The Mad Scientist



Stuffed fish Christina made for Sunday.
It tastes better than it looks.


It took me a little while to get used to having someone here who could help me.  I ran around still trying to do everything by myself.  My sister said that I run around like a mad scientist....that was when I decided I needed to slow it down.  Now, I don't know what I will do when she leaves!  I have been able to do so much now that she is here and make a few more plans.  I'd like you to be praying for me.  Before I could barely keep up with our regular church activities and the home, now that my sister is here I feel like I actually have some time to minister and witness more in the village.  

Eric had tried to get our neighbor, Baba Nora, to take Bible lessons with him, but she wouldn't.  I am praying that God will open up the door for me to possibly give them to her.  I am planning on having her over for tea - maybe 2 times (like Esther) - then ask her about coming over weekly for tea and a quick Bible lesson.  I'm not sure when I will be able to do this, it will either be on Thursday or next Monday.  Please pray that God gives me wisdom when talking to her and freedom of speech as my Russian is a little rusty and I'm not sure if I will have a translator the first two tea times.  

Yesterday, we decided to go visit with Christina and encourage her.  Living in the village separates her from the other Christian ladies in our church so she rarely has Christian fellowship.  She could easily walk over to me, but she doesn't really like to walk.  With 3 kids, it has been impossible for me...until now.  So yesterday Bree and I loaded up the girls on the sled and I held Sammy and we started out on the slushy, icy, very crazy roads.  The roads were crazier than I could explain. I would have gotten a picture for you, but I was carrying Sammy and he has gotten HEAVY now.  What would probably take Eric 30 minutes, took us over an hour!  We were soaked by the time we got there, but enjoyed a little bit of fellowship and some fish soup. :)  Yuri's mom came in and visited with us too and offered Brianna some vodka.  Bree was pretty shocked to have a grandmother offering it to her.  We ended up leaving mostly because her neighbor came to visit.  This is the neighbor lady that tried to get Christina to drink with her.  She is completely against the Gospel and doesn't believe in wives being submissive to their husbands (which really isn't a surprise).  Please be praying for Christina.  She has been growing a lot lately and satan will use whatever he can to stop this.

These are from the other day when we were walking in the village.

The road and houses behind our house.

On the way to Christina's, an Armenian lady (I think we bought the house for the church from her brother-in-law) saw me and yelled out, "Jassica, is that you?  Come in and be my guest."  She is very sweet, but I have avoided visiting with her because I feel very uncomfortable around her husband and he is not known to be a very trustworthy guy.  Christina is saying I shouldn't visit with her because they are always trying to deceive, but I'm praying about it and my husband doesn't seem against me visiting when her husband isn't home.  Ukraine has such a diverse culture.  There are Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Turks....so many that I can't think of them all.  There is also a group that they call gypsies.  Ukrainians completely avoid this group, mostly out of superstition.  They believe that the gypsies have the power to deceive you into giving them all of your money.  Most of the gypsies are pretty deceitful, but they still need Jesus.  As I talk with Christina I try to get her to look past their culture and see them as a soul needing Jesus who CAN be saved.  She always groups people together and says that certain groups cannot get saved.

I know I'm probably getting a little mad scientist on you, but I want to add a couple more things for you to pray about.

Valentina's skin cancer has come back again, in a different spot this time though.  She will be going for surgery on Thursday.  I believe by that they mean they will be burning the spot out, just like you would a wart or something (freeze burn or something like that).  Eric and I have never heard of doing this for cancer and this is already the 3rd time she's had this done.

Also, Lydia and I have been showing signs of giardia again.  Pray that we can fully get rid of these parasites.

We thought it was the girls turn to pull us.