For Shock Value
May 26, 2010
Liz Hulley writes:
Okay, I’m just posting this for the shock value…this is what my new toothpaste looks like:
Montenegro — Get Away from Facebook
May 24, 2010
Here’s news from Christina Melton, serving in Podgorica, Montenegro —
May has been a bizarre month weather-wise in Podgorica. Possibly due to volcanic ash or global warming or who knows what, we have received bucket-loads of rain over the last few weeks.
Fortunately, the sun decided to show up for our two major May holidays, May 1 and May 21 (independence day).
Our weekly teenage meetings are officially suspended for summer, partially in order to prepare for camp in July and also to give us time to make ready our programming for next semester.
However, our national holidays have given us opportunities just to spend good quality time with our teens. Several of our teenagers from Podgorica and the teens in Niksic came for the outdoor picnics on both holidays, where they were also able to fellowship with the adults in the church.
This picture above was taken on one of the beaches on Skadar Lake on our independence day holiday.
Our teenage camp will take place July 19-25, and we request that you would pray for that event as you feel led. Our teens will be away from TV, facebook, and other distractions, and it is the most important opportunity for us to talk about God with them.
The Bull Report
May 22, 2010
John has been going out to Elama with Sergei more often to work on getting the camp ready for the Georgia team. The Georgia team will be helping build a couple of buildings on the property.
I know the kids that use the camp will be grateful for all the hard work that has been put in. We are excited to see such progress happen.
Fireplaces have been built, bricks hauled, grass mowed, bottles trashed, doors installed, rooms cleaned, places painted and much more!
Our family will be going out to stay with the team for a few days.
Karen is looking forward to cooking for 18+ people on a gas stove 3 times a day! This should be interesting!
The kids love going out to the camp grounds and are excited to be able to stay over night there too.
We are wrapping up language lessons-Russian and English, Family Fellowship at our church and the girls’ and boys’ school altogether as we prepare to go to Texas in June.
We do not know what the Lord has in store for us next, but we know He has always guided our paths before and He will be faithful to do it again.
Life is an adventure!
Cooking, Conferences, Cultural Events — the Minsk Family Home
May 20, 2010
Alesya Kuleshova, the Minsk Family Home counselor, reports:
Here are a few words about our wonderful Minsk Family Home.
We would like to thank you for your prayers and financial support as our Minsk Family Home continues to develop and grow.
We have five girls there now. As this school year coming to the end, we would like to share about progress that happened during the first 9 months of the Minsk Family Home existence:
Cooking — The girls know better how to cook and they can cook wonderful meals by themselves. Their favorite meal is lasagna.
Dealing with paper work — The girls are able to take care of the bills, prepare necessary papers, and fill in job applications.
Spiritual growth — Every week the girls attend church, home group and other church’s events.
Conferences — This month I participated in a 4 day conference and training, that was dedicated to Christian camps. I learnt a lot about sporting events at camps, attended camp coordinator seminars, Bible lessons for teenagers as well as crafts at camp.
It was a very profitable time not only in learning new things for camps, that is very actual for us this summer as we are preparing for our own camps, but also a great opportunity to meet new people. About 70 people participated.
The girls attended one day women conference (see the picture at the top) and learnt a lot about how God sees women and what is their role in church and family.
Cultural events — The girls attend movies and theater. This week we all went to the opera Nebuchadnezzar
Also the girls read different literature.
Retreat — This month we go on a special retreat to Poland. The retreat will take place in a nice city of Krakow and also the girls will be able to visit Auschwitz (camp for war victims in World War 2)
Studies — The school year is almost finished. The girls did their best at school. Soon they they will have exams.
Two girls Tanya and Alona will be applying to colleges this summer, so please pray for them to be accepted and also for the other girls’ exams that they take in June.
Blessings to you all,
In Christ, Alesya Kuleshova
Here are more pictures from Alesya — Read more
You are (not really) special
May 14, 2010
Liz Hulley writes:
There was something rubbing me the wrong way about some Sunday school play scripts we were looking at. The message of almost every scenario was either “You are special in God’s eyes” or “Everyone is special in God’s eyes.”
I’m not sure why, but to me this seemed like an incomplete representation of God’s love for us and of how we should relate to others.
For one thing, take out the “in God’s eyes” part and you could have any bumper sticker or maybe group therapy message.
The typical scenario goes like this:
All the animals (flowers, letters of the alphabet, etc.) are arguing about who is more important.
A mediator enters the scene, tells everyone to hush and work together, then they collectively make a pretty rainbow/bouquet/picture, and finish with “EVERYONE IS SPECIAL!”
Now, when the disciples were arguing about who was greatest, Christ said something a little different.
Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.” He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.” (Mark 9:35-37)
To end an argument with “everyone is special” to me sounds like “it’s a tie, you all win.”
But the point is that we ought not to seek victory OVER one another.
Our response should not be “see, you’re not better than me,” but “It’s true, I’m not better than you.”
1 Corinthians 1:28 says, “He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.”
However, I realize that there is another side to it. People do need to hear different messages, based on their life experiences and the condition of their hearts.
I’ve never particularly felt unloved. Kids from an orphanage might feel differently. Anyone who’s faced rejection at one time or another might have really needed to hear “you are special.”
So it isn’t that the message of being special and unique and loved is necessarily false or unchristian. Overused, perhaps?
How much do children need to be told that they are “special”? What do you think?
How can we teach them their worth for the Kingdom in such a way that brings glory to God? That demonstrates what a privilege it is to be called His child? That allows them to look at others not as EQUAL to but as BETTER than oneself?
Yulia’s gift
May 6, 2010
From Liz Hulley –
I had a little friend at camp who captured my heart, about 7 or 8 years ago. She was just this shy little thing that would always beam at me in greeting.
In “Russia-A Love Story,” I posted a photo of us together. That was a day when we were saying goodbye as our group left for the airport, and Yulia gave me a little parting gift. It was her own purse, with my name scrawled on a piece of paper. Inside, a note addressed to me said “Farewell.”
Just what was in that purse? An icon (Saint Tatiana), a hair elastic, and a 2004 calendar. I have no idea why this particular assortment was given to me. Were they her dearest possessions? Ones she thought I could use? Or the quickest ones she could find before running to see us off?We met again at the orphanage in the fall. When you have a reunion with orphans, it’s not what you would expect. Yes, there is some joy and exchanging of hugs, but it isn’t like a happily-ever-after feeling. I was happy that I had the opportunity to see them again, but there is something about the camp atmosphere where you love and yet keep your distance. And here, we didn’t quite know how to be the kind of friends who saw each other regularly.
So some of the kids who were my little shadows at camp grew cold fairly quickly. Yulia would often come up to give me a hug, but I was working with a different group and without the sports and other mixers at camp, it was hard to find a reason to just “hang out.” The kids had school and were kept pretty busy after school. Well, I wouldn’t have minded just hanging out, but you have to be purposeful in relationships with orphans. Just like in any relationship, if you are going to involve someone’s heart, you had better be serious about your intentions.
Within the walls of the orphanage, I go months without seeing certain children. Whenever I would see Yulia, she had gotten taller. Her smile was now more flirtatious than innocent, although I wanted to believe she hadn’t changed.
The last time I saw her, she was standing outside with a group of…well, teenagers. Smoking, dressed like teenagers, conversing like teenagers. Yulia’s hair was dyed black and I wanted to yank her away from the other kids and return her innocence, and her little brown pixie cut.
News from Liz Hulley
May 4, 2010
Dear Friends,
The most significant event of 2010 so far has been turning in my application for a temporary residency permit! Prayers for God’s favor were truly answered.
It doesn’t mean the process is over; they have only begun to examine my documents, which will take at least 5 months. But to make a long story short, after much advance planning, it came right down to the wire. In fact, the volcano in Iceland almost hampered my chances! It was a test of faith.
If you’d like to read about the different challenges, you can find relevant posts on my blog [listed below].
Stoneworks Retreat
Meanwhile, in March, I participated in a Stoneworks retreat in Tallinn, Estonia.
Stoneworks is my sending organization, and currently has people partnering/serving in Hungary, Montenegro, and Belarus in addition to Russia. So we got together in a little house in the snowy suburbs and had some fellowship.
In photo at left, partners serving in Montenegro, Russia, and Belarus share notes and smiles over a cup of tea
Easter Time
(photo at right: Zhenya and I pose with our “bundt kulich”)
It was interesting to be studying in a Russian university during Lent and Easter. One teacher gave us some Easter egg decorations with folk designs. Another is a devout Orthodox believer and invited us to visit a Good Friday service since our class had been cancelled.
Valentina said she was aware of wanting to avoid proselytizing, but thought that since Eastern and Western Easter fell on the same day this year, it wouldn’t hurt to invite us. She seated us upstairs in a “backstage” area and then went down to sing in the choir.
On Easter Monday, I saw her in the hallway, and she said “Christ is Risen!” I was able to respond “He is Risen Indeed!” It was a blessing to be able to proclaim Christ in a secular environment.
Our spring church retreat fell on Easter Weekend this year. We took the opportunity to focus exclusively on Passion Week and Christ’s death and resurrection, using the last few chapters of John as our main text.
Russian Classes
My classes have been going well. The schedule hasn’t been as convenient this semester as far as pursuing other interests, but I have had some challenging and interesting subjects.
I participated in a student conference last week. There were many students who did research on social themes, and mine was the orphanage system. Almost all of the students were American, though not students whom I study with.
Here’s a photo of me presenting; don’t I look enthused? J
I wish there had been more Russians there, but at least I got some practice speaking in a more formal setting.
Orphanage Ministry
I still visit the same two orphanages. One of my favorite counselors was chosen to go on the hosting program with New Horizons. I’ve been tutoring her in English for about 3 years now. I’m excited for her and especially about the prospect of her staying in a Christian family. We might just have to do some “prep work” in talking about religion. Please pray for Galina this summer.
Evangelism
One recent outreach effort has taken the form of special interest gatherings organized by a few different churches, including mine, and hosted by a Lutheran church. The idea is to have scholars share their research and invite others to comment. We’ve had various literary and scientific themes, such as G.K. Chesterton and the aging process (separate times).
It’s a bit hard getting started because people don’t know each other and don’t always arrive having read relevant materials. But it is still a good chance to meet people, and fellowship then continues in other forms.
Visa Math
My residency permit will be ready at the end of September at the earliest, and my current visa is up at the end of June. I can either extend my student visa for a few more months to fill the gap, or leave the country to get a new visa. I will probably go home for a few weeks in July and then get a 3-month visa which will hopefully be sufficient.
Prayer requests:
-For wisdom about future visa/work/housing opportunities. Clarity to know what to focus on and which paths to pursue.
-For my last few months of classes; contact with my Russian teachers and fellow students.
-For those preparing for summer camp ministry: local churches as well as any mission teams planning to come.
-For the Russian children and chaperones preparing to come to the States on the hosting program. May they most importantly be exposed to the Gospel! Guidance for families considering adoption through this program.
-For relationships within the church as well as outreach to non-believers.
Thanks for your support, as always!
Love,
Elizabeth
TIMELINE FOR RESIDENCY APPLICATION:
Summer/Fall 2009
-getting fingerprinted for my background check
http://lizinstpete.blogspot.com/2009/08/visit-to-police-station.html
December 2009
-getting my results
http://lizinstpete.blogspot.com/2009/12/progress.html
January 2010
-getting in line for the quota
http://lizinstpete.blogspot.com/2010/01/lucky-number-13.html
-getting the medicals done
http://lizinstpete.blogspot.com/2010/01/run-away-run-away.html
February 2010
-taking a trip to Moscow for new fingerprints
http://lizinstpete.blogspot.com/2010/02/18-hours-in-moscow-on-very-little-sleep.html
February/March 2010
-getting delayed
http://lizinstpete.blogspot.com/2010/02/another-appointment.html
April 2010
-getting down to the wire
http://lizinstpete.blogspot.com/2010/04/on-not-taking-no-for-answer.html
-receiving my final document at the last minute
http://lizinstpete.blogspot.com/2010/04/what-difference-day-makes.html
-handing everything in
