Week 2

This past week, just flew by. Of course I miss a lot of you guys, and the team especially is missing Tim at the moment. I feel that we all miss his sarcasm stories of ministry past. Thank you again Tim for all of your help!

Ministry wise this week, the team and I did some more english classes at Masha's school, which usually consisted of us answering questions about America, and playing a game that makes them use their English vocabulary. Then we spent a couple days in the village where the YWAM base is located. We got to do the kids club twice while we were there, and each time, we would start by introducing ourselves and playing some games, they really liked wink of death. Then we would go into our lesson plan. First we would tell a story like the lost sheep, the way that One Story taught us, and then we would use the craft to highlight key characters or ideas in the story. For instance, for our first story, the lost sheep, we had one of the students make a shepherd, and the rest of the students then would make the sheep. We joined in to of course. Then we had one of the students retell the story with the help of the other children as well, and they did great. After our story and craft time, like nearly anything else that you do in Russia, we took a break to sit down around a table together, fellowship, and drink some nice, hot tea. We also had an excellent time with the elderly ministry there. Ethan, one of my students, was able to really touch the heart of one of the babuchka's with his guitar playing. She was weeping when she told him that it was her husband's favorite instrament, and it had been nearly an entire year before she last heard it. (She never said what happened to him that he stopped.) You could tell that God was really working and moving in our time at the village. It turned out to be the highlight of nearly every everyone's week. The students have also had the unique experience of seeing what the missionary life is like here in St. Petersburg, whether it is through living with the missionaries, or visiting their home ministries, it has been an experience to remember. We have really partnered up with an english club that meets once a week or so, interceding, or just talking with one another and play games.

Please pray for wisdom for us as leaders, and that we would just be able to share the heart of God with everyone we come in contact with. One praise report that we do have is that Masha was just given an extension on here final paper, which is a huge burden lifted off her back. Now she will be able to finish her college.

Thank you all for your prayers.

-Kyle