Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Update since August(!)

Wow, it's been a while since either of us have written. Things got busy with a staff conference in St. Petersburg and then never really slowed down. Here's a quick list of things that have happened in the past several months.

- Staff conference in St. Pete with all of our Russian staff (encouraging time, especially seeing our friends from all over the country)
- the Lawsons, our dear friends and leaders, left for the U.S. for good. They are now raising support to move to the Boston campus ministry team. For weeks it felt like we were in mourning after they left.
- We went away as a team for a planning weekend and formulated an exciting new vision for reaching the city of Moscow.
- Our new STINTer (intern) joined our team. His name is Zach. He likes bicycles, NPR and board games. He fits right in with us.
- We began an English club at one of the universities and it is growing weekly. Praise God!
- We've begun reaching out via social justice ministries to the poor and refugees. We're trying to get students involved with us in these outreaches. Pretty exciting too.
- Charlie continues to grow and amaze us with his personality. He has the seriousness of his father, but also the playfulness of his mother. We're not quite sure whose personality he has more of at this point. However, judging by how unafraid he is of strangers and how much he likes playing with other people I'm guessing he's more like his mom than his dad.
- We celebrated 6 years of marriage in December. We went to a new art gallery to celebrate while Zach babysat Charlie for us. It's called the Institute of Russian Realist Art and it was amazing. check it out at www.rusrealart.ru.
- We continue to find joy and hope in the resurrection, especially during the dark wintry days of Moscow. As I write this it is 9:42 am and the sun isn't even up yet.
- We've also launched a facebook page for students and friends to follow along with the new and exciting things we're doing. Check it out at facebook.com/newlifemoscow

We hope to write more soon. I've read some great books that I want to record some thoughts on and we've got other things on our mind that we want to put on here. But, we'll have to wait till we get a slight break to do that.

Jess leading our English Club in a game of hangman

students and staff using pictures to describe life and God

Zach, center, studies some lyrics from a song with Russian students
Jess and Dave at a recent reception for the teachers and staff of Hinkson Christian Academy
(Dave is on the school board this year)
Charlie grows bigger in size by the day and with that grows his personality. 

Until then keep praying for us and let us know what's new with you and how we can pray for you.

Dave & Jess & Charlie

No comments: