If there's one thing that is certain about life in an international cross cultural context, it's that there will always be transitions and changes. Our family life is not so much in transition, but many of those around us are.
It would even be possible to argue that we are forced into periods of transition. Our lives are deeply rooted in Krasnoyarsk now. A trip to the other side of the world takes a certain amount of uprooting of our daily lives. We have come to Australia for three months, to see family, friends, supporters and sending churches. This has meant times of confusion for our kids and reverse culture shock for us adults. The night we arrived in Brisbane, PJ did not go to sleep for hours, constantly repeating "I want to go home." That was most difficult for us. He did get past that stage though.
With transitions there are always positives. The kids have been having a great time in Australia, seeing the animals, learning about the culture and most importantly hanging out lots with Grandma, Grandpa, cousins, Aunty and Uncle. We have been able to connect with all of our supporters, helping them stay in touch with our lives and what we are doing in Siberia, discipling indigenous peoples towards Jesus.
There are many others around us going through transitions. Since 2007 we have had a working relationship with Tim and Iris. In that time, I became good friends with Tim. We worked on various projects together, from gospel recordings to discipling people. Tim and Iris and family have recently moved to America to live permanently. This also means a significant change in our lives.
Our friends Masha and Nikita and their son Erchim have left Krasnoyarsk. They were unable to find good work in Krasnoyarsk after finishing university. Nikita is now working in a gold mine as an engineer in Pevek, Chukotka. He will see his wife and son for three months at a time and then have to work for three months at a time. Masha and Erchim are living with her family, a long, long way from where Nikita is working.
We shared so much of God's story with Masha and Nikita. But there was so much more to share with them. They were always happy for us to pray with them. But they had not chosen to pray themselves yet. They were taking all of this story in, but had not made a decision to follow Jesus. This is all in God's hands of course. It is not our job to convince people to believe, simply to introduce them to Jesus.
Varya, another student we have become good friends is also most likely moving on. Varya is looking for a job in Krasnoyarsk, but if she does not get it, then she will go home to Yakutia. Varya has also learnt much of the story, but not all. Varya however has prayed to God for forgiveness of sins, and even prayed to God in her native Sakha language. Varya has so much to learn. We are preparing ourselves for the idea that we are saying goodbye to her too.
Our Sakha friends who are going home north are not without the witness of God in their lives. They have the bible, they have much of the story in their hearts. God can get through to them in ways we can not. If they choose to believe and follow, then they will do so inside the context of their own culture without us influencing them otherwise. God can bring much good out of this. But we will miss them dearly. Many of our friends are moving on.
There are new people coming to Krasnoyarsk though. And there are also other friends of ours that are still there. My sister and her husband and their family are arriving to live in September. This will dramatically alter our lives! It will be strange and good having family constantly around. I have no doubt it will do wonders for longevity.
A young woman by the name of Shandra is coming to join our team. Shandra will do our internship with us and live in the student dormitories. This will add a new level to our opportunity to open doors in student discipleship. It will add new challenges for us in team building. Perhaps it will open the doors in the future to move to a smaller city, closer to Evenki people.
Krasnoyarsk will look different when we get back. It will also look the same. Abigail will enter grade 2, but will go to school in the afternoons instead of the mornings. We will have to establish new schedules, routines and relationships. It is fun to have new challenges though.
It would even be possible to argue that we are forced into periods of transition. Our lives are deeply rooted in Krasnoyarsk now. A trip to the other side of the world takes a certain amount of uprooting of our daily lives. We have come to Australia for three months, to see family, friends, supporters and sending churches. This has meant times of confusion for our kids and reverse culture shock for us adults. The night we arrived in Brisbane, PJ did not go to sleep for hours, constantly repeating "I want to go home." That was most difficult for us. He did get past that stage though.
With transitions there are always positives. The kids have been having a great time in Australia, seeing the animals, learning about the culture and most importantly hanging out lots with Grandma, Grandpa, cousins, Aunty and Uncle. We have been able to connect with all of our supporters, helping them stay in touch with our lives and what we are doing in Siberia, discipling indigenous peoples towards Jesus.
There are many others around us going through transitions. Since 2007 we have had a working relationship with Tim and Iris. In that time, I became good friends with Tim. We worked on various projects together, from gospel recordings to discipling people. Tim and Iris and family have recently moved to America to live permanently. This also means a significant change in our lives.
Our friends Masha and Nikita and their son Erchim have left Krasnoyarsk. They were unable to find good work in Krasnoyarsk after finishing university. Nikita is now working in a gold mine as an engineer in Pevek, Chukotka. He will see his wife and son for three months at a time and then have to work for three months at a time. Masha and Erchim are living with her family, a long, long way from where Nikita is working.
We shared so much of God's story with Masha and Nikita. But there was so much more to share with them. They were always happy for us to pray with them. But they had not chosen to pray themselves yet. They were taking all of this story in, but had not made a decision to follow Jesus. This is all in God's hands of course. It is not our job to convince people to believe, simply to introduce them to Jesus.
Varya, another student we have become good friends is also most likely moving on. Varya is looking for a job in Krasnoyarsk, but if she does not get it, then she will go home to Yakutia. Varya has also learnt much of the story, but not all. Varya however has prayed to God for forgiveness of sins, and even prayed to God in her native Sakha language. Varya has so much to learn. We are preparing ourselves for the idea that we are saying goodbye to her too.
Our Sakha friends who are going home north are not without the witness of God in their lives. They have the bible, they have much of the story in their hearts. God can get through to them in ways we can not. If they choose to believe and follow, then they will do so inside the context of their own culture without us influencing them otherwise. God can bring much good out of this. But we will miss them dearly. Many of our friends are moving on.
There are new people coming to Krasnoyarsk though. And there are also other friends of ours that are still there. My sister and her husband and their family are arriving to live in September. This will dramatically alter our lives! It will be strange and good having family constantly around. I have no doubt it will do wonders for longevity.
A young woman by the name of Shandra is coming to join our team. Shandra will do our internship with us and live in the student dormitories. This will add a new level to our opportunity to open doors in student discipleship. It will add new challenges for us in team building. Perhaps it will open the doors in the future to move to a smaller city, closer to Evenki people.
Krasnoyarsk will look different when we get back. It will also look the same. Abigail will enter grade 2, but will go to school in the afternoons instead of the mornings. We will have to establish new schedules, routines and relationships. It is fun to have new challenges though.
1 comment:
Thanks for the reflections . What we see is loss grief and only small ; a small part of what we trust is the bigger picture. Hope to share your stories with more people . Love John Chris and Daniel We are also on Facebook
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