Weekend In Cali

This past weekend two of my friends and I drove up to Sacramento, CA to visit some friends and make some new ones. I also got a chance to hang out with my little cousins Oleg and Oliviya... helping me remember how much fun little kids can be. The drizzly weather did not stop us from enjoying our short stay there and I would have loved to stay longer if not for my obligations back home. I was given an opportunity to meet some awesome youth from the local Missionary Gospel Church and am very thankful to Olviya K. for making this possible! God bless you girl!

On the way back, as we were driving in the mountains, we came across what at first looked like a crooked road sign. With some closer scrutiny, I realized that this was the back of a semi truck's trailer. Pulling over, I hurried over to the truck. Completely torn apart, its engine spilling out, wheels ripped off, cabin squished, windows shattered, the truck was a mess! Seeing a light inside the cabin served to stimulate my trauma nurse endorphins. Thinking that this accident was very recent, I began to search for the driver... or the body. Having come somewhat prepared with flares, flashlight, custom first aid kit, and even a lifeguard tube that's always in my trunk, I felt excited about fact that I might actually be able to help someone. However, this excitement was short lived. My friend, whom I had sent to call 911 and get my first-aid kit, came back and told me that there were cones on the road, indicating that this had happened a while back. You can imagine how dumb I felt when the only thing I ended up treating with my first aid kit was a self-inflicted gash in my leg from the wreckage.

~ Filipp C.  

Cell Group

Recently, we temporarily recombined our cell group with it's 40+ members due to the lack of leaders needed to lead both groups. Our current situation reminds me of the passage were Jesus says "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few"... Oh, how we need more Godly man and woman empowered by the Holy Spirit to join us in the fields but, for now all we can do is "beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest."

Here are some photo's from a recent cell group meeting. After watching a video, we had a small surprise B-day party for two of our members. Happy B-day Dina and Bogdan! May God bless you abundantly!

~ Filipp C. 

Get Well Soon

Recently I had an opportunity to join a small, get-well-soon party from our church and visit the assistant youth choir director on her birthday. Here are some pictures from that evening. 

~ Filipp C.

Happy Easter!

It was such a joy for me to get up this morning and praise my Lord and Savior with the rising sun. Christ has risen! He has risen indeed! Oh how wonderful it is, just to be able to take a deep breath of crisp morning air and praise God for having extended His mercy and having granted me yet another moment of life. Even though our life on this earth is but a vapor, a vapor that is here one moment and gone the next, in Him we have hope onto greater life.

May the Christ whose rising from the dead we celebrate on this Easter be enthroned in your heart and your life. May your life be filled with joy and thanksgiving for the great work he accomplished on the cross when he said "it is finished" - For truly it was finished! 

~ Filipp C.

California Spring Break : 2009

We do not choose our families or relatives, they are Gods gift to us! It's a big gift and even greater privilege when we can spend time or should I say "very good time" with them. My sister and I decided to drive down to California and spend a week visiting our relatives. We had a blast!

A Stroll in the Night

Throughout the past couple of weeks I have been spending every free moment studying for the NCLEX. Now, the moment has come, I will be taking the exam in less than six hours... Here are some pictures I took several hours ago as I was strolling through my neighborhood. These were all taken at night using a tripod and natural lighting. Notice the details of the cherry blossoms! It's hard to believe that this picture was taken in almost complete darkness without any use of a flash or other artificial lighting.  

~ Filipp C.