Midterm week

I’m starting to feel more at home here. I’ve enjoyed getting to know people in my dorm and in some of my classes, and also the missionaries who work as professors at LCC. I’ve especially enjoyed playing chess at the Salvation Army every Friday. Every day from 10:00-2:00, there are social hours for the homeless in Klaipeda. They can come to the center and receive counseling, shelter from the cold, snacks, and music. I have been coming on Fridays to play chess for a few hours. I’ve really enjoyed hanging out there and meeting the homeless people. I’m surprised at how many of them know a little bit of English. But you really don’t need to speak to play chess. I went to the homeless church today and was happy to see one of my chess friends there. He asked me to come and play chess with him on Thursday as well. I will be able to since my class that is on Thursday is cancelled. Next week will be my last week playing chess at the Salvation Army, though, because there are no social hours at the center when spring starts. I was a bit disappointed about that, but I will still be able to go to their church on Sundays when there is translation.
Yesterday, I also went to the orphanage with the monthly ministry team from LCC. The kids are so needy and really love attention. One little girl with Down syndrome kept hanging on to me and loved holding my hand. She wanted me to run around the room with her and give her high fives the whole time. She’s very cute. We mostly played games with the children and tried to do a craft. We decided not to do the craft because the kids were too wild to listen to directions. Some of the boys were actually running on the tables and hitting each other. They are very hard to discipline, but I think they just need people to show love to them.
This week we will be getting ready for our study abroad trip to Russia during Spring Break from March 6-12. I’m very excited! We will be touring Moscow and St Petersburg! We have been trying to learn the Russian alphabet and useful phrases in Russian. It’s interesting, because my roommates are trying to teach me Ukrainian phrases! It’s easy to get them all mixed up-especially since I’m also learning Lithuanian! By the way, we had our Lithuanian midterm last Friday and I actually wrote a whole paragraph in Lithuanian! I shocked myself, but I think I didn’t do very well on the vocabulary section.
This next week will also be busy because it’s already midterm week. Everybody is busy studying for exams! Also, on Friday, I’m playing with bell choir at another university for a special concert.
Spiritually, I’ve been getting a lot out of the book of John from Bible study and also from my own study of Ephesians. They are continual reminders to ‘live a life worthy of the calling you have received’. This involves imitating Christ so that we can be a fragrant offering to God. All of this is a process of learning and growing where God reveals his greatness and love for you. Did you know that the Greek word for ‘be’ in Ephesians 5:1 means ‘become’? This means that it is a process of walking closely with Jesus and involves perseverance.

Pray for LCC University: They have difficulty finding faculty year to year; there is always shortage of professors as people come and go. Also for me specifically: for guidance and wisdom with summer plans and using my time here