I have made it to the Kiev, Ukraine and I have been socked by some of the culture differences. For example, when I cross the street cars from both directions immediately slow down and come to a stop to give me the right away. I can’t tell you how many times I have had to dodge traffic through out the world. It is nice to have my life valued by drivers. It is also nice to blend in a little with my light skin tone but I have found it very difficult to communicate, as most people here do not speak English but Russian.
The Ukraine feels very much like Michigan. Outside of the city is flat farmland with patches of forest dividing fields. It feels just like spring in April. Warm around 50 during the day and cool at night. The city center of Keiv feels very much like any western European city like Brussels or Berlin, but outside the city has a more communist taste in architecture. There is a very large gap between the rich and poor here and is obvious from driving from the city to the countryside.
On Monday I will be taking a 17 hour train ride to Lugansk where I will spend my month in ministry. Lugansk is the most eastern city in the Ukraine and is 20 miles from the Russian boarder. I will minister outside the city in a village. From what I can tell the living conditions will be rustic. There is no guarantee on running water but there is a guarantee on a well and bucket to draw water from. I will be working with team Clay and another team from the F-Squad (they are few months ahead in their trip). Our focus will be on evangelism and building relationships in the community. Ukraine, as with most of Europe, has a very strong spirit of religion and not relationship so it will be our goal to demonstrate and bring the Gospel.
