Here we go.......

Dear Lord,
      A lot has been on my mind lately so I figured I would just start writing...or typing I should say and see where this goes. I just want to not only share whats on my mind but maybe even help someone reading this and let you be gloried along the way.
     I know you know everything that has happened but I feel like I need to just talk about it...so "Here we go.." I know it's been a while since I tried this whole "blog" thing. Actually, I was still in Russia for my last post. A lot has changed over the past year. I'm not quite sure where to begin. But, I guess the best place to start is this past summer, pretty much the main reason I feel I should blog. Earlier in the summer I just really felt like I wasn't doing anything. That I wasn't being used for your Kingdom. Like I said one year ago I was half way across the world, in Russia witnessing to orphans. Not that I can't be used here at home, at work or school, I just felt that I was missing out since I wasn't able to be apart of any VBS(Vacation Bible School), any youth camps, or any mission trips. I wasn't very content I guess you could say. Well, you obviously had a plan and I just needed to be patient.....I got really sick one day in late July, had to be rushed to the ER. I ended up having pneumonia and a kidney infection. Because of an acute infection my blood pressure dropped and my body started to conserve blood and only send it to my vital organs such as my heart and lungs. Therefor depriving my kidneys of the blood that they needed. Ultimately I ended up going into kidney failure. Not only were my kidney's shutting down but my lung function wasn't doing well either. I wasn't able to get rid of the Co2 in my body. These high levels of Co2 added their own complications such as extreme migraines! Needless to say after about a week in ICU, everything that they had tried was not working. It actually looked like I wasn't going to make it this time. My family and friends were called. People started showing up at the hospital to see me. At first I didn't realize what was going on or how serious this was until hundreds of people were coming to see me. And I really do mean hundreds! It was so overwhelming. I never knew all these people cared so much. The things that people did and said were so sweet. All I ever wanted to do was glorify You and show people your unconditional love....I feel that the show of support that I got and the comments that were made during this time made me think that maybe I am accomplishing my goal in life!
     As you know by the end of the week I was alert enough to talk with the doctors and ask some questions. We decided to take me off the medications that weren't working anyway and just give me three days and see what happens. Honestly, I was so ready to die at this point. I was ready to come home and meet you face to face. I was so excited! I told my friends and family this...all weekend I was at peace. I was just so tired and ready to get to Heaven! Don't get me wrong I did have feelings of guilt, because I felt this way. I mean I loved who I was going to leave behind, and I didn't want anyone to feel like I didn't care about them. But I was ready. Over the course of the weekend I was able to talk to some wonderful Godly people, and I was asked the question "What if God has other plans for you? What if you get better?" This was a tough one for me. I had become such at peace with the fact that this was it...that my work here was done. That that question scared me in a way. Monday morning they came in to take my blood to see if I had improved, I lied awake most of the night. You and I had some good conversations. I realized that I had to not only be at peace with leaving this earth, but I also had to be at peace with staying here as well. I had to be in the center of Your Will. Whatever that may have looked like. I finally got to that place that night with the help of your grace and mercy.
   The next morning the test results came back, it was a miracle the doctors said. I was all of a sudden starting to improve! The family was so excited and gave me a big hug! But me, I just sat there...at that moment I realized more then ever...."Okay Lord, I can't do this without you!"
    That day started my road to recovery. I have had a lot of ups and downs along the way and am still adjusting and learning. But I thank you, this is YOUR story and I'm just along for the ride...however long that may be. So, Here we go....
   Your Daughter,
        Melissa

Final Week and an early farewell. :(

Caitlin and a few of the little kids listening to Olga tell a bible story and then share the EvangaCube.

                                       
 Some of the little kids amazed by the puzzles that we brought for them. They each have such amazing stories!

 Even Caitlin and I had fun making the craft! :)

 Celebrating Kristen's birthday!! :) 

 Bubbles!!!! Even the little things give them such joy! 

 Yes...I tried Liver for the first time!! lol Not too bad...didnt eat all of it..but at least I tried it! :)

 Me and my girls, Sasha and Lusya :)

 Yes, had to go to McDonnalds once while in Russia! haha (note: to the right, the small red unbrella attached to the building, instead of a drive through, they have a walk-up! lol)

Our last nice meal out together, so yummy!! :) Caitlin, me and Olga.


Wow, Okay so another week has gone by. We went back and stayed at the second Orphanage "Nikolsky" this past week. Going into this week was really hard and challenging. Each one of us were just physically and mentally exhausted. We were also kind of over whelmed in not having the team from Texas with us anymore. We felt like we had to have as much stuff and activities for the kids as they did. But we quickly realized that what we would be doing this week is completely different, we were working on more personal relationships and having intentional conversations with the kids. We of course had things for them to do, but we definitely didn't have the number of people or the number of supplies that the team had. We had to just really pray and trust in the Lord to provide and open those doors. The four of us girls have been doing daily devotions together. This really has helped us stay focused on God and stay in the word. It has been very encouraging and helpful for all of us. The last week was a struggle for me because as you know I had gotten sick towards the end of last week and started taking antibiotics, it has gotten a little bit worse, so I am actually going to come home a few days early. I will only be missing three main days, they are going back to the Crisis Center Hospital Monday-Wednesday, and it was a mutual decision that it would be best for me not to go back there. It is a very clean environment, you have to wear booty to walk in and I don't walk to give the kids anything, and the sooner I get home the better I think. I have been here for 3 weeks now and it has been life changing for sure! I came into this trip thinking that I was coming over here to change the lives of these children, I believe that I have made an impact, but they have changed my life, that's for sure! I have learned so much, about myself, about God and about the world. I have learned how big God really is, I know you hear it all the time, in church and you are told that God know's each one of us, but when you actually go outside your city, your state, your country and go half way across the world and see all these people, it's amazing and hard to fathom that God really does know each and everyone of us and know's our thoughts and how many hairs are on our head! It's crazy!! It has been very eye opening, and I have realized that I don't have to go half way across the world to find sin in the world. I have been praying for the sin and the hurt in my own back yard. I of course have mixed feeling about going home, I of course miss everyone and miss modern conveniences  such as A/C, my bed and a  nice kitchen and modern medicine. But then I realize how much more of a special meaning my life verse has for me because it just says that God has a plan for my life, I have realized this week that if I had been born into a situation like these kids, I simply would not be here today! I am so blessed! So yes, I want to come home but I am also having a hard time leaving these kids behind knowing how they live and how little they actually have. 
I want to thank God first and foremost for making everything even possible, all the glory to him! I would also like to thank everyone back home that has been praying for me. I couldn't have done it with our you all! :)
Also, My team here!! Lydia, Caitlin and Kristen! They are awesome!!  I couldn't have done it with out them either. Lydia gave me a lot of piggy back rides everywhere and the girls were such emotional and spiritual support. I also, want to thank all the translators Yon, Alex, who where amazing. 
Anya, who shared her amazing testimony of growing up in an orphanage her self and finding her mom earlier this year. She is so sweet and fun and has a heart for the Lord. 
Last but not least, Olga, We love her and will miss her so much! She has such a heart for the Lord and for ALL the kids. Thank you for sharing that with us!!!


Dear God of the Universe,
Thank you for opening my eyes to your world. Thank you for being perfect in our weakness. Lord please change my life through this experience. Never let this feeling go away. Glory be to you.
Your loving Daughter,
Melissa 

Week Two-Texas Team!! God Is Great! :)

This is at the first orphanage and we are outside making friendship bracelets. I somehow became the resident friendship bracelet maker that day! lol but anyway, this is Deana(she is 12 years old and came to know Christ while we were there.) The team from Texas has known here for the past few years. Then there is me, and Caitlin and the that's Julie from the team from Texas.(Grand parkway Baptist)

We loved to do little simple activities with the kids such as coloring...and card games! They loved it! :)

 This was one of two of our rooms that all of us girls stayed in at the orphanage. It was just like the kids rooms.

 The kids loved the sidewalk chalk! They went to town with it...lol So pretty:)

 This was the hardest part....saying goodbye!

 Did some site seeing every now and then...Russia is sooo pretty! 

Peterhoff Fountains...kinda like gardens and fountains..we just walked around there for the afternoon.

 The most awesome ladies! The team from Texas! Left-Right:
Sarah,Heather,Susan,Kloe,Becca,Julie,Paige,Dee,Katie,Nana(Margret)

 One of our translators...Yon, He has such an amazing testimony and such a heart for the Lord and such a heart for serving and loving these kids! We loved him! It's so great! :)

 Caitlin, Anya and Kristen out my the fire helping the kids roast marsh mellows! lol So fun! The kids loved it! :)

 Bread and butter! With almost every meal! Look at that butter! And I love Anya's fingers photo bombing this picture! lol Too good! Don't worry I am taking photo's of most of our meals! lol 

 We had a carnival one night and had face painting which kinda turned into body painting! lol

 These are two precious girls that I have been witnessing to. Left-Right:
Kristen, Lusya(16), Me, Sasha(14)

 Inside St. Issac's Cathedral.. incredible   

 St. Issac's Cathedral.  

 Olga being silly with the new scarf she bought...we are on a baot tour on the river..I love her!

 Russian Chocolate bar! Sorry I didn't rotate it...lol

 At our carnival....Kloe and Nana from the Texas team made the kids balloon animals! :)

Yon and Lydia played ball with the older boys! The had a lot of fun!! :)


The Lord is so good! I can't put into words all the emotions I have felt over this past week. This blog would go on for ever, especially if I gave you every detail of every day! Our days were jam packed!! But so much fun...we had a lot of ups and downs of course. We saw Gods hand at work everywhere. Getting to stay with the kids at the orphanage was very eyeopening and such a blessing. There were times where we were very uncomfortable and wanted to complain about being, hot, tired, about the food or the bathroom situations. But it was also a very humbling situation once you saw the kids and thought about how they live like this all the time. But that God shows himself even through hardships. For example, some of us got to share our personal testimonies, like Nana(from the Texas team) who has an incredible one...a little girl- Deanna who is 12 and the Texas team has seen her for the past few years since they have been coming there. She heard Nana's testimony, and got to talk to her(through Olga our translator) ask questions and ended up accepting Christ. Sarah on the Texas team was on a roll in using the EvangaCube! She talked to a lot of kids and planted a lot of seeds! And one little boy, 13 named Victor prayed to receive Christ! Lydia was able to share her testimony and plant seeds and I was able to share mine as well..After I shared my testimony I was actually to able talk to two girls Lusya and Sasha. They seem to be searching...They were at the second orphanage that we went to half way through the week..and the four of us interns are going back there next week. So I am excited about being able to continue those conversations. Please be praying about that. This coming week, now that the Texas team is gone, it is going to be very different, it is going to be more about those personal connections and conversations. Last week with the team, they had a lot of activities and crafts and things for the kids to do. We have a VBS and some things for them to do, but now we are really going to let God move and speak through us this week. We are putting all our trust in HIM! 
I am going to have so many stories to tell and things to share when I get home...I can't possibly type them all now! Sorry! lol This is just a little taste..I am doing some video diaries...I would love to share those with you all when I get back. 
For right now, we are at the half way mark and we are starting to feel a little drained, emotionally and physically. I caught a cold on Friday, I woke up just really not feeling well...I thought at first it was allergies but then I got a bad cough. So I started to take the antibiotic that I have, which is exactly to weeks worth! The Lord is so good...as long as it doesn't get worse i'll be okay..I mean I would love to feel better but, I'll be okay. Anyways, please be praying for us. Love you all and miss you. :)


Dear Healer,
Thank you, that you are bigger than we can imaging. Thank you, that you have a plan for me, for these children and for the world. A plan greater than I can fathom. Thank you, that I can find rest and comfort in you. You are an awesome God.
Your Daughter. Melissa

Saturday and Sunday-Food, Fun and Friends

 Giving recipe books and measuring cups as gifts to all the graduates that came to visit.(Kristin standing handing them out, and Lena-director standing in the back in the black and white shirt)

 Caitlin browning the meat for tacos! :)

 Kristin!! Yummy tacos!!

 From left to right: Lydia in orange, Caitlin, Aleona(graduate), back row standing,Mariana(Case worker), Alex(graduate), Lena(Director), sitting: Ira(graduate), Nastia(graduate), another Nastia(graduate),Kristin, Melissa

 Kristin and Lydia having fun making Melissa's Peanut Butter and Honey pancake! :)

 Anya teaching us how to make pancakes! :)

Sunday morning baptist church service.


Hey everyone, Well it's Sunday evening. Sorry, I didn't get the chance to blog yesterday. We had the graduates come over and spend the day with us here at our dorm. We had four girls and one boy. They're ages ranged from 18-20. It took a while to break the ice. We told them a little bit about ourselves but they didn't like a lot of personal questions. Such as how they got to where they are today etc. We kinda kept it light. Like the differences between America and Russia. The differences between families here and there. It was very interesting and eye opening. When they first came in and were very reserved I couldn't help but have a few tears. I couldn't help but keep thinking of my life back home. Of my brothers who were the same age as this boy sitting in front of me. Of how I am so blessed to have family and friends that love and support me. How I am not on my own like these kids are. I feel it was actually more sad for me to be with these older kids then it was to be with the younger kids, because the younger kids, didn't care if you didn't know Russian. They just wanted to play, and hang on to you...they loved visitors! These older kids, have been through so much more, they have so many walls up, understandably so. Fortunately we had two translators with us, but it was still difficult, we told them a little about our testimony and about why we were here. About what Christ is doing in our life. Like I said, they had a lot of walls up but as the day went on, it got easier...We cooked Taco's for them, some had never had Taco's before! lol It was pretty cool. We played some games, and the boy Alex is now in his first year of college and going to get some sort of IT degree so therefor needing to learn English! So we kinda helped him with that...which was kinda cool! The other girls taught us a few words in Russian! And laughed at us, as we tried to pronounce things! lol It was fun! We gave them some gifts and had Ice Cream for dessert:) It was a pretty fun day...We are hoping to see them one more time, maybe one Saturday before we leave. 
The rest of the day was pretty relaxing just the four of us girls and Anya here at the dorm, naps and YouTube videos! Until it came dinner time...Anya decided to teach us how to make Russian pancakes! Very yummy! :) 
This morning, Sunday, got up, dressed and ready. We pretty much walked around the corner to the Baptist Church here..all Russian speaking, we are so glad we got to experience that, including a traditional Russian communion. The people were so welcoming. Anya interpreted some. We met this one missionary family that works with Campus Crusade for Christ and the wife is from the US and speaks English..we spoke to them for a little while..they have two kids...she married a Russian man and has lived here for 8 years now! Pretty neat! :) Anyways, today has been pretty laid back as well, took a nap, did our normal evening devotional together and just packed up all of our stuff because we are going to an orphanage camp, outside the city of St.Petersburg tomorrow for the week. So this will be my last blog until next weekend. No internet at the camps! We are just taking enough things that we need for one week, clothes, things for the kids etc. and the University is letting us store all of our extra stuff here in a locked room. So that is nice, we won't have to lug everything around with us! This week a church from Texas will be with us. So they will be in charge of this camp and we will be working along side them. It will be nice..we can just ease into it, and see how things are done..then the next two weeks we will run our own VBS (Vacation Bible School)camps. 
Well anyways, everyone is heading to bed, the bus is picking us up pretty early in the morning. So I gotta go. Be praying for us, the Texas team and all the kids this week. Love you all! Miss you! :)


Dear Lamb of God,
Spaseeba(Thank You) for having such a marvelous plan for our lives. You know the beginning,  middle and end. Lord please help us trust in you and trust in your plan for our lives. Lord we pray for the team that is coming in to join us, we pray for our team, and also for all the children that we are about to meet. Prepare our hearts and theirs. Lord we also lift up in prayer all the graduates that we met this past weekend. Lord, let them know your unconditional Love, let them know that you will never forsake them nor abandon them.
Your Daughter,
Melissa

Friday!

Today was really nice and kind of relaxing for the most part. We woke up normal time, had breakfast and got ready for the day. Anaya arrived this morning. She will be staying with us from now on until we leave on the 22nd, She is so sweet. Lena (the director of the graduate students) came today with one of the students. Her name was Ira, she is 18. We took her to the store and bought some groceries. Came back and Lydia and Kristin cooked us a wonderful lunch, it was a version of chicken chili and rice. Very Yummy! We played games, like this dice game called Farkle! Which I was terrible at! And we just sat around and talked, we heard Ira's story about her time in the orphanage, and what she is doing now...we shared a little bit about ourselves as well. Lena translated everything. After lunch, Lena and Ira had to go, the rest of us took a very much needed nap! lol Tomorrow is going to be pretty much of the same thing, Lena will bring some more of the graduates over here, one boy and three girls. We are very excited.
Tonight about 8pm Anaya took us out for a walk into the city, to get us out of the apartment and just to do some site seeing. It was really cool. So interesting that, that late the city is still hopping!! So weird! lol We got back at about 11pm, had our devotions, showers and now everyone is heading to bed. Hope everyone is going well. Oh and hey, my foot is getting better, for those who know what I am talking about...I have been taking my antibiotic. But now..for some reason, I have a bad tooth ache!! lol Go figure! If it's not one thing, it's another..Lena bought me their version of Ore-gel today! Very cool...lol The things that amuse me! :)


Dear Prince of Peace,
Thank you for days like this, where we can find rest in you. Where we can meet new friends, and just see your wonder us beauty. Teach us Lord how to see what you see, and how to love as you love.
Your Daughter, 
Melissa

Hey Hey Hey,

Today was a long day, jet lag is still hitting us. We are still here at the dorms this week. We woke up, ate breakfast (yogurt, granola bars, peanut butter sandwiches etc.) Then by 10am, Olga, her friend and the driver came and picked us up. We headed straight to down town. Olga’s friend gave us some history of the city while driving around. It was so interesting , a lot to take in, but very cool! We were able to take a lot of pictures! :) Then we made our way to the Hermitage Museum. It was huge!! Olga’s friend gave us a tour(I was pushed in a wheel chair!) lol We just hit the highlights, and only really went on 2 of 3 floors(there are 5 buildings). She told us that there are over 3million pieces in the museum and if you looked at everything for 1 minute each, it would take you about 9years to get through it all!! CRAZY! We took a lot of pictures. We saw a few Vincent Van Gogh pieces, Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Pablo Picasso, Leonardo de Vinci, and even a statue by Michelangelo. We were in aww.  Just to be able to say that we saw all of that was amazing.

Then we went to lunch, to this cute little café’ where they had these little croissants (of course they have a different name for them) but they had different things in it, like one had apricots in it, another had like eggs and green onions, another had cottage cheese…it was actually really good. Also, I’m trying to get use to the sparkling water at restaurants. So, as I said, breakfast is at the dorms and so is dinner, I brought a lot of Raman noodles:) and We bought at the store stuff for sandwiches, and chips and cookies, so I just had a ham and cheese sandwich w/chips. Not bad. Everything is smaller here, so we are trying to get use to the smaller portions. Haha

We went back to the Crisis Center Hospital today. Spend time with the same babies as we did yesterday. We took them outside to get some fresh air, changed some diapers and fed them their bottles. They actually got two new babies dropped off while we were there today.

Then we went to visit and play with the older kids, the same kids from yesterday and then 14 in addition. We took them outside to play ball and blow bubbles. The kids were so cute. They just hung all over us. They would say “I love you” even though we couldn’t understand a word they were saying. lol Their was one girl there, she was taken away from her family by what would be known as their version of DCF. Her mother was there visiting, it broke our hearts because she was just crying. She wanted her mom to take her home! I went over to try and distract her so that her mother could leave, I started blowing bubbles and playing play dough, it was so hard! We just started crying. They are so precious. The hardest part was when we had to leave. Just saying good bye to the kids, knowing that we are one of those people who are also leaving them….They kept asking when will you come back? We tried to share Christ with a few of the children but it is hard to keep their attention, and also with the language barrier, but we are getting there. God is good! Love you all…Gonna go get ready for bed! Another busy day tomorrow.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Lord, please help me to understand, why. Lord I know that you have a wonderful plan for each and every precious child. Lord, help me to share with them that you have a plan for their lives and to share your unconditional love with them. To tell them that YOU will never leave them nor forsake them. Thank you Lord! You are so good to me!

Your Daughter,

Melissa

Day 2-Humbled

Today, we slept in a little bit, had breakfast here in our dorm room at the University and then Olga came and picked us up. We went and did a little site seeing around the city, Saw the Church of The Spilt Blood, road the Metro all day! Even at rush hour coming home!! Now that was an experiance! Wow! lol Everyone pushing and shoving..but very cool. We were so blessed to have Olga with us, since she lives here she knows this place like the back of her hand. She knew exactly what streets to take, where to go, what to avoid, where to get on and off the metro. We even took what they consider a taxi, which is more like a van..holds more people. Oh speaking of which..the driving here is insane!! haha Everone is everywhere going any which way but there are NO accidents! ha. So that was fun..we had a very nice lunch at this little place called MamaRoma's it was kinda like their version of Italian. It was really yummy. :)
Now moving one to the reason we are really here. We went to the Crisis Center Hospital. We first held the babies, for about an hour or so, we took them outside and just loved on them. They are so precious! We changed their diapers and fed them. A baby actually got dropped off while we where there. This is where the childeren get dropped off for a month or two before they get placed into an orphanage. Then once we were done with the babies, we went into one of the older kids rooms, kids ageing from 4-8 years old. girls and boys. At first they were quiet, we brought some stuff to do, we asked one girl if she wanted to color, "no" she said, do you want to play with play dough, "no" what do you want to do, "I want to go home" she says, and begins to cry. It broke our hearts! We started talking to anouther one of the girls, who was the oldest in the room, who actually has taken on a mother like role with the other childeren even though none of them are related. We were reading her a story by Max Lucado about how God Thinks Your Wonderful and she had some very thought provoking questions, she is very smart. It was really fun to be there playing with the kids but it was so hard to leave them in that small room that they have to be in all day. Walking down the hall to leave we watched all the kids from all the rooms stand behind locked doors and stare at us as we left. They have such a nice facility there and are very well taken care of but it just breaks our hearts. We will be there again some tomorrow. We are also going tomorrow morning to the Hermithee Muesum, very excited. Anyways..it's like 10pm so I'm gonna go put my eye mask on head to bed. This day light out side is really throwing us off! Talk to you all tomorrow. Love you and thanks for all your prayers.

Dear King of Kings,
Thank you for this wonderful life changing experiance! I just pray specifically for all the childeren tonight. Each and every one of those precious babies and little ones. My they know your unconditional love for them! Use me and the girls as a shining light to glorify you. Give us strength and wisdom.
Love Your Daughter,
Melissa