Jono Miller

BECOMING REAL
"What is REAL?" asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room. "Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?"
"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real."
"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit.
"Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are Real you don't mind being hurt."
"Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit?"
"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in your joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand." (from The Velveteen Rabbit)

I want to become real. Thank you to all of those of you who love me and continue to love me through the process. Thanks Katya for an encouraging chat on Friday night.

UTSIM
As I write I have less than 3 weeks of teaching left til the end of the year. Time has flown by. The beginner classes are at maximum capacity and I am looking for extra teachers for next year. We will also be needing extra rooms at the school.
The current building situation is that we have asked the local council for a 49 year lease on an old public building that was once a sports school. The council will sit some time around the 10th of December to decide for or against us. The location is great and the potential is huge. It will need major renovations inside, but these could be done piece by piece as we grow. Please bring this before our Father.
The best thing about teaching is the students. I regularly say to Sveta after a lesson, “I really enjoy teaching those kids.” The classes are small and close knit. We often have the chance to pick up on a theme or an answer and speak positive and godly truths into the lives of these young people. I enjoy being with them, learning and laughing with them. Please pray for the students. If you want to personally pray for one student, please contact me via email.
The document saga continues. I was misinformed in believing I could get permanent residency. It is temporary residency I am currently seeking to obtain, the work permit being the first and major hurdle for this to occur. Really – I’m a little sick of talking about documents all the time.
Finally, please continue to pray about our end of year presentation night. The invitations will be going out this week. We hope to have a really professional and friendly time building bridges with the parents and others in the town.

LIFE OUTSIDE OF BUSINESS

RZHYSHCHIV HAPPENINGS
A number of us meet at Masha’s house on Thursday nights to pray. A few weeks ago Lena initiated an idea. Over the last 4 -5 years we have had a number of people either profess faith in Jesus or at least show a genuine interest – only to grow cold or walk away. Lena suggested that we stop every evening at 8:30pm and pray for these people. It has been amazing how much I have noticed chances to interact with a number of ‘old friends’ after I have been more diligent in prayer.
This week at church Bruce presented an opportunity to serve the community with a special Christmas dinner. The church will provide it and invite members of the community – including a number of prominent people in the town. Please pray for this outreach that it would be a combined effort from the church to our town.
Twice this month I have been able to provide extracurricular activities for some of the missionary kids here. I took some of the older ones to Kyiv for a Commonwealth Nations Remembrance Day Service. See my write up of this day. Last week we watched Charlotte’s Web together and some of the kids completed really good answers to a work booklet I put together for them.

WEEKENDS
I’ve been in out of Kyiv nearly every weekend for something. Often just on a Friday and I come back with Ruth and Jon. Jeff came with me one Friday and spoke at a school assembly. I managed to watch a couple of All Blacks games, of course we were going to win everything – it’s not the world cup! Funny I haven’t heard anything from my League loving Aussie friends. They have been unusually quiet.
Simbo and Asia came down two weekends ago. It was great to have a nice chill out weekend at home – even though the weather made us want to stay indoors. Simbo is from Scotland and Asia from Poland. They are currently learning Ukrainian and have a desire to help homeless children here in Ukraine. Maybe they will end up in Rzhyshchiv. I know I enjoy having them around.
This weekend coming I’m off to Lviv to visit my good friends Nat and Losha. Can’t wait to catch up with you guys again.

Finally, in a few weeks I’m heading off to NZ for a short holiday/family reunion. We try to get together about every four years. My nieces and nephews especially grow up so fast – and I will really enjoy reconnecting with them again. I’ll have 5 days in Sydney en route back to Ukraine.

WHAT YA READIN’?
“Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley. I’ve only just started this futuristic novel written back in 1931. As yet I’m not quite sure what to make of it. Another Hungarian book I read was a collection of One Minute Stories by Istvan Orkeny. Some of the wit of these stories was way over my head, others were very poignant. 3/5

PRAYER AND PRAISE
Council’s decision on leasing us a building
Continuation of temporary residency process
My students
Good friends Simbo and Asia, Nat and Losha, Katya
End of year presentation night
Rzhyshchiv Christmas party
How about 2 minutes prayer every evening at 8:30?

THANKS
To Gaven for a night watching the AFL Grand Final complete with meat pies and lamingtons. Only 2 months late!

Love Jono
Keep Looking Up

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