Official Name: Ukraine
Population: 46 million
Capital: Kiev
Official Language: Ukrainian
Official Religion: Eastern Orthodox Christianity
Possible Ministry Opportunities:
Outreach, teaching English, orphanage visits, preaching in and encouraging local churches, manual labor, college ministry, VBS
Famous Landmark: Kamianets-Podilskyi Castle, Saint Sophia Cathedral, Khotyn Fortress, Vorontsov Palace, Kiev Pechersk Lavra (or the Cave Monastery), lots of other churches and cathedrals
Strange Foods I May Eat:
-Borsch (soup made of beets and other vegetables)
-Varenyky (boiled dumplings stuffed with a variety of foods, including mushrooms and sauerkraut)
-Mayonnaise. At almost every meal. Gross.
-Studenetz (aspic made with fish or meat)
FUN FACTS:
-Ukraine is the largest country situated entirely in Europe
-Ukraine is one of the producers of spacecraft, and has their own space agency, National Space Agency of Ukraine (NSAU)
-Like many Eastern European countries, Ukraine’s population has been declining, due to a high death rate and low birth rate. The population is shrinking by over 150,000 people a year. The high mortality rate is due to environmental pollution, poor diets, widespread smoking, extensive alcoholism, and low quality health care
-Easter eggs, called pysanky in Ukraine, have had a very long history. In Ukraine, the eggs are decorated with intricate wax patterns, then dyed bright colors. The wax is then removed, leaving the patterns to contrast with the colors. I’ve actually done pysanky before, and it’s a lot of fun! I recommend researching this subject; it’s truly fascinating!
-The two most popular sports in Ukraine are soccer and basketball
-“Carol of the Bells” is a Ukrainian folk song
-Ukraine is one of the largest grain exporters in the world. In fact, their flag resembles golden fields of wheat under a blue sky
-The third most visited McDonald’s in the world is located in Kiev
-Ukrainians wear their wedding rings on the right hand instead of the left
-Ukrainian Christians are forbidden from playing cards, as it’s considered gambling. Guess my game-playing squadmates and I will have to play other things!
Prayer Opportunities:
-Pray for our safety, as the current political climate in Ukraine is a little crazy. If AIM is sending us to the country, they feel it is safe enough to do ministry here for the month, so I’m not worried. But extra prayer for the squad’s safety is always welcome!
-Pray for hearts to be opened to the Gospel. Pray that God would open our eyes to opportunities to spread His name. While the official religion of Ukraine is Orthodox Christianity, over 60% of Ukrainians identify themselves as atheist
-Pray for our strength. Month 9 is when we’ll really have to dig in deep, as we enter the home stretch of the Race and as we say goodbye to the parents who came for the Parent Vision Trip. Pray that we would receive new determination and strength to finish our Race strong!
