maybe

So I know that I promised that I would post stories and stuff that happened. But I'm just not ready yet. But, I'm sure they'll come out as time goes by.

We have our DTS graduation on Friday, and then the school will be over. It's totally crazy! But, I'm really excited though at the same time because there is so much hope and excitement for the future. Like, I'm ready for the next journey God wants to take me on! And it's going to be awesome, I know!

"Every word of God is pure; He s a shield to those who put their trust in Him." Proverbs 30:5

This really made sense to me this morning. Meaning, I really understood it in my mind and my heart. Cool, uh?

i'm back!

Hello everyone! I've finally returned back to Tbilisi after one month in Khulo (a village in the Adjara region) and one month in Turkey! I don't know who is still reading this, but maybe readership will improve if I start to write more!

Hopefully sometime soon I will write briefly about various things that happened in the last 2 months and what's happening now in my life. I gotta go for now, but I will start soon.

So, please keep reading!

here I am!

Hello everyone...I am alive! It's been one month since I've used the internet and I'm having a hard time typing, but I will do my best to update you all on what has been happening!

OVERVIEW of Khulo:
We just spent one month in this place called Khulo. It's a town, but also a region because there are many villages surrounding it. It was taken over by the Turkish about 300 years ago, and was freed sometime after that. Because of the Turkish influence, most of the people there are Muslim. But they are not very "hard" Muslims, most of them just have the name and keep some of the traditions, although there are some who are very strong. In the midst of all of that, there is a little orthodox church, and a priest who has started an orthodox school with quite a few students in attendance. So, there's sort of a religious transition happening. Many people aren't satisfied with Islam and are seeking the truth, seeking Jesus! And we had a part in that.

WHAT We Did in Khulo:
The first weeks that we were there we spent mostly building relationships. It really wasn't very difficult, because for a while we had people over almost every night! It was cool, exhausting and a great opportunity all at the same time! We also visited the mosque, the orthodox church and the orthodox school. And after we built relationships, we spent the rest of the time maintaining them! Our contact Mendia was (and still is!) a blessing from God! He has a large family and a lot of influence in Khulo, and so when we were with him, everything was okay! And God knew all of that too, because in the 3rd week of our time there, He prayed and gave His life to Jesus! There were also 2 other people who prayed (Mendia's mom and a girl named Shorena), and many more heard and saw what having a relationship with Jesus is really about. And it was way cool!

WHAT Is Next For Khulo:
I think this is just the start of what God is going to do in Khulo! But even the start is an amazing thing to see! When we first arrived, Mendia was very standoffish, and he seemed sort of worried about us. But after we were straightforward with him-- told him we weren't Jehovah's Witnesses and told him why we were really there-- and the more time he spent with us, our relationship with him grew! And in the last days he recounted all of that to us! He told us of his fear of us coming, and of his trouble relating to people anyways...but how we overcame all of that (or how GOD overcame all of that!). And we had a very sweet goodbye with him and his family. I really believe that Mendia and his family will participate largely in God's work in Khulo, and it's way exciting!

It's so hard to describe 30 days of living in a village and doing what we did, so know that this is only a brief account!

WHAT I Learned in Khulo:
SO, in addition to all of that I learned: how to wash all of my clothes by hand, how to very proficiently use a squatty potty and I also dropped a flashlight down one, how to run the "petchka" (wood-burning stove), how to make really good Turkish coffee, how to take a shower without a...shower and also experienced many things! I was very sick one night, but I won't into the details of that...just know that it was a totally new experience for me! Also, we went on a cable car...I think it is like the 2nd highest in Europe or something. Yeah, that was cool. Especially when it stopped right in the middle and we all were certain we were about to face death. But, praise the Lord, we didn't! The other day we hiked 6 kilometers (12 there and back) in the snow (like a lot of snow) to a village where we ate some amazing food! Oh, I got engaged to a 4 year old boy named Aleko (he's Mendia's nephew). And so many other things!

So needless to say, I've learned a lot and grown a lot and I'd love to show you some pictures, but I can't right now! Hopefully when I get back to Tbilisi!

AND NOW...I'm in Batumi in an internet cafe, the 2nd one for today actually. My friend Diana and I found the first one and I was doing fine, but then she said that some of the boys wanted to do drugs, so we left. And now I'm here!

Tomorrow morning at 8am, we're going to start traveling to Turkey. It will probably be around a 12-16 hour trip depending on how crossing the border goes, how many times we need to stop to use the bathroom and so on! But, we will be heading to Samsun where we will partner with a local church there.

While in Turkey, I will have the opportunity to use the internet...but I'm not sure how it will work out. Turkey is a closed country, meaning for example, that it is illegal for me to talk about any non-Muslim religion with anyone under the age of 18. And that also means that internet is not really secure there, and so I'm not sure how I will be able to communicate, I will have to see what happens and what the people at the church say!

But, if you don't hear from me for another month, please don't worry...just pray!

And please just pray for us as a team, for unity and for strength as we go into a place that is very spiritually difficult! And for our safety, and for the safety of the people we will be working with. And for God's hand to be over everything!

Thank you so much for sticking with me! I thank God for you!

Until next time, MUCH LOVE AND MANY BLESSINGS!

billions and bags

Well, this might be my last post for a while.

But, things are going pretty good here. But a little crazy...finally finishing lecture phase, cleaning up our building that we've been in, packing to leave for outreach and more and more!

Last week our topic for lectures was "missions". I don't really know how to summarize, or explain it, but it was really cool and really inspiring. And I learned that there are--

2.2 billion people --> (2,200,000,000) that have not heard of Jesus Christ.

And maybe that's not news to you, but for some reason it is to me. I think subconsciously I thought that almost everyone had at least HEARD of Jesus (maybe that's ignorant of me)...but now that I realize, I understand a lot more. Or maybe a little more. But I understand more why we are called to go shine the light for these people...or maybe I'm just beginning to understand. I hope that in a few years I'll "get it" so much more than I do now.

Growth.

So, something less serious, but definitely exciting that happened last week: I was on Skype (for those of you that haven't gotten it yet, you definitely should) and all of a sudden someone that I didn't know was calling me. So, I answered and this guy was like, "hello, I'm Nadi!" and so I asked him who he was and he said he was from Jordan. But then I told him I had to go, because I was getting ready to make another phone call (which was really true). And so later I looked at his profile and he wrote something like "looking for a good girl for nice wife". But with a lot of spelling mistakes and a lot more hope or something behind it. Crazy.

Also, finished reading, "Blue Like Jazz" and I really like it. I basically really liked it after I read the first page, but I really really liked it after I read the whole thing. I definitely recommend it.

And ALSO, last night my friend Megan (she's an Assemblies of God missionary here...I met her at the English speaking church) let me wash and DRY my clothes. You do not realize how cool that is! My clothes haven't seen a dryer for over 5 months...and I was so used to crunchy jeans and shirts. But, oh the glory of soft ones! I am very grateful for that.

So to finish my intitial though...this is probably my last post for a while because we are leaving for outreach tomorrow (Sunday) night. We're going to take a train to Batumi and then sometime in the days after that, go to the village, Khulo. We're planning on staying there for 4 weeks and then we'll go to Turkey for about 5 weeks. And then after that, we'll return to Tbilisi for 1 week. And then DTS will be finished.

Wow.

And then I'm planning on staying here till April-ish, but I guess we will see what God does, you know?!

Okay, so maybe check back in 2 1/2 months (well you can check sooner than that if you want, but who knows how often I'll be able to update) and hopefully I will have written something.

My heart goes out to you! Wow, that sure sounds cute.

:)

buddhists and boots

So, last night I was in this magazine. Well, that's the Russian word for "store" or "shop" and I thought it sounded cool to say I was in a magazine.

Anyways, so there was this lady in there and somehow we discovered we both spoke English and so she asked me what I thought of the boots she wanted to buy, and I said they were nice. I also told her to definitely get the brown ones NOT the black ones, and as far as I know, she did.

But that's not why I bring her up.

This last week at DTS we learned about evangelism, and earlier in the day we had gone out witnessing and so I was sort of hyped up and I had my nice little tract about the 4 spiritual laws in my pocket. And in class we had learned these 2 like starter questions or whatever: 1: If you died tonight, how sure on a scale from 1 to 100 would you be that you would go to heaven? and 2: If you were standing before God and He asked you WHY He should let you into heaven, what would you say?

So, I was talking to her and I told her about my school and what I was doing here. And that opened it up a bit for me to ask something about spirituality, since she already knew I was a non-Mormon, non-Jehovah's Witness Christian. Well, I found out she was a Buddhist of sorts and so I could sort of tell that she really wouldn't want to read through my little tract with me, so I asked her that first question (see above). And her first response was, "well...I'm going to be reincarnated." So, I rephrased it to say, "IF there was a God and IF you were going to heaven how sure would you be, on a scale from 1 to 100 that you would get in?" and she said, "90." And I asked her why and she said something like, "Because I haven't done anything REALLY bad, at least compared to other people."

So, I was like okay. And I asked her the 2nd question, but it didn't really work out because it got all loud and stuff. So, then in a last atempt to talk about Jesus I asked her if she wanted to read a book that talked about Christianity a bit, and she didn't. And she said something about how she had grown up in a Christian community or something like that and they way she said it made it seem like it had been a really negative thing. So, I just told her this.

I said something like, "You know, God really loves you and He has a plan for your life. I know that there are many Christians who misrepresent Christ--I know that I have! They say, 'Jesus loves you!' but then the condemn you a lot and stuff. And I just want you to know that that's not what God is like! And on behalf of all those people who have misrepresented Christ (including myself), I ask for your forgiveness."

She said that I was forgiven and I could tell she really just wanted to get out of there. So, I stopped and started talking about the boots again. She said that she needed to get some money out of the cash machine and I told her where there was one and she left real quick.

I tell this because I don't think I've ever actually talked to or known a person (or maybe I did, but we didn't talk about) that believed that they would be reincarnated but still thought that if they were going to heaven they'd have a 90% chance. It was really interesting. I mean, you see those responses in videos like "Way of the Master", but it's so different seeing it in real life.

But you know, when she said that she was going to be reincarnated, I sensed a sort of doubt. I don't know really how to explain it, but it was like she was saying it, but in the back of her mind sort of not even reallly sure yet.

So afterwards I just prayed that God would bring another person, or maybe more people, into her life that would continue to bring up the topic of God and Jesus and that she would really come to know Him. I know that God wants her to know Him and have a relationship with Him more than I want her to know Him. You know?

So yeah. I also got some really sweet boots too. They have fake fur on the inside and they are warm.

one story and a half

So, since I have not written very much lately (undoubtedly causing a decline in my readership <--are any of those words used correctly?!), I really want to make some sort of effort to rebuild it.

But, I'm not sure how much I am going to be able to post when I'm on outreach (which happens in 9 days), but oh well.

SO ANYWAYS: One day, it was a Friday, a mini-outreach day--we went to a mosque for our outreach. Just to visit and see what it's like (since we're going to Turkey) and it was pretty cool man. Well, the man's reaction was pretty cool. He was like the administrator or something and I really don't think he knew that we were Christians. But, our leader had talked to him a bit and so he agreed to let us come in and look. The girls were even allowed to go into the men's worship place. So we asked questions, he answered them. And THEN...

my leader stepped forward and began to tell him that we were Christians and that we were just wanting to visit (it was more well-spoken and full of content than that, but I can't remember) and the man's eyes all of a sudden got kind of big. And his composure changed. But not in a bad way.

It was like he was completely shocked that CHRISTIANS would go and visit a MUSLIM MOSQUE and not condemn them or throw eggs at them or something. And it was pretty cool. He was very open still and very nice.

We went to leave and one of the guys' shoes was missing. WE found out that one of the street dogs had come in and taken it. But we got it back.

Then later we were walking down Rustaveli, and decided to hang out a big (AKA eat at McDonalds). And on the way, I met some of the gypsy kids I had met a while before when we were downtown. Well, it actually started because there was a little gypsy girl, probably like 2 or 3 just standing on her blanket on the sidewalk (the moms sit a little ways away--enough to watch them to make sure they don't get taken or hurt, but far enough where people can't see them). I was just sort of talking to her, although I'm sure she didn't understand me. But then all of a sudden this mob of gypsy kids came. Well, maybe not a mob. I'd say 10+ and I knew one or two of them from before.

SOME beautiful GYPSIES AND ME (and Nino)!

So, I asked if they were hungry, they said yes (of course) and so I began walking down the street, arm in arm with some of them, looking for a khatchapuri place. We found one and then the above picture was taken. We said our goodbyes and our group kept walking.

But then I ran into another one of the girls that I met before. The first time we met her she said that her eye was bothering her, and so Nino prayed for her that she would be healed. Nothing happened at the time. But when we saw them this time, they told Nino (or one of the Georgians and then I heard) that her eye was fine. That's pretty amazing man! So anyways, this girl was with 3 others and I asked if they were hungry and they said yes (of course). So I bought them some bananas. But they were still hungry, so I bought them some khatchapuri.

And people thought they were stealing from me or something, but I really don't think they were. People characterize gypsies (even I did/do at times) saying that they ALWAYS steal and they don't have a conscience about it and blah blah blah. But you know what, when I talked to those kids, and those girls especially, I saw something in them. I saw that they are real people too. And maybe that sounds ridiculous to say that, because "of course they're real people". But I can tell you honestly that I have had thoughts that they maybe weren't. Not directly, but thoughts that implied that. And I know that other people do. Like the people that walk by them everyday, throwing a coin in their cup, but not even looking at them...not even for a second.

Anyways, I know that God loves them and I really pray and am willing to take action if God calls, to do something that can help them get out of the viscious cycle they are in and restore their dignity and repuatation.

But yeah, so that was one story and a half.

something great

Well, we are basically 99.9% sure where we are going for outreach.

For about the first month, Khulo. It's a mainly Muslim village in the Adjarian region of Georgia, high up in the mountains, where they sometimes get up to 2 meters of snow and sometimes have no snow at all. I'm not entirely sure what we're going to do up there, but at least we know we're going. Right now, there is this man named Jamari here, he's 66 years old and has been working with the people in the village (evangelizing, I assume) for a while. So, he is going to be going with us up there to help us get around and to help us not offend too many people by our DTS-ways.

And for the second part, Turkey. Probably Trabzon and/or Samsun. Again, we're not sure what we'll be doing. But we're sure we're going (at least I think we're sure).

But in any case, we leave on the 26th of this month, prepared or not. But I am certain that we will be fine!

This last Saturday Keti and I (and Wes, but he left kind of halfway through) went shopping for outreach clothes, mostly at second-hand shops, and it was really cool man. Good deals, and I got quite a bit of stuff. But, I hope that we will all have enough money to get the things we need...we will...some way or another!

WHAT ELSE>>>>

The other day I re-read "The Great Divorce" by C.S. Lewis, and I realized that I really DO really like it. I read it once a year or so ago, and was pretty amazed, but I haven't read it since...so I was inspired to again and did. I would totally quote some really intellectual and/or touching passage out of it, but Andrew & Caitlin are reading it now. That's alright though.

AND ONE MORE THING>>>>

What inspired me to read that book again was our 24-hour prayer/fast we had here at DTS. We started at 3pm last Friday and went until 3pm on Saturday. We each signed up for 2 one-hour slots, and prayed for outreach and many other things. It was a pretty amazing thing, man! And WHY THAT INSPIRED ME: the first time I read "The Great Divorce" was like right before I was convicted to have my first fast, and it was really a step toward God, or maybe just more brake-power in my walk away from Him. Either way, shortly after I read that book God turned me around so that I was at least heading in His relative direction (I think I walked rather crookedly and of course for a while, and still do at times).

But anyways, yeah.

3 things...

...that have changed since I've come to Georgia:

NOW...

1. Persimmons are my favorite fruit
2. I actually really like tomatoes
3. I iron my jeans

:)

RELINQUISH: voluntary cease to keep or claim

ME AND MY ROOMMATES: DIANA AND IRA

So, yesterday I realized that there are a lot of things I really miss from the States...even things that I either really didn't like when I was there, or things that I didn't do very often. Like, for example, yesterday I had the hugest desire to go to the mall and to paint pottery with Micahlyn. And always I have the most hugest desire to drive.

I think it's because this week we're talking about "giving up your rights". Like, giving up your right to be comfortable and in your culture, and giving up your right to be married, giving up your right for a "good reputation" and giving up your right to live. I don't mean like never having those things, but just like TOTALLY surrendering them to God. Relinquishing them into His hands and trusting that He will take care of them, and that He will do what He knows is best...but doing all of that and still maintaining responsibilities. It's a really interesting concept, and a hard one. I mean, I can say that I trust God with my potential, or not potential marriage, but really I struggle to do that. You know, you meet a someone you like and you wonder, "will he be my husband?" Or trusting God with my life, when you do that, you are free from the fear of death, and I can say that that is not true for me! So, it's been good to talk and think about this stuff.

And something I really need to give up this very moment is my desire (it's definitely not a right) to control the other students! I struggle to find a balance between like seeing something wrong and mentioning it, and being a nagging-grandmother. I'm not proud of it, and it really is a hard thing to deal with...but I know I need to give it up.

But GOOD NEWS: This morning I was reflecting back on some things in my life, and one instance, or group of similar instances, popped up. I remember when I first started going to EdCC and I went and visited one of my friends in downtown Seattle. When we would talk, somehow partying (like getting drunk) would come into play, and each time I really wanted to say, "no, I'm really not interested in that kind of thing"...but I was too afraid! Maybe afraid that I would look like not "cool" or something, or just unsure about what I even wanted because as a believer in Jesus I was way of course. Anyway, I remember how I was then, and then viewed how I am now. Like, I don't think that I would really struggle with that now. I'd be like, "no way man!". And it's just really encouraging to see these different areas in which Christ has grown and built up my character thus far. I realized how much Jesus really is my REDEEMER, and what that redemption really meant. Eta ochen harasho.

my poem

Lord, there are so many times when I disobey
And then can't see past my feelings at all
Feelings of frustration, disappointment and sometimes even hate
Caused by my amazing ability to fall

But Jesus I know this is why you came
To rise above all the confusion and pain
It's like Paul says in your book, 'Of all the sinners, I am the worst'
And through this example you have displayed

MORE THAN I COULD HOPE FOR

I see your unlimited patience for those who would be saved
And I pray Lord Jesus, that for me you'd do the same
I know I don't deserve it, but oh Lord I pray
That for me you'd do the same

announcement + other things

ANNOUNCEMENT: For those of you who have fast internet and want to talk to me here in Georgia for free, get a microphone for your computer --> www.skype.com --> download "skype" --> and add me (jennifer.cook). It's pretty amazing to think that you're talking to someone halfway across the world for free. And also I can call phones in America for 2 cents a minute...crazy, I know.

OTHER THINGS: I'm feeling really rather uninspired to write anything here, which is strange because a lot has been happening. We are in our 4th week of school, and things are still going really well for the most part. I think now we are all getting comfortable enough with each other that we feel we can be "ourselves", which is great. But also some interpersonal conflicts are forming, which can be kind of stressful...but basically inevitable. We live in small quarters, are together practically all the time, and are all very different (although quite complimentary). But, I trust that God will really teach us through it all, and that once we get through this, we will be able to handle ones in the future a lot better.

OH and I think I'm turning into a Georgian, or something. Like, the other day we were having a break and for a snack I ate bread with mayonaise and pickled pepper on it. Of course the Georgian mayonaise is a lot different than the States (it's REALLY good) but I was just like, "what is happening to me?". And I say things like "oy mey". But it's really great though. I am definitely still more American than Georgian, but it feels good to be fitting into the culture a little more! :)

Although I still can't totally handle the BIG market. I mean, I go, and I've gone on my own to buy vegetables and stuff...but on Monday I went to do shopping for the school food and I about died because we had to get meat too. Usually I just avoid the meat section completely, but I couldn't this time. There were like skinned whole pigs lying in rows on tables (no refrigeration for hardly anything by the way), chickens with some feathers and necks and parts that should be attached still attached, and all sorts of internal organs of like cows and stuff, and big HUGE bones, like legs of cow. And this one guy I walked by, and he took this huge cow leg-bone (I think that's what it was), puts it on a block of wood and starts swinging an axe at it in the middle of the market! It's kind of crazy.

Alright, that's all for now.

growing pains

So, here we are in our 3rd week of DTS already. It's going by actually kind of fast. Of course when I'm sitting in lecture for hours it doesn't always seem like that, but now in retrospect it does. I really like it a lot, and I know that I am learning and attempting to grow from what I've learned.

John 15:1-2 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful."

I know that God is pruning me with a purpose in mind. Although, I don't really know what that purpose it is. And I know that the pruning is good for my heart. Although it doesn't feel very good. But I do want to change and I do want to become more fruitful for HIM!

SO yeah! Other news: The team from the States is here (Steven, Diane, Sue, Melissa, Peggy and Tony & Samuel), and it's been great seeing them. I was able to spend most of the weekend with them, and it was really awesome. I probably won't see them a whole lot this week, because of the lecture content (it's more in depth and like heart cleaning than most of the others...so I'll probably be spending more time focusing on that) but hopefully this weekend I will be able to spend time with them, and they are coming to my DTS in one week! So, it's ochen klassna!

Okay, nachwamdeese.

THE FIRST GEORGIAN DTS CLASS EVER!
[L-R: Diana, Keti, me , Ira, Nino. In back: Wes. In Front: Zura.]

how things go

So, today is the end of the first week of DTS (well, it's only Friday...but we don't have classes on Saturday or Sunday). It went well, and I know that it will get better. This week was mainly like lectures about the hows and whys of what we do, and lots of "guidelines" and stuff, although there was some good teaching. But starting on Monday, we're going to actually talk about like real stuff and that will be good.

I have 2 roommates, Deanna (23) and Ira (21), I'll put pictures of us later. They're both Georgian. Diana speaks quite a bit of English, but she just hasn't had any time to practice...so it's good for her to be in a room with me! By the time DTS is over, she will be like totally fluent you know! And Ira speaks a little bit of English, but with the 3 of us, we communicate alright. But, I really do like them both a lot! At first I was a little worried, because they are the 2 girls that I knew the least, but God knows what He is doing...:)

The school is being done in English and Russian (because Keti translates into Russian better than into Georgian). But people still speak Georgian to each other sometimes, and when I go out I hear mostly Georgian. But it's starting to be a little confusing...I can usually tell if they're speaking Georgian or Russian, but I'm finding that I'm starting to speak "Russgian". Not that I'm like really speaking a whole lot...but, still. But it's good though. Hopefully by the end of the school I'll know something more.

As far as DTS dts goes, I struggle a bit with a few things (like community living for example: we have 1 hour of required quiet time a day, but there is so much going on, some people aren't doing their's and there aren't a whole lot of places to go and be undistracted...but I'm learning). But for the most part I really like it. We have intercession and it's an awesome time to pray and to learn more about prayer, and we have work duties and it's been amazing to see how willing people are to help. Like even if they've done their work duty for the day already, they will still help you. There's a lot of humilty (well, I guess we'll see at the end of the school if it really is humility you know. Like, if by the 12th week people are still helping, it will really be true humility). And I've just been able to see God more and I know that He is drawing me closer to Him and I LOVE IT. Really, it's amazing. And also this group of people is just great. We're all so different and have such different giftings and everything, but at the same time we (for the most part) get along really well. We laugh a lot, and I love that too!

And another thing that I Really like about DTS is Fridays (or it could be Saturday or Sunday) we have a time for doing some outreach (that will be sort of like what we will do during the outreach phase) and today we went down to the School of Tomorrow (it's a Christian English school for Georgians) and just worked on the place. Nino and I painted a fence. And while it wasn't necessarily the most fun I've ever had in my entire life, I like that we're learning how to serve. We will do different things each week, and I know we will all learn a lot.

So yeah, there are some hard times but I really do like DTS, and I really do like the people and I really do like this country. I guess I'll write more as more happens. Eta ochen harasho.

it's strange you know

It's strange, you know: It seems like this is happening more and more. This meaning, situations where I'm trying to be flexible. But even though I'm trying to be flexible, there always seems to be one thing that I really don't want to happen, for various reasons. So, in a way I try to just imagine it all working out okay, but subconciously it's like I know that the outcome is going to be exactly what I didn't want to happen. And that's what happens.

For example, when I was flying to Georgia, I REALLY didn't want my luggage to get lost (no one really does). But I REALLY didn't want my luggage to be lost, but I sort of felt like it was going to, and it was. And just stuff like that. I think it's like God sees that the situation will build my character and not kill me, so he allows it to happen. And maybe I just see that it could be a big character building experience too, even though I really don't want it to happen, but I also see what God has been doing in my life lately, and so I sort of know that it's probably going to work out that way. I wonder if this makes any sense at all.

Well, time has really gone by quickly. Tomorrow night we are having our official "welcome to DTS dinner" and then the school starts on Monday. It's totally crazy. And we have been really busy too, just getting stuff ready (like the building, and all the little details). I'm just a student, but it's been good to see all that goes into running one of these before I actually go through it, I'll definetely have more compassion when things don't go exactly as planned!

But today was a good break from all the work. We went swimming with somepeople from church...it was really klassna! : )

Okay, I guess that's all for now!

short

well, Ukraine was great. i already sent out an email about it, so i won't write more.

like 2 days ago, the staff for DTS came. their names are andrew and caitlin. they're young, and recently married, but very cool. it's still kind of a little awkward you know, because they're adjusting, and now i'm adjusting to having them live in vazi too (it's good like preparation for DTS).

i can't write a whole lot because i'm about to leave to go to church for worship practice, but i wanted to write something.

sio.

like totally

SO here is an outline of what has been / is happening:

+ I leave for Ukraine on Wednesday (the 16th), and I'm actually really excited. I get to hang out with Keti in Kiev (she lived there for 13 years) and go to a YWAM conference, and get another stamp in my passport, which is really rather thrilling.

+ I continue to become more adjusted to life here in Tbilisi, and also life basically living alone. My most recent accomplishments include: riding the marshutka alone, buying ground meat from the market, and cooking a decently healthy and fairly tasty dinner.

+ DTS starts on *EDIT: SEPTEMBER 4th! (I had written the wrong date before)*, and now we have an estimated total of 6 students. It sounds small I know, but it's more than I was expecting! And I think that we will potentially get more (and hopefully we will). We definitely want the students, even I do, although I know that it will be a stretch for me to have that many people in this not too large (but beautiful and wonderful) place. Oh, and here are some pictures of my room. When DTS starts we'll probably have 2 or 3 + girls in here.

+ As far as serving goes, I've been helping with praise & worship at the International Fellowship, and last Sunday I was the worship leader. It's not too big of a church, especially during this time of year because I guess a lot of families go back to the States or go on trips elsewhere and stuff. But it's a good place, and I'm blessed to be able to go to a service in English and also to be around other Americans! I love the Georgians, but it is nice to be able to spend time with some Americans too, especially missionaries!

just so you know

for those of you who are comment-leavers, i enabled this "word verification" thing...but don't be afraid. just type the letters in the box and you'll be fine. i was getting comment spam and so i wanted to stop it.

but can you believe it? they (whoever "they" is) seem to find you no matter where you are.

what shall i call it

blogging is such a strange thing. you really want people to read what you're writing so that you know it's not totally in vain. but at the same time, once you are aware that people are reading what you are writing, it's like you can't really write what you really want anyway. really, it's like you're writing about your life, but subconciously hoping that it will please your readers, that it will sound exciting, or maybe intellectual. it really is bizzare.

i miss home. not to sound wimpy, or un-missionary material...but i really do. i miss my people and my car and driving and milk cartons with lids. i think part of my longing for home comes from my not-quite-so-busy schedule. like, i guess i feel like right now i don't really have a purpose. i mean, yeah i'm doing stuff. i help out with worship at the fellowship (the english speaking church). and right now i'm helping out the campus crusade missionaries here: keti and i are "house-sitting" while they are in ukraine with their family for some conferences. but i just feel like i'm missing something. like i wish i could do more. oh and especially i miss the kids i used to watch at mid-week childcare.

oh, and this might be slightly random, but...i've been getting these like dizzy spells the past day or so and it's so strange. i thought that it might be linked to not drinking enough water, but i feel at least decently hydrated. so that, for the the readers that i am subconciously aware of, is sort of a prayer request of sorts.

and speaking of prayer requests. i am almost positively sure that i'm not the only one who really fails in this area, but it's so like disheartening to see in my own character. you know, i tell people that i will pray for them, and i really am good intentioned when i say it, and probably even excited about the opportunity to pray for them. but it seems that more often then not, i somehow don't get around to it until it's too late. and then i totally let them down, whether they knew it or not. i'm glad that God knows us so well that we don't have to "fill Him in" on anything or remind Him to take care of things. because i'm sure that things probably wouldn't get taken care of as well as they do now.

on the brighter side of things (not that all that i've written so far is necessarily dark, but i guess i feel sort of slightly like pessimistic. which by the way was not my intention. i'm just writing about life, man.) i think that i want to be an english major. i don't know for sure, but i really want to go back to school and get my degree. i guess i think that it would be really interesting to actually know my own language. it's a little awkward when a non-native english speaker asks you about a certain verb in the present perfect tense, and you don't have an answer to give them. but, ya nasnyeoh ("i don't know", in russian)-- it's not a set plan or anything. i guess we will see what God does with it.

character building 101

Let's see.

There are a lot of really seriously creepy bugs here. SERIOUSLY creepy.

Yesterday I was walking across this area of gravel on my way to the store when I saw this HUMONGOUS spider. Now, I know that I can tend to exaggerate sometimes, but I'm not kidding...it was really huge. I thank the Lord though, that it was on it's back and it couldn't flip itself over. But, it was so gross. I ended up getting a piece of cardboard that was laying on the ground, putting it on top of it and stomping on it (I was slightly worried that it would like somehow flip itself over and come invade my home).

AND THEN, today I was vacumming my room near where my curtains are (they're long, like to the ground) and all of a sudden this centipede/millipede/orthropodish type thing came out of nowhere. I don't even know if orthropod is the right term, but still. It wasn't super huge, but really creepy looking. I vacuumed it up (or so I thought) and was relieved. But then tonight I was sitting on my couch reading my Bible and I saw it run across the floor! So, I used some massive strategic techniques and killed it.

I just don't know what it is. Maybe it's just a time of massive character building. I mean, really.

and secondly...

i had a lot to say, so i decided to post two times as to keep more of
your attention!

the next topic(s).

i am going to kiev, ukraine on the 16th of august to go to this ywam
conference thing. i'm excited to go to kiev, and it also helps me out
with my visa here in georgia. when you fly in you get a stamp that is
good for 3 months, and then after that you have to like renew it, but
for some reason i am not able to right now. but when i come back from
ukraine, i get a new stamp...so i get another 3 months.

don't worry though, i won't be kicked out. it's just some minor issue
that will be resolved soon enough. hey hey.

and what else...oh yes. i really am feeling more at home here in
tbilisi. i am able to actually go places on my own. not everywhere
of course, but i'm learning to get around. really though, if you are
just very friendly and you try to say a few georgian words, people
really like you and will do a lot to help you. it's very good. : )

well, i guess this is shorter than i planned, but that is okay.

and lastly, a few pictures (finally).

this is some of the people from the project in downtown tbilisi (rustaveli area) a day after the project ended.

this is some of the countryside near where we stayed. one day we went for a walk (like 3 km there and back!) and we stopped near this river and made a fire and cooked shashlik ( i didn't do the cooking). and we had to cross this log bridge thing to get to where we had our picnic. it was pretty exciting.

this is my ukranian friend ira and i during the project. she was was funny and way awesome. we had a lot of fun.