Ukraine Update

Hello everyone! I just wanted to write a quick update about my trip to Ukraine.

I had the privilege of joining 20 young people from Word of Life Bible Institute New York, as well as the team in Ukraine, for a week full of ministry. We reached over 1,400 kids with the Gospel - in four days!! We also had a chance to experience Ukrainian food and culture, as well as learn about some of  the history of this beautiful country.

A History Lesson
As all of you know, Ukraine was at one point part of the USSR, controlled by Russia. Communism destroyed so much - the economy, everyday life, trust. Countless lives were lost. We visited a museum and had a tour through all the memorabilia about WWII - pictures, death certificates, personal belongings, weapons, etc. It was a sobering experience.  There was a whole hall full of pictures of people who were part of the war - wives, mothers, soldiers, children, etc. Down the center of the hall was a long table lined with glasses, canteens, and other containers used for drinking, commemorating a tradition to drink in memory of the people who have passed.

Freedom and Passion
After Ukraine became independent, Christianity blossomed. People were searching for hope and answers, and they turned to the Lord. The revival within this war-torn country has not waned. Churches all over the area of Kiev are seeking Word of Life's help to evangelize their villages. There is a passion to see people reached for the Lord. We got to be a small part of that!

Four of the days we were there, we went into schools in the surrounding villages to talk about American life. We were also inviting the kids for game fairs that we were doing in the afternoons. Before the first day, Sarge, the assistant director of Word of Life Ukraine, told us we needed to be careful sharing the Gospel in the schools. Because we are Americans, we have an open door to go into the schools with little censure, but that doesn't mean we should treat it lightly. We should talk about how it is "part of my story", it was a "decision that I made", etc. We gave wordless bracelets out in each class, and in each class we shared what the colors meant. The first time we did it, I waited for the teachers to shut it down, but they didn't. So we didn't stop. Each class, for four days, some 1,400 kids (and their teachers), clearly heard the Gospel - IN SCHOOL!!! It was an incredible blessing. Many of those students attended our game fairs and heard the Gospel again. At least five made a decisions.

Personal Reminder
I went on this trip assuming many things: that I had tons of wisdom to impart on these young students, most of whom have never been to another country, let alone Eastern Europe; I have adapted to another culture (Czech), so it will be easy for me to do it again, if only for a week; I'll be able to understand some of the language and possibly get by with the Czech I know. Boy was I wrong! Most of the kids from NY have been on missions trips before and were so willing to learn and adapt. Eastern Europe is not all the same - Ukraine is quite a bit different than Czech. I can't understand hardly any Russian (which is still the main language spoken), and those who speak Russian can't understand my Czech. It was a humbling experience for me. Just because I have lived as a missionary in a different country doesn't mean that it will be easy to go somewhere else, to change locations. It also doesn't mean that I have anything to teach those who haven't lived this life. The students and their leaders taught me plenty! I was blessed by them and their hearts to serve and learn. I was reminded what it felt like the first time I experienced missions on the field in Guatemala, how exciting it was to be a part of sharing Christ with people who don't get to hear about Him like I do in my home country. I miss that feeling. Ministry can quickly become simply a job, a list of things that have to be checked off. But it is not that. It should never be a to-do list, or a 9-5 job. It is a privilege to share the Gospel with others. It is our one of our primary purposes here on earth as Christians!!

Here's the link to pictures from my trip!  https://photos.app.goo.gl/Th5SEcY84de2rrqs6