News from Kiev

Last week I was feeling a little discouraged.  I was sitting in my room when all of a sudden, Vova started singing at the top of his lungs a song about how much he loved me.  I have never been serenaded before…kind of nice.  Then later that night, while I was cooking a late dinner, one of the teenagers was there also.  He told me about his friend’s visit a few days before and how they were intrigued with me, asking all kinds of questions.  He shared with me that they asked if I was a good teacher.  He told me that he told them I was a good teacher and then he emphasized to me…”You are a good teacher.”  Hmmmm….I must have needed that.  Isn’t it nice how God gives to us even when we don’t know that we need it?

The boys have been spending the weekends in the village this last month.  They have been gone for the last three days and I am missing them.  Tomorrow starts a new week of homework patrol.  After three days of fun, they will probably be wild.  We may be ready to send them back to the village.  By Friday, we have them somewhat under control.  I am working on incentive charts to help them listen and learn.  Sometimes my incentives are not as strong as their wills.

One funny episode happened last Friday.  One of the eight year old boys came home announcing he had to memorize a poem.  So we opened the book to the poem, which read “I’ve got a very pretty doll.” Bogdan’s eyes bugged out and he said, “Oh man.  I am not going to learn that poem.” After much laughing and teasing about his having a very pretty doll, he did make some attempt to learn it.  I will see tomorrow if he has or will.  Couldn’t they find a better poem for both boys and girls to learn?  Eight lines describing your pretty doll? Oh man!

This last weekend a pastor, who has a burning desire for Ukrainians to live for the Lord, came from Kiev and held a conference for youth and young people for guy/girl relationships.  The teenage girls and several older girls went and came back so encouraged.  Even though the topic was guy/girl relationships, the center of the message was making God the center of your life and becoming the person that God made you to be instead of concentrating on finding mate.  They were so encouraged in their walk with God.  God is doing a great spiritual work here.