(Thank you so much, Rita, for blogging for the team!!) (Family and
friends, these are the members of our team from Medford, WI -- Fern
& Grant, Rita, Sandy, and then me with my Ukrainian friend,
Natalie.)
Our first Sunday here in Kiev was such a sweet day. One of my friends
from years ago was able to join us for church and for lunch. Please pray
with me that she (Natalie) would want to join a church family and grow.
I am especially humbled to see how many young families there are in the churches here now and what sincere believers God has raised up here on staff with Cru. It is so beautiful to see how God's church has grown over these last twenty years -- I have cried tears of joy and awe several times in these few days since we arrived.
We have had quite the whirlwind this week. Preparing for class time and setting up the rooms each night does take a lot of time, and the classes are full of eager students hanging on our every word; however, it is all worth it when I take time to reflect on how God is at work, patiently drawing us to Himself -- how He has touched me and trained me so that now I can reach out to others.
Our first night (and every night since), as I stood up to read the passage from scripture to the students, I got chills when I realized I was reading God's Word aloud in a former communist university classroom! What a beautiful, crazy, amazing privilege.
Today was our third class time, and my co-teacher and class administrator, Lena, said she really enjoyed the class and my teaching time. She said I spoke loudly and clearly and that I was relaxed and "enjoying the stage" (the limelight?). I am so thankful for her comments because I have been worried about how class was going.
I would greatly appreciate your prayers for my class. Five students keep leaving before the Bible lesson time, and their attitude is one of "it's not cool" to stay around for Bible study. They seem to leave as a group. Please pray with me that they would have a change of heart.
Praise God with me for how the other students are leaning in to learn and read more in the Bible. Praise God with me for how I have been able to share examples from my own life of how God has touched and changed me.
Last but not least, Friday I will travel alone to my "hometown" in Ukraine, where I lived back in 1997-98. It is an overnight train ride. I would appreciate your prayers for my trip there and back (I will take the overnight train back on Sunday night). I need discernment about who to visit and who to call, etc.
Thank you so much for your love and prayers.
Kelly Schafer
I am especially humbled to see how many young families there are in the churches here now and what sincere believers God has raised up here on staff with Cru. It is so beautiful to see how God's church has grown over these last twenty years -- I have cried tears of joy and awe several times in these few days since we arrived.
We have had quite the whirlwind this week. Preparing for class time and setting up the rooms each night does take a lot of time, and the classes are full of eager students hanging on our every word; however, it is all worth it when I take time to reflect on how God is at work, patiently drawing us to Himself -- how He has touched me and trained me so that now I can reach out to others.
Our first night (and every night since), as I stood up to read the passage from scripture to the students, I got chills when I realized I was reading God's Word aloud in a former communist university classroom! What a beautiful, crazy, amazing privilege.
Today was our third class time, and my co-teacher and class administrator, Lena, said she really enjoyed the class and my teaching time. She said I spoke loudly and clearly and that I was relaxed and "enjoying the stage" (the limelight?). I am so thankful for her comments because I have been worried about how class was going.
I would greatly appreciate your prayers for my class. Five students keep leaving before the Bible lesson time, and their attitude is one of "it's not cool" to stay around for Bible study. They seem to leave as a group. Please pray with me that they would have a change of heart.
Praise God with me for how the other students are leaning in to learn and read more in the Bible. Praise God with me for how I have been able to share examples from my own life of how God has touched and changed me.
Last but not least, Friday I will travel alone to my "hometown" in Ukraine, where I lived back in 1997-98. It is an overnight train ride. I would appreciate your prayers for my trip there and back (I will take the overnight train back on Sunday night). I need discernment about who to visit and who to call, etc.
Thank you so much for your love and prayers.
Kelly Schafer
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