November Newsletter! - Jessica in Slovakia

Jessica’s November Newsletter
Updates from Horná Mičiná, Slovakia

Light in the Darkness
“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.”
~Isaiah 9:2

One of my favorite things here has been delivering the lunches to the elderly, and getting to know them more. One lady, Pani (Mrs.) Hulinova, I especially look forward to seeing each day. She is always so sweet and talks to me a lot, whether I understand everything or not. She invites me inside, asks me how I am doing, and gives me some fruit or bread. Last weekend her husband died after being ill for eleven years and having two strokes. She had been taking care of him for the past eleven years, and would tell me how she could hardly sleep at night, because of the stress and being up with him. Last Monday when I was visiting her she told me how he died and how he had been suffering for so long. While she was talking about him I saw a woman in pain, a woman who had been in distress for so long, and who was grieving the loss of her husband, but I also saw a woman with deep faith and hope. This month’s focus for the newsletter was to be on the question of where God is in our world when we are experiencing the difficult things in life- pain, suffering, aging, and death. Why do these things occur?
I am not sure if we will ever be able to have a clear answer to these difficult questions, but I think we can look to who God is and what he has done in history to give us hope. Last night I helped lead a Bible study on Isaiah 9:1-7. Isaiah refers to the suffering Israel endured during the Assyrian invasions, and the deep distress the people felt. Many of the Israelites had turned to worshipping idols and were in a time of great darkness. However, Isaiah predicts that God will deliver them from their oppression, just as he helped Gideon defeat the Midianites. Isaiah also points to the birth of Jesus, who will bring a light to the world. God delivered Israel from their oppression, and Isaiah states that He is sending a savior who will deliver mankind from sin. During this season of Advent we should remember God’s promise of deliverance. Although Jesus has come and has already delivered us, we are still living in a world of suffering and distress, and we are awaiting His second coming. We are living “in between the times”, characterized by suffering and pain, but also by peace and righteousness. The kingdom of God is already at hand, but we are still awaiting the full manifestation of this. Although this does not always make things less painful, I think we can find hope in this promise, and maybe this is the hope I saw in Pani Hulinova during this difficult time.

Thanksgiving Retreat!
One of the highlights of the month was getting together with the other volunteers in Slovakia for a retreat in Bratislava and a Thanksgiving celebration. We were able to spend a day in Vienna, and had some free time in Bratislava. We spent a lot of time discussing our placements- good things and bad things, and how we are adjusting to the culture. It was comforting to be able to talk about everything and hear how we are all dealing with similar things. November was not the easiest month here, but the retreat was refreshing and helped me to focus on how things can improve with my placement. It was also so much fun spending time with the other volunteers and exchanging stories about our experiences.
This month I began teaching the Sunday school class, and helping to prepare for the Christmas program. Usually there are about 8-10 kids from 4 years old to 12 years old, and I enjoy working with them. I am continuing to teach English, delivering lunches to the elderly, helping with Bible studies, and visiting with people in the village. I would be lying if I said everything was going great, because it isn’t always great, and I did not expect it to be. It is not easy adjusting to another culture, another language, and another lifestyle (that is very different from college life!). There are a lot of times when I am struggling to find out what my purpose here is, and how I fit into this village. I have realized that I have been finding so much meaning in the small things though. Just hearing and saying “Dobrý deň” (Good day) and exchanging a smile with someone in the village can make my day a lot brighter. Visiting with Pani Hulinova and our conversations are enlightening, even though I don’t understand everything. Helping Marcela cook or having coffee with her and Daniel gives me comfort. In the difficult times I try to remind myself of the small things that bring joy, and that I am not here doing this alone. I could never be here without God’s help and the strength He gives me each day, and without the support from everyone at home.

Thank you for your prayers and support!
-Jessica