My team and I are now in the beautiful South Africa, but before I tell all about how amazing this month is, I wanted to tell you a couple of the most impactful stories that I experienced in Ukraine.
On our first day, we met a lady named Irena who had been ill and was also wheelchair bound and didn't have the mobility needed to keep her house and yard as upkept as she would like. So, with Neila, Pasha and Tolya, we all spent a couple of hours cleaning, organizing, and gardening. Not to brag or anything, but I totally beasted at painting this one tree with white lime. That was one good looking tree. After some tea and conversation, we left and went on our way, not thinking very much about what was just a small amount of manual labor to us. However, the next day we went to church and Neila filled us in that Irena had called a few times the night before so overjoyed that she wanted to check that she was indeed still alive and on earth and not in heaven. Now, I could wax poetic and present a long systematic theology full of big words and abstract ideas about the kingdom of God and what it means to live in a way that ushers it in, BUT I think that this simple picture explains so much more than I could in a thousand words. I think that as the people of God, living with the Holy Spirit working in and through us, as we are bringing the kingdom wherever we go, shouldn't we and those who come into contact with that in us encounter that little taste of heaven and the joy of truly being in the presence of the Creator. I think that just maybe a life lived in this fullness would result in the occasional checking of whether we are actually indeed still residents of this earth.
Another normal (well….I say normal) day in Ukraine brought us and our host family to one of the many sanitoriums full of the sick and handicapped all over Saki to sing and then pray and minister to the residents, many of whom are without hope. We encountered this one lady who was visiting her dying husband who when we asked if she would like prayer opened her heart and told us of how her son was mentally handicapped and unable to take care of himself on top of the worries concerning her husband. Her prayer was that he would pass on before her and her husband because of her great worry about him once they were gone. She started crying and I'm pretty sure there were some tears on our side as well and after we prayed for her and were on our way out, she reached for her pocket and asked if she owed us anything. This is when I broke. The sadness of interacting with a god and his people who took advantage and required monetary payment for blessings and prayer was overwhelming. I don't know about you, but the idea of having to submit payment for services rendered by God is completely overwhelms me. There is no way that I could even begin to pay back what God has done and is doing for me, but the beauty of God is that he paid for me and constantly pours out his blessings and love free of charge or agenda for his own benefit.
So, that was a glimpse of our amazing time in Ukraine. More about South Africa soooon!!!
Thank you so much for reading and all of your prayers and support! I would be nowhere without you guys! I still need about $3400 to meet my deadline at the end of this month, so I just ask that you prayerfully consider partnering with me and helping me finish this journey. I am confident that God still has so much more in store for me in these last 6 months. Thank you sooooooooooo much! I can't begin to tell you how much I appreciate everything!
