Saturday, May 20, 2006

What to say...

Today (5/1) two volunteers have left our region and are about to leave Kazakhstan after finishing their service. In another month, five more volunteers will leave after finishing theirs, leaving only three of us. Therefore all of us got together Saturday night and had a banya party.Remember what a banya is? It’s usually a two room mudbrick sauna hut for cleaning up your self from time to time. The one we rented out though was a banya house equipped with a room for feasting, a pool table, massage rooms, a shower room, and a sauna, all to ourselves. I was excited. The last time I was clean was when I left America after my recent visit, a month ago. It was a six hour foray with plenty of food, stories, jumps in the river, and sitting in a 172 degree room. The other end of the extreme after a winter where the temp hit –40 at times.Yesterday I was able to go to an apartment church in the city. The pastor and his wife are both ethnic Kazakhs. Christian Kazakhs are a rarity as they are usually Muslim by culture and tradition. The church is made up of about twenty or so people and is made up of both ethnic Kazakhs and Russians. I don’t go into the city often but when I do I always try to visit them because I forget the refreshment of spiritual community. So yesterday, once that dose was delivered, Susan (another PCV) and myself made everyone some chicken tacos because she wanted to make some American cuisine before she left next month. I was taking notes because my sitemate, Amber, is also leaving after a month and she’s taking her pizza and hamburger making skills with her. I’m trying to learn all I can otherwise it’s going to be a long stretch of oily pasta and buttlet from here on out.My return to America was well enjoyed and I will say it was great to see everyone I saw, and if I didn’t see ya, there’s always the summer of ’07 baby. David and Natalia’s wedding was outstanding. People out here are taken aback when I tell them over 200 people came but there were only four toasts and it finished around 11:30. Everybody gives a toast out here and the soirees stretch onto 4-5 in the morning. It’s also a tradition to give people the leftover food (called sarkit) so I keep getting asked where the leftovers are. I’m like, if I had some I definitely wouldn’t be giving it out..I’m starving, I need the meat! My Kazak isn’t good enough to say that so I just tell them I don’t have it.In the near future some more good friends of mine in the States will be marrying. Blessings and Peace to you Sam and Libby, Matt and Abby. Also there’re rumors of certain fellas purchasing certain rings so be on your best behavior ladies. The week after I got back my counterpart (21 year old fair Akmaral), was “married” in the following fashion; On Friday morning her boyfriend of sorts offered her a ride to school (which is about 4 minutes away). She got in and he drove back to his house (4 houses away). There he wouldn’t allow her to leave and established he was taking her for a wife. I will say that at some point she could have probably asserted herself and gotten out of it but, to my disappointed self, that didn’t happen. Turns out it’s an old custom called bride stealing. Now she will live at his house until his parents invite her parents over for an “apology” dinner and then I guess he’s got to throw a real party. The guy is 27 or so and speaks surprisingly good English. To his credit he’s intelligent and capable and working on getting his act together. We have some decent conversations so I hope to be getting together with him soon to figure out what was behind the plot. They seem to be doing well. There are a few weeks left of school. I’m trying to round up some 5th and 6th graders to practice the play “Hansel and Gretel” in English. We’ve only had one rehearsal with half the cast because a heavy illness has hit throughout the entire Oblast and left a lot of people sick. I’ve been lightly affected consuming lots of fruits and water. Everyone else is trying to get by with hot tea and medicinal shots to the buttocks. Even with the setbacks I’m hoping to kick off the play next week.Teaching is something I’m enjoying more and more as I feel the edge developing. The edge is how well I can manage a class, deliver a lesson, and not feel like a failure. Also developing is the snap. The snap is the ability to get an unruly student back in line by making him feel like a fool in front of his peers. That might sound harsh but it’s better than the alternative; the slap.Overall it’s a great job and challenge that I’m growing in. I’m happy to have a 2nd year left.At the end of the school year the students at the local boarding house will be leaving. They are 5-11th graders from surrounding towns living here to study at my school. I tutor there twice a week and sometimes go on the weekends to play games. It’s been a great source of joy for myself and will be a pity to see them leave.The weather has become pleasant since I’ve been back and the cows, goats, and sheep have resumed their forays in the streets, fields, and abandoned grasslands. About this time every year, the fields outside of town throw up a sea of tulips for everyone to delight in. Some volunteers will come down next week and hopefully there’ll be a few to be found. Apparently there’s only a week or so window before they start to wilt.

Information

Here's the link to a picture website I've got running:

http://community.webshots.com/user/epiglottis

Here's my mailing address:Tom Dechert3/1 IksanovChapaevo, Kazakhstan W.K.O 090100

email: tomdechert@sbcglobal.net

Deeper Depths

Deeper Depths
As I continue to pursue God, Truth, Jesus, and freedom I’m finding two things; plenty of opportunity to do so and strong resistance within myself. Indeed at times I find myself surrounded by many mountains, unable to understand, change, and take simple steps of progress. The juicier tidbits I will not yet disclose at this time but a small example is trying to pray for 15 minutes a few times a day. It doesn’t always happen. Let me talk about prayer for a little bit. I pray for everything from the salvation of others to myself having a better language ability as well as healings for those afflicted and restoration for many things..even occasionally for my receding hairline which I’m still waiting on, but it’s not exactly breaking my faith. Also, I praise Him for many blessings which I can’t deny. But I believe prayer is the beginning of many movements so I’m attempting to increase it. I will admit openly I’m a man dissatisfied, just like the dude in Psalm 17:15. I’m convinced there are greater things in store for anyone who walks by the Spirit in the will of God rather than after the traditions of men and comforts. “Am I fully able and willing?” I ask myself..as another hour ticks by and I’m still playing Connect 4 versus the computer..and down 10-1. I’m trying to be. I’ve got another year left here. It’ll be squandered if I’m not. As far as these mountains go, they’re not meant to be climbed nor struggled with. According to the Christ, a little bit of faith can cast a mountain into the sea..it’s the dose I need. So there’s dissatisfaction, but there’s peace. There’s a war within, but there’s hope for a new man. There’s a dying daily, but what remains is the soul with the fat trimmed off. All prayers are appreciated; for myself, for the K-STAN church, for my host family, for my students and teachers I work with.