Meet Professor Peter Jessen

Meet Peter!

Peter is going to be teaching the course, Doctrine of Man. The students are really looking forward to hearing what he has to teach. In this picture you can see Lena translating for Peter. Peter is a riot. He's got all kinds of stories and a really great delivery. He's very intelligent and knowledgeable.

Meet Professor Dan Jepsen

Here's Dan sharing the message for the Sunday service. Zhanna Translating!

Dan is such a pleasure to have around. He's got a great sense of humor and an amazing sense of how other people are doing. I don't want to say he's sensitive because the meaning is wrong in English. He's just really tuned in to other people. It's going to be amazing hearing him teach about the Psalms.

Dan and Peter presiding over communion.

Baby Bee Food

Yes, This was a gift from one of my students today. He says if I'm going to get over my cold that I need help from mother nature. This is a photo of baby bee food. I'm to hold it on my tongue for as long as possible with a 1/2 teaspoon of honey to get rid of my cough...

Here goes!

Meet the CEC staff in their NEW offices!

Galina, camp director

Sergei, recovery ministries director

Sveta, office administrator / camp support staff

Irina, CEC director / Bible College Administrator

Lena, Interpreter

Olga, church treasurer

Not featured - Natasha, camp program director

Bump into Me....

I'm reading the book, "The me I want to be" by John Ortberg. This morning I was struck by and interesting line in the book.

John was writing about how his 3 year old son wanted to pour his own glass of milk. We all know what's coming. An overflowing glass of milk. The kid actually did it. He poured the glass and didn't spill.

Of course, when he grabbed the VERY full glass afterward, it spilled. He bumped the glass.

Whatever we're full of, pours out when we're bumped.

It just really got me thinking, what comes out of me if someone bumps into me? Do I jump all over them? Do I complain? Am I gracious and kind?

What goes in, is what comes out. It's got me thinking this morning.

Bump into me....

Pickles

How's this for a cool gift? It's the biggest jar of pickles I've ever seen! S. gave them to me as a thank you for talking through 'stuff' with him. I really enjoy meeting with him one:one.

Life is great.

Migration: trip number 5

This morning we arose and once again joined the 'amazing race' on our way to temporary Russian residency. We headed off to the migration service to wait in line with a bunch of folks whose faces are actually becoming familiar.

We've been granted another interview on April 15. In honor of tax day, we'll be attempting once again to give our documents.

We're now in a scary place as our current visas run out on September 7. It's supposed to take 5 months for them to approve an application.... so, please pray that we don't just miss out completely, because it really takes the full 5 months. We have to be in Russia to accept our temporary residency or it expires.

Details details.

Easter with Interpreters

We had a really fun evening with several of our interpreter friends. They came over, we talked about Easter and we colored eggs together.Masha with her princess egg.

Sergei telling us a story.

Arti brought Kulich (a tranditional Easter bread!)

HOUSE OFFER!!!

On March 31, we received an offer on our house. It is our first offer in writing and we're excited. The house mortgage has been a pretty big burden for us since June of 2009, when our renters left the house.

G0d has really provided for us and we calculated that we'd have enough funds to pay the mortgage until March. And exactly at the last moment, the offer came.

We countered on the 1st of April and today we reached an agreement with the buyer.

As always there are a LOT of details with the house sale. As the financial crisis continues to affect Michigan very strongly, in order for us to sell our house, the price is incredibly low. It's about $50,000 less than the price I paid for the house in 2001.

So we have to pay the mortgage company the balance as well as some fees for the actual house sale. The buyer wants the house immediately, so she would like to close before May 1. We are thrilled with that date and hope all works out accordingly.

Please join us in praising G0d for His answered pr@yers of the last year for the house to sell, and for the buyer. And then keep your pr@yers going for everything to go through (there are inspections and a LOT of details... including document details - as we're in Russia and papers need to be signed in America).