Month 5 found Team Veracity in Lutugino, Ukraine doing ministry with the greatest missionary family from the States. Lutugino is a small town in north eastern Ukraine only a little ways away from the Russian border. Let me tell you a little bit about this month….
Ministry of the month:
This month our ministry consisted of holding free eyeglass clinics. Most days three or four girls would stumble out of the apartment and across the field to the MacDonald house around 6:30 am. We would help Papa Bruce load up the van with a ton of glasses, an eye chart, extension cords, lamps, and a heavy bag of beads. Then we would pack ourselves into the van and head out, picking up the Ukrainian doctor and our friends Yule and Williams along the way. The three hour journey to the churches we would hold the clinics at were never dull. Usually we found ourselves being launched into the air several times as Bruce would try to avoid the massive crater sized potholes in the road. We would arrive midmorning and were immediately ushered into the building amidst ten or twenty babushkas already waiting patiently to have their eyes checked. We set up quickly then stepped back to allow the doctors to get to work. As they called patient after patient, we sat down to make a few dozen salvation bracelets to hand out. We were often called to go eat a meal the babushkas had prepared for us and drink tea. Papa Bruce would introduce us to the group in the waiting room several times a day and we would hand out salvation bracelets. Eyeglass clinics were some of my favorite times because I got to watch as the faces of these local people lit up with a simple pair of glasses. 🙂
(At our first clinic)
(Our Thanksgiving style dinner after a clinic)
(Making bracelets at a clinic)
They weren't our only "ministry" during the month though. For the most part, our ministry was really just getting the opportunity to invest in the lives of the local people. We hung out with Ukrainian teenagers who we met at the local high school. We spent time with our new African friends (mostly Nigerians), talked and worked with our Korean friend, Yule, and laughed and sang late into the night with Ukrainian families. And of course, we hung out with the MacDonald family as much as possible. 🙂 Sometimes it felt like we were getting a small glimpse of heaven, especially when we would gather together to worship Jesus. I felt so blessed getting to spend time with them and I am proud to call them my dear friends.
Favorite Memory:
The second day we were in Lutugino happened to be Toby's birthday (one of the MacDonald kids). We were invited to come over for a cookout and begin getting to know the family. It started out good. We were all laughing and having a good time as we shared stories. Bruce announced at some point that some Africans (he calls them THE Africans) would be coming too. I was so excited! Of course they were late, but after they finally got some food, we all gathered in the living room for some proper introductions. What started out as a boring Name, age, occupation deal became much bigger and better by the time it got around to me and the Africans. By that time, we had started to share our dreams and passions. If you don't know already, I have a heart for Africa… specifically orphans. I want to open a children's home at some point and maybe a school attached to it. Basically, I want to see these kids have the chance to achieve their dreams. So here we are, sitting in a circle in the MacDonald living room talking about this very thing. As soon as the Africans begin talking about what they are in the Ukraine for and what they desire to do after they are done with med school here, I begin struggling to hold back tears. Happy tears. Joyful tears. Tears because they are getting the opportunity to dream big and go after them. That's what I want for my orphans some day.
(All of us at Toby's party)
That little amount of time we spent getting to know them that day was the starting point of beautiful friendships that will last for a long time. I was an extrovert that day, which is a rare thing to see. I love them to death. And I thank them, because they reminded me of why I wanted to open a children's home in the first place. 🙂
Biggest Challenge:
The middle months are often some of the hardest for racers. We get tired of spending 24/7 with our team. We miss our friends, our family, our home. We want to disappear from our reality and concentrate on the internet or movies or whatever. Sometimes, it's just hard to keep going. This month was hard. I didn't really think I would hit a point like that on the race…because I was so excited to do the race in the first place. But I was wrong. I missed my mom. I hated the fact that I was thousands of miles away from her on Mother's Day. I hated that I didn't get to spend time with her or remind her in person how much I love her and am grateful for her. I missed my brother. I missed going to the batting cages and watching baseball with him. He just finished 4th grade. It's hard being away from him for a whole year knowing he is changing so much as a 10 year old. I had a hard time not getting on my computer every chance I got. I wanted to love on my team, but I was tired of it all at the same time.
Church Situation:
We attended two different churches this month. We went to the MacDonald's small Baptist church a few times. The people there were so welcoming and really fellowship with each other. They do a Bible study at the beginning of their fellowship where they all talk about what they are learning (in Acts specifically right now). Bruce translated everything the pastor said to us…as the pastor spoke in Russian. And our favorite part, we got cookies and tea after the service! It was wonderful. We made friends with many of the people in the church and continued to see them throughout the month. We even went camping with them one night!
The Africans invited us to their church as well, so of course we happily accepted that invitation! Their church was everything I expected and hoped it to be. It's a sort of home away from home church for them. Most of the people there are young adults going to the university, many of them med students. Immediately I noticed how passionate they were. How it didn't matter what they looked like when they were worshiping Jesus. They didn't care what others thought. They were glad to be praising Him. I immediately fell in love with this church. We became friends with many of the students that first day we went. Cassie and I went back every Sunday after that. Going to that church made me that much more excited for Africa. If you want to see what I experienced at this church, look up "Lighthouse Family Chapel Ukraine" on youtube. 🙂 Our wonderful friend Williams makes an appearance in many of the videos.
(At Lighthouse Family Chapel)
Food and Living Situation:
This month we were blessed to be living in an apartment across the street from our family (our contacts). All seven girls stayed in a studio apartment with a sink that clogged and a toilet that you couldn't really use. But we made it work. I actually slept out on the screened in patio while everyone else slept in our living room/bedroom. I enjoyed my cot. It would get cold at night for the first week, but I got to look up at the stars all night long. It was perfect. We bought our own food and made our own meals. I even got to make barbeque chicken one night and fajitas another night! It was amazing. It was nice to cook most of our own meals. We did get lots of local food as well when we were at eyeglass clinics. I loved the local food just as much.
(My awesome bed on the patio this month)
Random WR Moment:
So: You are traveling from Brasov, Romania to Lutugino, Ukraine and have a 24 hour stop in Kiev, Ukraine because of a holiday. What do you do? If you are part of Veracity, you make the most of your 24 hours and sightsee throughout the city.
We stopped by two coffee shops and had several cups at each and went to the Chernobyl Museum. Then we wandered until we found a random line for something. Decided to get in it and see what it was about. It ended up being for a cable car (or "elevator") up to St. Michael's Monastery which we gladly took part in. Hung out up there for a while and then returned to the hostel. Went out for dinner as a team and then most of the team went out to support Imperiale as she met up with fellow West Cost Swing people.
We made use of that 24 hours!
(At the Chernobyl museum)
(In line for the cable car up to St. Michael's)
Funniest Moment:
During our time talking to the Africans that first day in the living room, I had mentioned (like I said earlier) that I wanted to open a Children's home in Africa. The person after me introduces themselves…and then we get to Kennedy. He starts sharing about himself and all the sudden things get out of control. He starts talking about how he wants to open a Children's home in Africa as well. Immediately I know what's coming next…but not from who. PIA! Pia opens up and asks Kennedy, "Do you need a helpmate to share in that dream?" And I immediately know she's talking about me. My face goes beet red as I try not to look at Kennedy or Pia. I look over at Meghan who looks at me with those "oh dear" eyes. And then Dorothea (lady staying with the MacDonalds) chimes in too! This went downhill so fast and I'm still beet red. I can't help but burst out laughing…trying to make up for the embarrassment I was feeling. It did end up being quite a funny experience. Kennedy and I talked later and I really had fun with him, but that situation definitely made it more interesting for sure!
What I'll Miss:
Can I honestly just say I miss everything already and its only been a few days? Please? I'll miss our family, the MacDonalds. I'll miss how Bruce called us "girlies" and treated us as daughters. I'll miss talking to Pia. I'll miss listening to her wise words and caring heart. I miss their kids. I miss Mercy bossing me around and asking to come hang out in our apartment even though she knew it meant sitting on a cot and maybe playing a game. I'll miss seeing Toby's smile and playing legos with him. I'll miss Kerrianne's sweet spirit and having her sit on my lap. I'll miss going to get ice cream with Michael. I'll miss family movie nights in the living room with popcorn and juice.
(last family picture in Ukraine)
I'll miss the Ukrainian family we stayed with in New Russia. How they housed and fed us with joyful hearts. How we sang songs late into the night under the stars. I'll miss playing with their kids and listening to them prattle off in Russian.
(Hanging with Reuben in New Russia)
I'll miss seeing the faces of the elderly people light up when they receive a free pair of glasses. I'll miss how their eyes get blurry with tears. How they say thank you over and over before leaving.
I'll miss my African friends. I'll miss playing soccer and laughing hysterically with the girls as they try and miss the soccer ball. I'll miss worshiping Jesus with them. I'll miss spending time with them. I'll miss Williams, my dear, dear friend. I'll miss his smile and the funny expressions he makes. I'll miss listening to Him talk about God and his encouraging words.
(African friends- find the racers)
Basically, I'lll miss Ukraine. I've already cried several times over the fact that I am leaving this beautiful country and the many people I love here. It's hard knowing I won't see my friends for a long time. But, it's not a final goodbye. It's merely a see you later, Ukraine…no matter how hard it is to go now.
Spiritual Lesson/ Revelation:
I feel like I had a lot of these this month. One of them was realizing that spiritual warfare isn't just feeling the presence of the devil or a demon in a place or person. We are constantly in a state of warfare. Most of it is in our mind. It's battling the thoughts that aren't of the Lord. I'm realizing how much I have really faced that this month without realizing it. How I have almost given up and given into the thoughts that my relationship with my brother will never be restored or how I have so many areas in my life that don't look like Jesus. And I get discouraged! But that isn't of God. He doesn't put those thoughts in my head and He doesn't believe them. So I'm learning spiritual discernment with the warfare I am consistently dealing with. I'm learning to call out the things I know to be true when I begin having those thoughts.
Prayer Requests:
Pray for the MacDonalds. Pray for their ministry and for their kids. Pray for the Africans as they continue in medical school or are beginning their residency. Pray for the Ukrainian family we stayed with in New Russia. That they would continue to be blessed by God and that their joyful light would shine brightly. Pray for a renewed spirit of joy in Ukraine. Pray for the depression and the drinking etc to dissolve. Pray for us as we will definitely miss our friends and family in Ukraine and as we head to Africa!
(Overlooking Kiev)
