A Bit of Life Here On the Streets

Hello everybody,

I am still working on getting this blog updated on a regular basis. Things are slowly settling into some sort of normalcy, but I actually don't necessary want that. Meaning, I don't just want to sleep walk through life, doing the same thing over and over each day. My heart is to follow God wherever that may be. That includes the street evangelism ministry that I believe God is leading me to. This last month and a half I have not been able to do much about this ministry because I have been busy settling the practical every day issues of life, e.g. what meals should I eat, how should I go about studying Russian etc. I say this to say that I haven't really had the chance to walk the streets of Khabarovsk and pray ... that is until this week.

When I finally found myself with no place to be other than where God wants, I felt at peace. Basically I realized that I'd been so busy, that my relationship with God had slipped a bit. And in particular I noticed that I missed our times when God and I walked and talked on the streets. So it was a great blessing to finally get back to that this last week.

In this particular session, I found myself in the in-between place. That is to say that I was off the main streets and effectively was in people's back yards. Back yards here in Khabarovsk aren't what we think of, however. I am referring to the courtyard between apartment buildings where people can access the foyers that lead to their apartments. This area also doubles as a playground and general hangout. In other words, this is the place where most tourists won't go, and according to most American tastes isn't that pretty. In fact, it is characterized by rusty iron playground equipment and concrete everywhere; concrete stoops, concrete building facades, concrete walkways, concrete, concrete, concrete concrete ... the Soviets loved the stuff. And most concrete structures have been around for awhile. I once saw a stair case connecting the street to the courtyard that actually didn't have any concrete. All that was left was the rybar (metal bars that they put in the concrete to strengthen it, obviously this time it didn't work).

However, in my opinion this particular building material has taken a part in killing architecture here. On the other hand the architecture is being revived a bit by infusing the new buildings with accents of old tsarist Russian architecture. For example, some apartment buildings have roofs that are similar to the onion domes found on the Orthodox cathedrals. The difference being that they use modern building material.

Anyways, besides making a few observations here and there on the streets I didn't hear much from God, other than He is reassured me that He is working things out in the background. Either way I was simply extactic to find myself where I know I belong, and the details of how I minister to people on the street will work themselves out in time.

Besides what's happening on the streets, I have decided to switch to the easier Russian class which focuses on grammar and speaking. So far this has been a good decision despite the fact that most in the class are at very different levels of comprehension and conversation. Either way, I find it easier to ask questions and have been learning more than in the other class.

On another note, I forgot how many people here want to learn english. Last time I was in Russia it was mainly Russian students which asked me to help me with their English, but this time around, a couple of pastors children and a Korean student asked me to help them. I am not certain what to do. I want to help, but it's easy to lose focus and find oneself doing all kinds of little things that may not necessarilly be what God had in mind. With that said, I am simply putting off a lot until next semester. For now I am focusing on the language and my own personal relationship with God which I am certain will lead to what God does have in mind for me to do in particular.

Speaking of which, I was able to counsel a young Korean christian to find a church and not be turned away by the things other Christians do. In other words, part of our relationship with God occurs when we are arround other Christians, not to mention that God doesn't want us to forsake the assembly of the saints. Furthermore, God can also use our unique point of view to help other Christians get closer to God; amongst many other things.

So I have probably bored whoever came upon this blog already, so I will sign off for now. God bless all who travel the road with Christ. And for those who have not yet met God, I hope you will soon get to know Him personally.

Blessings,

Jason