Remaining

Can it already be April 15, 2007? Where has the time gone? I'm approaching an exciting, yet emotional point in the journey here in Moscow, a point at which I realize that I'm nearly done for the year....already. My precious group of 15 will no longer be under my care on June 2, some of my best friends will be changing last names this summer, I will see my family, friends, and girlfriend for the first time in five months, and yet another amazing year of life will have passed like a vapor, if the good Lord wills it. I guess the best phrase to describe my state right now is "awestruck gratitude."

This past month has seen much activity and many memories, most notably the travels of Spring Break 2007. Before the unforgettable Spring Break trip, school continued to be a place of tremendous work and reward, memories and lessons. Relationships with my students have only deepened, and they have really begun to blossom in their faith these last couple months. It's so exciting to watch! I praise God for resolving the conflict within my class that I informed you all of over a month ago. Connections with my middle school caring community group have also been deep and meaningful (we had a sleepover guys night at my apartment the weekend before Spring Break). Our school staff continues to grow closer, especially through the common bond of prayer for each other and the needs of the school. We are eagerly anticipating the ACSI accreditation visit in over a week (see prayer requests at the end), and as a celebration of all the tireless work that went into preparing for that visit over the past three years, this year's staff appreciation banquet will be held on a cruise down the Moscow River! Rumor has it that we'll see the sun set on the Kremlin!

I continue to love the fellowship of Moscow First Church of the Nazarene. To go from always being a part of a large congregation (over 1,000) to being part of a fellowship of usually around 40 is quite a contrast, but it has been terrific.

My heart has been stirred lately as I consider the future, the seemingly endless horizon before me. I'm 23 now and wondering what God has in store for the remainder of my life, however long that may be. Through the journey, the many joys and trials of a year on the missionary field as a teacher, God has begun to work in my heart in a way that I never had considered before: that He may indeed have long-term missionary work in store for me, even perhaps here in Russia! After teaching in an international Christian school where I can always bring my whole self to the classroom and proclaim the truth of Jesus Christ at any point, I have realized the incredible power of such an education, and I further realize the empowerment that Christian educators give to the missionary parents of the students who are taught. To be so integrally involved with God's Kingdom work on this side of the globe gives me a sense of God's pleasure and seems to strike a continuous chord within my soul.

This has been in accordance with a word that has resounded within me for a while: remain. I've been studying 1 Corinthians lately, and today I slowly made my way through chapter 7. My attention was captured by a particular repeated phrase: "Each one should remain in the situation which he was in when God called him...Brothers, each man, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation God called him to" (verses 21 and 24). At first, I wasn't sure what to make of this. Actually, I didn't like it initially. It sounded like stagnancy to me, as if we were destined to just stay in one place and never grow or progress toward greater things, toward deeper depths in the faith. But then after some thought, it began to make sense. We are to remain in the place where God called us until He calls us elsewhere. The call applies to our present place and to that place alone...the "here" is where our focus is to be. I know in my life how I'm so often concentrated on the next thing that I miss the present thing. We have that tendency as humans. But in the life of the Spirit, the key lies in remaining where we are, wholeheartedly trusting the Voice who called us there, knowing we'll recognize it again when He calls us elsewhere. It is a necessity in this world for people to remain faithful and true in the place where they are; it results in constancy and dependability, endurance and patience and peace...the fruits of trusting in God. If people hadn't remained where they were before our time, how could we remain?

Jesus revealed a secret to His disciples in John 15:5: "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." The key to a fruitful life is for Jesus Christ to remain in us and for us to remain in Him.

I've taught my fifth graders this year how to do long division, a process that is tedious, yet doable with a good algorithm (my favorite is Daring Monkeys Ski Backwards, for Divide, Multiply, Subtract, Bring down!). In long division problems, there is often a remainder, a leftover. It's the part of the dividend that the divisor can't go evenly into...so it just stays there. The remainder is the part that's still there at the end of the problem. May the same be said about us: that we endured and remained and were still there at the end of our life's problems, that we didn't run away from things when the going got tough.

I looked up the etymology of the word "main", and I found it quite interesting! It actually is derived from Old English and carries a meaning that is akin to the Old High German word magan, which means strength! (webster.com) If we remember that Jesus also said that He is the Living Water, we could say that to remain is to go to the Source of strength again and again, to continually be tapped into the Water Main!

As I've gone about my life here in Moscow this year, my mind, which is continuously processing thoughts and ideas (especially when it comes to looking at words in fresh perspectives), latched onto a rather catchy and helpful phrase. I believe that it was God who directed me to think of it, and it has helped me numerous times throughout the year, and especially now as I must remain here until the end of the schoolyear. I pray that it would encourage you as well! It is a sentence that uses the letters N, O, and W arranged in three different ways:

If we let God OWN the NOW, then we've WON!

Now to tell you about my travels! Spring Break was March 31-April 8, and I had the privilege of attending a teacher's conference (paid for by HCA) in Germany before getting to see many beautiful and memorable locations throughout Europe. God provided the means, and I had the time of my life!

On the Saturday before the teachers conference began, two teachers and I went to see the Swiss Alps. It was breathtaking! I've never beheld such natural beauty in all my life!

While in Germany at an Asian restaurant, I tried roasted duck for the first time (most of the trip we ate sandwiches and snacky foods from gas stations...this was an exception). It was delicious!

The little German village of Kandern, where the International Christian Educator's Conference (ICEC) was held over Spring Break. Such an idyllic place! Hinkson was so generous as to pay for lodging and the cost of registration for our stay.

I will not soon forget the encouragement it was to worship with 300-350 other Christian educators who are all teaching in international schools throughout Europe and Africa. The conference challenged me professionally and encouraged me deeply.

The group of educators from Hinkson who attended the ICEC 2007. What a memorable experience!

Inside a beautiful church in Luxembourg's capital city, Luxembourg.

Inside the stone fortress in Luxembourg. Way cool!

Acting silly in the city!

A day I'll never forget: a visit to Normandy and Omaha Beach. Once there, I couldn't resist...I had to wade into the shockingly cold English Channel to experience just a taste of what the brave soldiers endured six decades ago on D-Day. To stand on the same beach and in the same waters as those valiant men was a moment I'll treasure for a lifetime.

A panorama of Omaha Beach...if only I could enlarge it for you!

Pondering the events of nearly 63 years before.

A sight I'll never forget. Over 9,000 crosses of American soldiers span the acres above and beyond the cliffs at Omaha Beach, Normandy. One couldn't help but be moved by the sacrifice those brave men made for the sake of freedom.

While in Paris, we visited the Palace of Versailles. Here is the famous Chamber of Mirrors, where the Treaty of Versailles was signed to end WWI.

One of the most amazing architectural feats I've ever witnessed, the Eiffel Tower.

Blowing a goofy kiss toward the west as the Sun sets over Paris. This was taken from the top of the Eiffel Tower, about 1,000 feet in the air!

The "hunks of steel" as we referred to ourselves...inside joke having to do with the metallic structure of the Eiffel Tower. Pictured are a fellow teacher and his son and the school director and his son.

Standing in front of the the Arc de Triomph. It's so massive!

Notre Dame was just as amazing as I thought it would be! I'll never forget sitting in the massive cathedral, praying and writing on the day before Easter!

Inside Saint Chappell's Cathedral in Paris. Built in the 1200s, this cathedral contains the most beautiful stained-glass windows I've ever seen.

In at outdoor restaurant along the Champs Elysees, I had the privilege of trying escargot for the first time. I thought I would be grossed out by snails, but actually, they were delicious! Pictured is HCA's ESL teacher and my good friend.

Unfortunately, our return flight to Moscow was on Easter Sunday, so I missed the amazing service at Moscow First Church. However, as the plane rose, the Sun rose on the same day the Son rose! I just loved the multiple levels of this picture!

On Friday in chapel we had a hilarious teacher skit with the purpose of encouraging the students (and staff) to "kick it in" and finish strong during this "homestretch" of the school year. The track-themed skit was my idea (I couldn't resist after having spent so much of my youth in competitive running:), and we had a blast pulling it off. Miss Meyer, the unlikely hero in the background, ended up sprinting past us "younguns"!

As we're currently studying the laws of motion in our physics unit, my kids are collaborating in one of three groups to build a speedy ramp/route for a model car to zoom through while demonstrating velocity, acceleration, deceleration, acceleration without change of speed, and all that good stuff!

On Friday night I had the privilege of eating dinner with my Russian boy and his family at their apartment. It was a very special time, a time filled with Uzbekistani food, laughter, conversation, prayer, a movie, and the clear realization that God has blessed this year tremendously! I can't believe it's less than 7 weeks from being over! (And, yes, you do see the parrot, Archik, standing on my head!)

My new roommate, Fabio Nolasko! He comes all the way from Brazil and is Hinkson's new computer coordinator. He is a tremendous blessing to me. We are already great friends (both 23), and his faith inspires and challenges me so much!

Thank you, everyone for your love, prayers, and support. God has used this year to mold me in ways I never could have predicted. He has proven faithful on a daily basis, and I praise Him for what He's done, for Who He is! Please pray for the following requests: Hinkson will be visited by an accreditation team from the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) next week, April 23-27. Pray that the staff and students would accomplish all that needs to be done before the visit and that we would be at peace during that very hectic, potentially stressful week. HCA has been working diligently on the accreditation process for nearly three years, and we deeply desire to pass the test with flying colors! My roommate Fabio is requesting prayer; he is having to make some very big decisions in the near future. I need strength, wisdom, and guidance as I finish the last seven weeks of school before coming home...pray that I would remain in Him. Thank God that He has blessed my relationships with all my students. Pray for the spreading of the gospel of Jesus Christ here in Russia. The kingdom of God is expanding as we speak! I just spoke with the parents of one of my students yesterday at a basketball tournament (one of my boys scored the game-winning basket for his team as they won the tournament), and they recounted to me how a Russian couple in one of their house churches had recently accepted Christ as Savior! Continue to pray for Luke Henry, my friend who has lost both of his parents in the last two years...he's been heavy on my heart lately. Pray for my home church, Flint Central Nazarene, as we are undergoing some difficult situations at the present time. Praise God for His faithfulness!