Hello, it’s Mel here again! let’s talk about the date once more, shall we? The Last day of February!!!! WOWsers!
Ok, now that I have that out of my system: how are you guys??? We all hope that all is well.
Here are a couple of quick highlights:
• We’ve been busy hosting a variety guests. A couple of ladies from the English classes came over to visit, as well as some others that we’ve gotten to know the last couple of weeks. Our teapot is never cold :)
• We’ve made a new friend Yegor (or yogurt as well like to call him) we met him through a lady that Olga met on a bus one day! Really random, but we’ve been totally blessed by him and we pray that we’re being a blessing to him.
• The next 3 days we’re having different events at the school here! Pray for us as we go in there.

And to sign off I’ll leave you with a personal favourite.


John 13:9,11
I’ve loved you the way my Father has loved me. Remain in my love (make yourselves at home in my love) I have told you this so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes your joy will overflow.

Hey everyone! Happy February 20th! Wow, February 20th already! That is positively insane! Ok, i’ll stop talking about the date and start filling you all in on what we’ve been up to in Naryan Mar! So we arrived at this cold, but beautiful place on the February 8. What a miracle it is that we’re still in Naryan Mar. Thanks Helen, for updating the blog with info about that.

here's a picture of our home sweet home. we live in the top right corner.

One highlight for me was Valentine’s Day. We had a very low key day at our apartment, had an encouragement game, etc. and then we all got dressed up for supper! It was no normal supper though, because I was leader that day I decided to include a little team building exercise: We had a yummy reindeer meal (thanks Jung Im!) which we ate with our hands tied to the person beside us! Hehe, ah JOY I tell you! Ok, so it might not have been everyone’s highlight……but I LOVED it!

Valentine's Day table

working together to eat our food!

Another celebration we had was Lenneke’s birthday this Sunday!! Our little girl’s all grown up!

The beautiful birthday girl!

Going back a couple of days now, on February 15 we were able to go out into the tundra and visit a Nannet tourist thingy (that’s the best word I can think of) we all put on our warmest clothing, took a taxi ride out of the city, then got picked up by a snow mobile, and arrived at a little tepee. We ate traditional Nannet food, tried on their clothing, took little joyrides on a reindeer sleigh, and hung out with the people. It was a really cool opportunity to see the way that the people used to live. We all got a little cold by the end, but what a great opportunity.

the team ready to go out to the tundra!

Lenneke, Leivur and Cherob dress to impress

The next day we were invited to visit a children’s home. We were told by the people that we had ½ an hour there and that we were not allowed to play with the kids. So, we decided we would just go in there pray, and hope to get invited back again if we behaved ourselves. This children’s home was for kids from infant to 3 years old. We talked with the director for about ½ an hour, and then went into the play area where there were about 10 children, who were maybe 2 or 3. Right away one of the little boys ran up to us with open arms…and we then spent the next hour playing with the most precious children. They stole our hearts. A lot of the children were abused by their parents before they came to the home, and man, it was just heart breaking to hear some of the stories. They were such beautiful children. We got invited back to play with the children outside one day when it’s not to cold. I haven’t heard of a date when we’re going back, but I’m really hope that we will be able to see them again.
Last night Cherob and Bex had a chance to show off their English speaking skills and teach an English lesson! It went so well that they got invited back again on Saturday!
I think that’s all to update for now. We’ve been learning a lot here in Naryan Mar, as individuals and as a team. God has been so faithful to us. Bless you all.

Love, Mel (and everyone else)

p.s. just in case you guys are curious, Schnitzel (Cherob's cockroach) is still alive!

Registration Sorted

Hei!

Thank you for your prayers. The team is now able to stay in the apartment instead of a hotel which is good. But they were charged an administration fee of 4000 NOK which is a lot of money they team definitely does not have.

I will update here as much as I hear from the team.

Helen

Russia Update.....finally!

Hi Everyone!

Now here's an update from Russia! Time has been flying by - but it's been great so far. We have been staying the last 10 nights at the airport hotel in Murmanshi. This is one stylin' hotel - i'm telling you! heheh riiiight. Maybe i'll just leave it at that! Here a photo of team with hotel in background

The weather has been quite a bit colder here than it was in Kautokeino, one day it went down to -40C degrees . The average temp has been - 25, so we've been piling on all of our winter gear everyday! People are always staring at us when we walk down the street. They are dressed in normal clothing, while we have HUGE winter boots, ski pants, BUG winter jackets, scarves pulled up to our eyes and toques (woollen hats) pulled down to our eyebrows. It is a funny sight to see.

We've had lots of cool opportunities ministry-wise as well. We have been working with 2 people from the YWAM base here, Sergei and Galina, and they have been such a blessing! They have been translating for us, setting up events and taking us around the city. I really don't know what we would have done without them!

Waiting for the bus with Sergei

We went to 2 children's homes (these kids wee soooo precious, it was hard to say good bye), some schools and we also spent a couple of evenings with some Christian groups. It's been a lot of long days - but it's been such a joy being with the Russians.

Another joy that we've had has been HELEN (who is actually the one typing this post - transferring it from paper to computer - Bless you Helen) (....thanks !! hehehe....i am not making this up, just coping what they wrote!). Anyways we have had Helen with us since Feb 2nd and we're sad that we'll be separated from each other again tomorrow (8th). Like always Helen brought along with her fun, joy and wisdom. We love you Helen! (awwwwe shucks....)

Hmm, well tomorrow morning (8th) we're jumping on a Russian plane, flying down to Moscow and then flying up to Naryan-Mar!! I'm hoping we'll have Internet access up there, but not too sure yet. You'll be hearing from us more if we do. If we don't - just keep praying for us!

Bless you all!

Love the Borgen DTS Outreachers...
Cherob has a new friend...which she actually has kept...a cockroach from Madagascar

(since writing this the team has made it safely to Naryan-Mar, they are having a little bump in the road with some difficulties registering with the administration office (Russia is big on having forms filled out) so on Monday they are meeting with the office boss to sort that out.

You could be praying that the team will be allowed to stay at the apartment and not have to move to a hotel!! I will let you know what happens. Helen. You can look at my blog to see my report from my trip with them) http://www.helenjwilson.blogspot.com/

Hey everyone!!!

sorry about the lack of updating....internet has been a little bit less than available!
just wanted to let you all know that we're alive and in Russia!! we'll be sending a bigger update along with helen (whom we have LOVED having with us)
Keep up the prayers for us. we're leaving on Thursday for Naryan Mar. we're all excited about heading out, God's good & we wanna see Him move.

hugs and kisses from us
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX