Don't put the Father in a box

     On Wednesday, I got to go to this house where about six physically disabled boys live. When I walked into the room I didn’t know what to expect but from the description I got it sounded a lot like SFCV where I spent last summer. I thought I would be experienced in the area of disabled children but I walked in and there stood before me a little boy with no arms! I froze. I didn’t know what to do with him. At SFCV I never had a kid with no arms. I didn’t know how to play with him. I saw some blocks on the floor and I sat down with him hoping we would figure something out. This was definitely one of those moments when I was relying on my own knowledge and skills to be able to play with this boy. However, Dad had other plans I think that is why out of all the disabilities I saw in China, He chose the one I had never seen. Now looking back I am thankful He did because as I was sitting there with a panicked look on my face, this little boy began to play with these blocks all on his own with his feet! Let me tell you this little boy knew how to use his feet just like any other little kid with their hands. After we played with the block we brought out the bubble wands which he loved! Then came the balloons which we spent the rest of the time playing with. It was so adorable. He had the bubble wand in his feet and I would hit the balloon over to him and he would hit it like a bat. At this point I felt really dumb for doubting in the first place. I am glad that there are no limits to the things Dad can do even when I forget He is there to help me. Seeing that little boy smile reminded me that I’m not the one who brings joy to people’s hearts, I am only a vessel. Joy has already been one of the themes I have been feeling on this trip and I know that if I keep letting my Father do His thang then the joy that is in my heart will continue to overflow to all those who I meet. And that is something to be joyful about!!

My first week

Hello everyone,

     Today, well yesterday marked the end of my first week here in Kazakhstan! I am still having a great time and I am gradually settling into my home and work here in Taraz (which is the city I am living in). Everyday has been filled with some new experience and interacting with different groups of people has been fun. My Kazakh mom (Gulnazm) and my Kazakh sister (Guldonna) have been so inviting and they have taken me into their family as one of their own so quickly! Guldonna told me that before I came here she was an only child and now she has an older sister which she has always wanted and things aren’t so boring now. After my heart returned to its rightful place I told her I never had a sister either and now I do which has been fun! Gulnazm has been seriously like a mother to me. She takes care of everything; I have to hold on to my plate for dear life so I can wash it myself. She even packs my lunch for me. But don’t worry mom I’m not expecting that when I return home! J I have enjoyed sitting down at the table for meals and conversation over tea which we have with every meal and sometimes in between. I love tea so I’m good with it. Occasionally we watch tv while we eat which has been interesting. They usually watch programs in Kazakh like Kazakhstan’s got Talent, X Factor in Russian and this show called friends which is also in Kazakh but it’s so predictable I can understand what is going on. I have also enjoyed cooking with Gulnazm. She has been teaching me how to cook some of the traditional dishes of Kazakhstan and also Russia. I am glad I’m learning these things so I can make them back in America as well! These are the perks of being here on an internship rather than a delegation. I can spend time learning these things and trading cultures. Right now I’m learning how to cook Borsht and I made a salad which is veggies and mayo, another Russian/Kazakh must have in every meal.

     So some of the things I got to do this week were so fun! As I mentioned in the first post, I got to go to Savva! I have also gotten to go to Saramoldyva another orphanage which I go to most days in the week. That has been fun because I am getting to know different kids as well as seeing ones from the last time I was here in 2011. Also just being in the office and getting to know my coworkers has been fun they are all great and are good sports with my slow and limited speech patterns. Some of them speak English though so that helps a little because sometimes I just don’t understand. I have started to make this dumbfounded face whenever someone says something I didn’t understand at all. It’s my, “can you repeat that” signal. I have also begun my Russian lessons. It will be nice to brush up on the things I forgot as well as add to the foundation already have. I have also successful ridden the Marshutka all by myself which I was a little nervous about. It was way easier then I made it out to be and I actually had a bit of fun in my 15min of independence in a foreign country. You have to appreciate those little things!

     Today I got a little taste of back home because it rained most of the day today, which I loved. I had fun explaining to people that I didn’t have an umbrella because in Portland we don’t use them. However, I also forgot a jacket so Ulan had to give me a ride home because I only know one Marshutka route. I proudly told Marina that I was cold today. This is significant because the first day I came to the office I had sandals on and freaked all of Taraz out because I wasn’t in on the fact that April is not a sandal wearing month. Even if it’s 80 degrees out and you are from Oregon where 70 degrees is a border line scorcher. So far I have been really enjoying my time here and I hope all of you back home are doing fine!

Moshing on the Marshutka

Hello Everyone!

I am doing well I made it safely with no complications. It was a long and lonely journey but I  guess that is best. My driver was nice and he brought all of my stuff back to my house while I was at Savva which was very nice. I got to spend my first day at Savva which was awesome! I spent time with the kids and as they were slowly waking up since I got there at 6am they would walk by. It was funny because those who knew me where not expecting me to be there and so when they walked by me they had to do a little double take and then they were like oh hey! and they came and gave me hugs. best of all I got to talk with Raya for pretty much the whole time! I also saw Sumit another one of my favorites, Ruslan, Faru! and others. and I got to talk with them almost all by myself!!!!!!! yay! that was so cool for me!I also got to eat my favorite breakfast of porridge! yum. after that I went home and met my host family. they are both very sweet and very nice and generous. I went to her nieces house and had tea and she was nice too and spoke English. She also had the most adorable chipmunk cheeked kids in the world! I wish I had a photo, but (Rachel these kids were definitely choco chip muffins!! and made Jordan's cheeks look tiny.) and (Matt, the boy was watching Legend of Korra, in Russian!!)ye ye! 

The language barrier has been interesting because it is measurably more broken down than the last time I was here. I can carry on conversations pretty well. I'm sure I sound really dumb still though, but of course they don't correct me on my grammar only when i say the wrong word and they are trying to understand me! they are both mostly Kazakh speakers so occasionally none of us will know the correct work to say! :) it's ok though that doesn't happen very often. I still feel so behind though with speaking because there is still so much I don't know or don't remember which is frustrating. I have to keep reminding myself I am blessed to even know the Russian that I know because some of the interns and people who come here don't know any language. I hope when I begin language lessons that will help. I really wish I remembered my numbers and verbs of motion! I know that would help me a lot especially when I am on my own at a store or riding the public transportation. By the way, yesterday I rode the Marshutka which is like a small bus that was an interesting experience considering I have ridden the bus in Oregon about well, once when I was little I could even tell you exactly when i did. There were so many people packed on and I felt like I was in a mosh pit and i couldn't get my power stance so I was falling over all sorts of people while being pushed around. It was one of those cross cultural experiences that I will never forget and will definitely take away from for the future. I know this is the first of many of these experiences!

Today was my first day at Interlink and it was pretty slow going at first but I got to go to Seramoldyva(sp) which my spell check just told me should be leaseholder so if you want to see the correct spelling please consult a detailed map and look at the southern border of Kazakhstan. Anyway, I hung out with Zarina and went to her English lessons which I will be taking over in May for a little while! It will be interesting because the little kids group speaks mostly Kazakh and I am quickly learning some words but man, i got to take it one language at a time!! Hopefully i will know both eventually. So that has been my stay here so far tomorrow I will be learning how to use the marshutka so I can ride it by myself which will be an adventure to say the least. I am looking forward to being able to plug myself in and see what will happen.It is so weird I don't even feel like i am in Kazakhstan. I just think like I am still in Oregon or something I don't know, I guess it just feels natural to be here. Maybe it's because I've been here so many times. Whatever it may be, the fact is that I am in freaking Kazakhstan!! oh ya! I hope all of you are doing great and staying out of trouble! Don't forget to skype me or facebook message me or e-mail. My e-mail ismari.russell@pcc.edu

REMINDER

Please use the "lingo" when talking with Mari on facebook, email, or on this blog. The lingo meaning please don't write out Ch$**ti@n words. Thank you.