October 1, 2002

Hello everyone!
Thank you so much for your responses to our letter last month.  Hopefully I've gotten everything sorted out with the mailing list now.  We really enjoyed hearing from those of you who wrote back with more than the "yes" I asked for.  Please feel free to write more now, too. =)

After our very busy summer, we're enjoying being back in Moscow.  School started September 2, so I've been spending a lot of time there.  We've also been able to do quite a bit with our church.

I'm really enjoying teaching this year.  There have been challenges already, but overall it's been wonderful.  I teach two days a week, first through fourth grades.  Most of the kids are the same ones I had last year, and it's good to be back with them.  I'm especially loving the new first grades, though.  Last year I didn't get to work with the first grade at the beginning of the year, right as they were first starting school.  They're so little, wide-eyed, and ready to learn!

The first big event at church this month was the youth service.  Will especially was very busy with preparing for that.  He sang several songs himself, and played the guitar for group songs.  Then, last Sunday, was a big triple holiday.  It was the harvest holiday (like American Thanksgiving), the church's twelfth anniversary, and also the first Sunday in the new sanctuary.  Will helped out during the week with cleaning up after the builders as they hurried to get the new part of the building in time and preparing for the service.  Sunday was a very beautiful time of thanks and praise to God for what He has done.

Another exciting thing that we've been a part of is a Bible study and fellowship in Razvilki, just outside Moscow.  Two ladies from the church live out there, and they trade off opening their homes.  The pastor from our church goes out there and takes several young guys and us along.  Then the ladies invite their neighbors and friends.  Will and a friend lead singing, and the pastor and other guys preach or share what is on their hearts.  We're all praying that this could grow into a church eventually.

This weekend we're going to visit Kovrov, one of the cities where we were this summer.  We're hoping to see the kids at the orphanage/school, visit the church, and spend time with Pavel and Tanya, the missionaries there.  We're both really looking forward to that!

Please pray specifically for several things:
-patience and energy for me at school.
-growth in the meetings in Razvilki.
-our trip to Kovrov: for a safe trip and good visit.
-our health.  (We've been fighting colds.)
-wisdom in planning and decision making.

Thank you for your love and support.  Thank you especially for praying for us!  We would love to hear how you are doing, and how we can pray for you, too.
Because of Christ,
  Phyllis (and Will) Hunsucker
 

P.S.  If I took you off of our update list last month, and you want to be put back on, please be sure to email us!