Class

(Team meeting on Friday with lunch afterward with Blair!)

Over the last week, we have had the privilege of taking a church planting course at the Bible School. Blair is a pastor of a Wesleyan church in Texas. He flew here last Saturday, (when Philip went into Moscow with Brian) and the classes began on Monday evening. Philip had one church planting class during seminary, but I have never taken a class about church planting. The classes ran from 6pm-9pm each night. Philip and I took turns going to class while the other person put Adalynn down for bed. Philip went Monday evening and then got sick, so I went Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evening. (Philip finished out the class by going on Friday and Saturday) I had a great time learning more about vision and the workings of what goes on during a church plant. I also began to feel more of a sense of how important church planting is...everywhere...both here in Russia and in the United States. I learned a lot and really felt the excitement of being on a team that is starting a new church here.
Blair flies home on Monday morning. He is going to be meeting with our new church plant team on Sunday evening. This Sunday is our first Sunday as a "new church". We haven't launched the church yet. We are still in the strategic planning stages, creating a vision for the church as well as bathing the community in prayer.

Thanks for your continual interest in our lives. We have just a little over a week until we are flying back to Indiana for the birth of baby #2! We are packing our things in the midst of classes, meetings, and language tutoring. Funny how your things seem to "grow" once they get out of your suitcase...things never fit back in your suitcase the same way! (don't worry, Mom and Dad G. we aren't bringing back as many suitcases as we brought:)!)

Blessings,
Philip, Kara, Adalynn, and baby Gwen

Baby Gwen

Are you wondering what this is? I'll give you 3 guesses...have you made your guesses? Well, I am sure you guessed wrong! This picture is of an instrument used to hear a baby's heartbeat. Wow. Let me give you some background to this picture. This morning I went to the "doctor's" for a simple check up to make sure Gwen is good to fly home in a few weeks. I went with an interpreter because I obviously needed someone along to interpret for me!
Many things are about connections around here and about who you know. We connected with someone in our church and she made a call to a doctor friend of hers. So off we went this morning (it was just Tanya and me). We took the bus to where this woman's clinic was located. We (Tanya) asked a few women along the way if we were headed in the right direction. We arrived, checked our coats, got some plastic (they look like shower caps) to put over our shoes, and then sat and waited. We were able to "cut" in line since the doctor was expecting us. The room was her office and then off of the office was the "examining" room. I walked in and I felt like I was at COSI (a science museum for kids in Columbus, OH) looking at a display of doctor's things from years ago! The doctor listened to the heartbeat and felt the baby. She said the baby was little, but everything was good. She also took my blood pressure. That was about it! We were done. It makes me thankful for the resources and doctors we have in the States. I don't think I'll complain about waiting in the waiting room at the doctor's office anymore:)!

Blessings,
Philip, Kara, Adalynn, and a small baby Gwen

Philip's Trip to Moscow

Saturday morning Philip and Brian left Vladimir at 5:15am for Moscow. They were headed to pick up Blair Ritchey from the airport. He is teaching a church planting class at the Bible school this week. Before picking up Blair, Philip and Brian headed to a supermarket and Starbucks! (Philip did bring me home a bag of Starbuck's Decaf coffee!!! Yum!) After picking up Blair at the airport and eating a quick lunch, they headed to an open market place where they could buy souvenirs. They arrived home around 7pm that evening.
Adalynn and I spent the day helping out at the Yarmarka. Well, helping as much as we could! The sale went well and we got rid of a lot of things. There is still a handful of stuff to find homes for in the next 2 weeks.

Here is an ice skating rink inside the mall!

Philip got some yummy treats at Awah (Ashon). We are enjoying peanut butter, flour tortillas, popcorn, Tabasco sauce, and taco seasoning!

A Russian dish called shashlic.

A look from the mall window of part of the market place

The entrance to the market place.

Shopping

A happy wife and daughter--double cheese burger, fries, and chicken nuggets! I know, I know who gets excited about McDonalds?---someone who hasn't had something like that for awhile!

See you all in 2 weeks!
Blessings,
Philip, Kara, Adalynn, and baby Gwen