We Will Miss You, Elisabeth!!

Today we said our last goodbyes to Elisabeth at the airport before she flew off to Germany. A little over a month ago, she was offered a job as the women's dean of Brake Bible College. After much prayer, God made it really clear that she was to go. We are happy for her, as we can see God's leading and know He has good things in store. But, of course, we are sad, as Elisabeth has been such a sweet part of our lives here in Buryatia. She's always been just a few feet away (literally... living right across the hall). Now, the distance is much further.



On Saturday we had a team going away party. Rebecca made an awesome cannelloni (is that how you say it?) dinner and it was good to all be together.



The kids all gathered around the cakes, as this was the most important part of the meal. Anneka is at the age now where she plays so nicely in the other room with the kids!


Inka and I came up with Jeopardy questions about Elisabeth's life and our team divided into two groups to answer the questions. Afterwards, we had a time of sharing with Elisabeth ways that God has shone through her and many of the reasons she is so special to us. Then we prayed blessings over her during this time of transition and for this new season in her life.



Last night we had a big going away party for Elisabeth at the Central Church. Sharon was in charge of everything, and it turned out great! They(Matthew did was the mastermind behind it) put together a fantastic video with pictures and interviews of many of us from Elisabeth's life.

I was in a skit and I had to be Elisabeth! I get nervous whenever I have to speak in Russian in front of a group of people. But God helped me to remember my lines. The star of the stage was Anneka, when she acted as a messenger from God... a little angel. She perfectly delivered the message when she was supposed to and then left. Everyone loved it.



On our way home, we got a flat tire. It's a frequent occurrence here (bad roads), and made for a good laugh as it's like a little goodbye present for Elisabeth.

Goodbye, Elisabeth! We love you and will miss you! Thank you for your friendship and for investing in our lives. You have been a source of encouragement and an example of faith to us. We cherish each moment we've had with you!

An Epidemic

Leif found this video on CNN.com this morning about the problem of alcholism here in Russia. You can view it here.

Yep, it's definitely winter!

We awoke this morning to this. We broke out the Christmas music... because, what more can you do but celebrate? My feelings yesterday that it was like winter in Washington have been proven correct. Today is September 19th and our last snow was June 19th. We had a day of autumn this week and a few days of spring in June. The heat isn't scheduled to come on in our apartment until Monday. It's been pretty chilly inside.



Anneka and I needed to go the store to buy sugar, so we semi-bundled up. She's so good at walking up and down our stairs. Notice the beer bottles on the steps. I didn't even position them that way. They were already nicely spread out like that. I figure her touching the handrail just boosts her immune system.




Anneka liked feeling the snow. Ironically, just last night we read a book with a snowman in it, so this morning when she looked out the window, she immediately said "Snowman! Snowman!"


So we made a little snowman. Looking at this picture, I realize I need to pull out the next size up of snowpants. And we'll need to go winter boot shopping again! Anneka will love that. She loves boots.

A Day In The Life

I've often considered writing "a day in the life of the Gustafsons" blog, but no day is every really the same. And even things that we have planned often get changed at the last minute and replaced with new things. So I decided that I'd just write about what we did today and will periodically give you snapshots of other days in the future.

This morning we awoke at about 7:30 to little Anneka singing in her bed. Leif went and got her and we all cuddled and read a couple of books for about 20 minutes. Then Leif went and made us breakfast (waffles that we'd frozen, cut up fruit, and oatmeal) while I dressed and changed Anneka. We ate breakfast together and then Leif got ready to head off to class. (I went and visited Leif at class earlier this week and we got the above picture taken with his professor).

While Leif was in class, Anneka helped me to do laundry. We played a little game on the computer together and then she read books to me on her floor while I sorted through all of her clothes, getting rid of all of the too-small ones. At about 10:30, Rebecca came over with Michael (13 mo.) and we went outside and let the kids walk/run around while we talked.

At about 12:00, Leif came home and we all ate lunch together (leftover lasagna). Then he slipped into the living room to work on his talk for Sunday. Anneka and I finished up on the clothing project and listened to some fun music.

At one, Leif came into Anneka's room to read a couple of books with us before her nap. Then he went back to his preparation for Sunday.

During Anneka's nap, I read my Bible, worked on team finance stuff, did the dishes, made chocolate chip cookies,and worked on a super-secret project for Elisabeth who is moving away next week. (Anneka is a good sleeper).

Leif had an area counsel meeting via skype with three other men across Russia from 2:00-5:00.

When Anneka woke up from her nap, we went downtown together. We had a super-secret errand to run (once again for Elisabeth). We strolled down the walking street, and Anneka immediately noticed that the fountains were off. Yes, it feels like winter already. Not Siberian winter, of course, but like winter in Washington. We saw a sandwich board of Leif on our walk (too bad I didn't have my camera- it was a different modeling pose from my last post). We visited Sasha and Katia and then went in search of little girl hair holders, as Anneka has offically entered the pigtail stage of her life. Then we bought little rolls with meat and apple juice and sat and ate them together. Whenever someone would come in to buy something to eat, Anneka would tell me that the man (or lady) was hungry.

Then we took a bus home that was so crowded, I contemplated not getting off at our stop and waiting until it cleared out and then catching another bus back! But we bucked up and squeezed off. As we got off the bus (about 6:15), Leif called saying that he'd just finished his rough draft in Russian and was contemplating playing basketball for a little bit. I encouraged him to (he'd been sitting all day in class or meetings!). It takes a long time to walk back from the bus stop anyways... there are rocks to pick up and goats to look at and ledges to balance on. And extra stairs to climb. Once Anneka and I got up to our building, we decided to go and visit Papa playing basketball. He already had a group of guys there with him. They form a flock as soon as he goes out there!

Then we had dinner together (leftover split pea and ham soup) and Leif left a little before 8:00 for a prayer meeting at our church. (who knows how long that will be!?) I stayed with Anneka and we read a few books before she went to bed. And now I'm here. I should be doing dishes. But I don't really like doing dishes. It's more fun to write a blog. And Anneka LOVES doing the dishes with me. If I save them for tomorrow, she'll be thrilled to pull up a chair next to me and get her whole body soaked.

Anyways, this is way too long. And you are probably tired. So that's a summary of one of our days, leaving things out, I'm sure. =)

A First Glimpse of Leif's Stardom as a Model

People have been coming up to us lately, saying "I saw an advertisement where the guy looked like Leif". Or "I saw Leif on a big banner on such-and-such street". Today Anneka and I found one of the signs and got a picture for you to see. It's really true. Leif is a model!

We think it's really funny. Our friends, Katia and Sasha, recently started a school for teaching English. They wanted a face on their ads that looked like it could be from England or the States. And Leif was their choice.

Anneka was impressed to see her Papa so big on the side of this fence! I like saying that I'm married to a model.... a dashingly handsome one.

My New Wig

The other day I made an impulse buy: a wig. I had birthday money, and I would never buy a wig for myself unless I had a great excuse like birthday money. And it wasn't even expensive. It was about $17. What a deal!



Here's the side view. I can wear it poofy or straight.

Basketball Bug

This week, Anneka has been keen on picking out her own outfits. Two days ago she wanted to dress like a ladybug (pictured above). Today she wanted to wear a dress that's so small for her that it's a shirt... coordinated with funny tights that have little carrot people on them.

The guys from the rehab center re-surfaced the basketball court, so now it's nice and smooth. Leif quickly makes new friends when he has time to play out there. And Anneka always likes to go and say "hi" to Papa.

Counting Cucumbers

Leif was getting our lunch ready the other day and gave Anneka four cucumbers to tide her over, and she counted them: 1-2-3-4! We didn't know she could do this! Of course, she didn't perfectly do it for the camera, but since then she's been counting things. It's really fun.

Corn On The Cob and Electrical Challenges

I (Jami) have been really sick this week with some sort of virus. Yuck! I'm so happy to be joining the land of the living again. Thankfully neither Leif nor Anneka caught what I had. Leif wins the award for most amazing husband and father, as he let me rest and took over caring for Anneka, making meals, etc. I'm so thankful for him!!

Before I got sick, I saw corn on the cob at the market... and I've never seen it here before. I was so excited! It was a celebration to eat it a couple of days after my stomach calmed down. Anneka thought that it was interesting to chomp on.



Yesterday there was a celebration in our neighborhood. Today is city day and it's common to have little events for children in various areas of the city. We were supposed to power the event for our area from our apartment. But this is what the extension cord looked like (sticking up in between Leif and Vitya). It didn't have any piece to plug it into the outlet- just exposed wires! Leif and Vitya had 20 minutes to troubleshoot and find a solution. They ended up making an end, just in time. And we kept Anneka out of the living room. =)

Our Little Tradition

When Anneka and I go to check the mail, we have little traditions. Between the bus stop and the post office, we stop at the swing and after the post office, we stop by the slide (she's pictured on top of the slide here). Then we go visit some sweet old ladies with little stands from their gardens and buy veggies or berries... and sometimes lettuce! Then we go to a little bread store. Anneka gets very excited about this and says "booda, booda!", which is buluchka or "little roll".



After we get our buluchkas, Anneka finds a nice little place on the curb to sit and eat hers. (pictured scooting on the curb after eating her buluchka). Then we pet a few stray cats and walk to a different bus stop and head home.

Anneka Fun

Anneka and my new favorite game is Rock-A-Bye Baby. She gets herself situated on the center of a blanket. Then I gather up the corners and scoop her up... and then swing her back and forth and sing "Rock-a-bye baby..." to her. She thinks it's so delightful. Leif said that I now am playing with Anneka the games I used to play with my cat, since as a little girl I used to put the kitty in a sleeping bag and swing her around. But I assure you, it's different.


Leif tries to free up his schedule at least a 1/2 day a week so that he can have quality time with Anneka (and work on homework or office-type stuff while she sleeps) and I can run errands or get things done that are hard to do with a busy girl around. Today I visited a friend who works at the fish market and went out for coffee with Renata, our new teammate. It was lovely. I feel like this little chunk of time each week refreshes me (even if I'm "working") and really makes me appreciate my time with Anneka all the more. Today Leif printed off this Dora mask and Anneka colored it. This is a picture of Anneka interacting with Sasha. He comes over weekly to take a shower and wash his clothes. Anneka really likes him.

A New Teammate

Yesterday we welcomed a new teammate to our city! Renata lived in Krasniarsk for a few years and is now here with us. We are happy to have her and look forward to getting to know her more and more. I was very proud of myself making this cake. My mom sent me frosting tips. I will have to spread my wings and try even grander things for the next cake. =)



We had a team dinner together to welcome Renata. This picture cracks me up because I told everyone to smile. Kandid (back of head pictured) did a great job of smiling... he just didn't turn around. He's a funny guy (in a "ha-ha" way, not a strange way). His first language is Swiss-German and yet he still manages to tell lots of good jokes in English. I think that takes a lot of talent.



Anneka's new thing is to have us make a fort out of her bed before she goes to sleep. She used to cuddle nicely on my lap while I sang her a song. But now she just wants right into her bed so that we can put up her fort.



Anneka and I went to the outdoor market in search of a repair place for our waffle iron (yes, it broke! And it's so sad because it was a miracle to even find it in the first place. We haven't seen one since). Anyways, I asked Galina (this nice lady who sells hats and other stuff) for help and she thought that Anneka would look nice in a new red bandana-hat. She's given Anneka so many hats!! I really like this one. I'll have to get a better picture later. Galina is really nice. She's our friend, Katia's mom. I never found a repair place for our waffle iron. But we haven't lost hope yet.

A Glimpse Into God's Heart

"How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart?" As I read these words in Psalm 13, my heart resonated with them. Shannon's death has left an empty spot- in our hearts, in our team, in Buryatia. "Why do we have to feel such sadness, God?" I asked. And I believe He answered. We are not created for death. Death only has come into the world because it's fallen and broken... because of sin. But God created us for life. He, too, is grieved by death. And how much more, spiritual death. There are precious moments in life that God allows us to feel part of what He feels and to get a peek into His soul. I remember when I was engaged to Leif, feeling the intense emotions of love and excitement and anticipation and thinking what a gift it is that God allows us to feel that and to see a glimpse how He longs for His bride, the Church. And when we had Anneka, I was amazed at the deep, selfless love I felt for her. A sacrificial love that wants the best for her. And that's a glimpse into God's deep love for us. This is especially heightened when I think of Him giving His only Son because of the problem of sin and death in our world. And so, even though there are moments when I never feel that my heart could fully feel happy again as I grieve the loss of Shannon, I'm thankful for this gift right now. It's a gift to remember how much God longs for everyone to have eternal life! It's a gift to remember the seriousness and pain of separation from God. I pray that this will be a catalyst for sharing Christ's love with others. I'm so thankful that Shannon is spiritually alive. "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints." Psalm 116:15 I'm thankful that she lived her life sharing Christ's love and life with many, many people.




We had two memorial services for Shannon in Ulan Ude. One was a smaller one with the Buryat Partnership (people who meet monthly). These sweet ladies made a feast for us to share after the service.



The second service was packed. People of all different ages, socioeconomic classes and races crowded in to remember Shannon and celebrate her life. It was really good to have these services and process together and share memories.

We're also thankful that we were able to listen to Shannon's stateside funeral via a live feed through the internet. What a wonderful invention of modern technology!

We are seeking to find a "new normal" as we live our lives here without Shannon. As I was walking the other day, looking down into the valley, I couldn't help thinking that there is a huge hole in Buryatia where Shannon belongs. But we move forward and cherish our memories and share the God of life and love in His power....

A Lifesong Sung to Jesus

We have very heavy hearts today as we grieve the loss of our dear friend and teammate, Shannon. I feel like I don't even have words to say right now. I know in my head that she is with Jesus, free from pain and sorrow... where there is no more crying or death. But our hearts still can't make sense of this, as we love her dearly and miss her already.


We have so many pictures of Shannon, and these aren't really the best for capturing her vibrance. This picture makes me smile because she convinced me to sing this really nerdy country song with her. And it was fun!



Leif and Shannon had such a fun brother-sister relationship. I loved watching them tease each other. I loved that Shannon was good friends with both of us.



Shannon was the one who welcomed us to Ulan Ude when we moved to the field, and she quickly became family. She was the one who heard all my woes as I dealt with culture shock. She has a way of making every person around her feel that they are the most special person in the world. We celebrated holidays together, as our teammates become a second family for us.



Anneka will never know her auntie Shannon on this side of heaven, which is sad for us to think about. Shannon's favorite song was Lifesong by Casting Crowns. She lived this out. She was adventurous, fun-loving, deep, full of faith, compassionate, giving, sensitive, wise, hard-working, always putting people before projects... and loving them well. She fit in here like no one else on our team. She truly became one with the culture and the people all around her. She inspired us all. There is so much more to tell that I can't even put into words. But we are so thankful for these three years of knowing Shannon. Our lives are much richer for knowing her, and we can't wait to be reunited with her again one day. I leave off with the words of her favorite song... one that she lived out well:

Lifesong

Empty hands held high
Such small sacrifice
If not joined with my life
I sing in vain tonight

May the words I say
And the things I do
Make my lifesong sing
Bring a smile to You

Let my lifesong sing to You
Let my lifesong sing to You
I want to sign Your name to the end of this day
Knowing that my heart was true
Let my lifesong sing to You

Lord I give my life
A living sacrifice
To reach a world in need
To be Your hands and feet

So may the words I say
And the things I do
Make my lifesong sing
Bring a smile to You

Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Let my lifesong sing to You

Green Grass

A few nights ago we were sitting in our living room and Leif said, "Do you know what sounds nice right now? A lawn." I laughed and thought it was a cute thing to say, but then I really started thinking about it. If we had a lawn, Anneka could play on it and run around and we wouldn't have to worry about garbage or broken glass everywhere. If we had a lawn, we could sit out there in the evenings and enjoy the coolness that it brought to a hot day. We could play bocci ball or throw a frisbee. We could set up a sprinkler and run around in it as a family. And then I started really missing green grass! But then I realized that I was longing after grass, and this is really ridiculous... and can quickly plummet downward into thinking of all the things we don't have and could have if we lived somewhere else. Because the truth is that God has brought us here and there are many beautiful, wonderful things here. I want to be content in any circumstance- whether in plenty or in want, etc.

Leif left today for time of long meetings and berry picking with pastors and Christian workers in the area. He didn't know he was leaving today until this morning and he doesn't know how long he'll be gone! I hope he has a good time. I'll have to think of some fun and creative ways for Anneka and I to spend our time.

After church today we had the Kerins and John over for lunch. Rebecca's parents are visiting and it was really fun to get to meet them. A lot of our teammates have had family visit this year, which is really neat.

Leif's Modeling Debut

Here's Leif pressing his shirt to prepare for his modeling debut (pictures and more explanation to come in the future). Anneka is also pressing her shirt so that she can be like Papa.

It's Raining, It's Pouring

It's rained so much this summer. I have mixed feelings about it. These are the things I love:
* Everything is green
* It feels like it cleans the air
* It's cozy

Here are the things I don't love
* It makes summer feel shorter
* Laundry takes forever to dry
* It's harder to go outside and play

Yesterday Anneka and I were standing on on the balcony while it was dumping buckets outside. We watched this little boy run home and call his parents on the domaphone and they wouldn't let him in. He waited awhile and then started running away. Leif knows this little guy, so I shouted down to him to come over to our place. He heard my voice but didn't see where it was coming from and ran to find shelter somewhere else. I feel bad for this boy. He's so sweet and polite. He's ALWAYS outside and it makes us wonder about his home life. So sad.



Our little puddle-stomper from last week.

The Old And The New

Leif snapped this picture last week, as a contrast really struck him. People who don't have running water come to this well to fill their big metal jugs... and yet on the well is an advertisement for satellite television. What an interesting world we live in!

Tonight at dinner, Anneka pointed to Leif and said, "Papa-man". "You're right", we said, "Papa is a man. What is mama?" "Lady", she replied. "What are you?", we asked. "Happy", was her answer. She also said "Happy girl" over and over today in her stroller ride along with shouting "Alleluiah!" really loud. I mean really loud.

Alleluiah!

Anneka has taken to singing lately, and her favorite word to sing is "Alleluiah!" It's so cute to hear her sing as she plays or lies in her bed. Here Irene and I prompted Anneka for this video clip. Normally she needs no prompting. =)

Baptisms at the River

This morning our church joined our sister church to celebrate one lady and two men getting baptised! It was so neat to gather and watch this public declaration of their faith in Jesus.




I loved watching the joy on each of their faces as they came out of the water.




This group of ladies sang hymns throughout the morning.



This girl, Lira, was one that came to the camp we had a few weeks ago. She's holding her little sister here. I got to hold her, too. So sweet!



And this has nothing to do with baptism, but I thought it was funny. Yesterday we grated zucchinis to freeze and later make bread out of. There's only a period of about a month that you can find zucchini here, and I'm always SO excited to see it! And now that we have a freezer, we can store lots!! Anyways, Anneka was chomping away at pieces of raw zucchini. And when I wasn't fast enough at giving her a new piece, she chomped into a whole one, peel and all. Yuck!