Coming Home!!!

It's true! In just three days (actually, about 77 hours), I'll be home and reunited with my family, Lord-willing! The joy of the Christmas season, the joy of teaching, the joy of children, the joy of living in a new culture, the joy of going home...are all overwhelming, but I'll take it! I think I am beginning to understand what the Magi felt when they were overjoyed upon seeing the star stopped over the place where Jesus was (Matthew 2:10). They knew that their journey was about to conclude in a face-to-face encounter with the King of Kings! It's like I can see the star shining brightly over the little town of Flushing, and I know what awaits in just a matter of days. I'm so excited and grateful. This first semester has been an incredible experience - incredibly difficult, but even more incredibly saturated with the grace of God. Thanks, everyone, for all your prayers this far!

A precious class of 10 and 11 year-olds. Two weeks ago, we threw a surprise party for one of our Korean girls, who will be leaving us at the end of this semester to return to Korea for an indefinite amount of time. She will be dearly missed! I have nicknamed her "Cyertseh," which is Russian for "heart." She has such a heart for people!

While volunteering at the International Women's Club Winter Bazaar a few weeks ago, I came across this sign! While it is advertizing a drink, I thought otherwise! In case you're wondering how I came to be involved in a women's club organization that raised over $200,000 for needs in Russia, one of my students' mothers coordinated this event and invited me to help!

Ever have one of those moments where you know you're connecting with the supernatural, and you don't ever want the moment to end? I had one of those last Wednesday as I was riding the bus to church for prayer meeting. I noticed that the bus became very crowded all of a sudden, and after a bit, I realized that it was because a young mother was bringing her baby in a stroller onto the bus. Everyone moved out of the way and allowed the mother to situate herself. All eyes were on the baby that had entered an already crowded bus, and the baby's presence added an element of joy to the atmosphere of silence. As time passed and other passengers exited, the stroller ended up directly next to me. That's when the baby found a new fascination: me. He just couldn't stop looking at me, staring at me straight in the eyes. He was so cute, so precious, so innocent, so fascinated. Then it hit me: it was as if I was looking into the eyes of baby Jesus during this Christmas season! The analogy was so beautiful. Just as this baby entered a packed bus full of a humanity, and we fellow passengers had to make room for the newcomer, so Jesus was "joy to the world" as He entered a world full of people - people who are always en route to somewhere, but who need to "prepare Him room"! Thank you, Lord, for a glimpse of Your face during your birthday season!

My fifth-graders playing the chimes during chapel last Friday. It was a beautiful sound!

Last weekend, I was able to travel to Виязьма (pronounced Vee-eyes-ma), a Russian town 4 hours outside of Moscow. I traveled by train with the young adult group from Moscow First Church, and we met up with the young adults/youth of the Виязьма church for a fun weekend of excursion and worship! This is a picture of what Russia really is like. Moscow is actually a stark contrast to the rest of Russia. I was told last weekend that the average worker in Виязьма makes only about $200 a month. This trip really put things in perspective for me.

Inside the "Hall of Glory" in Victory Park. Yesterday I visited this magnificent WWII (or the Great Patriotic War, as we say in Russia) museum and memorial. I've never seen anything like this before...some of the diaramas depicted the atrocities of war so realistically that I felt as if I were there 60 years ago.

While at the museum, we had the privilege of meeting these young Russian navy cadets from Siberia. They were very kind, and they were elated that we wanted to take their picture!

Please pray that all of my students and their families would have a blessed, safe, and relaxing Christmas break (pray for our school staff in that way as well). Pray that I would be rejuvenated and overjoyed as I return home...pray for safety for my 7:00 a.m. flight on Saturday. Pray for my family as we just lost my great uncle to cancer. Please pray for friend, former youth pastor, and dearly-loved mentor Bob Kring, as he is facing dark days ahead in his battle with cancer of the brain. Pray also for his wife, Sue, and their family. Praise God for His goodness and for the fact that He is a God who longs to be near us and who took the initial step in coming to us! Merry Christmas!