MiSURA

NOTHING is easy.
I've been getting up at 5:45am for the past two days so I can have enough time to read my Bible, get ready, and take a walk around the campus (which is small, so it's not a long walk).

Learning about another culture is so hard to understand. Some Russian superstitions I've learned are...

• Women cannot sit at the corner of a table because it means that she will never get married
• Sending an even number of flowers as a gift is actually a bad thing because it's meant for funerals. So send ODD number of flowers
• Women are discouraged from sitting on cold concrete for fear that she will freeze her ovaries and eggs and never produce children

Seems really funny to us but to them they're very serious.

Dealing with the heat is definitely not easy. Most likely there will not be many air conditioned places where I'm going to be and that's very difficult for me, even aggravating. Heat makes people to crazy and insane things.

But there are great things, too!

My teammates are uhhhhhMAZING and I can't wait to upload pictures (when I have some more time, I'm on a community computer so I'm kind of limited on time). We've learned so much about each other's personalities, how we deal with conflicts, and especially how we love Jesus SO much!

We're practicing giving 30-minute lessons everyday and today it's my turn! Topic? Colors =)

Please keep me in your prayers and I hope that all of you leaving for mssns (or if you have already) God bless and persevere!

only 19 hours until i leave chicago and head to LA where I will start training. (I'm heading a day early to meet up with my best friend for a day).
just wanted to update you on a few things:

Training : June 21-July 1st
Kazakhstan : July 2nd-August 5th
Chicago : August 6th

I know who my teammates are by name and which school I will be at. How exciting! I can't wait to meet them in person and start working and laboring together for the Lord!

And you can still support me! Financially and through prayer!

Financially you can do so by going to the TeachOverseas website (http://www.teachoverseas.org/contribute.php) and contribute to "A Teacher or Staff Member" and jot my name down and the rest is self-explanatory. If you'd like to send a check, directions are also there. Hopefully you've received my emails (or letter) and know my account number. =)

Prayer Requests...
1. As this is my first time ever going abroad on a missions trip, I have no idea what lies ahead of me. Makes me wish I paid more attention to people when they were sharing their missions testimonies. Nevertheless, I am going, and I am scared. But at the same time anxious and excited and anticipating to see what God has in store for me. Even though a friend has already been there for a year and I read her monthly newsletters, I still don't seem to have an idea of what to expect. And maybe that's a good thing. I dunno what kind of request this is.. but for my heart to be at peace with God and trust Him with my every step. He's already lead me away from Russia to Kaz. so I'm sure He has something in store for me.

2. My Team. For those of you who know me very well, I am quite independent and not exactly 100% a team person. BUT being at Chapter Focus Week with the Koinonia leadership really made me realize what weaknesses and strengths I have when it comes to working in teams. Please pray that whatever conflicts arise that we will forgive quickly and learn to work with one another. The last thing I want is a missions trip to go bad b/c I'm holding a grudge against one of my teammates.

3. Inspiration and Creativity. Those of you who've helped out at VBS, are currently teaching, or been a counselor at retreats and such, you know how hard it is to take a group of students and love and care for them quickly. You have no idea what backgrounds they're from, you eventually start to run out of things to talk about.. etc. Please pray that God will just fill me with ideas on how to make class times fun, how to approach them, and especially how to introduce/discuss the gospel.



That's all for now!
As I start training and spend time with my teammates and over TeachOversea'ers, I'll keep you updated!

reminiscing on the past year (academic).. and spontaneously decided to make a video with pictures and junx. =] enjoy!

My mom's (like I said in the previous post) really been into gardening and taking care of these fragile little flowers. It seems pretty pointless because hardly anyone comes over and if they do they usually look right past the flowers. But I guess that's one of the disadvantages of being a small, little flower. But then again, you look closely and you see all these details you've never seen before. people should look more closely at everything.

i kinda messed up on these flowers. didn't exactly capture the most appealing aspects of the flowers. -_____-;; sun was also being blocked by the fences and such. aigo. it was just so hot outside--i needed to escape and grab some ice water. i'll do better next time. =)





...6 days till i leave for L.A.

yea haircut!
okay. this is the shortest it's been in a super, long time.
but it feels so light and i'd rather not have it be so long when i go to kazakhstan. b/c i heard it's gonna be super duper hot. and i uploaded two pictures that my mom planted recently. she really likes gardening. i think if we had a bigger house, she would definitely do some more and maybe even grow her own vegetables. it's been sunny lately and that makes all of us happy, doesn't it. =
=)











...8 days until i leave for L.A.

I'm reeeeeally not used to all this flipping and change of plans. I don't take it very well. What with not being able to go to Korea, possibly moving out of this house and moving to another suburb, and now...my missions trip.

I can no longer go to St. Petersburg, Russia for my missions trip because they will not be having an English program this summer. So I'm off to...

Kazakhstan!





In a way, it's okay because a former CWRU alum I know just finished her year-long missions trip and is actually going back for another year! what a servant. She can let me in on all the ins and outs of kaz. I'm actually going to the same city (Karaganda) AND the same school as her!!! So I could really use her help and maybe even meet some of her students! Who knows?!

Usually, I'd be freaking out riiiiight about now and worrying my hairs off as to what I need to do and how I need to be prepared, but I'm okay. =)

I'm super super excited and just can't wait to go.

throughout the ceremony i was so thankful and amazed that God's sustained this family for so long. Truly He is an everlasting God!

New Life Worship - Everlasting God. Download here



soooo weird. my brother's no longer in high school.
congratulations, sam!
indiana university, watch out.
and everyone else on the highway from chicago to bloomington.


watch out.








happy Ra family. =)

You are the God of the broken
The friend of the weak
You wash the feet of the weary
Embrace the ones in need
And I want to be like You Jesus
To have this heart in me
You are the God of the humble
You are the humble King
You are the humble King


Lately, everything I've been reading and learning in the Bible in addition to my everyday experiences leads me to the conclusion that there is no match to our great God because He is so great that He is also humble. And this truth never gets old.

it's always always mixed feelings when daddy comes home. it's been 7yrs since he's been doing the 8mts in korea and 4mts in chicago thing. i should be used to it, no? we're (my mommy and i) gonna leave in about half an hour to pick him up and i can't get rid of these mixed feelings! GRR

on the other hand, praise the LORD i am 70% of the way there for my finances for russia! How amazing is that?! thank you so much for your support! i will definitely be sending personalized stuff and updates through email soon when the time draws nearer. but i'm seriously blown away by God's grace and rebuked by my unbelief.

i'm still reading the book i need to read for training and paying attention to news that's currently going on in russia. it's hard to keep up because i don't know a lot of stuff that has happened in the past 20 years, but i'm starting to catch on.

i've gotta go out and take some pictures. aigo! make this page a little more fun. ^ ^

presidential election this year's gonna be huge!
even my mom knows more about their policies and values.

read the speech here.