Happy 50th Birthday, Dad!

50 years ago today (January 30) at McLaren Hospital in Flint, Michigan, a great man entered the world: my dad, Daniel Carl Hays. It is only appropriate to honor Dad with some pictures and words:

The Anchor Holds!

Dad's always loved old trucks. We saw this one on a summer bike hike.

A man of the Word

This is DC Hays...

The Hays men

The Hays crew at the Soo

May 17, 2008 - what a memorable day when Elizabeth got married!

50 Reasons I Love You, Dad!

(In no particular order)

1. You love me unconditionally.
2. For always leading family devotions before bed each night.
3. You sure can sing! “The Anchor Holds” is your song!
4. All those evenings we spent together making model cars, burning wood, playing basketball,

etc.

5. You put such a priority on family – all the time!
6. I can’t tell you how much it means that you chose to invest primarily in us kids during the “middle 25” years of your life; you sacrificed so much!

7. You’re a man of integrity, honesty, and deep sensitivity.
8. You are sentimentality embodied! How about all those baseball caps!
9. Planning and organizing family vacations has always been a passion for you.
10. Your humility is truly inspirational.
11. You’re always there to talk – always.
12. 4th of July bike rides!
13. Your love of history, museums, genealogy, etc. has rubbed off on me!
14. You live simply and therefore deeply.
15. You aren’t afraid to speak the truth.
16. You’re a man who stands for his convictions even if all others around you don’t.
17. All those notes you hand write for us before you leave for work and while we’re

still sleeping – it shows that you really think through what we talk about and bring things

before our Heavenly Father.

18. You’re disciplined to stay in shape, and you’ve been running regularly in the morning for years.
19. For loving Mom so faithfully – you’re always telling her that she’s beautiful and that you love

her. What a model you’ve been for Lance and me!

20. For crazy video antics while driving through traffic jams!
21. You’re a good listener.
22. You’re a man of the Word, and your worn Bible testifies to that.
23. Guys trips are forever etched in my memory (Fenway Park – someday we’ll get to you!)
24. How about all those nicknames (Bo, BoBo, Bowobokowobo, Luke-Man, etc.)?
25. You taught me the wonderful sport of golf!
26. You’ve always worked so hard to provide for us.
27. There wasn’t a basketball game, cross country meet, or track meet that you missed – at least in my memory.
28. You know how to laugh heartily, not caring who hears you.
29. You guard your time alone with the Lord, and you’re a prayer warrior.
30. You taught me the power of encouraging words.
31. Thanks for all those hours of tedious work in filling out tax and FAFSA forms.
32. You’re not afraid to cry – thanks for being a real man!
33. You cherish Christmas time and all the things that go with it: Christmas CDs, trips to Bronners, Prancer on Christmas Eve, fires in the wood-burning stove, etc.

34. I’ll always cherish the weekly letters filled with love and wisdom that you sent me during my ONU days.

35. You’re a man with nice handwriting!

36. Thanks for teaching me the power of Jeremiah 33:3.
37. For teaching me the meaning of my name. How could I ever forget my 13th birthday at the Point Aux Barques lighthouse?

38. You gave me roots and wings and weren’t afraid to let me fly away…literally.
39. Thanks for passing on the interest in writing.
40. You can speak intelligently on so many topics.
41. You’re an excellent teacher and speaker.
42. You truly hate and despise sin.
43. You live by this little maxim: “Love God. Love People. Nothing else matters.”
44. You are wise with money and decisions.
45. It was so natural for you to play Jesus in the Easter pageants because He lives in you!
46. You give generously.
47. You made 1519 Flushing Road a wonderful home.
48. I got my reddish (facial) hair from you!
49. We share the name Daniel – “God is my judge”.
50. You walk with God every day.

I love you so much! Thanks for being such an incredible dad. You have modeled Jesus for me, and it’s an honor for me to imitate you as you imitate Christ.

Praying for Belgorad, Praising God for His Grace!

Before the photo update, I would like to bring another important prayer request to all who are reading this. About a week ago I met with Peter, a Russian man who moved from Moscow to Belgorad (a city of about 500,000) with his wife Sveta about a year and a half ago. He and his wife had finished seminary in Moscow before leaving, and their main goal in Belgorad has been to plant a church. It's certainly not been easy.

Belgorad is one of the toughest cities in Russia in which to start a church. In fact, Peter told me that there are only about six Protestant churches in the whole city! He's talked with numerous missionaries who have come to Belgorad to plant churches and have come away very frustrated. There they see a stark contrast from other cities, where the average time needed to establish a church takes around two months, before they move onto a new city in a continuous cycle. It's different in Belgorad, a large university town, filled with many young people. While Peter and Sveta and another couple are co-pastoring the Church of the Nazarene and are meeting in their apartment, they currently have two regular attendees. They are very excited this and the future!

They believe that a key to starting their church will come through offering regular, quality English lessons. They are currently in the process of advertising this in flyers throughout the city. English, being the international language, is a very magnetic draw for many Russians, especially university students. As of now, the plan is to start the English lessons with the help of an American who will be joining them for a few weeks in March. Peter has a computer program that will allow students to simultaneously view sections of a Russian and English Bible. His plan is to teach his students English by using the Bible and pray that this encounter with the truth will lead them closer to accepting Christ! Please be in prayer for Peter, Sveta, and their baby daughter as they minister in a tough place.

This particular student, though in her first year in an English school, is progressing well and is very creative, artistic, and generous. She has brought a lunch packed specifically for me every day of this school year - and I've never once asked for it!

"Egypt construction" presentations on Friday, January 23. This boy mummified a Barbie doll and designed his own golden coffin.

The inseparable three pose with their version of King Tut, complete with a coffee cup goatee, a pumpkin head, and the body of a stuffed dog!

The Lego version of the Sphinx

My new Hungarian student, posing with her clay creations of pyramids and the Sphinx.

Explaining the inner workings of a pyramid - fascinating!

A mummy and his egg-carton sarcophagus

It's tradition in Mr. Hays' class to eat lunch in the classroom on Fridays. With about five minutes to go before recess, the "Devotional Guide" (one of 17 rotating class jobs, or as I call them, "Super Servants") shares with the class something that he or she has been learning in their walk with God.

Yesterday afternoon I took my middle school Caring Community Group (comprised of sixth graders) to visit the orphans that I've been visiting since December 2007. We had a wonderful afternoon of playing soccer and basketball, talking, playing Uno, eating tangerines, drinking chai (tea), and talking. We plan to make this a monthly event. Pictured above is Vova and a very bushy-faced Luke (some have already been asking, "So when are you gonna shave it?" The answer is early March, after the play is over!)

Last night's English Cafe went really well - what an answer to prayer! We had about 50 Russians come, and after an evening of chai, snacks, and some meaningful activities and conversation, many of our Russian friends left encouraged and thankful for the evening. We're already anticipating Open Mic Night in two weeks!

Phil is engrossed in conversation with newcomer to the Cafe.

The symbolic climax of our "New and Fresh" Cafe was when, halfway through (and after talking about old things, both good and bad), we went out to the blacktop behind the school to burn up our regrets, failures, fears, and burdens from 2008. We then reentered the school, headed up the stairs, and entered the cafeteria through the "In with the New" door. Everyone then sat with a new group and native English speaker. At the end of the night, we gave everyone a Tic-Tac or two to send everyone off with fresh breath!

Since Wednesday I've been staying in the apartment of the family who lost their aunt/sister earlier this week. My route to school has therefore been altered, and I get to ride the tramvae to school. I like riding this oldest of the transportation modes in Moscow!

The primary reason I'm staying here is to take care of the family cat, Boots. He's just an adorable little guy and is appropriately named (notice the white "boots" on his back legs?) God continues to bring opportunities for the animal lover in me to be expressed!

It's been a while...

For all of you who have been checking my blog, eagerly anticipating an update, I apologize for taking so long. While "update the blog" was on the list of things to do while home in the U.S. for Christmas, it just didn't happen as I was soaking up valuable time with family and friends. It certainly was a terrific time home, filled with rest and memories. Friends were met, conversations were had, advice was sought, and a calmness enveloped the entire holiday. I am so thankful that God allowed me to come home for the holidays. Follow the pictures and stories below to get a glimpse into the past couple months of Moscow/Michigan life.

What a great picture! A makeshift chess table at Sparrow Hills in Moscow.

Mr. Hays and Mr. Olshefski (student teacher) at the staff Christmas banquet. I had obtained the red blouse as a white elephant gift and quickly donated it to the drama closet at the end of the party!

Flying westward over the Atlantic! Look how beautiful the ocean is!

Plans to visit friends in Illinois fell through when snow fell throughout the I-94 corridor near Lake Michigan. God's hand of protection was surely on me as I barely missed a nasty wreck and pile-up on the highway. I was able to navigate to a small, run-down motel in a town not far from the highway. Renting one of the only remaining rooms in the entire area, I stayed the night and decided to turn around and go back home the next day instead of heading toward Chicago and on into the teeth of the storm. "Old Blue", Grandpa Hays' car, held up just fine!

The Hays men went a caroling at a local nursing home on Christmas Eve. This memorable evening included singing in English and Russian, meeting a World War II vet who had served under Jimmy Stewart, and being touched by the kindness of a father who was decked out to visit his invalid son.

While on a walk one morning, I noticed this interesting phenomenon. A single grain of salt had cleared an area of snow around it that was at least twenty times its size! It got me to thinking about this use of salt, how it can lower the melting point of ice. My mind couldn't just stop there. Recalling that Christ's followers are "the salt of the earth", I began to wonder if indeed "lowering the melting point" of people around us should be one expression of the Love that lives in us. What do I mean? Does our presence and investment in others' lives encourage them to open up, to find their true selves, to gain a tender heart toward the things of God - something that would have otherwise taken much more "heat" and trials to occur?

The annual Wright family Christmas party. Grandma, Grandpa, Mom and her five siblings, with their spouses and children (my cousins). What a grand get together in Ohio each year!

Randomness at its best. While on our near-daily run, I saw this branch by the side of the road and began to carry it like an Olympic torch. This idea evolved into each of us (Dad, Lance, and I) carrying it for 1 1/3 laps around the neighborhood. You should have seen the look on at least one neighbor's face! Dad called it the "Antler Torch Run", or something to that effect.

Mom unveiled her stash of staches...

Back in Moscow, the 5th graders pose with their recently completed biomes projects. This group is a very creative and diligent bunch. It's a pleasure to teach them!

During my first week back, I decided to take advantage of some alone time with my little baby, Ira. We had a photo shoot, but she didn't know that's what it was. A couple of them turned out very well!!

Posing like a princess

One student models his newly invented goggles, which he made from trash items. For their assignment the students were to reuse a resource; instead of throwing something away, they were encouraged to make something new by reusing the old. We had some pretty imaginative creations.

A Will-kintosh computer, made out of a pizza box. Do you notice the words that have been "typed" in "Microsoft Word"?

When given the opportunity to write and act out dialogues, the girls in the class especially come alive!

Soccer at recess. What about football? American football is practically unknown in Moscow. Soccer (football) is king, and it reigns as the daily athletic activity during 4th and 5th grade recess.

The dramatic girls get so excited about their dialogues that they even practice while at recess!

A train of 4th graders on the Hinkson ice slide. Lord-willing, I will be able to teach them next year.

So what's happening in Moscow right now? Well, these first couple weeks have been quite intense. The return to Russia in January is always more difficult for me than in August. Why? Well, it's quite a turnaround in 24 hours to go from home, rest, family, friends, and Christmas in America to being alone in an apartment that desperately needs to be cleaned; amidst a culture and a language that I am still far from mastering; realizing that I once again need to do all my own laundry, cooking, shopping, etc.; knowing that there is a mountain of tasks to complete before school starts on Monday (two days away), when grades are also due; and just generally feeling a bit overwhelmed. I'm thankful that in that first hour back, Dad and Mom were able to help walk me through the emotions in a phone call!

But once everything was put away, a few late nights had been undertaken, and I had seen the kids and many friends again, life settled back to its best sense of normalcy: busy and deeply rewarding. I have gained two students this semester, so now for the third year in a row I will have had the honor of molding the hearts and minds of 17 fifth graders. One new student is a precious Hungarian girl who was ecstatic to join us last week; she told her mother after her first trial day at the school, "Mom, I want to go to school here!" It's a satisfying feeling to have as a teacher to know that your students like coming to school and actually anticipate it!

Contributing to a string of later nights have been added hours of practice for our upcoming school play, "Much Ado About Nothing", a Shakespearean comedy in which I play Antonio, the brother of Leonato - a feisty old man who explodes in anger at one point. Since this is my stage debut, I am gaining a much greater appreciation for those who act. Wow, are there ever a lot of things to think about at the same time ("Mr. Hays, your back is to the audience again...")! While a few details are still tentative, we are hoping to perform during the last weekend of February.

Another unexpected toughness has been the death of one of my students' aunts (the boy above wearing the goofy goggles). When I walked in the missionary family's door for dinner on Monday night, the family had just hung up the phone from finding out that the wife's/mother's sister had died, after a number of months of fighting aggressive cancer. We do not know if she had accepted Christ, but we do know that the mother of my fifth grader felt very impressed on Monday to miss language school and instead spend much of the day in prayer for her family, especially her sister. Amazing timing! The family flew to the U.S. on Wednesday and will be gone for 10 days. In the meantime, I'm staying in their apartment and taking care of their cat, which I don't mind at all. Please be praying for this family.

The English Cafe will resume for the spring semester beginning tomorrow night, January 24, at 7:00 p.m. Moscow time. We are excited to reconnect with our Russian friends after having not seen them for five weeks, and our theme for the night will be "New and Fresh". Please pray for relationships to deepen, for doors to open for us to share the gospel with discretion (sometimes it is more appropriate to be overt, but mostly it is best to share it covertly, allowing our friends to approach us with questions in our table discussion groups).

Below is a schedule for this semester's Cafes, so feel free to join in "live" by praying for this ministry, which lasts from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. on Saturday nights (Moscow Standard Time is eight hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time).

January 24 - New and Fresh

February 7 - Open Mic Night

February 21 - The Times of Your Life

February 28 or March 7 - Movie Night

March 21 - Image is Everything

April 11 - Easter Fair

April 25 - Word Game Night

May 2 - Karaoke Night/Open Mic Night

May 23 - Q & A

Also tomorrow afternoon will mark the first visit to the orphanage with my 6th graders (I lead a middle school group of some former students). Please join in prayer with us, that we would be able to communicate God's love clearly and effectively when we visit the orphans about once a month.

Praises:

• The Cafe is going very well, and our list of contacts continues to grow every week!
• I have been able to make some decisions about the future: how long to stay in Moscow serving in this capacity, how to go about a masters degree program starting in the fall, and other details related to those. Thank you for praying with me for this.
• My students continue to show great faith in God and His character, and it's being reflected in them!
• The dollar's worth is well over 32 rubles! What a deal!

Prayer Needs:

• The missionary family whose sister/aunt died of cancer on Monday
• English Cafe: while the family who first led the English Cafe remains in America, we are grateful that their church has been able to contribute significantly toward our rental costs. However, we still are in need of $200-300 to complete our rental payment. Pray that God will provide the necessary funds.
• Russian-American Christian University (RACU) is really working through some tough legal issues right now. Pray for favor within the beaurocracy.
• For me - My main prayer lately has been "Lord, help me to desire to desire only You!" (yes, the infinitive "to desire" is written twice). Pray for a singleness of heart, wisdom and love in abundance, and creative energy to complete all tasks set before me --- but to put the most emphasis on growing more intimate with Jesus.

More pictures, thoughts, and stories will be coming soon!