Jim said in one of his sermons, we are blessed to have already celebrated Christmas with our families back in the United States. Now we get to celebrate a second Christmas! 
It's been so much fun to spoil Anya with American treats. She lives with an American missionary here in Tambov. (Her name is Jenni, and we will get to meet her at Heritage in February.) Jenni has taught Anya to love all sorts of American things like Cheez-its and ranch dip. I wish you could have seen how thrilled Anya was with her Christmas gifts! She kept saying, "This is amazing! Oh my goodness!" You can't buy these items in Russia. She also got new Levi's and Nikes...true luxury items! I love watching how she handles her new gifts. She loves Kit Kat bars, but she takes a piece for herself and shares the rest with her Russian friends. I could empty my whole suitcase and give it to Anya because she'd keep a little, and give most of it away. (Even if it were something she needed herself.) She is a magnet! Kids love her, the youth love her, and we love her! I can't count the ways she has sacrificed herself to serve us this week. Getting up early to let Jen go running, waking up in the middle of the night when we have crazy travel-induced insomnia, translating when she's sick and not feeling well! She gave US the wonderful Christmas gift of taking us to her apartment, making dinner for us, and helping us forget for awhile that we are strangers here. She has the gift of hospitality! It was eye opening to see the process involved in walking in the bitter cold to the grocery store, carrying your food another distance to the bus stop, riding for 30 minutes on the bus, then walking another good distance to your apartment building...then up seven flights of stairs to your apartment! It's a hard life here, even for those who are blessed! Thank you, Anya, for being our home away from home! We couldn't do this without you!
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