My heart and head ache.

So I know it has been about two weeks since my last post and it is crazy that I have almost been in Russia for 4 weeks (few days shy). I am so in love with this country and the people. I love my roommate she is one of the nicest and patient people ever. She is from Sibera and has been going to this university for 3 years. She knows very very little english but because of our great acting skills and google we are able to communicate. My favorite thing about her is how much she laughs. I do not hear alot of laughing on the streets of Russia but just enjoy it so much when you are at someone's house or in my room.

So since I last blogged I was able to go to Peter the Greats castle and fortress called Peterhof. It was so incredible and so breathtaking. There was golden statues everywhere and the tops of the castle where golden. There was also so many water fountains, my art teacher told us there was over 40 at this one castle. I put some pictures on my facebook if you did not see. It was seriously one of the most amazing things I have ever seen. And to think of how long ago it was all build and how it still is running and they have not changed anything just maintained the wonder and beauty of it.

Another thing I wanted to share was about my Birthday. I was thinking well I do not know how my birthday will be, because I do not really know anyone but Lydia. I have only know these people almost two weeks. I was just thinking they will say happy birthday and be nice and that is it. Well on Friday night Lydia and I were watching a movie and eating pizza in here room. Then one of the girls came and blindfolded me, and walked me to the kitchen. When they took the blindfold off all the girls were there and they were playing a weird youtube version of happy birthday and clapping there hands. One of the girls told me, "We not know the song."(hahaha) They got me a cake and we laughed and ate cake. (Side note one of the girls on our floor speaks fluent english and russia so translates for us, in case you were wondering how we ever communicate) While we were drinking tea they told me all the balloons hanging around the room each had a note inside from them. There were 23 balloons in totally. Then each girl gave me a gift like a keychain, candy, and a handmade bracelet. I was so extremely blessed and felt so loved. It was one of the best birthdays ever because of how much they cared even though they did not know me.

So one of the reasons I have not written is because I have not really felt like anything was going on that I could write a whole blog about. So I titled this my heart and head ache, because my head aches from trying to learn russian and my heart for the church. A few days ago I read a article in the Moscow times about last Saturday night a church was torn down by the Russian government. So Sunday morning the church did not have a building. There is more to the story if you want to read, there is a link on my facebook. Well I was just thinking how can this be happening. This can not be allowed! I mean the idea of not have religious freedom seems so crazy to me. I just can not imagine the feeling of not having a church building to go to on sunday. I just began to pray for the church and just started to feel broken for these people and the church in Russia. Well tonight I was talking to with one of the girls on my floor for a while and she was telling me that she is from Turkmenistan and how it is said to be second in closed nations after Korea. She said there are few churches or christians in her country. She was saying how you do not say you are a believer or you can be attacked or killed. When she and two other girls from Turkemistan were telling me their stories my heart began to break again. I am just so baffled but the persecution of the church in Russia and the countries right next to it. I just feel such a burden for not only Russia but they other countries that are have no freedom or are loosing religious freedoms. For a few years now I have a map that has countries that are closed to the gospel and are under persecution. I look at the map almost everyday and sometimes say a short prayer for the people. But when you talk and build relationship with the people in those areas it brings a whole new meaning. To see her eyes start to tear up when she talks about what she wants to see in her country, I feel her pain. I just think God is bring a whole new reality to this to me. I think I need to be careful when I hear about people under persecution or see a map that shows me. Not to think for a second that stink and send a short prayer, but need to intercede for these people. These people are just like me and the people I know. It never felt so real to me until I sat and build relationships with people that have really suffered for christ.