July 31, 2007

Dear Family and Friends,

Since it is July, which marks our one year anniversary, we have decided to make this letter a little different. You have heard about our kids but haven't heard from our kids. So our July letter will be from our children to you.

Some highlights of July at the Moscow Protestant Chaplaincy that we want to lift up: 

• We were visited by a team from Amnesty International in London that was doing research on our work with our Racial Task Force. 
• The council agreed to open a second soup kitchen on September 10, and no sooner had they decided to do that then we found the second half of the funding. 

I’ve heard someone say before that God is good! Keep us in your prayers as we look to that goal. That is all from us, there were many other events, but let's hear from the kids!

Rachel

Rachel, Naomi, and Bethany Bronkema at home in Moscow in the summer.

One of the things that I remember the most about this year is going to camp. It was really fun. At this camp all of the people there cared about us. One time when we were going hiking my friend from school and her family and my family and I were behind the group because we were picking flowers. Well anyway, there was a small hill that we had to go down and then we had to go up again. It had been raining before so it was slippery. Two men stayed behind to help us up the slippery part. They had to wait for us. It was really cool that they cared enough to wait for us.

Also there was this family who had six children. The youngest and oldest were girls. The rest were boys. The dad was the director of the camp. The oldest was like the baby's mom. Lucy (the oldest) took care of Nastya (the youngest) as if she were her child. I really liked them both. Lucy would sometimes play with Bethany and me. It was really fun. She was funny. Even though she only spoke Russian, she could talk with us without using words, and when she had to use words I could usually understand them. That wasn't just with her it was with mostly everybody there. I really liked that camp.

Not only was it fun, I think that I learned more Russian words. One was “tihoi,” which means quiet. I heard that a lot. Not only did I learn Russian words I learned how to communicate with them. I usually feel embarrassed talking in Russian around my parents. I only do it when I have to. One day at camp we were going swimming in a little lake. This girl had done something that had scared her I thought. So I asked her in Russian: What happened?  She said that she fell. Then she said that she fell backward. Then she said that she fell and hurt her head. When she finished talking I translated it all for my mom. I was really glad that I could understand. It was fun! I can't wait until I go to another Russian camp with one of my friends from school. It is going to be so fun! I am going by myself!

Naomi

This winter there was lots of snow. I ran around a lot and got very tired. I built many snowmen and ate lots of snow. I went ice skating and skiing. When we went crosscountry skiing, I went down this hill and kept on falling down. I never made it down the hill without falling down. I got very cold because the snow kept getting in my mittens and in my coat and socks and boots. Once I became freezing cold we came home.

This summer I have gotten the chance to serve at the soup kitchen. I served lunch and took numbers. I also cleared away the dishes. It was lots of fun. One time someone gave me a big fat candy bar that was very yummy. Once when I was serving the soup my shirt accidentally went into the soup. I really like working at the soup kitchen because it is fun to help the people there.

I also like to go swimming at the embassy. I have met many nice people at the embassy. Kurt and Karen came over to Bethany's birthday party and they gave me a scrapbook on my birthday and Rachel a bead set on her birthday.

Bethany

I like to go swimming at the embassy. The water is cold. Naomi gives me swimming lessons. She gives me piggyback rides and teaches me how to kick on piggyback rides. Rachel and I sing while we dance in the pool. Sometimes I get treats at the embassy store like ice-cream.

I like playing on the computer. My favorite thing to play on the computer is "American Girl."

I like to play in my backyard. I found a rock in the sand that already had a hole in it. I found it in my backyard, which is a playground. I was with my friends who are from India. Their names are Ambruta, Aisha, Neeha, Snigda, and Andvita. Grounders is my favorite game to play on the playground. I really like my playground. I start on the smallest bar and then I go to the middle bar and then I go to the highest bar by swinging around and then I relax on the highest bar.

Swimming at camp was fun. I swam in the river. It was cold, and I only swam once. You couldn't see through the water. We saw caves on a hike at camp. We walked across a rickety wooden bridge with cables. I didn't like the Russian Bible lessons because I couldn't understand a thing. There were wild strawberries at camp and they were yummy.

Your servants in Christ,
The Bronkema family