A month-end update

The past month has been spent unpacking, rediscovering old things (thank you everyone for the wedding gifts), becoming official Colorado residents, and visiting and filling out paperwork at Mission Training International, our new ministry.

Since we've mentioned God's abundant generosity to us in this time, we thought we'd share some of the multiple praises that we have for His provision in this time.

- Several financial gifts to help with this time of transition

- A bed and dresser for Gideon

- a shelving unit and desk

- a running stroller

-An apartment to rent for a time that is VERY affordable!

Then on October 28 we began our first session of COMPASS, the missionary pre-field training at MTI. This month MTI has asked us to audit the course as participants to get a feel for the program as it has changed a great deal since we were participants in 2006 (when we first met!). This means we are living on campus with the other participants (30 adults, 21 children). We are immensely enjoying this time and are also seeing God work in our own hearts and in others as well. This has already been a time of great refreshment for us and we are thankful for this new calling that is so in line with our giftings and passion for missions!

The impact of COMPASS - November 2014

These are the countries that will be directly impacted from our most recent session of COMPASS.  It is so amazing to be in among the excitement and energy of so many people preparing to leave to serve!

From Russia with Love

In August we finished packing up our belongings in Russia and saying some tearful goodbyes to people that have truly become our second family. On August 16 we flew from Tyumen to Moscow and stayed with some dear friends there for a few days. When we went to board our flight from Moscow to New York we were stopped in passport control and, to our surprise, were told that our paperwork was not in order for us to leave the country. To make a very long story short, local officials in Tyumen made a mistake in issuing our exit visas. This resulted in Jeff having to fly back to Tyumen, Amy and Gideon staying in Moscow and having to change flights a few times. Thankfully, we did make it back to the US, just a few days later than we expected. Special thanks to our dear friends Dan and Sasha who hosted us and were glad to drive us around and help us in the whole crazy process.

Upon arriving in the US, we spent a few weeks in Indiana packing up our things there and reconnecting with family and friends. This was a refreshing time and Gideon especially loved seeing his cousins. We then headed to Michigan and spent some time in northern Michigan with Jeff's family and taking a small family vacation. We ended our time in the Midwest by spending time in Ann Arbor where we were so blessed to live again with our dear friends Tom and Ruth Ann Robinson. During this time we reconnected with churches and supporters, Amy and Gideon made a quick trip to North Carolina to spend time with Amy's mom who was ill, and Jeff packed up all of our belongings into containers to ship to Colorado. On October 11 we headed west and had a very smooth trip to Colorado, arriving on October 13.

On the way to Colorado!

A few photos of the many adventures of Gideon on the way to our new digs in Colorado

 reading his favorite book "Poke-a-Dot 10 Little Monkeys"

Walking in daddy's hat (in Iowa) 

My first corn maze! (um, just corn stalks) 

a picnic lunch! 

 playing on the Merry-Go-Round

Gid loves swinging 

just a few moments with some Russian videos 

Gideon loves moving luggage

(lifestyle hazzard) 

Gideon liked spinning on this chair in the room!

Back in racing form!

Amy has been working on getting back in running shape and decided to run a race this morning on our way to Iowa (a stop on our move to Colorado).  She did great, finishing fourth overall (and number one for the women)!  I'm so proud!!!

here are some photos...

Gideon playing at the park - while we wait for the race to start! 

Amy preparing to run, run, and WIN 

Just before the finish line! 

Amy with her winner's trophy!

Support updates

We are transitioning our support from our previous mission agencies to our new agency, and the Lord is blowing our minds as we get updates.

In the month of September 17% of our support was coming in to MTI.  I'll be honest, this is one of the areas of my life where my faith is weaker than I have any reason to expect.  God has always provided for our ministry.

As I started to calculate our support so far for the month of October, it went from 17% up to 20% and then to 24% and as of this moment it's at 37.5%  I'm just blown away that God has shown us His goodness through our generous supporters.

Thank you to everyone who has already made the switch!

The Gift of Dining Out

We were invited to dine privately at a wonderful restaurant in Ann Arbor.  We cannot imagine how the Lord could continue in His extravagence, yet He continues to surprise us.

Chum opening at the Cultural Center! (Chum = teepee)

Tonight there was a grand opening of a very special kind at the Cultural Center!  The Chum is finished!  There were songs in Nenetski, a Nenets dance troupe performed and we had reindeer (and reindeer soup).  What a cool evening!

 Nadezhda's cool braids!

 The dance troupe showing us, "the birth of the tundra"

 Victoria made plov (an Uzbeck rice dish) as a supplement to reindeer

 some of the church in front of the 'chum'

 singing around the bonfire

Nadezhda in front of the chum

Exploring the power of a whisper

Gideon exploring the playground

It's so amazing to be a father and to see Gideon explore and discover and explore this incredible world... Even in this moment I'm amazed at him and how God created us.  We're sitting in our apartment, me in a stool and Gideon in a borrowed high hair with a jury rigged safety belt that Amy and I made ourselves, and we're having breakfast.  He's having kasha, Russian for cereal, with a teething cookie in one hand and a ready kasha-filled smile and I'm drinking tea along with a yogurt-like breakfast of tvorog. 

As Gideon was independently playing this morning, emptying a drawer of Tupperware and measuring cups - I was reading the book Power of a Whisper by Bill Hybels.  We're reading it together as a team.  It's encouraging us to listen to God each day as we pray.  So often when I pray I find that what I say are rote phrases and mostly praises and requests, but taking the time to really try and listen is much harder.

It's a concept that isn't as easy for a big talker like myself, listening more.

Well, I'm going to do my best to practice all my active listening skills that I try to use in normal life as a part of my prayer life now... who knows what could happen?

Flash floods in Tyumen

Flash floods!  Craziness

You try to cross this with a stroller...

a Gideon update

This post is just several pictures of Gideon and what he's been up to and some new friends!

 Gideon is dressed for the weather - let's go!  Only 3 miles to the Cultural Center

 Gideon tries fish baby food for the first time!

 Gideon with his new pal Igor at church!

 Reading stories with daddy before bed (note that it's bright as day still.

 Hungry on the bus?  No problem.  Mommy is ready.

 No bed for Gideon yet... He's flexible - he'll sleep on the floor.

 Gideon with Marina (Masha's mom) 

 Gideon parkour!  Uh oh.   He climbs already?!

 Gideon loves to watch the wash spin around!

 Victory Day Parade - Gideon discovers balloons.

 Cutest overalls in the world.

 Our new Sunday morning tradition.  Breakfast as a family.

 Team time, dancing with Jeff B.

Team time, playing with Jim.

Tyumen Bible College - Discipleship

Today's lecture ends our Bible college session from the last two weeks.  What a great class and teacher (Dr. David Brown). We've sure learned a lot.  

Gideon has also enjoyed his visits with Marsha!

Women's ministry

The women's ministry gathered at our apartment tonight to finish studying the book of Hebrews.  I'm so proud of Amy that she managed not only to clean our whole apartment, cook a proper feast and watch Gideon for part of the day, but she also prepped for leading Bible study IN RUSSIAN.  wow!

Baptisms

There were three baptisms at church today.  Wow!  It is so cool to see parents responding to the message of God and desiring to bring their children into the family of God!

It's such an amazing blessing to be able to participate actively in the life of the church.