Provision

I feel like I need to share how God has been providing for me lately. Of course, I could write a whole post or ten about how He provides financially, but this isn't about that. It's how God has been providing for me spiritually and emotionally here in Chita. Currently, I'm the only American here (well I've heard there may be a few more but I've never met them). The other Americans are on a sabbatical and even the Russian member of my group here is back in her home city this month. So naturally this has left some people who love me back home wondering "How is our Katrina doing in that frigid far corner of the world?" And to that I can reply with "I'm doing really good." Of course I'm human and at times it does feel weird to be here. At times it is hard (even now) but I'm doing good.

The past few weeks God has been showing me that He is truly here with me. First of all, I can't say enough how supportive my church is here. I believe it would be extremely hard, almost impossible, to be here without them. For example: I'm moving out of my current apartment and a few weeks ago my landlord said two people would like to come look at the apartment to see if they'd like to rent it after I leave. My landlord lives in another city so he wouldn't be along to show it to them. At the time, my friend Katya from church was at my house and I told her about the situation and how awkward it could be with my foreignness and not knowing the people who were coming. Even though it meant transportation would be difficult for her to get home and stay late in the evening she said she would stay with me and talk to them when they came. This changed her plans for the evening but she refused to go home. Such a good friend.

Another one of the obstacles I've been facing is finding transportation to see some of the children in a village outside the city. We normally take a car, but this month no one from our group is here to drive it. I was praying about this and a last week a girl from my church came up to me and nonchalantly said she has some clothes for children and maybe she could just drive me out to the village? She had no idea that transportation was a problem I've been facing. Again, I was amazed at how God provides.

God has also been providing with just small connections and meetings. A teacher at my university, who works in another department, contacted me because she heard I was American. She had spent a year in Ireland and just thought it would be nice to speak English with someone again. So we had a nice meeting and it was nice for me to have a conversation in English and hear about her adventures too.

In this past week, I've had to go to the market to buy a few different things. I honestly don't enjoy the market because I don't enjoy bartering and this time of the year it's so cold! However, I knew it was the best place to buy what I needed. Interestingly, a lot of the people who work at the market are foreigners (from China, Tajikstan, Uzbekistan etc.) and so both times I bought something the worker was foreign. One worker heard my accent and asked where I was from. When he heard America he started speaking English and said he was from Tajikstan. Just today I was at the market again and the worker was so delighted to meet an American. Whenever I meet foreigners here, I feel like we have a connection. We both know this is not our country, not our native language and I always feel a sense of understanding. So ironically, one of the activities I dread the most (going to the market) has both times turned out to be a great experience.

These are just a few of the ways God has been watching out for me.