I can hardly believe I've been here a month already. I finished my 4th week of classes this past Friday and true to what some of the "veterans" told me, yes, it does make a little more sense now...much moreso than it did those first two brutal weeks!
Granted of course, that most of those same veterans have also told me to expect to take the full two years to be really comfortable!
I have found that being in contact with some folks back home is more important to me now than it was when I was on The World Race. Probably because during TWR I was constantly surrounded by people and was trying to find some "alone" time anywhere I could get it. I do have some friends here and honestly, I need to spend more time with them. I need to get out more.
I keep meeting people that have very similar ministry interest- to work orphans, to lead them to Christ and to prepare them for life after the orphanage, to see a viable Foster Care system here. I'm a little surprised though when I meet someone like that who doesn't already know someone else that I know with that same interest. Does that make sense? In other words... God is at work here in a lot of little streams but those streams are far from coming together. But it is encouraging just to know that God is putting the people in place.
I find myself thinking often...particularly on Fridays and especially if I've had a good day in class... that this is a life I could live. I like being here. I desperately need to get outside my comfort zone and start practicing speaking...but I am enjoying the challenge and I know the "ministry" part of it will take care of itself in time.
I'm looking forward to this week. We'll have a special schoolwide Overview (in English!) this Wednesday. I might have a lead on someone that can help me find that Hillsong Church next weekend. I'm ready to buy a TV as soon as one of my friends here has time to give me a ride! I think I'll get to meet one of my "facebook" friends that works here later this week.
Finally- keep the prayers and the encouragment coming. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. I still have some issues back home that weigh heavily on me. I told my oldest sister the other day that these weekends seem to be the hardest on me. Until I can establish some sort of routine or at least get out of the apartment more, the weekends are a little too much downtime even for me!
9 comments:
Dear Son. It is so good to find your message, and Yes you are allways in my prayers I think that I may know a little of how you must feel. it,s called homesickness,sometimes we can feel it even if we are at home , we feel it for those whom we miss and places that will allways be a part of us. that includes past times.
Never fear you will do fine in whatever endevor you set your heart for.
I think I,m a little home sick now to see you come rolling up in your jeep . I am so proud of you . and I Miss you so much.
we may go to your uncle Earls and Johns in a few days.
Hey I was supposed to try and cheer you up. I,ll try to do better next time, We love you much Daddy and Mae.
Hi Clinton, it seems like it's been longer than just one month since you left, and I'm going to just try to ignore the "23ish to go" part because I don't want to think of you being away from all of us for that long...it's just too depressing (and selfish of me to even think that way, I know). I had planned to try to call you this weekend, but I couldn't seem to stay awake long enough to get anything done. I'm really glad to hear that your language lessons are getting easier to handle, we're still praying for you, you know. I wish it was possible to just drop by and visit you some weekend, it wouldn't take us long to disrupt your downtime, believe me! When are you going to give us a land address so we can send an occasional paper letter, card, or package to you? Seriously, we really would like to be able to send some kind of package from home every now and then, you know, so hurry up with it (please). Take care of yourself, and have a great week, love always, janet
wow... when you talked about the little streams and God putting the people in place, it made me think of the underside of a tapestry... how it seems to jumbled and not together at all, but when you turn it over and see the up side of the picture, it's astounding... I think you're in a place where you're actually seeing the threads being woven into place... which means to me that you're one of those threads... and when it all comes together, it's going to be astounding... just keep doing what you're doing... and be ready... because when all those little streams do meander into the same path, there's going to be a mighty rushing river for God flowing through the Ukraine...
hey clinton,
just wanted to let you know i've been following your blog (although i haven't written anything yet). i am praying for you, and please let me know if there's anything specific i can lift up, okay? i'm praying about coming out to see you this summer...pray with me on this. i would really love to, i'm just not sure yet.
a little encouragement on the language thing: don't be afraid to make mistakes. that's how you learn...and if you do mess up it'll probably make for some good stories later! i understand your timidity, though - i'm the same way with my spanish. but the best way to improve is to just use what ya know!
i love you my brother. i can't believe you're really there...i have the ukraine flagged on my world map on the wall :) hopefully i will be seeing you on that side of things someday soon....
talk to you later! keep on keepin' on!
love, bets
Hi Clinton! Thanks for the update. I'm glad to hear language is becoming easier. I love your comment about little streams. Who knows, maybe God put you there to bring it all together. I'm praying for you.
-Karen
Hi, little brother... I'm about to head home for the day... but wanted to say hello and I hope your school day went terrific... I've been praying God would give you the gift of knowing and understanding and speaking in an unknown tongue... lol... and that that tongue would be Russian... wouldn't it be so cool to just suddenly KNOW it? Anyways... i love you... praying for you always...
Be kind to yourself, my friend. I think, simply by being there, you are very much stepping outside your comfort zone. The language stuff will come; I have no doubt. I'm just proud of you for going and making your vision a reality. It's truly inspiring. I continue to pray for you, and I think of you often. Take good care. Love, Thuy
Good Morning Clinton. You are in our thoughts and prayers constantly. Please let us know what we can do for you.I know about loooong weekends from John's duty days in the Navy. Stay busy and remember how much we all love you!Pam
Here we are into another week... hope it's a great one and that the language barriers are beginning to tumble... so you know you've got to learn how to sing Jesus Loves Me in Russian so you can teach it to us, right? We love you... we're praying for you always... and trusting that blessings are headed your way right this second...
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