So much needs saying in this post that I do not know where to begin. My last posting appeared long ago, but to tell the whole of what happened in between would require pages of script that no one needs to suffer through. Let us see if I can summarize without too great a length:

The visa, a major component of moving overseas, always provides a variant amount of frustration depending on where you are going. In this case, the visa took quite a bit longer to receive than originally planned. Because of the hiccups I encountered (just some clerical errors, nothing overly serious), my departure date was extended from late July to early September.  The months surrounding that time frame were stressful, to say the least. All I could do was pray and be sure I had done everything I possibly could. Once I finally received my passport with the shiny new Russian visa pasted inside, my new departure date was just a week away. The relief I felt was immense, like an elephant lifted off my shoulders. (And I have ridden an elephant before, so I know how heavy they can be!) :)

My final week in the US went by far too quickly with many good-byes and tears.  Having been in the US for nine months made for a difficult farewell. I couldn’t believe I was standing in the airport hugging my parents good-bye.  Time had slipped through my fingers without my realizing.

The flight into Moscow went smoothly. A short two-hour layover in London Heathrow broke up the trip, so it was fairly straightforward. Flying into Russia, though, I worried about getting through customs. Paranoid that my visa would be incorrect or that my luggage would get lost kept me awake. However, God had it handled. An American woman who had been sitting beside me on the plane helped me get into the right Customs line, and then I was stamped and waved through. Now, I have been to Russia twice before, and I have never entered the country so quickly. Even the lady picking me up commented on how fast I had gotten through the airport. Only God could have worked that one out.

After the airport, I was taken to my new apartment, which I currently share with two Russian girls. They are sisters and incredibly nice. They don’t speak a lot of English, so our conversations have been quite interesting. The Google Translate app on our iPhones has been getting quite the workout. Still, we can laugh at the misunderstandings and move on. I’m learning random Russian words and they are learning English ones. Win win for us all.

The apartment itself is small, as most are in large cities like Moscow. There are three rooms, all of which are used as bedrooms so that there is no living room or lounge. The only gathering place is in the kitchen, where a table has been placed against the wall with small stools. There is no microwave, so all of my cooking will be on the stovetop. (I should be a professional chef by the time I leave!) The bathroom is even smaller, with the toilet separated from the sink and bathtub/shower into a tiny closet space right next door. It’s all quite functional. We have all the space we need, so it’s not as if I am lacking anything important. My room provides plenty of space for my things and me. It even has an enclosed balcony.

Since arriving, life has fallen into a tentative rhythm.  School starts at 8:30 every weekday and ends around 4. I will be teaching an English class twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays starting next week, which will add to my schedule a bit, and then other things will start adding up as time goes on. I haven’t tried going any place on my own just yet, but I know I will have to face that step eventually.

I am doing my best to adjust to the change, but I will admit that it is very hard. The language barrier is a new challenge for me. Being a social butterfly by nature, I’m having a hard time not being able to talk to people. Most teachers at the school can speak English, but it takes effort for them. Understandably, they prefer to speak in their native language, so I often keep to myself and just listen. I hope to pick up some Russian so that I can attempt to join the conversations, but that will come with time. For now, I can only take one day at a time and keep moving forward. I know this is where the Lord wants me, and He will see me through the year.

The only major prayer request I have right now is that you would pray for strength and peace as I go through this adjusting stage. It will take time acclimating to my new life in Russia, so all of your prayers would be greatly appreciated.

April arrived seventeen days ago, but somehow I still feel like my mind is lost somewhere in the middle of March.  My twenty-fifth birthday sailed by on a breeze that blew us into April, and just prior to that I had stumbled into a substitute teaching position at an early learning center. Now it’s mid-April, and my mind cannot keep up. So much to do, and the time is disappearing. At least some progress has been made, which leads me to the reason for this post:

The website is up and running!

I am so glad to finally be able to say that. Seriously. I did not plan for the website construction to take this long, but with a new job, my daytime hours were taken up by little children that left me utterly exhausted at the end of the day. I have only recently managed to get my feet back under me and, as a result, the site is now set for its reveal to the world.

I hope you all enjoy the new site and its look! Please look around and check out all the different pages. I’ve put up some photos from South Africa, provided further insight into how I got there, and even go into a bit of detail with what is coming up in Russia. New things will be added as different elements come together, but I will be sure to let you all know about any new additions here on the blog.

As you will see, the Support page is still being worked on. This is because just a few days ago I received news that I will not be able to use the services of the non-profit organization I have been using for the last two years to channel the tax-deductible monetary donations through. Servant’s House was amazing to work with, and I do appreciate all that they did for me while I served in South Africa. Prayers regarding this change would be greatly appreciated, as this is a major component in my preparations for Russia.

In other news, as mentioned above, I have managed to find a job to earn some extra funding for both here in the States and for the future in Moscow. I desperately needed something to help me out financially, and the Lord provided one at the same place in which my mother works. I now work with little children from the young age of nine months to four years old. As a substitute, I bounce to whichever rooms are missing a worker, and fortunately, I have been needed to work pretty much every day for the last month. This was such a huge blessing. I am surprised at how much I am enjoying this job since I am working with such young children. Prior to this, the youngest age group I had worked with was eight years old, so going down to infants was a stretch for me. God clearly knew what I could handle though, and I’ve discovered a whole different side of me I never knew existed. The work is always different and new, which keeps me on my toes. I am exhausted by the end of the day since I typically work 9AM to 6PM, but after doing this for a month, I am now handling the tiredness with more ease. My body just had to get used to it again.

I have also found a new church here in Lynchburg, Virginia. My family had been attending the same church since I was thirteen, so upon returning to VA, I wanted to find a church that suited me in my current stage of life. Some friends spoke to me about their church, and after one service, I knew Gospel Community Church was the place God wanted me to settle. Our pastor is amazing and, as only God could plan, he is Ukrainian and speaks fluent Russian. When he and I were introduced and I told him about my plans for Russia, he immediately started speaking in Russian to me. I just gaped at him for a solid fifteen seconds before finally managed to say, “I don’t speak Russian yet.” He just laughed.

At this church, I am now involved in the children’s ministry and in a community leadership group that meets every Friday afternoon. I absolutely enjoy every minute spent with these people from Gospel Community. The people are amazingly friendly, and I felt right at home the moment I started getting involved. I’m also looking to help out with the hospitality group, since I love talking to people. (No surprise there!) If I sound overly excited about everything, it’s because I am! God is providing for me in so many ways that were both needed and unexpected. Life is amazing right now.

With time wearing down, however, I know I have to start focusing on Russia. The visa cannot be applied for until 45 days prior to my planned departure, so that’s one thing I don’t have to worry about yet. Since the school is in the midst of its second semester of the year, I am not likely to know what I will be doing and/or teaching there yet.  As always, I will keep everyone informed as new information emerges here on the blog.

Before I sign off, here are a few things I could use prayer over in the upcoming months:

1. Need a new non-profit organization: As described above, I need to locate an organization that will be willing to channel any financial support that comes my way. This is a major need right now
2. Financial support: Living expenses in Moscow are very high, so this is a major concern. I will need about $2000 a month to live in Russia. I know the Lord will provide a way, but lifting this need in prayer is always a good plan.
3. Strength: Juggling a full time job with preparations for Russia can be quite tiring. I am managing to regain my momentum again, but there is still much to do and I cannot afford to slow down.
4. Russian Language: I am currently moving through Rosetta Stone’s language program in Russian. The language is very different and difficult, so I need to have a ready and alert mind to learn and remember all the information.

As always, thank you for all of your prayers and support. I will keep everyone updated here on the blog as time moves closer to my departure in late July.

I hope you enjoy the new site!