Off I go!

My “Advent Adventure” begins today. My bags are packed and my boarding passes printed. My itinerary for the Winter Holidays in Samara is pleasantly full–with room for drop-in guests and unscheduled opportunities. You can see it here.

THANK YOU to everyone who has encouraged me, loaned clothing and given me advice on what kind of clothes do best in sub-freezing temperatures (which, by the way, will be the case the entire time.  Like – highs in the mid-twenties on the warm days. Lows near and below zero at night.) Anyway, back to the thanks yous….

THANK YOU for those who have blessed me and my ministry with finances to take. CrossRoads has outlasted the “typical” model for this kind of ministry. It’s exciting to be able to usher in the new year with them, and share in the expectancy of what God wants to do in 2014.

THANK YOU to those who commit to praying for me while I’m overseas. Because of you, I never feel alone.

THANK YOU to my family, especially my husband, Ken, who is willing to spend our 29th wedding anniversary as well as New Years Eve alone … He’s a keeper. I’ll have to bring back extra chocolate for him this time. 😉

THANK YOU to all my Russian friends (and especially Tanya, who still coordinates everything for me) for all your sweet invitations to share your holiday time with me. Keep the hot tea coming!

Hoping to WOW you with pictures of Samara in winter and stories of God’s presence in the lives of the people there who embrace the frigid winter as a familiar “close person” and do better than survive it.

May it be the same for me.