My 3rd Journal Entry

December 1, 2005 It's been a few days now since we went to the market the first time on our own. It turned out to be a family effort. I would look for what I thought I needed most in the kitchen for the week, hoping that I was getting the right products. Dean used whatever Russian he knew and some pointing and gesturing. Then Matt and I put the items in some cloth carry bags we had brought with us. Thankfully all the people we purchased from were very helpful and patient.

There are a lot of interesting looking products that I don't recognize. Some have familiar company names I know from the time we spent living in other parts of Europe. There are many spices, flour and sugar that I need but I don't know the words for them. I need a better Russian/English dictionary. . . For now we are eating luncheon meats that I bring home and slice myself, fresh carrots, apples, potatoes, cabbage, macaroni, rice, eggs and breads.

I brought a bit of my recipe collection with us so that I can make some of the familiar things we like the best. Some recipes will only be useful as a pattern or idea bank for me to create from, as some foods are only typical of the USA. > I remember someone praying for me before we left Texas. While the minister was praying he said the words "Lord give her knowledge of witty inventions." I think if I am going to successfully feed my family to my satisfaction that may be exactly what I need!

Journal Entry Our 2nd Day in Russia

November 28, 2005 I’m still on USA time physically, so it's very early in the morning. Last night as we were preparing for bed, we found that the bed in our bedroom is broken. Actually it’s a pullout couch. Dean slept in the room that will become his office on the twin size bed in there, and I fixed the broken couch enough to make it good for one person to sleep on. Later we will move the twin bed into our room so that Dean and I can sleep together in the same room at least. We will have to get another bed at some point, as none of the 3 beds here is long enough for a 6 ft. 4 in. tall man.

Today is our first full day on our own. We need to go get some things from the market and we don’t know many words in the Russian language. Dean said once that he communicated “with hands and feet”, a little German, and anything else when there is no one around to translate, so I guess that’s what we will do. We have money exchanged yesterday so we are ready. The market has been described to me as the best place to buy things inexpensively. The stores are only a little bit more Rubles for most things, but at the market you will find more variety of products and you can buy in bulk amounts.

One thing I haven’t made clear yet is that it's very cold here. There is snow on the ground and we have just come from Texas where it's just beginning to have cooler temperatures: we hadn’t had anything lower than about 42 F. We are not planning to get a car while we are here, so we will walk everywhere or take public transportation as available. Thank God for our warm coats. I really feel like a missionary in Russia today!

My Journal Entry Our First Day in Russia

November 27, 2005 We’ve had a little sleep now, been to our first church service and said hello to the people we are here to serve with. They’re a beautiful group of people, so loving and they have welcomed us so wonderfully. We found out at the airport that they had located a furnished place for us to live in while we are here. They had only found it 3 days ago so they have been working hard to be sure it's clean and has a bit of food supplied for our use. It has 3 bedrooms so one will be Dean’s office so he can have some quiet while he works. There is a balcony, it has hot water run through a radiator system for heat, it's on the fifth floor of a block of flats and there is an elevator in the building! Someone made a welcome sign in English and decorated the living room with some balloons. It was great to feel wanted so much. Its early evening now and I’m off to bed. This 9-hour time change is ROUGH!

That was my journal entry for the first Sunday in Russia. The building you see in the picture is the one we live in. It’s a recently built building, so the plumbing, electricity, and heat have been dependable. We're blessed that it's close to the tram stops and shopping markets.

Missionaries Go Where God Sends Them

Hi, the word missionary, I have always been told, means "sent one". My husband and I wondered at first if God truly knew what He was doing sending some people from the flatland of Texas over to Europe. Wouldn't an island somewhere do as well? As usual though, things have proven that it wasn't such a weird idea.

God always knows what He is doing. He has a plan – plans to take care of you, not abandon you. Plans to give you the future you hope for. That's what the Message translation says for Jeremiah 29:11. Whatever God has planned for our lives, it is to bring us to an expected end that will bless us. Sometimes we travel in unexpected places to get there, but God has a purpose in everything.

Many times over the years, we've heard the Lord tell us: "Don't fear. I have your future all mapped out." And you know what, He has. It's been revealed to us a little at a time, and we have now lived in 4 nations besides our own. Over 22 years now, in every place He has sent us, we have had His peace and assurance we were in the right place. And in our obedience to go, we know that He is with us and will direct our steps.

At this time our steps are in Russia. My husband is doing what God has given him to do, our son is doing home schooling and I am keeping everything together at home. It's not very much different for me than it would be if we were home in Texas. BUT THERE ARE SOME DIFFERENCES