God Bless you!

This week our church is hosting an outreach for teens in the school located next to us. It called “Teen Games” and involves sports and Biblical lessons. Photographing the “Teen Games” today, I had an encounter with a bucket. One of the tasks involved 6 buckets. Two full of water and four empty ones for each participating team. Each team had to carry as much water they could in two minutes, one by one, from one of the two full buckets to their individual bucket. Sound harmless enough, right! Well, as I bent down to capture the best shoot of the festivities, this was the last thing I saw….

before being drenched by the careening bucket of water, caused by the boy in orange sliding into it. The camera and I were both wet. And since a camera cannot photograph itself, it has no story to tell. As you might suspect, the camera and I are fine, and everyone, including me had a good laugh.

If you want to bring joy to the masses, blow up some balloons and get on a very crowed minibus. It was not my intent to bring joy to the masses but a week ago, that’s just what happened. At our weekly discipleship group meeting they had a mini celebration for my birthday, which included several large balloons. At the end of group I had to get them home, so we walked to the bus stop. When we got on the bus, it was empty but little by little it began to fill up and space for my balloons diminished. Everyone who got one the bus, acknowledged the balloons as they passed by and I tried to make them take up the least amount of room possible. The kids that got on wanted them and some of the more intoxicated passengers kept smiling at me. Eventually, I was holding them over my head. Then came the chore of getting off the bus. Excuse me! Excuse me!  Можна пройти? Can I pass! On my walk home I noticed that not only were the balloons voluminous, they were also very bright against the dark grayness of the night. I was probably the brightest thing move in the city that night. An even if it didn’t bring the masses true joy it brought joy to me, my friend and her four year old daughter.

Where to begin? On Thursday morning at 6:00am, Christine and I headed out west to the Ukrainian-Polish border in her car. I decided I did not have enough experiences on the Polish border; that I needed to try every means of transportation to see the result. Joke! It was an overcastted day but a great early morning drive. We navigated the city of Lutsk without getting lost. We were encouraged when we arrived at the border and the line was significantly shorter than the last time Christine brought her car across. After about a two hour wait, we finally arrived at the border. The Ukrainian authorities searched the car and told us we could go one to passport control. This is when Christine and I had an opportunity to pray together, trust in the Lord and see Him work. As they lady, Natasha, looked at my passport. She asked for a document I never received. Then she told me I was illegally in the country and that I should have left every 90 days. I told her that I was not told this because I have a visa and I registered with the police for the term of my visa. Apparently, this was not enough. She became very agitated. She called her superiors. She was on the phone for a long time. This is when Christine and I began to pray without each of us knowing it. We prayed for Natasha, we prayed for God to grant us favor. Natasha became calmer but eventually told us to wait in the car. We prayed together while in the car. After only a few minutes, Natasha came out of the booth and handed us both our passports. God answered our prayer. We could proceed to go into Poland turn around and return to Ukraine, as this is necessary for Christine to do ever couple of months. God gave us favor with the Polish authorities and the officer allowed us to turn around right at the border, ahead of a waiting line of cars. This time no two hour wait. So, we drove up to the Ukrainian border, were given the immigration form to complete by a very friendly officer. She then told us to go on to passport control to get back into Ukraine. They were waiting for me because as we pulled up an officer approached the car and said, you are the one they were talking about with the visa. He explained to me the law. I explained to him, I didn’t know all the nuances, no one told me in the various office I’ve been in what was necessary. Even my recent trip, in March, to the immigration office, they just made a copy of my documents. He told me that they should not let me back in Ukraine, but I should have to go to the Consulate in Poland and get a new visa. I prayed. I told him I only have a short time left on my visa and would have to renew it again soon. I asked him, what I will do; live with him, because I don’t have a car or a way to go anywhere. He listened. He was sympathetic. I asked him what I can do so that I am doing things in order in the future. He answered. He told us to wait in the car. We prayed again. Prayed for his heart, the heart of his authorities and for God’s will because I believe He has called me to Ukraine. The officer came back to the car, explained some more. I apologized. I explained some more. He told me he would let me go. God answered this prayer too. During this short yet adventurous trip God showed me there are many more papers under rocks in this journey, but Him will always lead me to the right rocks and He is able to work out every situation for His glory when I place my faith, confidence and trust in Him. All glory to God!!!

This is the Scripture that can to mind for this day: You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.  Trust in the Lord forever, for in Yah, the Lord, is everlasting strength. Isa 26:3-4 NKJV

Now, you may ask, why did you go? I went for a number of reasons. Christine needed to go and I wanted to serve her so she wouldn’t be alone. Also, I have multi-entry visa to Ukraine and I haven’t left the country since receiving it. When I renew my visa, I don’t want there to be any questions why I need a multi-entry visa. Finally, as a part of my understanding Ukrainian culture, it is my goal to visit many different areas in Ukraine. I was able to visit Lutsk today and ride through a number of smaller villages. Here are some pictures from our journey back where God gave us more grace through the people we met in Lutsk.  http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=171206&id=550104316&l=e4a7544c7b

It has been too long since I posted. But in reality, my lack of inspiration to write was a reflection of the way I was feeling during this time of silence. It’s not that nothing has been happening, actually quite the contrary. God is continuing to work in me and open doors so He can work through me. The work He has been doing in me has been the main reason for the silence. God has been using circumstances to draw me closer to Him. He has been using circumstances to open my eyes to the reality of the battle that I am in the midst of.  The battle raging around every believer every day. I knew these times would come. They are very common for missionaries and probable more common for believers that anyone would want to admit.  I am so very grateful for those of you who pray for me when you are prompted by the Lord. I receive a wonderful gift on April 14th.  A mission team from my home church came to Ukraine for 9 days. It was a time of rejuvenation for me. There is a saying, there is strength in numbers. I felt the strength. I felt the love.  Here are some pictures of our time of ministry together.

Zaborol Women’s Facility

Waiting outside my building

English School

Singing in Church Service

Teaching Session in Church

I was wrong! I thought for sure the snow and ice would remain on the ground way into March. It began melting last week as temperatures rose into to 40’s. Now the sidewalks are a slushy mess and the only things you are guaranteed to come home with every time you go outside are cold, wet feet. The up side…spring is in the air, the days are getting longer, and the sun is shining more often. It may snow and freeze again but I am still hope filled. I have almost survived my first full winter in Ukraine where on the shortest day the sun rose at 7:56am and set at 3:56pm. It is 6:00pm now and just getting dark. Four more days until the first day of spring in Ukraine, March 1^st.

Building Snow-people in the Park

The first weekend of January, I decided I wanted to go see the Christmas tree (in Ukraine it is the New Year tree) in the center of town. The family I was living with decided they wanted to go too. A friend of theirs was visiting and she joined us. One of the guys from our church who lives nearby also joined us. We loaded the two boys on the sled and headed out. It was a gorgeous evening for a walk. Our route took us through the park. As we began walking in the park, some other folks from church called and wanted to join us. So while we waited for them in the park, we had a snowball fight and began building a snowman. By the time they join us, we had an entire family.

My Very Own Holiday

The 25th of January was Tania’s Day. No, I’m not kidding. I’ve waited all my life for this! It is the celebration of all those named Tetiana (Tania). In celebration, gifts and greetings are often given. Almost all the Tanias from our church met in the evening for tea. I was great being included in the celebration and just getting to know the ladies better in an informal setting as these are the ladies I came here to serve and help to go deeper in their walk with Christ.

Socks on Boots

I was on the marshrutka (mini bus) one day and looked down to see a woman with socks on the outside of her boots. I was quite surprised and curious as to the reason for this. I began to think of all the possible options. First thought was that she was cold; we had about a week of temperatures about -27°C. No, that didn’t make sense; she could easily wear the socks on the inside. Second thought, she was wearing the socks to keep from slipping on the ice. You see, for the past month, most of the sidewalks in Rivne have been sheets of ice. It is not very smooth ice in most places but it is still really slippery. A friend confirmed later in the day that this was indeed the reason. It was very efficient, effective, creative but odd. Unfortunately, I don’t have a picture.

Other Happenings

I have been living in Rivne since right after American Christmas. I was living with a family but on last Friday moved into my own flat. As I right I am sitting in the living room. It is great to have a place of my own so I can truly begin to feel settled in Ukraine. God is also beginning to open up opportunities to serve. I will be teaching English on Saturdays as an outreach for unbelievers, I have started going to the Bee House (a family style orphanage house) weekly, and I am now doing one-on-one discipleship with young woman from Salvation Church who speaks English fluently in preparation for the discipleship group. God has answered my pray and provided me with a new friend and English is the only language we currently have in common. I thank God for the opportunity to meet her and pray that the friendship will develop with time.

Here are some recent pictures: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=145937&id=550104316&l=9db0ea7c91