Guess what?

4 DAYS AND I'LL BE HOME!!!!!

That's all. Start getting excited, NY, I can't wait to see you.

Last Day

Today was our last day of lectures in DTS. In just a few hours we have our graduation and then we're done! It's hard to believe how quickly this time has gone by. Six months seemed like forever when we started in September. And yes, it was forever! But it was also so full of so many things that it really flew by. One day in DTS can seem as long as a year, but a month, or even 6, can go by as fast as a minute.

We had a time of reflection as a group today on our whole experience, both lecture phase and outreach. It was so refreshing as we sat in a circle and shared all the funny stories we had with one another. After being together every day for 3 months, it's hard to catch up with each other after another 3 months completely apart. But today was good. Then our school leader had us sit and reflect on the future a little bit.

Looking back on DTS, I'm so glad that I came. My life is different than 6 months ago. God knew what he was doing when he sent me to Kiev. But looking ahead I can see that reality is going to hit me hard and it's going to hurt. Life and situations at home have not changed. Not at all. I've been insulated and very focused (especially during outreach) and have been in an emotional bubble in a way. The bubble's going to pop in a week. But you know what? God brought me here, he's called me home, and he's going to take care of me. I have changed, and I feel called to live that out among the wonderful people in my hometown. I'm so grateful for the support of my friends and 'family'. They won't let me fall.

It doesn't feel real that this season of my life is over. I think I'll step off the plane in America and still expect to see Tbilisi or Kiev. And although I know that God has paved the way for me to come home, I'm almost positive that I'll see this part of the world again someday. So it's not really saying goodbye, right?

Culture Shock: Take 1

So, you can all thank our friend Sarah for guilting me in to this post. As usual, I apologize for being a horrible blogger and not keeping you guys up-to-date on my life. The last 2 weeks in Georgia were super busy and on the one day we had off some friends took me around the city so I didn't have time for the internet really. Howeverrrr, now I'm back in Kyiv with unlimited internet so there's no excuse!!

Ok, let's see. We went to Batumi 2 weeks ago. Batumi is a city on the Black Sea and is known throughout this part of the world as a vacation spot. It was beautiful there! We had great weather- 50s and sunny- and the church that hosted us was so welcoming and hospitable. Several of the kids from the youth group took us all over the city, we rode bikes along the Black Sea and we even got driven to the Turkish border (about 20 minutes outside the city)! It's too bad we couldn't have crossed, just for that stamp in my passport. Next time!

After Batumi we were in our last full week in Georgia. We spent a lot of that week with friends and ministry leaders sight-seeing, hiking (up to the top of a fortress in the snow!), and of course, eating tons of Georgian food. Mmm, best stuff ever. I miss it already.

The last night we were in Tbilisi we had a party for all the ministries we worked with. We invite the YWAM staff, and all of the ministry leaders. We had about 20 people in our apartment. Me and Sevinj spent the day making salads and other snack foods. And what do you know, the city decided this was the perfect day to shut off the water and work on the pipes.

Now, our water got shut off almost every day but it usually happened for just a few hours and almost always while we were gone or while we were sleeping. But there seemed to be a pattern that developed that every time we had guests over the water stopped. And the more guests, the longer we had no water. This last time was the worst ever! The water stopped in the afternoon, just as we started preparing the food, and it didn't turn back on until an hour before we left for the airport the next day. Do you know what it's like to cook and clean up after 20 people with no water? I do!! It involves the few bottles of carbonated water we were able to find (the last in any store in the neighborhood) and practically licking plates clean. Crazy stuff.

So that was my last impression of Georgia- good, fond memories to take with me.

But you know what? I miss it! Tbilisi is a great city, and especially being back in Kyiv, I really miss the atmosphere there. Speaking of Kyiv, though, I am so glad I decided to stay an extra week here. Part of me knows I'm so close to the end and all I want to do is come home and hug you all, but I realized the first night we were back here that it's a good thing to give myself some time.

I never thought I'd experience any big culture shock in Kyiv, and I didn't anticipate it coming back from Tbilisi, but it hit me hard! The first night we were here I went to the grocery store to buy some food for breakfast for the next day and was completely overwhelmed. Now, the grocery stores here are tiny compared to anything in America. You can fit about 10 or more of them in a Wal-mart. However, the stores they have in Tbilisi are even smaller! Sure, they have grocery stores (and even those are pretty small), but they can be expensive and they're not always convenient. I think I saw ground beef 2 times in 3 months there, and boneless chicken breasts were also a rarity. When you want to buy something in Georgia you go in to the store (about the size of a corner market) and tell the woman behind the counter what you want. Variety is being able to choose from 4 different kinds of ketchup or 2 different sized cans of corn- small or large? And when you want your veggies and fruit, well you walk outside and get it from the man selling on the street! So when I went in to Forshet and saw a whole wall of meat, rows of juice, and a produce section inside I didn't know what to do!

So, needless to say, it's a good thing that I'll be here in Kyiv for a little bit to get used to this culture before coming back to America and getting hit with that. Bear with me if I cry or faint the first time I'm in a Wal-Mart. And lets not talk about the mall, shall we?

OK, I think this post is long enough, even for you, Sarah! ;) I miss you New Yorkers and I can't wait to be home. Less than 2 weeks now... Crazy to think about, huh?

Ooops

Sorry it's been a couple of weeks since I've posted. I haven't had a lot of time on my free days and besides they've been kind of rare. However on the last week or two I've gone out with friends I've made at the college group we help with. It's been great to hang out with people close to my age who aren't intense missionaries. It's a reminder that there is in fact a real world out there. And in another month I'll be part of that real world! Such a strange thought. My life is very small here, and it's going to open up immensely in just a few weeks. Deep breath. And one step at a time.

Anyways...here's a funny story about the joys of running a kid's club. The other week I was telling the kids in our club the story of Daniel and the Lion's Den. I had one boy be Daniel, one by King Darius, and the rest of the kids sat in a semi-circle listening. When it came time to put Daniel in the den, I simply picked this poor surprised boy up and placed him in the middle of the kids who were listening to the story. Then I told them, "Ok, you guys are the lions! Roar like lions!"

Those children did so much more than roar. In the blink of an eye, they turned from the shy, quiet, obedient children I know them to be into viscious flesh-eating lions. With one mind all of those kids jumped on top of Daniel, roaring and clawing. And Daniel decided he did not want to be eaten so he turned in to a lion himself and started clawing them right back!

I was so surprised that for a second I couldn't do anything. Then I started laughing so hard I still couldn't do anything. Finally, I got myself down there and broke up that Lord-of-the-Flies-like situation.

When I had them separated I explained to them that Daniel didn't actually get eaten in this story. However, I also assured them that the lions got a nice steak dinner the next night because they still looked hungry.

Ahhh, I am going to miss those kids so much when we leave. We've had a lot of fun and I hope that we've made a small difference in that village.

This Friday we go to Botomi, a city on the Black Sea, for a few days. I'm excited to see more of Georgia, though I'm not excited about the overnight train ride. Oh well, new experiences, right?

Please continue to keep our team in prayer. Just because we have less than 3 weeks left doesn't mean that the enemy is done trying to break up the unity and relationships on our team. Thank you all for your continued support. Love you all!

Well, we're halfway through! Less than two months left and I'll be done with DTS. Can you hear the joy in my voice? Honestly, I'll be sorry for this time to be over, but at the same time today I am ready to be done. But, God is my strength and He has called me here for now, so here I will stay!

Our team started our 'official' schedule last week. Tuesday and Thursday is Street Kids, Friday is Kid's Club, and Wednesday is College group. Lot's of youth. You might think, "Kids, kids, kids!" However, the difference between the street kids and the village kids that we do Kid's Club is astronomical. The street kids here are super smart, fast, and rough. If you get their attention for 5 minutes consider yourself lucky. On the other hand, the kids in the village of Agarakhi where we do Kid's Club are sweet, quiet and obedient and totally innocent. It's a brain switch to go from one ministry to the other. Different games, songs, skits, everything! I love doing both of these ministries though.

IFES (International Fellowship of Evangelical Students) is really great too. It's a bit of a break for us- no kids songs or games! I met a guy there last week. Quite a few guys actually (Georgian guys are pretty bold)! However, this particular guy was interested in my iPod so we got in to a conversation about music.

"Do you have any Celine Dion?" he asked me.

"No, not really," I said, "Do you like her?"

"Oh my God, I looooooove her! Celine Dion is GOD!" he passionately replied.

I'm sorry to say, but I burst out laughing in his face. I couldn't help myself! I don't know how people are about gay/lesbian lifestyles here (I don't think it's widely accepted) but that was one of the gay-est things I've ever heard! Literally! However, I pulled myself together, put my hand over my mouth to keep my giggles in, and said something about liking Celine Dion every once in a while too. What a night.

Besides him, no real prospects, though. I'm not too worried about it, though our whole team likes to tease each other when we see a cute guy/girl on the street or somewhere. The weather is still great here, sunny and in the 40's most days. Tell Albany that it better be warm again by the time I get back! Love you all, thanks for reading!

Adjustments, changes, and being stretched

Here I am, at Elvis Restaurant again, sitting on the Internet for what seems like all day. Hey, what can you do when there's one place in the whole city that has consistent and free Wifi?? Sing along to "Blue Suede Shoes" that's what!

Anyways, we're all adjusting to our new apartment. It's warmed up a bit in there, or maybe we're just getting used to being cold, but I'm pretty sure it's the former. Next week starts our 'schedule'. It's crazy to think we've been here for a month already and have barely done any consistent ministry, but that's what happens when you live in a country that has a month-long holiday season. Next week we begin working with the street kids ministry 2 times a week, the college student ministry on Wednesdays (why are all student things always on a Wednesday???), and our Kid's Club up in the village continues on Fridays after school. Things are shaping up!

This past week we helped out at a YWAM conference making lunches, dinners, and watching the babies. Let me tell you, babies are heavy! There was one little girl who refused to be put down, and even when I was holding her she still cried. I watched Wheels on the Bus and Old McDonald till I thought I would scream. Needless to say we were all glad for Friday to come. And needless to say, we're all still singing those songs!

Please continue to keep our team in our prayers. Our team is strong, but a lot of us have been sick (not me, thank goodness!) and that has the ability to chip away at people. We have a great unity and a love for each other, and I want it to stay that way!

Speaking of love, God has been teaching me a lot about how to love people, especially those you live with. It's surprised me just how much I have that I'm-American-so-I'm-always-right mentality ingrained in my mind. It turns out that just because I've been raised in a certain society and culture doesn't make it right for everyone and it definitely doesn't mean I have the right to push it on other people. Soooo, I eat that humble pie, and ask God to make me more like Him. That verse from James has been my banner flag the last few weeks: "Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry." Such wise words and so hard to put in to practice! If at the end of these next 2 months I am just a little bit more patient and just a little bit less selfish I will be able to say that God moved in a mighty way in my life.

Well, that's it for now. Hope you all are doing well. I'm loving it here, but I miss you all and I'm looking forward to seeing you again in just a few months! Love from Tbilisi!

Tbilisi, here I am!

Hey all, sorry for taking so long but moving into a new country is a little crazy. Also, I only get internet about once a week here so it's a little harder to keep up to date with "the real world". Sorry.

My team just got in to our own apartment the other day (we were staying at the YWAM base here, but it's way out in the country so a little inconvenient). Apartments here are like nothing I'm used to. You've got your basic rooms like everywhere else, but then there's only 1 heater in 1 room for the whole place, and water is shut off for 5 hours in the middle of every day. This is absolutely normal for Georgians, but I am not a Georgian!!! Oh, adjustment. I'll get used to it by the end of these 2 months.

Also, since it's still the holiday season here we don't have a set ministry schedule yet. Next week we're cooking lunches and dinners for a YWAM conference they're having here so that will keep us busy and by the week after that we should be connected with the ministries we'll be working with the rest of our time here. We started a Kid's Club in the village where the YWAM base is. It's only been 2 weeks, but it's been going really well! We had 18 kids come last week and 13 this week, not including parents who sit in the back and drink tea the whole time. Our whole team is excited for this ministry that we started from scratch and that we will continue to set up while we're here. The other ministries we're planning on working with is with the street kids of Tbilisi, a college group called IFES, Teen Challenge (probably teaching English classes at a rehab center), and possibly helping YWAM start another base in a village a few hours outside of Tbilisi. We're going to be visiting other cities in the future as well and doing work there.

Our team is made up of 4 girls and 1 lonely sad little boy. The'res Kate, our leader (from Michigan), me, Sevinch (a girl from Azerbaijan who also acts as our translator), Elya (a 17 year old from Ukraine), and Ruslan (the one boy, also from Ukraine). We have had some difficulty communicating across cultures, languages, and personalities so prayer for that would be appreciated. Overall however, we are doing really well and I can see us fighting for unity with one another rather than just letting issues build up.

That's about it for now. Thanks for being patient, thanks for loving me (I hope, haha), and thanks for reading! Love and miss you all!