wow...

this brings me back to last summer when it was so difficult to put into words what has happened and the things we have experienced...i will try my best, but most things/experiences i unknowingly compare with last summer so bear with me...

by now we are well into our first week of english club/sports camp with about 18 kazak dudes...they are a lot of fun, but teaching is difficult. we have five groups that are taught by the other five bros with me, while i am a floater. i basically just help explain things that may be confusing and check on each group progressively throughout the day. we teach from 10-1 and then go to lunch with the guys and then we teach the guys a different sport from 2-4pm. this proves a challenge as well. for example, today we taught american football...most of the guys have an idea of what football is like, because they have seen rugby on tv, so without hesitation they pass the ball several times each down...frustrating at first and then it just became hilarious because there was no stopping it. after camp we usually go home and clean up and are usually invited out on the town with some of the guys that we teach. this means that we leave the house at 9 and get to bed about 1230 or 1...kind of tiring when you are in a building without air conditioning all day and then play sports in the heat of the day...nonetheless we are having a great time and the ground is more fertile than i expected. many of the bros are very interested in us and we are beginning to find out which ones may be being drawn by father. a sweet thing to see...

us six live in an apartment in a city about of about 600000. it takes about 20 minutes to get anywhere and this place is very wealthy, although you wouldnt guess that at first glance. there is a big gap btw the classes here...you are either really rich or really poor. we are all getting along great and it has been a joy to live with these guys and watch their passion...i miss you all and like last summer it has been difficult to keep my heart here, but i know father has work here to be done. this place is very expensive, unlike china. we pay about 4 dollars for a taxi and the m's pay $900/month for a house without air conditioning! so, we have to cook many meals...shopping for food is hilarious, and i have a great time not being able to speak russian or kazak, but can communicate with a smile and a wave and maybe a comment like "i like you bro and thats ok if you cant talk to me" followed by a point to the potatoes i want...kinda like that...anyway, i am now a firm believer that you learn more about english by teaching english than you do by learning english...

i hope i can continue to keep in touch with you guys, but i will insert that the internet connections here are shaky at best...as we speak it smells of burnt fuses... or something...

so i should end this quick...i miss you and love you all...thank you for your prs and love and please continue to lift us up...a good pr would be that each team member finds specific guys to connect with so that we can share about our father!!!! we are trying to get email back at our apartment, but we arent sure yet if it will work. thanks for your posts they are reviving...

much love-

jon david

d.o.-youre crazy as a cat...and i didnt think about it being so hard to be without my traveling companion...

it is hard to not have you guys here...im tired of explaining my phrases and games...either way it has been sweet to pass them on...

mom and dad and jody...i love you!