Update from Russia

(Former South Middle School eighth grade reading teacher Sheri Medlock is in her first year of teaching in Russia. She is providing weekly updates to Room 210 News.)


Greetings friends!

Big events of this week:

* Saturday John and I made some decisions about the English Club. The first decision we made was that it won't be an English Club. We decided it will be a home group conducted in English. If anyone wants to practice their English, they can come and converse for a few hours. But the purposes will be to create an opportunity for fellowship with believers and an opportunity for non-believers to ask questions about God and the church. We will read through Blue Like Jazz. Several copies of this book has already been sent to me.
* Saturday I also had an opportunity to see more of Moscow. I went to several bookstores and even bought a few books in English! If you know me at all, you know what a job this was to me.
* I continue my English lessons with Masha. This is a very slow process, especially since I spend more of my time preparing English lessons then studying Russian. However, I am slowly beginning to learn the basics of the language. I'm still working up the courage to try communicating, though.

Victories this week:

* I'm feeling much better then the last time I wrote an update. This is thanks to the prayer of the saints and the fact that I finally bought some ibuprofen.


Struggles this week:

* Last week I had a severe headache which lasted most of the week. Around the fourth or fifth day this started to effect me emotionally. I spent quite a bit of time praying through this, and God, as always, was good. In some ways this was a blessing. I spent more time in intense prayer then I had since I got here.
* My job has taken some getting use to. I have obviously taught for three years. But teaching English as a foreign language is quite different. There is also the added complication of working with those from a different culture. A teacher observed one of my classes last week. In Joplin, post-observation discussions usually began with a list of good things I had done. This isn't how she started here. However, before I could get too offended, I realized that there were some cultural differences. It was also a good lesson in humility. I believe my lessons have improved since my observation, so it was effective.

Family:

* My nephew Josef turns 10 Saturday. Happy Birthday, Jo!

Daily Walk:

* I'm still memorizing 1 Peter. I'm working on Chapter 2 now.

Ahead this week:

* Saturday I will attend Rex and Sue's home group discussion of The Purpose-Driven Life.
* I will continue to pray and plan for the home group. John and I hope to start it in the next few weeks.

Prayer Request:

* Please pray that I'll get the books soon! We need them to start the home group. The longer we wait, the more I worry that they have been lost to the US postal service.
* Pray that I will be an effective teacher and a loving example to my students.
* Pray that I will continue to develop relationships with those God has placed around me.

Blessings.
Sheri