It has been 3 weeks since my last post; I have had not had a good hour or two to sit down and record my thoughts to share with everyone. I'm writing this in the reading room between my 1:00 and 4:00 classes. The room is quite interesting: long and narrow with rows and rows of fake-wood desks and black chairs fill nearly the entire space. One wall has a series of windows with old glass that have yet to have their spring cleaning. Near the front is a rather diverse collection of potted plants and trees. (It certainly is warm enough in here to function as a green house!) The light fixtures look pre-Revolutionary and give the otherwise nondescript room--that I just described to you^^--something worth mentioning :)
April 1st I shed my cocoon, and have not had the need to wear it on a regular basis since then. Some days have been remarkably hotter than others; temperatures here change rather fast: one day in the 70s, the next back down to the 40s. And even when it is that warm, it's hard not to feel that at any moment the cold cold return, the wind could pick up, and snow flakes could start to gently fall to the ground.
April brought about a whole new perspective about my time here. It feels like a sort of accomplishment making it through my first 2 months in Irkutsk and through the tail end of my first Siberian winter. (And I wasn't even here for all of it--it started snowing here in October!) My calender has started to fill up as I started tutoring two girls in English a few times a week and am planning more trips now that both the weather is improving and I am feeling more comfortable navigating Siberia--well at least Irkutsk :) Only 8 weeks remain and they are shaping up to be an exciting 8 weeks!
I still have so much to be thankful for here, and the Lord keeps blessing me tremendously with new experiences, wonderful relationships and fellowship, time in His word, providing for me financially, and by simply enjoying all of the little, almost unnoticeable things in Russia that have enriched my days.
My morning bus ride to school takes me over the dam bridge, the longest bridge in Irkutsk. It's on the southeast edge of town (near where I live) and on the other side of it is the wide Angara and hills covered in aspen trees. The sunrises in the morning are breath taking. When I cross the bridge every morning at about 7:20, the sun still hasn't fully risen and the colors are at there boldest. Last week, I was reviewing some vocabulary while riding the trolleybus, not realizing that I was crossing the bridge. When I happened to look up from my book, I saw the most stunning sun rise yet! I started praying and thanking God for His immense creativity, that each sunrise each and every day is different and that I happened to see this one! I was so overwhelmed and I looked to around to see if anyone else on the trolleybus with me was as in awe as I. Not one person was looking out that side of the bus. Just to there right was (to me) such an obvious gift and sign of God's glory, but no one cared to look. I felt so shocked, and taken aback really; to me God is so evident in nature. Here was this vibrant red sunrise reflected on the water and ice on the Angara, piercing through the clouds and filling the air itself with color, just as signs of God himself fill the earth, but we humans are too often oblivious, whether consciously or unconsciously. Well there's some food for thought (mmm...food...) that I will leave you with :) Truly hope everyone is well and enjoying spring in his or her corner of the world.
God Bless!
P.S. Христос Воскресе! Christ is Risen!
(Today is Easter in the Orthodox world)
I remember watching the northern lights one night through my sunroof while I drove home from Anchorage. (Do you have those there?) That sense of wonder I felt that particular night has remained for going on 3 decades now. I pray that your sunrise will be a permanent memory for you! Think of the microcosms that God watches unfold that we just step on. I probably don't make sense. Bedtime for Bonzo.
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