Shane & Katie

To all of you who thought we had given up on our blog, we want to apologize for the lengthy delay. As of this past week, we were finally able to activate the internet in our apartment again. Apparently, if you don’t use it for a period of time, the company locks it until you call them. Either way, we are back on track and ready to go!
Now about Buster…
Upon our return to Moscow, we were excited to have Buster return home. However, the bunny that was returned had quite an unexpected uniqueness. Even our Russian friends who watched him this summer asked what was wrong with our bunny. He seemed to have developed a strange mutation! Apparently bunny’s teeth are always growing, which is why they frequently like to chew on things. Well, apparently Buster ran out of things to chew on because his bottom and top chompers were over an inch long. His bottom ones extended past his nose, and his top ones had curled up inside his mouth. This must have prevented him from eating because he was extremely malnurished when we got him back. He couldn’t get anything into his mouth! It was an amusing yet torturous sight. One friend called him Bunicula after a storybook bunny who had teeth like Buster’s. Thankfully we have remedied the situation with a trusty pair of Cutco scissors! He is doing quiet well now. We hope you enjoyed this tale of drama of life here in Russia.

The past few weeks have gone by swiftly. We finished the school year at Hinkson on June 1. Graduation in Moscow is such a different experience than in the States. At Hinkson, the 20 seniors faced the end of a chapter in their lives – a huge chapter involving, for some, a complete change in life. Several having only really known Moscow and Hinkson face the changes of a new country, new friends, a new way of life. For many it was goodbye. Not really a “see you in the fall” or “lets get together and hangout.” Some return to Korea, to the United States, only one will remain in Moscow. I’m left wondering if I will ever see them again. What a different experience from my high school graduation.

After graduation, we came back to the US for the summer. We’ve been busy running here, running there, trying to do everything, and meet with everyone. It’s been a very good 3 weeks – but a very hectic 3 weeks. We’ve been excited to see everyone and look forward to spending more time with you. What a different life here in the US than in Moscow!

Currently, we are in Virginia resting and relaxing – catching some sun and waves.
Drop us a note. We’ll be around.

Once again, God reveals his great love in simple ways! Despite our lack of hot water, God has endowed us with exceptionally hot and balmy weather in an effort, we believe, to counterbalance this state of affairs. Today we took a lovely stroll through the botanical gardens. It was in the 80′s and humid! Even the Russians were sporting their shorts and capris. According to local weather forecasts, they were calling for an unusually cool April followed by an unusually warm May. Well, they were right on the mark. Last year when we came back to the states, we were both ready to be HOT – Bring on the sun! Not this year. We might even come back with a tan!

Sometimes we can take for granted the simple pleasures we have in life, such as… indoor plumbing, internet communication, and even hot water. As of today, Friday, May 11th, the hot water in our apartment building will be turned off until later this summer. This is a regular occurrence here in Moscow every summer. So for our last few weeks here before coming back to the U.S., we shall “suffer” without it. Interesting how we can tend to use that term so loosely, “suffer,” and yet I and curious as to whether or not I truly understand the depth of its meaning. I think at time “suffering” is simply a consequence of misplaced expectations. Times like these will truly test and expose one’s character. Do we complain, or are we thankful for the time that we had with a particular blessing in life. Pleasures such as this should not in any way possess our expectations. God alone is our expectation, and rightfully so since He alone is all that remains constant in our lives. Everything else is temporary in some for or fashion and so to place our expectations upon them is simply “setting ourselves up to be let down.” I hope that this would cause you to consider the possessor of your expectations. Guard yourself from future frustrations by placing your expectation in God alone! (Mom & Dad, please double check our hot water at home. No need to “suffer” and longer than one needs to!)

After three full years of hard work to prepare Hinkson Christian Academy for accreditation review, a delegation of 5 from ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International) came to observe our school. Many of us were a little nervous as the delegates would randomly pop into our classes to observe, stop us in the hallway to ask us questions, have formal meetings with selected staff, students, and parents, and peruse our curriculum. After a week, they gave an incredible report! Praise the Lord! One of the delegates who had done 49 such accreditation visits commented that our curriculum guides were the best he had ever seen. Many commented about the wonderfully caring Christian atmosphere and the excellent job Hinkson is doing! Praise the Lord! What awesome approbation! It will be several months before HCA will know the final report and be given accreditation status, but after such hard work and a wonderful review, we all celebrate!
And we did celebrate grandly! The Saturday after the visit, we as staff were invited on a dinner river cruise on the Moscow River! What fun!

This past Wednesday, April 24th, Shane met with Karen from Odessa, Ukraine, and Pastor Dave Landis from the U.S., who were on their way to Nizhnevartofsk, a city in Siberia, to preach and teach in various local churches. They will be meeting with Pastor Vasiliy Vitok, a dear friend of Pastor Dale Armstrong. They will be there until Sunday. Please keep them in your prayers as they minister to the local believers. Also, please pray for Shane as he organizes the necessary details and preparations for them as they return through Moscow.

1. “Teamwork is when a tree falls on someone and everyone works together to get it off .” - 2nd grader

2. “Have you ever seen the old murder mystery ‘ Lasenic and Old Shoes?’” - 6th grader

What a wonderful time with Mom & Dad! They came to visit over Spring Break for about a week. We had gorgeous spring weather until the end of last week when they got a real taste of Russia – snow! We had a wonderful time of fellowship, being tourists, resting, and catching up on life. Shane and I were so blessed to have them here and for them to be able to meet some of our friends here and to once again realize what life in Moscow really is like! One of the most interesting aspects (according to Mom) might have been visiting a monastery and walking around the cemetery – rather intriguing – not morbid! Dad’s favorite place (besides the grocery store) was the metro system! He could have ridden around all day watching thousands of people navigate the elaborate underground of Moscow called the Metro.

Happy Easter! We got our supply of Easter candy too!
(see picture below)

On March 13th, we celebrated our three year anniversary! And to think that we are working on our second year in Russia. I was thinking back to our wedding day and realized that only 8 months after our wedding, we received the invitation to work and live in Russia. And during those eight months, I had been working faithfully at the hospital wondering how in the world God was going to connect these dots in our lives! And he kept saying to me “Trust in Me, and me alone!” How awesome is our God! And it is good to know that God is in the business of qualifying the called, not calling the qualified – because none of us are every fully qualified to serve him. It also sheds light on the truth that everything in life has a purpose and though God may not cause everything, He can use anything – even our greatest trials – to teach us another facet of his love for us! Great things come to those who wait – even more so to those who wait with a patient heart!

The snow is melting! The streets are flooding! We don’t have to wear our heavy winter coats and hats anymore! I can smell spring in the air!