything I will need for the next six months,
and be a good teammate to Allie and Alissa.
Speaking of stockpiles, I'm pretty proud of all that I
have been able to amass these past few days! It may not look like much to some, or too much to others, but after spending my junior year of high school as an exchange student in the Czech Republic, I know that this is the perfect stock of amenities and treats to make it through culture shock and transition.

Our first month in Russia will be all about learning the language and culture. We will be living with Russians and acting as sponges in our new home. If you think about us, lift us up to Dad. Ask that we might become better followers, better listeners, better communicators, and better teammates. Ask that we might be able to remember all that we've learned and serve selflessly. These next six months are about to be crazy and I am so excited for the work that we get to join in while we are there!