At this moment our supervisors are flying across the ocean America bound,
And in this same moment my peers are in their own locations living and serving,
My friends and family in America are sleeping (maybe),
Students here are going about their lives in class,
And here I am caught up in thought, writing about the moments I know but still so amazed that it is but one tiny dent in the windshield.
Alison and I have had two very crazy weeks! Her parents visited and had the opportunity to travel the city, seeing museums and important buildings in Astana. All of us here in Astana celebrated a Canadian (early) Thanksgiving Wednesday night because our Family was leaving and it gave us a great excuse to make delicious food and meet. The next day Alison’s parents came to our University after our language class and met our professor later that same day we had them be our guest speakers at club, it was a fun night! Friday was very fun because we were invited by our professor to tour two important buildings in Astana as a class. Alison’s parents were able to come with us too! We toured a very huge conference building and this is where they have a future replica of their 2030 plan of the city. They have some crazy things planned to build in the future like a whole indoor city and entertainment center. They also are planning on building more apartment buildings but all of these are designed by very famous architectures so they are all super modern looking buildings. After our class toured this building we crossed the street to the Pyramid of Peace and Agreement where they have held world religion conferences and have concerts in a giant auditorium. This place is one of the prizes of Kazakhstan and many people are proud to have this building. We went up an elevator that goes diagonal, like the pyramid hotel in Los Vegas haha! One night with Alison’s parents we went to the Astana professional hockey teams game. It did not turn out so pretty (the team needs a little work) but it was still fun to watch and it made me want to play! Then after all these events of the week Alison’s parents headed out. It seemed like such a quick week.
This past week seriously seems like a blur. I just see it as a dream. We did our classes and our club we went about our normal lives but it just seemed to fly. We spent time helping, as much as we had time to, packing and helping our family get ready to leave. One day this week there was a giant convention at the Radisson hotel for different Universities around the world coming to recruit students. We went to this and met students and passed out flyers for our club. It was really cool to see all the different representatives. After this we had two girls we met come to our club! I really love our clubs. It is such a great thing to meet students. I find myself listening to the students hearing their thoughts and ideas that reveal what is important to them and I get swallowed up with thankfulness to be here.
The Father is a faithful provider. He provides wisdom, depth, our needs, and relationships. He is revealing Himself constantly in moments. All moments of thought, of sadness, of excitement, of laughter are a true and beautiful reality. There is no way except by His grace I would have gotten to this place of depth, love and care for my friends and family here in Astana. We have only had four very short months but in this time in His provision of love and strength He connected us and taught us how dependable He is. I know and trust so much more that wherever He is to lead me and unravel His plan I will have the body, I will have my brothers and sisters, even ones I do not even know yet. The Father loves this, He loves to bring us in relationship with people and grows each one to be unique.
I know that it is so easy to get caught up in missing those things that are meant to be temporary and forget the eternal, so right now when I am missing my family and their sweet kids running around all crazy like, or my family in America and friends in Bolivar I am comforted only by the Creator and His Eternal Kingdom. I had a conversation about time with my dear best local friend. She said, “Time is a beautiful thing really. Think about it, there was probably no time in the garden but when man fell time was created because it is a constant reminder of the Father’s promise. In time there is always a beginning and following that an end. The reminder is that there will be an end, He promises through time He is coming to bring us home.” Our big brother (aka supervisor) told us this past week that in this last bit of time here we really begin to sense the urgency. I have 1½ month to give up all false control, to trust and to deliver this message to the Father’s loved creation. And as this time is growing closely to an end His faithfulness is what my trust is bathed in. He is faithful to water and grow, He is faithful to change hearts, He is faithful to love my friends I have to leave. And for all of this, again I am swallowed up in a joyful thankfulness.
I have watched three seasons in this wonderful country. I woke up this morning greeted by a blanked of snow outside my window. I smiled and laughed when both my friend and I felt the childlike excitement with the first snow. I love it! And I love it here.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
whirlwind
It is a wonder how some moments in life will just sweep you up. Busy seasons of life are like a whirlwind that takes you swirling through the days. So here I am, swirling through the business of life at the moment and simply along for the ride.
These past couple of weeks Alison and I have gotten to travel and experience a lot of things. We have also continued to teach our English clubs which are going well. We seem to have gotten the art of teaching and creating conversation (at least with our regular students). Now when the students come we see the familiar faces mixed in with new, and I myself feel I am more relaxed and myself around them. It is really awesome how there is now a pretty regular group of students that come and we are really able to build friendships with some. Along with our English clubs we also have our Russian classes, same as before. I definitely think that many of my fond memories will come from my class and my little Kazakh teacher, Gulsara. She is so funny. The other day in class Alison and I were repeating to her one of our assignments we needed to memorize but we were a tad slow. After we were done speaking she proceeded to say that we spoke like tractors drive and she really wants to sleep when we speak. I could not help but burst into laughter, we all did. It was a great memory.
Besides our normal schedule we have had many added on events happen in the past weeks mostly why it has been busy. One of our regular students is a teacher and psychologist at a local college (aka high school) here in Astana. She told her director about our club and we were invited to teach a club at this college. We agreed and a couple Fridays ago we met with our friend at her college and gave a lesson on communication to the college kids. The class went well and we had a chance to tell the students about our club. Mostly it was a great opportunity because we were able to spend quality time with our student and do her a favor for her work. We had tea with her after class and got to know her more through the whole afternoon.
The Saturday after our local home group traveled to the same orphanage that Alison and I lived at this past summer to visit and play with the kids. It was so surreal to go back there and see all the faces that had made such an impact on me this past summer. Alison and I were asked to help with the English class being taught at the kids’ school. It was funny though because we had not prepared anything. We ended up just doing a little bit of conversation with basic words before the kids had to go to lunch.
Within these couple weeks our team has also experienced transition. Life is just so full of transition, all the time. Last Saturday we picked up two new journey man girls who are going to be working and living here for two years. It has been so crazy to watch them live out their first week and think back to mine and I have been encouraged by how far I have actually come in immersing into the culture. I feel for them though as they were jet lagged or not understanding the language at all. They had their first classes and were behind from the rest of the class so just added on to the craziness of life for them right now. They are both very sweet girls and have their own special gifts that will for sure contribute to the effectiveness of our team here in Astana.
Along with these different happenings there have also been two trips up to Kokshetow, a nearby city. This is the city were some of our local believing friends have started an English center. We travel there to help with their Friday night speaking club. The first trip was just Alison and I and we helped with the club and also celebrated Teachers’ Day (A local holiday). During this visit our local friend taught Alison and I how to make Plovf (a local food). She also taught us how to can vegetables for the winter, it was awesome! This family we stay with also has two little boys one is three and the other is five. They are so precious and so fun to play with! The second trip to Kokshetow was this past weekend. This one was just the two new girls and I because Alison went to the village to help our supervisors. It was a short trip to show the Journey girls the way of Kokshetow and to help with Friday English club. However, in that time we still learned how to make Montey (another local food) and meet with some of the students from club for tea and cake. It is always a fun thing to go to Kokshetow and a neat opportunity to serve the very few believers there.
In all this time we have been very spoiled because the weather has been amazing! Everyone says it is so unusual for it to be as warm as it has been, but I am not complaining It has been such a wonderful fall season and even this past week I was able to go for a perfect run outside in the park with all the falling golden leaves.
The next couple weeks will not be any less busy and I will continue to go along for the ride in the whirlwind of life. Alison’s parents are getting a chance to visit because they were already traveling for work. It is going to be so awesome for our students to meet them and simply bring them along side our days here. We are also planning on showing them Astana, the city we have come to love. Then after this week our dearly loved family (our supervisors) will be headed home for furlow. We are all weary for this day to come. Even today the little girl of the family who is six said, “I am going to cry when we have to leave you.” They truly have become my family; a piece of my heart is theirs. It has been so wonderful working and growing with them and I have learned so much from them! But, for now, we are simply enjoying the last couple weeks we have together.
I realize so much in the brief moments I have to take deep breaths how much business can distract me from the Kingdom. Even when I am outwardly doing many things for it I still lose focus. My strength must only come from the Father and His promise through His son. That simple statement is packed with so much reality. There are days I fight and fight and am so tired and it dawns on me how I have once again relied on my own ability. In those moments it is only confirmed so much more how important PR is and how that is the source of peace and strength. This peace and strength is what I can whole heartily trust and press on towards. I am very weak but here I am able to live purposefully only because I have a true purpose to live for. For this I am beyond thankful.
bce. (That's all in Russian) :)
These past couple of weeks Alison and I have gotten to travel and experience a lot of things. We have also continued to teach our English clubs which are going well. We seem to have gotten the art of teaching and creating conversation (at least with our regular students). Now when the students come we see the familiar faces mixed in with new, and I myself feel I am more relaxed and myself around them. It is really awesome how there is now a pretty regular group of students that come and we are really able to build friendships with some. Along with our English clubs we also have our Russian classes, same as before. I definitely think that many of my fond memories will come from my class and my little Kazakh teacher, Gulsara. She is so funny. The other day in class Alison and I were repeating to her one of our assignments we needed to memorize but we were a tad slow. After we were done speaking she proceeded to say that we spoke like tractors drive and she really wants to sleep when we speak. I could not help but burst into laughter, we all did. It was a great memory.
Besides our normal schedule we have had many added on events happen in the past weeks mostly why it has been busy. One of our regular students is a teacher and psychologist at a local college (aka high school) here in Astana. She told her director about our club and we were invited to teach a club at this college. We agreed and a couple Fridays ago we met with our friend at her college and gave a lesson on communication to the college kids. The class went well and we had a chance to tell the students about our club. Mostly it was a great opportunity because we were able to spend quality time with our student and do her a favor for her work. We had tea with her after class and got to know her more through the whole afternoon.
The Saturday after our local home group traveled to the same orphanage that Alison and I lived at this past summer to visit and play with the kids. It was so surreal to go back there and see all the faces that had made such an impact on me this past summer. Alison and I were asked to help with the English class being taught at the kids’ school. It was funny though because we had not prepared anything. We ended up just doing a little bit of conversation with basic words before the kids had to go to lunch.
Within these couple weeks our team has also experienced transition. Life is just so full of transition, all the time. Last Saturday we picked up two new journey man girls who are going to be working and living here for two years. It has been so crazy to watch them live out their first week and think back to mine and I have been encouraged by how far I have actually come in immersing into the culture. I feel for them though as they were jet lagged or not understanding the language at all. They had their first classes and were behind from the rest of the class so just added on to the craziness of life for them right now. They are both very sweet girls and have their own special gifts that will for sure contribute to the effectiveness of our team here in Astana.
Along with these different happenings there have also been two trips up to Kokshetow, a nearby city. This is the city were some of our local believing friends have started an English center. We travel there to help with their Friday night speaking club. The first trip was just Alison and I and we helped with the club and also celebrated Teachers’ Day (A local holiday). During this visit our local friend taught Alison and I how to make Plovf (a local food). She also taught us how to can vegetables for the winter, it was awesome! This family we stay with also has two little boys one is three and the other is five. They are so precious and so fun to play with! The second trip to Kokshetow was this past weekend. This one was just the two new girls and I because Alison went to the village to help our supervisors. It was a short trip to show the Journey girls the way of Kokshetow and to help with Friday English club. However, in that time we still learned how to make Montey (another local food) and meet with some of the students from club for tea and cake. It is always a fun thing to go to Kokshetow and a neat opportunity to serve the very few believers there.
In all this time we have been very spoiled because the weather has been amazing! Everyone says it is so unusual for it to be as warm as it has been, but I am not complaining It has been such a wonderful fall season and even this past week I was able to go for a perfect run outside in the park with all the falling golden leaves.
The next couple weeks will not be any less busy and I will continue to go along for the ride in the whirlwind of life. Alison’s parents are getting a chance to visit because they were already traveling for work. It is going to be so awesome for our students to meet them and simply bring them along side our days here. We are also planning on showing them Astana, the city we have come to love. Then after this week our dearly loved family (our supervisors) will be headed home for furlow. We are all weary for this day to come. Even today the little girl of the family who is six said, “I am going to cry when we have to leave you.” They truly have become my family; a piece of my heart is theirs. It has been so wonderful working and growing with them and I have learned so much from them! But, for now, we are simply enjoying the last couple weeks we have together.
I realize so much in the brief moments I have to take deep breaths how much business can distract me from the Kingdom. Even when I am outwardly doing many things for it I still lose focus. My strength must only come from the Father and His promise through His son. That simple statement is packed with so much reality. There are days I fight and fight and am so tired and it dawns on me how I have once again relied on my own ability. In those moments it is only confirmed so much more how important PR is and how that is the source of peace and strength. This peace and strength is what I can whole heartily trust and press on towards. I am very weak but here I am able to live purposefully only because I have a true purpose to live for. For this I am beyond thankful.
bce. (That's all in Russian) :)
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