Rice-a-roni, crystal light, and all that jazz

Me: John, why will you speak Russian to Irina and not to me?
John: Because you don't really speak it very good.


Ah, out of the mouths of babes, yes? (Sorry, I've started taking on the Russian construction of putting a yes on the ends of questions.) Today, Irina said to John-John, "джон как тебя зовут?" (Literally, John, what are you called?--the Russian way to ask your name.) John's instant reply was, "меня зовут джон." (I am called John.) Now, how did he learn that? I haven't a clue, because we honestly have spent very little time on the language with him. He just picks things up by hearing them, I guess. Stinker...I have to study and study, and John just gets it by listening. Doesn't seem fair, does it?

We received a box from the States yesterday from my parents, and we have thoroughly enjoyed some treats from the U.S. (By the way, in Russian, it's not the U.S.A., it's the сша--the "s sh a"--they make the sounds of letters rather than naming them.) After English club last night, we made rice-a-roni (a treat for S.B., her favorite dish in the States) and watched the Dove Awards on our slingbox, since we had taped them. We were literally up half the night watching them, finally deciding to finish today. What fun! We are drinking crystal light and eating rice-a-roni and listening to great music and just having a blast together. Finally at midnight, we decided we had better head to bed. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the kids watching the Doves. (Not John-John, because he's not that interested in any particular kind of music yet.) The girls got to see some of their favorites (Natalie Grant for Han; Rush of Fools and Switchfoot for S.B.), I loved every second of every song, and we had a great time together. One of the great blessings of the slingbox is getting to do fun stuff like that, which is so uplifting to the whole family.

English club went really, really well last night, and I appreciate the prayers of those who covenanted to participate in our ministry in that way. It was a great time, and we were able to introduce some spiritual conversations amidst the explanation of various American traditions and their Russian counterparts. (The eggs in Russia are serious business--they take them to the church for the priest to bless them.) We had a great time, and nobody went running out the door when we talked about "God" stuff. In fact, the first question we took was what kind of church we attended. When we replied, "Protestant," no one looked too upset by that. (We do not generally say "baptist"--communists were extremely threatened by baptists, and portrayed them as a cult where members sacrificed their babies and drank their blood. You can imagine the term baptist can be a little off-putting to some here.) Even better, in our time together after the club was done, we were able to chat and continue to develop the relationships that we are already working on here. We even got an invitation to put together a picnic at the home of some members of the club. THIS IS BIG STUFF!!! Russians are not naturally trusting people. And 75 years of communism certainly didn't make them more trusting. To be invited to someone's home is unbelievable this soon. We are really, really excited about what God is doing.

As we sat around after English club as a family, listening to great performances at the Dove awards and talking our way through all the things that had happened during the day, I couldn't help but think that this is a really interesting season in our lives. I'm certainly not saying our transition here has been easy--it's been anything but. But I'm starting to see God's design in our difficulties. I am a person who, given the slightest chance, would rely on my own abilities and strength to do things. It is not part of my personality to rely on others. But here, much more than in the States, there is little choice but to rely on Him. He's simply taken every other possibility away. I can't rely on my brains--I speak, at best, like a 5-year-old. I can't rely on my family--they're thousands of miles away. I can't rely on my friends--the mission field is extremely fluid, and constant good-byes are a part of life. I can't rely on Marc and the kids--they're in the same difficult process I am. The things I would normally fall back on are not possible here. He is my only refuge. Brother Andrew, the missionary famous for smuggling Bibles into Eastern Europe during the cold war, called it the step of Yes. Not yes, but. Not yes, if. Just yes. I guess in some ways, we took that step when we left everything behind in the States. But I really am starting to realize that every day (hour? minute?) is another opportunity to simply say, "Yes" to Him. Yes to Russia. Yes to sadness. Yes to homesickness. Yes to doing without. Yes to whatever, wherever, whoever, whenever. Just yes. And as we laughed and sang along last night, as we recapped English club and the response to the lesson, as we enjoyed rice-a-roni and crystal light together, I realized that it is also Yes to fun. Yes to adventure. Yes to knowing one another better. Yes to being together. Yes to more of Him and less of me. Yes to contentedness. Yes to peace. Yes.

We have a full weekend. Hannah is at a sleepover tonight. Tomorrow is the spring carnival at Hinkson. Sunday is Easter. Better than all those things--it is supposed to be sunny and 60 degrees. Could anything be better than sunshine and green grass everywhere? Wherever you are in the world, I challenge you today to just say Yes to whatever He has for you, and that you have lots of sunshine (thought not too much, Tara) and green grass to enjoy. Blessings to you and yours!

His,
Kellye