not all those who wander are lost....

Mending

2011-12-26T21:41:00.000-08:00

It's been 3 years today...

I read an article a few months after we buried Mark's dad and my mom. It was an article on how men grieve. One story has stuck with me...
a man went out in the woods and struck a tree, damaging the trunk, and stripping away some of it's bark. Periodically, this man would come back to the tree to see how the tree was mending...reminding him of how he was mending too.
How long does grieving take? This is what we all want answered in those moments when you can't breathe and your heart aches and there is nothing that can stop it or make it go away. Someone told me that how important the person was that you are grieving for, determines the length of your grief. No magical date...no set timeline.
When a tree is wounded, it must grow over and compartmentalize the wound. As a result, the wound is contained within the tree forever.
What I have found out is I will never be the same...the scars are there for good. What we become is up to us...we can allow the creator to mold us and teach us, refining us into something rare, something beautiful, or we can be stifled by fear and anger.
As I see the scars in my life I feel loved by a God who gives me life in death, gifts in emptiness. Wrestling like Jacob to receive the blessing in this lonely place...I choose to walk with a limp, to be with Him in the most intimate way, as a shepherd carries His lame sheep on His shoulders...let Him heal you and teach the beauty that is right in your midst.
In my mind I walk to the tree and see the scar and don't deny the pain, but I know that God is healing me, teaching me, refining me.
This season as we celebrate the gift of Jesus, I pray your thoughts will bring you back.to the the gift that has been given to us,Jesus...everyday since His coming has been reason to celebrate. We have victory over death!

A Father's Love

2011-11-14T11:05:00.001-08:00

I got a phone call the other day. It was unexpected. Most of my days I concentrate on the focus to get through the day until something stops me and says, "Can you hear me?" The Holy Spirit is sweet and gentle...sometimes easy to miss if you are too busy trying to beat the clock or check off the next item on your list.
It was my dad. I was taken back in time. We connected with the love of the Father as the love of a father reached out for connection. I am thankful for an earthly father who is not perfect but flawed. He is proof of amazing grace transformation through the redeeming love of God for a poor, motherless, and needy boy. It teaches me that I too, with all my flaws, can be loved like this...and points me towards my heavenly father. The one who never disappoints, never fails.
At my father-in-law's funeral my husband, Mark, shared a memory from his childhood... a memory of a defining moment for him. In a game of capture the flag, my father-in-law managed to cross enemy lines and was coming to save one of his captured teammates and take them back to safety. Mark was just a boy, and looking around at his fellow teammates and how big and strong they all were in comparison, decided that he would not be the chosen one. But he was wrong, his dad chose him. In that moment he felt valued, by the love of a father who, he knew then, would always choose him.
Not everyone can relate to this story. You may have very painful memories of your father, too painful to revisit. But whatever makes you run towards God and His unfailing love, even when painful, is a gift. God chooses you...he always chooses you. He chooses you, not for what you are, or can give, or have come from, but just for you.

I am thankful today for the flaws and the pain that keep me going back to the one who is spotless. I keep running back and holding tight. He won't leave me...and I am grateful...that my father, in his imperfections,in his redemption,and in his want, pointed me to my Father, and showed me what true love is.

Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Ephesians 3:17-19 (NLT)

Running the Race

2011-11-10T11:41:00.000-08:00

I have always loved to run, mostly, as fast as I could. It is all I could endure, a quick 100 meter dash...the exhilarating experience of a fast and furious race. Now that I am older and more mature *cough, cough, wink* I have made myself endure the discipline of long distance running. Training long distance is different than training for a 100 meter dash. It's long, painful, long, sweaty, long...you get the gist. What started out as a physical discipline has saturated my life with so many spiritual lessons to grow on.
So let me share a few 'lessons" for life, God has whispered in my ear as I have sweated and panted, sweated and prayed, and endured one more mile.
~Number one rule to running long distance is to keep going, even when you think you can't. Sometimes you may be tempted to quit or take a break, but it is in those times that if you just breathe in Jesus and remember He gives you strength, your next stride gets easier, and when you relax your whole body works better.
~There will be pain involved. No way around it, there will be pain, unless, you are not running the race to win the prize. There are different kinds of pain. Some pain is not so serious that you need to stop, but should keep going. I have found that my wimpy-ness can get the better of me and I can psych myself into quitting, but once determined to keep going, have found that the pain turns out to be small, insignificant, and slowly goes away as I keep everything in perspective.
The other type of pain is more serious, and might even take you down if you try to run through it...there will be no mistaking this pain. The only way to overcome this is to rest. God sometimes takes us out of commission when we don't take our selves out, when we need to rest and refuel and healing, in Him.
~Your race is your race. Don't be tempted to hop lanes and try to run someone else's race, but instead learn from them and remember that each one has been training in ways and length that you have not. God gives us exactly what we need for our race.

~When you fall or trip, get up and keep going. You may feel embarrassed or lose faith in yourself but here is the great thing; it is not about you it is about Jesus, and His grace for you. He will honor your efforts and faith to trust Him. His grace is sufficient for you, even in the middle of shame. He will help you up and see you to the finish line, if you let Him.
~Some days will feel lonely and there will be no one to cheer you on to the finish. On these days your coach, Jesus, whispers in your ear, "you can do it! I made you for this and I am right here... I will never leave you... I delight in you!"

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." Heb.12:1

Not of This World

2011-07-02T14:54:00.000-07:00

"...And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country- a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he had prepared a city for them." Heb. 11:13-16

The longer I am in missions the more I am an alien. Whether we are in Russia or in America, I always feel a little "out of the loop". There are some logical reasons for this and then there is the fact that no matter what, I will never fit in.
3 of my children attended public school this year. Haillie had the hardest time having to attend high school. She came home daily with new details of her foreign experience from the cursing and back talking to new things she had no clue about like prom! Things I never thought to prepare her for were amusing and sometimes sad to me. Sad to know the struggles of the American teen and that she is in the obvious minority with her stance on morality and ethics. She was definitely challenged in her balance of being bold and gracious.
Community is nice, belonging to a group is a wonderful comfort. The truth is community can sometimes be a hindrance to growth, so far our life has taught my girl to not be afraid to be different and to be true to her convictions. More challenging are those of you who fight against conforming in a world that has been "home" all your life. Not until I left my "home" in America have I ever been faced with the reality of my idols. Over the years I have been stripped of many of them, but I find that it is easy to blend, easy to get back into bad habits. So I am challenged and challenge you wherever you are to live as a foreigner in a foreign land.

"Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning;they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— the world was not worthy of them." Heb.11:37-38

Merry Christmas

2010-12-21T05:30:00.000-08:00

We have traveled "home" for Christmas and for some time of touring and sharing with our supporters. The trip was not bad and the frenzy of closing up house in Russia went rather smoothly. As I prepared for this trip, taking a deep breath so to speak and realizing the changes that we were facing, I could only think of what it might feel like for Moses, Abraham, or Jacob...to leave a place they knew as God lead them to a new place. We, unlike them, are not relocating to a "new" place in a physical sense, but in a metaphoric way. In these times of vulnerability it seems that God cuts out a safe place for us and we end up feeling like we are blessed beyond measure. I keep coming back to the reality that less is really more, pain is growth, submission is freedom, and home is relative.
Reflecting on the year I can say in our travels and through some hard times that we are amazingly blessed with the most important things in life. This Christmas is a perfect reminder to us that the best things in life can't be bought but only cherished.

As I was writing this we were informed that we were granted temporary residency in Russia! A very special Christmas gift after many obstacles and proving His faithfulness.

Our eyes are set on the horizon, looking toward an exciting future for reaching the toughest areas of Russia with news of a loving God who sent His son Jesus to save them.

Merry Christmas!

"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:14

Planes, trains, and automobiles

2010-10-06T06:22:00.000-07:00

Since coming to Russia 10 years ago my family has traveled thousands of miles in several different modes of transportation. 2 of them, starting from infancy, have accumulated more frequent flier miles than most people do in a lifetime.

But over these last 4 years we have felt more like contestants on the Amazing Race, having to leave the country for visa renewal many times more than anticipated (due to some changes in the laws), consuming our time, resources, and energy; all to live in Russia.
We have traveled 32 hours straight over the worst roads I have ever encountered; the kids have had the exhilaration of jumping on to a moving train on our travel from Kiev to K-dar this summer; and our most recent adventure of our vehicle breaking down in the middle of Nowhere, Ukraine.

That adventure will not soon be forgotten...from the close to freezing weather that we slept in for 4 hours with clothes piled over us for warmth, to the beautiful sight of, Igor, from Moldova, driving up at 2 in the morning after being harassed at 3 different borders for not having the right paperwork (this ended in him paying a small "fine" to get through and is one of those times I am thankful for the "system" here). So after climbing into that warm van, I gave that boy a big hug...I held back the kiss which he thanked me for later. And with great favor from the Lord, the car was towed back to Moldova with no problems. We ended this adventure leaving our "stead" behind and flying home, with no complaints by me.

In our 2 terms that we have been on the field in Russia our vehicle has traveled over 200,000 miles, in 10 different countries, through mountains, rivers, off-road and wilderness terrain, roads that have no business being called a road... in rain, hail, sleet and Russian snow; our vehicle has traveled it all. We have transported not only people but camping gear, Royal Ranger material, equipment for evangelism, and helped in moving not just our household but many other M's on the field. It has served well and we hope after some fixing, will continue to serve.

So here is an amazing fact...since 1944 A/G youth have been raising funds for every M on the field to have transportation and equipment needed to reach the lost. The total in giving since then has been estimated to be 300 million.
So to all you amazing teens out there we say, thank you! You are helping us Speed-the-Light to countless youth just like you, not just in Russia but beyond the borders throughout Eurasia through your giving and generosity. We are gearing up for another term and we look forward to the next four years of more travel adventures to reach the lost with the gospel, whatever way we can get there and with your help!

my special gift

2010-09-25T20:02:00.000-07:00

So, I missed writing about my precious daughter on her special day and so I will dedicate this post to her.
I just had a birthday yesterday, 4 decades...yes, it is the big one (one of them anyways)and we had a little gathering at a friends to celebrate. My wonderful daughter gifted me with a special poem she wrote for me. Before I share it I want to say that through this season of grief in my life I have found my relationship with my daughter to be more precious and comforting to me than ever before. She blesses me with hugs and words of love at moments when (unknowing to her) I needed it the most. When I long to hear my mom's voice it seems that God sends my daughter to whisper, "I love you!" in my ear. Oh, how sweet...I have discovered in my loss the gift that goes on... this mother daughter relationship.
Haillie Scout is now 15 and has been my strong-willed child, very conscientious, methodical, unique, creative, assertive, smart...I have lots of words for her. She is an amazing girl whom I always said would some day change the world. She has been my biggest lesson and gift from God.

WHAT MOTHERS DO

This is what those mothers do,
To speak the words, "I love you"
She listens while you rave and rant
And while you scream, "I just can't!"
Quietly tells you, "You are wrong."
And pushes you right along.

That's just what those mothers do
To speak the words, "I love you."

She sits near and braids your hair
Because to try, you didn't dare
Of course she'll whisper in your ear
"You're beautiful" then hugs you near

That's just what those mothers do
To speak the words, "I love you"

She'll always kiss you, clean or dirty
Even when you're old and thirty
But when you're bad and got the cranks
She won't hesitate to give you spanks!

That's just what those mothers do
To say the words, " I love you."

Dad's are great, (though some do harm)
They just lack that motherly charm
No one can love you like a mother
The truth is, you need each other

So when your mother kisses your cheek
Or comes in uninvited just for a peek
Remember that's just what those mothers do
To speak the words, "I love you."

Hallie Scout LaRue Broberg

saying goodbye

2010-06-29T04:27:00.000-07:00

It continues, the difficulty of staying in this country. As you may know we are in the middle of applying with the government to live here long term. Many families have made the decision of leaving and there are only a handful of us left that are in a waiting period with this. There is no anxiety in what we have already given to God. Faith and trusting have become a lifestyle for us. Still we deal with the emotions that come when having to say goodbye.
We have had to say good-bye to many friends... good friends. If you have never lived here it is hard to understand all the difficulties and opposition we come against. I have sat and cried with friends as we packed up their belongings mourning a ministry and life they had loved so much and worked so hard at. It is a difficult decision, and 1 that I could never judge. We know the warfare, pain, and sacrifice, that comes with this life but at times I think it takes more faith to leave.
Last week we again found ourselves having to say goodbye and deal with the loss of more friends. Over the years I have tried to counsel my children in words like, "we can enjoy the thought of having friends all over the world!" and "just think about how God brought those friends to us especially for this time in our lives...they will always be dear to us through those memories if not forever through the years!" These little reminders are not just for my children. I find myself gaining so much from each friend that God puts in my path to journey together for a time, surprising me in hidden treasures that I didn't know were there.
Recently, my daughter said to her friend Sarah as they said goodbye for the last time, "See you tomorrow!" This was her way of dealing with the pain, and although we will mourn our loss, I like the sentiment behind those words. So, to all my dear friends old, and new, thank you! I love you and am grateful for having shared part of life with you, you have taught me so much and I will see you in a tomorrow...

My 13 year lesson on boys...Happy birthday, Noah!

2010-06-19T02:45:00.000-07:00

Today is my son's birthday. We already celebrated it but I thought I would write a post in honor of him.
From his beginning Noah was easy. His delivery was quick and easy and that was just a foreshadowing of what life in general would be like with Noah. He has been our easy-going, fun loving boy from the start. Always able to take bossing from his sister and endure wounds without a tear. And it seems that I just looked away and when I looked back he had turned into this young man.
I never had a brother and boys have been quite the mystery to me but having a son has given me an up close and personal lesson on the joy and struggles of boys. I am now a more understanding and compassionate woman to my dear "brothers" in this world! All I have to do is think about my own son and it gives me a greater sensitivity to their plight.
When Noah was 4 he said he was going to live with me forever! When Noah was 6 he said he would build a house right next door and live but he would not get married. When he was 8 he said that he would probably get married and live next door. When he was 10 he said that he would probably not live next door. Now he says, he might not even live in the same country. Having boys is both exciting and heartbreaking for a mom. God made it so they naturally pull away from mom to be mentored by dad...and mom just gets to cheer them on from the sidelines and put in her advice here and there. The pulling away is happening and I am rejoicing that my boy is growing up and learning to be a man from one of the best men I know, his father.
God gave me an incredible gift in my son Noah, and along with that a new perspective of "boy"...they are fascinating!

Love Your Neighbors

2010-06-08T06:23:00.000-07:00

I took up running again in January. Long distance running, which for me is anything over 200 meters and has been a thing I have tried to stay away from...I used to love to sprint when I was young..er...*smile*(I am only 39 you know). But now I am embracing the discipline of truly running. It is quite the addiction once you get past the painful stage, and the wonderful endorphins kick in. I live in a rural neighborhood and so I have great choices of running routes to choose from, on dirt roads free from traffic and other then having to dodge pot holes, face-off with the occasional loose guard dog, and pause for sheep crossing, it is very peaceful with pleasant scenery.
We have lived in this area for 3 years now and you know that everyone has seen the Americans that live in the neighborhood (we are those people that wave and smile as we go by) and if they haven't I think they have now. It is hard to hide while wearing a Dr. Pepper baseball cap and a Michigan Wolverines hoodie. I stopped trying to blend in years ago... the accent, clothes, maybe my features and the fact that I don't have the gift of walking with a "runway-model" sashay, (like so many of the beautiful Russian ladies) give away that I am a foreigner.

We pray for our neighbors and not long ago in prayer time with the kids we asked for more opportunities to share God's love with them. Alas, not three days later one of our neighbors, Sergei, wandered over looking for help to lift some heavy things that his wife was unable to help him lift. He had been searching for a while and couldn't find anyone,and was obviously distraught by his predicament. Pointing to a house close by he said, "the man that lives there is not a good person!" (There is a prejudice among many Russians against Armenians and Sergei is Armenian). I think we were his last hope...not sure about those Americans? So, after chatting about what state we were from and the weather, I offered him the best I had and since Mark was gone that was my oldest son, Noah. Sergei was thankful and as he left he said, "People should be good, thank you for being good, I wish you goodness and happiness!" Noah came back 1 hour later with a bounce in his step and a bag full of cherries in his hand.

Sharing Jesus is more than words it is a radiant presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives,and just like I can't hide the fact that I am a foreigner, with my red Dr. Pepper cap, so it is for the christian "alien"...we are (hopefully) obviously different than the world around us and others feel it, see it, want to know it.

I noticed a lady on several of my runs, taking walks on my route, I am almost sure that she did this on purpose and so when our paths finally crossed I stopped to greet her. Lena, from, Samara, with 2 small children. I now pray for her by name as I run by her house and hope for more opportunities for my family and I to share the love of Jesus with her and all my neighbors.

Perspective

2010-05-23T00:32:00.000-07:00

It has been a long time since I have sat down to write, I have needed some time to heal, to listen, to grow. It has been a dichotomous year, challenging my faith in ways I never have felt before while building an amazing trust as I weather the the waves of pain and hang on to the anchor I have in Him. I have been here before, I never do like it, but I always look back and think, "that was the hardest time and the sweetest time." Intimacy comes in those times of being stripped naked of our comforts, our "blessings"...thank you, Lord. Along this same thought I would like to share with you the faith of the church we are so priveledged to be working with.
Easter is a big holiday here for most nationals, it seems to be the one thing that tradition has thrived in the wonderful symbolic things they do to honor Jesus. I have always enjoyed it more here than in the states. Our church is a large one, and has to rent a large facilities every year to house the congregation of 4000,this year it was to be held in the sports hall. There was an attempt to discourage the meeting on Good Friday, but with some solving it seemed to fail. Sunday morning, yet another attempt took place, a bomb threat...so when arriving we were told to go home, the service had been canceled. My heart broke and I could not hold back the tears as we drove home, disappointed in not being able to celebrate and worship together with our church but more than that, for our church, this country, and my Jesus.
The next week our church met in a smaller facility and had 2 services for a late Easter celebration, and I asked a friend about his thoughts on the whole thing. I told him how I felt, how awful it is to have such adversity, his reply to me was, "In other countries not far from here, people are being put in prison for their faith, some are dying."....Perspective. I tell this story for the purpose to highlight the faith of the church here not the adversary, because it is not about the trials but about the victory...the victory that is ours, no matter what and
the resilience of a people whose faith is challenged and built on a long history of "disappointments" but has stood, (Matt 16:18 "and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it...") because they know, (Ephesian 6:12) "... we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against...the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."
May our perspective be influenced not by what we see, but what we know, what God says to be true and by a faith that believes in moving mountains.

2009-07-26T22:15:00.000-07:00

We have arrived back in Russia! It has been 2 months now since back and we have been busy with many birthday celebrations (Noah, Jonah, Haillie, all have summer birthdays) and all the work of getting settled. Our team has been very helpful and we have seen a lot of great things accomplished through joint efforts.

I have struggled in my grief and last week I made a choice to take the extended hand of Christ, crossing over the threshold of anger and fear of a seemingly weak and/or mean God, while trying to reconcile myself through any thoughts of failure in faith concerning my mom and her last days. I must admit that I was too scared and angry to grab hold before now, feeling like David felt when Uzzah was slain by God for touching the ark of the covenant when it was being brought to Jerusalem.What was a celebration turned to anger and fear of a powerful, almighty God, who does as He wills.
When all that is in me wants to run, I have decided to cling to the faith He has proven to me over all my years, there is no turning back now, we have history. I keep building up that monument of faith that has brought me through the years and add another stone.
This summer my garden has been my therapy. I sweat in the hot sun, weeding, digging,watering,binding up, pruning away dead and unhealthy branches, and the Holy Spirit comforts me with thoughts of my Lord laboring away on me in the same way and sometimes having to inflict pain. I embrace the wounds of a faithful loving God who scars me for the purpose of growing a more beautiful plant and an abundance of fruit Such love, care, and patience He puts into me, so much more than I do over my small little garden.

Hope in the Valley

2009-04-26T04:17:00.000-07:00

We didn't realize when we came home, in a swirl of bittersweet emotion of anticipation, of seeing our family at such an important time of year as Christmas, and frustration ,by the circumstances of being forced to leave Russia because of visa problems, that God was blessing us.

We spent precious time with both of our families and enjoyed the chaos of having the Broberg Clan all together for Christmas. The day after Christmas, Mark's father, David Broberg, suddenly. passed away due to an aneurysm. We walked through pain and heartache we have never felt before but praised God for His mercy in having us here and allowing us to have such a beautiful Christmas memory. Our purpose seemed clear, we were meant to be here.

Not only were we here, but we had planned on living with David and Jean while home. So, again, our purpose was confirmed and we hoped to be a comfort to her during this time of adjustment to living without David. In my mind I thought I was there for her, but now I know she was there for me...to show me how to live in God's grace and joy everyday, even in great heartache, excepting and acknowledging the sovereignty of God in all things.

Last week I lost my mom. A few days after enjoying a wonderful Easter celebration with my parents, my mom got very sick and so we rushed her into the ER. The diagnosis was pancreatitis, which at the time didn't seem to be life threatening. After a couple of days we were told that her case was very serious and on her third day she was put on sedation to be intubated (respiratory support) which meant lots of tubes down her throat and nose. Little did I know that, that would be the last time I would be able to converse with my mom, even through her struggled breathing. I was in constant conversation with God arguing that it would be too much for us to lose another parent, another grandparent, another person out of our already disjointed life, but 3 days later, after haunting reminiscent scenes of updates from doctors, hospital hallways, and serious conference room talks, I was saying goodbye again to a parent. I never thought I could go through the pain of losing someone I have loved, learned from, and needed as much as a parent, but as I walked through this nightmare again, I realized the ironic cruel yet sweet way God had prepared me in our first loss to accept His sovereignty in good and bad, having faith for a miracle and grace to trust Him even in death.

My mom was a fun loving, joy! She always took time to speak life into me with passion, inspiring me to do more then I ever thought possible. She cheered me on in all I did, as my biggest fan. She was my friend, confidant, and personal prayer warrior.

When I was little I was very sick with asthma and spent a lot of time in the hospital. I would cry to my mom about not being able to run and play with the other kids because I couldn't breathe. My mom, being a new Christian then, was ready to put her faith in action and prayed healing over me. The next day before she went to work I was showing signs of an asthma attack. In the midst of her doubt she felt the Holy Spirit telling her that I was His and He was in control. As she left that day she released me into His hands once again in prayer, and fear and doubt left her. When she returned home I was running and playing outside with my friends and I have never had another asthma attack. I was healed through a prayer spoken in faith by my mom.

Mark's father, David, and my mother, Mary, spent their lives passing on faith in Jesus, not just to us but to everyone they could, in words and by example. A son has lost his father and now must be the baton carrier of faith for his own sons. A daughter has lost her mother, and I too have been given the baton of faith to pass on to our children. I am running to win the prize.

Job, in the midst of great loss and pain said, "Though he slay me yet will I hope in him. " I may never understand, but in the river of tears and at the center of my pain I too say, though you slay me I will trust and hope in you, Lord. This life is a blink compared to eternity so I will continue to have faith to move mountains like mom taught me and rejoice in the thought of my mom enjoying her prize.

Just a short video showing some of the things we have been up to recently.

2009-02-13T10:03:00.001-08:00

Created and Posted by our team mate, Steve Hayes

season of growth

2008-09-01T04:40:00.000-07:00

Well I know that I have been neglectful in my communication but then I got slapped into reality and out of my lazy summer lifestyle! It was a very, well...sometimes lazy, sometimes busy, a little lonely, and always pensive for me. It seems that when I think I am being lazy that God is always prodding me on in showing me new things that need to be done in my life. Just like the house is never organized but always in a state of being organized over and over again, so my life is always being reflected on, the good and bad in me fighting for position...cleaning house inside of me is tough. Oh I am so thankful for grace.

I wanted to show you what was growing in my garden/yard all spring and summer. I had more pictures but.. these will ha ve to do.
Krasnodar has the right c limate and land to grow lots of produce! So we enjoy the wealth of fruit and veggies in the summer months. I had fun trying my hand at growing a garden and to my surprise it turned out pretty good. Although, it is September we are still harvesting some things in the garden. Next year I will try my hand at some other types of vegetables.

My boys enjoy their freedom to play outside and I enjoy the ability to say, "boys go outside and wrestle, not in the house!" they run around and have a lot of creative play time. I love to listen to them make believe and discover new things! Every insect and animal that they find is a treasure! To my advantage I am not too skweemish when it comes to that kind of stuff, I enjoy helping them capture an occasional lizard.
We are blessed to have such a great haven in our yard! I love to see the clematis growing and the grapevines and ivy that go wild in the summer months. We have lots of fruit trees in our yard and we enjoy being able to go outside to grab a snack off the tree.

My, Noah is a big help with keeping up with the grass cutting. Mark is so ecstatic about this.

I love Peonies and am so glad I have them in my yard in the spring, I want to plant some tulips, daffodils and lily of the valley for next spring.

As we anticipate the winter I am enjoying the cool down of fall. I am thankful for the constant growth and cleaning that takes place in every season of my life. I know that He loves me and that his discipline is out of love for me.
We appreciate your constant prayers and want you to be assured that we feel we are here, 'for such a time as this' what good is a life if not spent for Christ?

my teenager!

2008-07-17T21:00:00.000-07:00

My daughter is 13 today! Not too long ago, we put in a home DVD of Haillie when she was 2. We were shocked at how much we had forgotten about that sweet mouse talking little girl! I remember when she was first born how overwhelmed I felt with the responsibility of taking care of this new life that demanded so much of my attention! What a job it was to keep her fed and changed and provide comfort and safety for her. Phew! It was more than I had anticipated! During the first week of life as I sat holding her and looking at her features and how perfect God had made her, I realized that this little baby had a soul that would live for eternity and she would need spiritual nurturing too, and at that moment I started crying and praying that God would give me the wisdom for this task he had entrusted to me. Now 13 years later, I am still asking for Gods wisdom for this task of "romancing" her to Christ, through our example of our own spiritual journeys. We are so thankful for Haillie, she loves truth and desires all that is real! She is creative, loving, assertive, conscientious, and compassionate! She loves God and searches for truth and to hear His voice. She is chasing Him...and I am watching and cheering her on, as I see the longing for her true love... Jesus. Keep chasing Him, Haillie, he will catch you in his arms, and nothing else will satisfy you.

Jonahs cowboy birthday

2008-06-27T03:21:00.000-07:00

In honor of our beloved country of origin we had a cowboy birthday party for Jonah, (who is now 7) with all the favorite American fixin's , grilled hamburgers and hotdogs and settlers baked beans! The young cowpokes enjoyed our tribute to the pride of America and well... I enjoyed the priviledge of creating a fun party with the help of my tried and true side kicks, Haillie and Noah. After years of studying under my expertise... my older pups help me out with all the preparations, which makes the whole thing much easier for me and fun for them too.Mark helped me make this lasso game.

The kids brought there swim gear and we played a few water games. The weather was perfect for this.

Noah helped make this squirt gun game. Here they are ganging up on the bad guys.

The cake was made by Noah, with Haillie's help and decorated by me, also with Haillie's help (that cake decorating class she had is sure paying off!). It was a horse for the birthday cowpoke who only has a very uncooperative Labrador.

He got more gifts then he should have. Most came from his generous siblings that gave him some of their own things plus bought him new things!

This is Jose, who is wanted for stealing candy! The cowpokes are ready and very willing to retrieve the candy! I gotta say I enjoy creating these pinatas, how sad when I don't have reason anymore. Ya, I know Jose is smoking!...I do not promote smoking but, doesn't the cigarette make him look bad??.. he is a bad cowboy... and we did hit him with a stick!

Here is a picture of the candy stuffers. He was very heavy! I love this tradition! I will have to pass it on to my Russian friends:)

Well the end to a great day! Give the kids candy and send them home just as the sugar is hitting there systems. As for our kids?? We just locked them outside until bed time:)
Yep! that is our life, full of creating together and enjoying the simple life
Jonah, we love you! You are a fun loving, sensitive, compassionate, passionate, little boy that keeps us smiling mostly because if we aren't you make us!

noah

2008-06-18T19:54:00.000-07:00

My boy turns 11 today! I just can't hold onto time, I would like to sometimes, just to savor it. This year Noah has really taken off in his reading. I find him at night and in the morning reading his bible or some great book. I am so thankful for Noah! He is witty and clever, compassionate, loving, adventurous, God-fearing, tough, tolerant, and obedient. Some fun info about him is that he is very clumsy but seems to always land on his feet. I remember one time when he was 2, we were walking through the mall and he walked right through 1 of those advertisement displays that was sitting in the middle of the hall, the cardboard insert lay on the floor and he just got up and kept going! Everyone around were very amused with that. Just recently while we were in Hungary ice skating, if you can imagine Noah traveling as fast as he can and doing flips and getting up while bystanders stood in disbelief laughing. My favorite quote from him was when he was 4 and said, after we had just read out of our bible story book about Moses, "Mom, pray for my ears." Me: "Why, do they hurt??", Noah: "No, I just can't hear God talking to me." He has always been so sensitive towards God and towards others. Always willing to give the best to someone else, to share what he has, to help when someone is in need. One more story. When he was in 1st grade, the teacher said at one of our parent-teacher meetings, "When I imagine Jesus as a kid, I think of Noah."!!! Wow, that will be hard to live up to but a good goal for all of us:) He of course is not Jesus and can get into some good arguments with his siblings but in the end they are best friends, what more could I ask for!
For his birthday we had these boys from school over. It was a sleep over and so it got pretty rowdy at times. Mark played Dragon Raid with them. This is a christian, discipleship, role playing game that makes them work as a team. They loved it and Mark got to share with them in the game about prayer.

Angel of Grozny

2008-06-13T04:00:00.000-07:00

I just finished this book after having to put it down several times because the content was so disturbing. It is a vivid and raw portrayal of the effects of the Russian-Chechen war along with the fear, propaganda, injustices, and innocent victims. It confirms all we have heard and experienced here, (Russia) but truth in print proves to be more disturbing. I encourage you to read this, it will help you understand life in Russia and the forgotten children who are victims of the on going Chechen-Russian conflict.
The author is a jounalist and so I understand that sensationalism is a part of the job, but most of what she writes is just pure facts of what she has experienced. I found that she has been accurate in here description of Russia. In the end she let's you draw your own opinions and shows the injustices and ugliness on both sides.
It is an excellent book and I am more passionate then ever about our efforts to reach these children and forever changed by their stories. We have to give hope to the hopeless.

School is Out!

2008-06-01T00:07:00.000-07:00

Last week was the end of the school year. We had a year full of adjustments including a huge move from St. Pete to Krasnodar and from being home-schooled to attending a new school that was just started last fall for ex-patriots and English speaking Russians.
There were many hi-cups through the year, which was to be expected for the first year and so with grace we endured,and in the end the kids came through with more knowledge and character growth which is always our desire. I am proud of their accomplishments and captured a few pictures of the last day of school where they were presented with awards.

Noah is seen here with the famous, Mark Broberg, downward grin, as his teacher, Mrs. Williams, praises him for the most improved in penmanship, saying, it was really something beautiful!

I couldn't help but add in these other "Broberg" faces..biting his tongue and making a funny face because he is a little embarrassed at the attention. He also got awards for most tolerant, because he is always accepting of everyone and takes what discipline is given even when misunderstood. He is a sweet boy to the core! Way to go, Noah, we are proud!

Haillie got awards for A,B honor roll for the quarter( which wasn't her first time), most improved in bible, and most responsible. I am so proud of her hard work and efforts to do all her work well and get it back on time. She is obviously a first born and takes her tasks seriously! Good job Haillie, keep it up!
Mr. Williams, presents my beautiful but camera shy girl, with her award.

This is the junior high girls leading worship for the service. We are so thankful for the friends that have been made through the school and the support we feel from our ex-pat community! I also want to thank the Staff at KIS (Krasnodar International School) for all their time and hard work to make the year a success.

Cossacks

2008-05-17T09:36:00.000-07:00

May is a big Praznik (holiday) month for Russia. Starting with May 1st which is Labor Day, and is celebrated by parades and of course, fireworks. This year Memorial day was in May also. It is usually recognized the Monday after Easter and is a day when Russians go to the graveyard and put flowers on their deceased parents graves and say special prayers, which often ends up being a family reunion at the grave sites, with food and drinks. Then a very big celebration for Russia is Victory Day on, May 9th, signifying the victory over Nazi Germany, in 1945, in World War II. It is an important military marker as well as a time of sorrow, remembering those who died during the war.
A military parade is organized along with demonstrators. We have in the past gotten pictures of the demonstrators with there signs of Stalin and Soviet flags. But this time we captured the pride of the well known Cossacks. They are known for there help in times of War and were assembled in Krasnodar Krai region as border protectors during war times. Their origin comes from Polish and Russian serfs and independent Tatar people. Their military careers, for boys, starts when they are born, when it is said that the fathers put a weapon in their hand, and continues through their life; training with weapons and learning, as in the past, to ride and fight on horses.
The Russians in general have pride, but the Cossacks seem to have even more. In these pictures they proudly display their war medals and Cossack gear.

children in their Cossack uniforms.

Young Cossack girls hamming it up for the camera.

Today the Cossacks still patrol borders and are always ready for the command to take up arms. They currently protect the Georgian border and Caucasus borders. They still uphold the reputation of being a strong force that takes their job to the extreme, and will fight to the end.

Here is a small boy that is dressed in his Cossack uniform ready for a life of fighting.

"1 of these things doesn't go with the other...."

2008-05-05T21:25:00.000-07:00

Well we had bunnies for Easter and then our love starved dog, Jack, kept messing with them and they ended up all running away. The main problem was that the bunnies had no cage. Mark is the bunny initiator, I just fell in love with them and got mad/sad when they ran away. So my request was that there would be no more bunnies until the proper cage was bought. So Mark bought some material to make the cage but he came up just a little short of material to finish it off. He went ahead and bought the bunnies.
To my horror we found Jack inside the cage with the bunnies! He doesn't hurt them just licks them until the are raggedy! He obviously needs some friends!
His new theme song, dubbed by our friend Tim Gardner and taken from Veggietales is, " the bunny, the bunny, Oh, I love the bunny!" Don't worry we are keeping them separate. No more bunny dreams for Jack!

Христос Воскрес! Christ is Risen!

2008-04-28T06:06:00.000-07:00

Sunday was Easter. A celebration that all the Russians observe. The tradition is to greet everyone with these words, "kreestoc voskress!" Christ is Risen! Which then would be returned with "voeestenoo voskress!" He is Risen Indeed! As I was on my way to church my heart was fluttering with anticipation of attending a church service where our whole church congregation could be together. This has not happened since the summer when the city officials banned the church from meeting on the land they were renting. Since then we have been meeting in home church groups all over town, separately. We have had about 4 services for special occasions in a cultural center that cannot seat all of the people so we had to have 2 back to back services, for these times. This week the church rented a horse track stadium not far from where we live that could hold the whole congregation. On our way to church we had to drive on the road that was directly in front of the stadium to get into it. At the sight of the stadium, already full with thousands of people, my excitement and emotion could not be contained and tears filled my eyes! As we drove up, lining the roads were ushers, directing and greeting with the Easter chant.

Although the weather forecast was 70 percent chance of rain, by the time we got into the stadium the rain had ceased in answer to the prayers of a believing congregation! The Pastor stood up and shouted 3 times as is the tradition, "Kreestos Voskress!" the congregation shouted in reply 3 times, "Vo eesteenoo Voskress!" The presence of God overwhelmed me and the sight of 4000+ people standing with up raised hands shouting praises with passion and inhibition to their Risen living God, brought more tears, as I joined in to worshiping my God with abandon!

Many prayed the salvation prayer for the very first time! Even in the midst of threats and persecution the body of Christ thrives, believes, grows, loves, forgives, and presses on! Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ!
It did not rain the rest of the day and we enjoyed fellowship with our friends the Behimers and Herringtons. It was a good day! We had good food, fellowship, and bunnies too!
Remember the body of Christ here as the future here is uncertain and opposition grows.

Living in Favor

2008-04-12T21:22:00.000-07:00

We have been back from our month long visa trip for a few weeks now. We made it across the borders with no problems and we are praising God for his hand of protection and favor through the duration of our travel!
The sermon at church today was on that very topic. The text was taken from Esther on her courage and faith to live in the favor of God. It was truly inspiring! We have been feeling the dawn of spiritual enlightening, and we know that God , even in the midst of 100s of missionaries leaving (due to difficulties with the new visa laws) is keeping us here for 'such a time as this'. Pray that God would give us wisdom and courage as we make plans for the future.
I wanted to share some more pictures of our trip. We had a great time! Those of you who haven't guessed yet, Venice was the city we decided to check out last minute. It was very amazing!

I usually hate pigeons! I am always afraid that they are going to drop on me! I was pleasantly surprised at how clean they were and not one drop, on any of us!

One small mishap in Italy was with gas, that is all I can say about this. Just to let you all know we figured out how to fix the problem and no one was hurt and no (known) laws were broken.

From Italy we stopped off in Vienna and then made a trip up to Dresden, Germany. We got to go through Prague, very cool, and stayed in Dresden for a couple of days. We spent time with the Keuchlers, who are also Missionaries from MN. They were so good to show us the sights , one of which was a castle fort! The boys loved this, Jonah actually started crying when we had to leave.

The total count of countries we hit is eight. Our last stop was Moldova were we spent some time with missionaries and friends from college, Nancy and Andy Raatz. The kids had fun rediscovering old friendships and bonding the TCK way (third culture kids), and we got to take a glimpse into the work that is going on in Moldova, through the Raatz's.

Thank you for your prayers for us through this process! We love and appreciate you!

Where in Europe are the Brobergs?

2008-03-13T00:57:00.000-07:00

I thought this would be fun to get you posting comments. Where are we? We made a slight change in our itinerary to see this beautiful city. It was rainy the first day but the skies were clear the next. We definitely got our walking in.

Why is Haillie attracting birds like Snow White?

Who is this masked man??

What would make Noah so immensely enjoy this dinner?

What is this man doing??

Why are these clothes hanging around for?

Ciao! Oh...I mean, bye!

The Alps

2008-03-05T10:04:00.000-08:00

On the recommendation of some friends we have been staying at some christian owned housing. The first one was in Vienna area and now we are staying in an apartment in a house up in the Alps. The owner is a missionary and has this great place for christian conferences and spiritual renewal. We have been finding few people that can speak English and so communication has been strained but when we our in the fellowship of believers the kinship we have goes beyond culture and language. One lady in particular has blessed me so much! Her first blessing on me was doing my laundry and then she asked if she could mend the holes in our pants! Two things I dread! I was very grateful! But even after that she said she felt God telling her to bless me (more) by giving me a small gift of money! She told me it was for me to spend on myself. It is so nice to feel the arms of Gods love.
Some other blessings have been enjoying the Alps! This house we are living in is right across the street from the mountain we have been riding down. It is amazing to wake up and see these beautiful mountains all around us!
Mark spent the first 2 days teaching Haillie and Noah how to snowboard. He was successful, with a few minor injuries and lots of sore muscles.

O.K... I know that I am 37 but I always wanted to learn to snowboard! So Mark coached me and I was successful in learning how to get up and turn around, steer and slow down. I did not learn all the moves because... well I spent a lot of time falling and sitting on the mountain to catch my breathe and to get up the energy and nerve to get myself down! I have to say I am proud that I got that far. It has been 2 days since then and I am still so sore. I ended up spraining my knee on one fall but it is not too bad. I only wish I got proof in a picture or on video that I did it. I would like to try again when I have recovered.

Jonah and Silas got to go to ski school for free, all we had to do was rent the skis. Silas did well until the 3rd day when they got to the bunny hill and he cried all the way down because he was scared. So they kicked him out of ski school. Jonah continued on until graduation when they all got a medal for finishing and riding down the mountain.

They also had a race, which. Jonah ignored all the flags he was to ski around because he just wanted to go fast, he told us.

One day he said to Silas after school, " Was I great or was I great?!" We need to work on his humility. It was really amazing to see these little kids skiing down this huge mountain with their teacher leading them zigzag all the way down. Some of them were as young as 3!

A funny quote from Silas after I asked him about how he liked BoBo the penguin (the mascot of ski school) was said in a very straight face, "Mom, he's not weal!" We laughed looking at the pictures of Silas checking out BoBo standing next to him with a 'you don't fool me' look.

This is a picture of me and Jonah inside a cave that we found while hiking. It reminds me to ask you to pray that we would quickly and safely get all our documents back. They have been sent and are now being processed. Your prayers help cover us as we wait to safely get all our papers back that we need to live and work in Russia.

European Birthday

2008-02-29T08:27:00.001-08:00

As many of you already know that the laws here in Russia have changed making it even more difficult for us to stay in the country so we have been jumping through hoops. To save money from the year of expenses we have paid in bureaucratic red tape, we decided to drive out into Europe, versus a plane trip for 6 back to the states. We anticipated a rough trip but not on such a rough road! The pot hole filled freeway we had to drive on, through the Ukraine was almost more than I could endure! 30+ hours straight through on a bumpy country road! But as we crossed over to Hungary a numb feeling came over us...we felt like we were literally riding on butter it was so smooth! Thank God for Speed-the-Light! Our great blessing of a car got us through!

We spent a couple of nights in Hungary and 2 days exploring Budapest. Silas spent his birthday exploring a real castle and ice skating right next to it! Then we drove into Vienna, Austria where he got to go into a Toys R Us and pick out a toy! This will be a hard birthday to top!

Silas, we are so proud to be your parents. You have given us more joy and laughs, by just hearing you giggle! You have the best giggle! I loved that you wanted to buy all your siblings a "prize" for your birthday and the things you say like, " God is the king of you and dad and you are the boss over us and we have to obey you to obey God!" I am proud of your understanding and desire to understand new things everyday! You amaze me! We love you so much and pray for more blessings and wisdom for you in year 5.

These are pictures of the St. Stephens Church in Vienna. We took a short tour of the catacombs under the church where they have coffins and millions of bones of people that died from the black plague. It was so fascinating! I have never seen anything like it. Very creepy down there. I wish we could have taken some pictures but we were not allowed. The kids were a little scared and they will not soon forget that tour.

We will be driving to Innsbruck tomorrow and plan on stopping in Salzburg to see the city where the VanTrap family are from. What a dream for me!

russian history??

2008-02-20T03:44:00.000-08:00

OK This is a funny story and I need to tell you all what happened today. I have been studying Russian again, which, by the way, will be a life long task! That is not to discourage you new students of Russian but even if you are linguistically talented, Russian can give you a 'run for your money'. I have to admit that I am not as 'well off' as I thought with the language and can't remember a lot of what I have already learned. My long time excuse has been, "O...well, when I came I was pregnant and ended up having two babies close together. Being a person of strong personal convictions I decided not to give up my responsibility and desire to spend those first years of there life, to a babysitter while I studied Russian." Which is still my conviction and I would not do it differently, but now that my babies are 6 and 5, that "excuse" doesn't jive anymore. So here I am trying to remember all these cases and the grammatical lingo that I have forgotten. The first 2 weeks I was a little lost and very humbled hearing verbs I had never learned and fumbling along trying to remember the rules. Well this week has been better. Today, especially, I was feeling very confident that ,"I know this stuff! I can do this no problem!" I was cruising along conjugating my prepositional objects with adjectives, singular and plural. Then we moved to ordinal numbers and I was really cruising with those, when all of a sudden the teacher gives us this paper with historical figures and the questions ,"in what century was this war?" and , "in what century did so and so live?" all of a sudden my heart started beating fast and I started feeling my face start to get hot thinking, "What! I don't know history dates! I am terrible at history!" So when it was my turn I confessed my deepest shame of not being good at history let alone the dates, as they all stared at me and then burst into laughter! -Horror- Then they showed me that, right after the question was the number/answer for the century you were to quote! I felt so dumb! I guess it was God humbling me, again! I have had lots of those "ditzy" moments and I am sure I will have more. All I know is that I spent all day Saturday, ministering with a team from my church at an orphanage and once again, felt like that little girl in my childhood, scared to open my mouth in fear of all eyes upon me scrutinizing me and the words that would come from my mouth, only for different reasons. But seeing those kids so excited to see us coming gave me confidence despite my selfish insecurities, that whatever I could give with words or deeds would mean the world to them. I ended up having a great time of ministry, but also more inspired to press on with my Russian! I have lots more pictures to share with you from my time with the orphans for the next post. Please pray for all of us as we press

on with our language proficiency.

Happy Birthday, Mark!

2008-02-18T04:43:00.000-08:00

Today is Marks birthday. I can't tell you how bad I wanted to buy him something special, but since we have no Barnes and Noble near by, I decided that anything I would buy would be just a waste of money since there is nothing here that he would want and would be very over priced. So instead, yesterday I organized a small party of men to come have some guy time.
I set them up with some appetizers and they spent some time exchanging amazing stories of survival not just here in Russia but as crazy boys in there youth. Then they played a game that our friend Brennan brought with him, which they seemed to enjoy, I guessed from the yelling that was going on, I didn't hear any grunting but that might have went on too. They topped off the night with some more conversation by the fire and stayed until 12:30.
We are so thankful for our friends that we have made here. They are certainly some of the best people that we could ever be able to call our friends. We feel that they are like family. Thank you for the fun and "sharpening" that was shared on Marks behalf. You guys are truly treasures.
Now a few words for Mark: I am so blessed to have such an amazingly talented, compassionate, resourceful, passionate, giving, loyal, humble, gracious, protective, romantic, fun-loving, "hands-on" father, tough (with a mixture of sensitivity) man to share this life with! Thank you for journeying with me and making me a better person. I love you more with each passing year and that is not just a sappy line, but the honest truth!

What do MKs do for fun?

2008-02-06T21:05:00.000-08:00

Well... after they do their chores of helping chop and pile the wood that is used to keep our house at a semi bearable temperature in the winter, they play in the half built brick house that is behind ours.
These our some pictures of our kids along with the Hayes' kids helping Mark with our wood pile. These were taken in November. He is not afraid to put kids to work even ones that don't belong to us. They are cheap labor and he can scare and impress them with his ax handling abilities. In his opinion, all children by the age of 6 should have some education on ax handling, especially boys. So with one eye closed I watch as the kids each have a go at hitting a log with an ax to make some kindling. (For all you who are concerned it is supervised closely by Mark.)

Jonah is running out of steam here.

Hard work builds character and respect and they will thank us one day!

This is the pile of wood they moved! The kids taking pride in a job well done.

This is what the kids do in there free time. They collect junk,oh... I mean treasures, from piles of rubbish and take it to the 'white house' . Cady and Haillie are having some 'dinner' on their makeshift table. I am always amazed by the imagination that flows from kids. I think MKs are even more imaginative then other kids only because of the necessity of having to create their own entertainment versus having it fully available at all times.

The White House in all its grandeur.

The kids found this TV that doesn't have its insides, but who needs it when your just pretending.

The beauty of living in this country is the ironic freedom from certain legalities.

MKs have such a different childhood that it is no wonder that they feel kinship towards other MKs with the same experiences of this nomadic life of pursuing the lost to the ends of the earth!
I know that they have had and will have more, times of mourning and of wanting a 'normal' life, but in the end I hope and pray that they will embrace the life God has given them and appreciate the amazing experiences they have had as MKs.

blessings and burdens

2008-01-28T20:23:00.000-08:00

We have been having lots of electricity problems lately. A couple of weeks ago one of our lines was down and we were without water/electricity for a day. Now a whole pole went down just down the street and so again we went without water/electricity for a while. Mark decided to invest in a generator since it happens so often and we keep putting it off until next time. Well they did come and fix the pole and it took 2 days for it to be repaired. Being without electricity in a sense means no heat, water, and stove/oven. Though these inconveniences bother me I can tell that I have adapted to this because I used to freak out at this stuff, now I get the candles out and keep going. We had a cracker and tuna salad dinner with chips and salsa. The kids also find this normal and almost fun to walk around the house with candles or flashlights. We usually pull out the cards and play games.

Life is definitely 'simpler' here which has its positives and negatives. So I try to smile and bear the inconveniences and cherish the memories that we make along the way even, in the midst of, or because of them. All I know is I have been cooking up a storm because 'it was another hard day' for Mark and us all as we survive the cold that has crept into the house. Then we all sit down after dinner to watch an episode of the Walton's. At least we are not going through a depression like them, but on the other hand we can relate to the comfort of the warmth of family that keeps us all untouched by the stresses of life in Russia. And funny as it is... you can often hear the 'good night' chorus in the Broberg house at night. It only takes one, "good night mom, good night dad!" and all the rest chime in after as we all yell our,'good nights'.

I know you can all hear the Waltons theme song in your head right now and the voice of Elizabeth saying, "Good night John Boy!"

We can always count our blessings especially in the midst of so much need! Pray for us but also for the lost and hungry, some literally.

pit stop

2008-01-12T04:59:00.000-08:00

This is a picture that I took on our way from the Ukraine during a trip to renew our visas, in August, I couldn't help myself. With four guys in the family it is a normal sight in a land where there are no convenience stores you can relieve yourself at. So... we do like the Russians and pull over and find a discreet spot to do our business. Thank goodness for 3 boys , if ya know what I mean, and a girl with a large bladder. She and I both can go for a long time without having to stop. WE ARE NOT TOURIST, WE LIVE HERE!

Next time you are on a car trip remember to be thankful for Kwik Trip, and when you do, remember us and say a little prayer for us. We will be traveling by car in February to renew our visas again. Pit stops will be a little colder this time around.

new year resolution

2008-01-08T21:41:00.000-08:00

So here it is... January, and I have decided to get back to communicating. One of those New Years resolutions that I hope I can keep.

I got a request from my mother to see some Christmas pictures so here they are. Better late than never!

This fireplace is keeping us warm this winter since we are on the Russian made heating system that is always too hot or too cold. We are thankful for shorter winters here in southern Russia, and look forward to the thaw.

Silas fell asleep on big brother, Noah's, lap while watching "Rudolph", on Christmas Eve.

The Hayes girls, opening gifts from the boys.

Haillie and Maddie, her bosom buddy, exchanging gifts.

My husband did it again! He surprised me with a gift that I did not expect! A set of very pretty dishes that I actually had been admiring. I never told him about them!? I don't know how he does it?

The toy of the year for the boys were Transformers! They all got one.

Silas is wearing his 3-D glasses to read a book he got in his stocking. Jack even got in on the Christmas morning fun by wearing his new Christmas sweater.

Christmas dinner with Marks mom and dad and our guests and very special friends the Hayes' and Joel Symons. I got to use my new dishes.

It was a whirlwind of fun and work since we were helping our dear friends, the Hayes' move out all there belongings from there house to our house so they could fly out of the country on the 27th. We had mixed feelings of relief and sadness all at once as we said our goodbyes. We hope and pray they can raise their funds quickly so they can come back by summer. We miss you already!

We were very blessed to have Dave and Jean Broberg with us to join in the fun. The kids were in heaven, getting snuggles and lots of attention from Grandma and Grandpa, that seemed enough to last a year, we hope, but it never does because you can never get enough of that special grandparent love! Jean, of course, was a huge help to me and I don't think I could have done everything I needed to without her. Plus, she does my laundry! Boy, I got spoiled! Now it is back to the grind. Thanks, Jean, I miss you. Ha!
The kids had a full and fun holiday with almost a month off of school! We played lots of games and watched all of Cosbys season 1.

Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful Christmas. You will be hearing from me more this year.

Vera (Faith), my neighbor

2007-07-24T02:37:00.000-07:00

My neighbor Vera comes over almost everyday because she sits home alone most of the day and gets lonely. My children come yelling, " Babushka's (grandma) here!". We sit and drink iced tea and talk about life. She is 70 years old and has diabetes. She says she is in pain most of the time. I love to sit and listen to her stories of life, which are usually sad. She says she believes in God but does not trust him since she had a mother who believed and died at a young age.

The other day she came over upset about a family fight she had with "dyet" (grandpa) her husband. I listened and offered to pray for her. She seemed very grateful afterwards. I am praying that God will make her plus her daughter and her daughters boyfriend (who is our landlord), open to the gospel. They are all very nice people and we are thankful for such a good landlord.

Vera, means faith in Russian. Pray with me that they will have "vera" in Jesus!

12 years.... where did they go!?

2007-07-21T07:21:00.000-07:00

My little girl turned 12 on July 17th. I love to recount the story of there 1st birthday just as my mother-in-law Jean does with her kids. They love to listen to it over and over again. My father loves to recount my birth to me too.I can never forget it because he loves to tell it and I guess it has made me feel special too.

We didn't do too much on her birthday because she really wanted our friends, the Hayes, to be at her party so we are postponing it until August. She requested caramel rolls for breakfast, lasagna for dinner and she had a friend over. They spent the day swimming, talking, and playing some video games. My wish for my daughter this year is to grow in confidence in who God made her, as she transitions into a young woman, with a balance of humility; to experience the awesomeness of God like never before, and to be full of grace while discovering that grace for herself. I love you Haillie! You are beautiful and I am so thankful to God for you! I so appreciate your thoughtfulness, and passion. You make life colorful!

God Bless America!

2007-07-18T11:46:00.000-07:00

It is always interesting celebrating holidays in a country where they are not celebrating, of course, the 4th of July is one of those.
We always try to gather some other Americans and have a party or picnic. This year was spent with our new friends the VanMeters, plus a visiting A/G media guy Grant Huegel, known here as Hugh Grant,since Mark kept getting it wrong.

I try to find things that help get us into the holiday, so the kids and I made some flags from construction paper. Then, I found some patriotic episodes of Snoopy, Andy Griffith (when Opie is getting bad grades in history, its a great episode), and a Little House on the Prairie episode of a Russian immigrant who, celebrates the 4th with Walnut Grove, whose patriotism is failing because of higher taxes. He inspires them with his great attitude and opens there eyes to there blessings by telling them of the hardships from his motherland.

I know that there are many who feel America is not great anymore, but I am here to say , I have seen many places in the world and after living here I am convinced that we have taken and continue to take our history and freedoms for granted. We have the unique priviledge of rights. Yes, it is true we hold power even if we don't exert these liberties. What a blessing, this rich heritage we have of truth, justice, and the pursuit of happiness! So people ask, why are we such optimists in comparison to Russians? History. For us, with a little hard work and good attitude we are rewarded. Russians have not been afforded these liberties on the contrary,they have worked the land and been faithful to their country only to have it stripped away with no explanation! Everyone here has a story of countless injustices and tragic deaths in there family history and present life.
I don't know why I am so fortunate to have been born into my country but I know that I have a responsibility to give what has been given to me, to share the hope that I have been so fortunate to know. To whom much is given, much is required, and I want to be a good steward of all that has been given to me through being born and raised in a great christian nation. I am truely thankful for all those who sacrificed to make it what it is.

Royal Ranger Camp

2007-07-16T08:07:00.000-07:00

The church we attend meets in a huge tent on the edge of town. It has about 3000 in attendance, it is said. I really can't tell but it is a lot. They have around 250 Royal Rangers that meet in different regions of Krasnodar and the surrounding areas. The last couple of weeks they had their camp which had around 175 campers from as far as, St. Petersburg, in attendance. Forty percent of the kids at the camp were unsaved and 26 of them gave their hearts to Jesus!

Mark was able to attend and be a small part of this great camp. We went up one day all together to attend the festivities, it was a lot of fun to watch them do their skits and celebrate. They know how to celebrate and have fun! All was great except for the mosquitos! Which should be recognized as the national bird, there are so

many and so big! Rivaling our supporting state of Minnesota!

happy birthday boys!

2007-07-15T08:39:00.000-07:00

Since we have 2 June birthdays I like to do them together especially when they have the same friends, so we had an outdoor birthday party. We rushed to throw it together since we had just gotten back from our retreat in Turkey, but we managed to make a Mickey Mouse pinata head and we played some outdoor games.

Happy birthday Jonah! You are a very special kid! We enjoy your fun-loving character, you make everyone love you!

noah and jack

2007-07-14T21:45:00.000-07:00

My little boy turned 10 last month! We had been promising a dog once we got into a house as far back as a year. It helps the kids during transitioning from 1 country to another to have something to be really excited about.

As promised Mark came through with a golden retriever, for Noah's birthday. As soon as I saw him I suggested 'Jack' as his name and surprisingly everyone agreed that he was a Jack.

I am surprised that so far he is a pretty easy, well-behaved dog, even at 7 months old. Jonah who was very fearful of dogs is now a dog lover. He was cured at the Hayes' because they had a little indoor dog.
Happy Birthday Noah! We are so thankful for you! You put lots of laughter in our life!
We love you!

our blessing!

2007-07-10T03:23:00.001-07:00

After seeing lots of houses in the city that were incredibly over priced, we decided on a cheap house in the country. When I say cheap it is in price alone because this house by far is the nicest house we saw. It does have its' downfalls like; no phone line, no gas line, and we have to drive over our friends who don't own a vehicle because it is so far out. But, the perks are; neighbors (except 1) are far away, and low traffic so that the kids can ride bikes easier.

I couldn't show you all the rooms but it has 3 bedroom, 2 full baths,3 balconies (1 enclosed), living room,and a big 3rd floor that we are going to make the master bedroom/office/scrapbooking room.

Ya, it was worth the wait, and I am so thankful for the blessing! He did it again! He blessed us above and beyond our imagination!

krasnodar

2007-07-08T10:47:00.001-07:00

We have arrived! We found a gruzavik (truck driver) to drive all our belongings down to Krasnodar with Mark and our friend Steve leading the way. It took 2 full days to get down while it just took me 3 hours plane trip with the kids. Every part of moving went smoothly and we feel blessed. All our stuff fit perfectly into Steve's garage and they were so nice to keep us in there home until we found a house.

So.. what turned into just a few days, at the most a week to find a house, turned into close to a month. 8 kids, 4 parents, and a team of 4 college students ( for one week), all living together, fun! Actually we feel so blessed that the Hayes' were so gracious and kind, and it seems to be a sign that if we can live together that long, we probably will work well together!

You really find out what your made out of in those stressful times. God seems to take all control from you and your left with a decision on 'how am I going to do this' and then I remember, 'Oh ya, just like I did last time, relax and trust that God has a plan'. Easily said, harder to do. So after some crying and debating on if this is what God really wanted us to do, I decided to be patient. Also, easily said. With 8 eyes looking to me, to be there anchor and navigator too, keeps my attitude in check.

I must give credit to Christine for being such a gracious, patient person. Her sweet, steadfast, positive character encouraged me. And just that they were genuinely happy to have us living with them made us feel thankful.

Well.. the rest of the story next post. Along with house pictures.

goodbye St. Petersburg, I love you!

2007-07-07T01:02:00.000-07:00

We have been deciding on where to live in Russia, St. Petersburg, where we have lived and invested in ministry and friends for 5 years or, Krasnodar, where we have opportunities for an expanded ministry and better living. We did a quick trip to Krasnodar, which is straight south of St. Petersburg by Ukraine and the Black Sea, and after much thought and prayer decided we needed to move to Krasnodar.
I have done my grieving along with my daughter who is of the age where transition is getting harder, and said my goodbyes to the people and this city that I have grown to love! With all its culture and beauty it is surely the "Venice of the north". I know that the memories and the nostalgia of 'what was' is what we grieve but, life keeps going and we are being pulled by God into a new chapter of ministry and so I take this moment to say, I love you St. Pete and I will miss all that was, in hopes that we accomplished all that we were meant to, as I feel was accomplished in me from the experience of opening my heart and mind to a lost city... and country. I will always cherish you and all that I learned in my heart, my first Russian love.

2007-06-03T00:33:00.000-07:00

My loving husband, Mark, bought me a great computer so I was inspired to start writing and keeping in touch with all of my dear family and friends. I hope that this will be more then informative, but entertaining and maybe inspiring. I hope to be honest and open with things that are happening on our journey as nomads roaming the world, passing on the legacy of Christ. Of course, I will have to throw in some pictures of the kids, since grandparents will want to see them. We will be leaving in January to go back to Russia so pray that God will provide us a great place to live in for the next four years. OK, I guess that is all for my first installment.Thanks for visiting.Love ,Jenn