[SENT VIA EMAIL FROM RUSSIA]
It is now 1:30 AM here in Yurievets. Odd, it’s still dark. Maybe the sunrise is still at the night club dancing with all the Russians across the hall. I’ll have to go find it and remind it to rise in thirty minutes. And tell them IT’S ONE AM!!! LET ME SLEEP! Oh wait, I like this song, you knowm the one from “Night at the Roxberry” with Will Ferrel and that other guy. The movie where they just move their heads side to side and have no luck with the ladies. Of course you remember!
Obviously it is four or five hours past my bed time. I’m talking to the computer and asking if it remembers some movie. I’m not right in the head and it’s going to be a long day tomorrow. I need to appologize ahead of time for this update. Jesus has seriously wrecked shop with our team in amazing ways. I honsetly believe today was a spiritual and emotional breakthrough day, so much that it may take a while for my scattered, exhausted, and sleep deprived brain to express. Andy offered to write tonight’s update, but I felt that this would help me process all of God’s greatness. I haven’t had the time to journal. Sadly, my brain is way faster than my pen so it helps to “brain dump” on the computer. You poor prayer warriors have to sit through this until I get to the good stuff. Sorry. And thank you.
Today felt like another day I had in Yurievets about a year ago. We as a group then, as we did today, agreed that it felt like we had been here way longer than three days. Or is it four? Three. Definitely three days.
Anyway, it was at this time last year that Satan began to effectively inflitrate the group. He is very cunning and very good at what he does. punk. I felt last year like I was not being used effectively. I thought I should be wrestling with the kids, cracking funny jokes and being the center of attention, selfishly. This time last year Eric L and Brian W confessed with great frustration that they too felt like they were out of place. It was simply satan wispering lies, trying to cast doubt and asking the question, “WHAT THE HECK (choose and explative of your choice. Four letter words work best) AM I DOING HERE?!?! What difference can I make? I can’t save the world and fix all their problems. I might as well eat dirt and leave.”
I told you, satan is good at what he does. But God, with his humility, grace and intense friendship fell upon us, calling upon the verse that speaks of His body. Some will teach, some heal etc. and reminded us, mercifully, that He is the head, our Papa, and we are His body. I wasn’t supposed to be the center of attention, like say, a hand, strutting around with all its fingers and opposable thumb. No, God called me to a more fitting role, like the elbow, which supports the hand, but also allows the hand (insert any other cool body part here, I just chose the hand beause hands can clap and snap and cool stuff like that) to reach to places it could normally not reach. But most amazingly, He helped me realize that as soon as I trusted God to let me be who He designed me to be, I became effective. The next day, when I filled my role and became part of the body, there were a dozen young boys scrambling just to be my friend and share their lives. YEAH GOD! I would have completely missed that opportunity if I had selfishly chased my desires. The most haunting aspect of this reflection is that satan attacked many of us today in the same manner.
It felt like today we had finally squandered the last of ourselves. We had run out of ways for us to be here. Projects were finished, crafts were created, games were played and items were checked off lists. Now, like a five year old who needs a nap, we begin to complain that we are not what we should be. Many of us, during devotional, shared that we felt ineffective. We as a body were not relying on Jesus for our purpose. Andy shared that he finally relented to God. He always wanted Yurievets to be his way of having boy time and be a guy. But now he has realized that he is here, not to shoot a video or befriend the mayor, but hold Katya, his sponsor child’s hand. To hug her, and to be here for her. Wendi S shared great humility in expressing that she felt like she did not belong. But how the team stepped in to squelch satan’s lie. God needed Wendi to simply be a hand to hold. A smile to shine. A heart to beat. Some of the best encouragement came from John the Blonde who said, “My words do not reach these kids. You, traveling across the globe to see them once a year, when their own parents won’t travel 15 minutes to see them once a decade, teaches these children how much Jesus loves them.”
You can take a moment too. I lost it. I haven’t cried so hard in my life. Yes, I am a 25 year old guy who was a blubbering fool. God blessed our hearts to know that our lives were seeing God’s friut. Whew, shake it off Ian. Be strong. I told myself I wouldn’t cry again *sniff*sniff*
God crammed us into that room and MOVED! I’m talking shook lives. He revealed our fears and reminded us that we are here NOT by chance, but by His will. So pray with me that satan has no strength. I am weak, but that means that God is so much stronger. Less of me means more of Jesus. I am an elbow, and satan can do nothing to stop me. Watch me bend. Andy is a shoulder to rest a head opon, and Wendi is a forearem. She gets to hold God’s children closest out of all of us, and let us praise HIM for it!!!
Sorry, got on that soap box and ran with it didn’t I? Too much? I’ll scale it back a notch. We’ll blame it on the lack of sleep. What was I doing? Oh yeah, updates. It feels like the relationships are only getting cooler. I swear, these kids have the biggest hearts. They love to make us smile and give. We went to an “art gallery” today. You may notice the quotation marks. Not really an art gallery, just like we don’t really stay in a “hotel.” It was filled with gorgeous watercolors from local artist. Very nice (add Borat accent as necessary) The walks with the children are awesome. They love to point out little tid bits of knowledge and share what they know with you. Such a blessing. It is very obvious that we have an increadible team in the states praying fervently. Thank you. You are making an indescribable difference. Know that you too are called to this humble position.
Some of the team decorated shirts and made boondoggle key chains. Not to brag, but I’m way good at boondoggle key chains. Just a side note, in case anyone was wondering. John the Blonde spoke in unison with the Spirit about David and Goliath and how through God, we can not only accomplish great things, but things we should never be able to accomplish. Many of the kids had cool input.
Well, we played soccer again, go figure. I probably should have started this novel with this amazing news, but, WE TIED! Oh you read that right. TIED. Same score when it was time to leave. In all fairness we had a kid from the orphanage on our team who scored every goal, but those are details that needn’t be factored. WE TIED. USA. USA. USA…and the Russian kid, who did all the work. We just get in the way. If anyone has any pointers on how to play soccer, please send them. ASAP.
We are heading up to the Russian Orthodox Church tomorrow, to be followed by a day of “sport,” whatever that means. Sport in Russia can mean anything. Needlepoint and macrame while sitting outside falls under the realm of “sport.” But we have long walks all day so be praying it up for those convos. Oh man, I shortened conversation to convo. It’s a sign that I need to hit the sack. Hopefully they’ll play some R&B across the hall to help me sleep. Maybe I’ll make a request. I hope the sun got out before those people started shouting again. Always with the shouting. There is not end to it. It’s like Russian much be spoken in shout. NICE SHIRT!!! IT LOOKS GREAT ON YOU! IS THAT A NEW HAT?!?! I LOVE IT. just like that.
Ian
