So
we’ve heard all these horror stories about Eastern Ukraine
and how shut off the people are to “westerners” so we had no idea what we were
coming into. We started our first day of softball camp and kids young and old
came from all around. As we started conversations via translators or hand
signals we quickly realized that not only had God opened these children’s heart
a little bit, they were actually wayyyy more welcoming than most American kids.
I immediately felt a connection with one group of boys. We just started talking
and playing games and apparently a North
Carolina boy trying to speak Russian is extremely
funny.
We
spent the next few days just building relationships with these kids and
presenting the gospel wherever we could plug it in. I shared so many laughs and
really really good conversations with this group of boys who reminded me so
much of myself at their age. They were at the fields waiting every single day
after the first day to show up and we picked up right where we left off the
previous day. I was kinda upset that we weren’t able to spend more time with
these kids because we were really starting to build some relationships and it
was so much harder to say bye than I thought it would be. We are realizing more
and more that God has put us here and specifically on the World Race to sow the
seed. It can get disheartening that we might never be able to see the harvest
but it’s also exciting that we are able to show Christ through these
relationships and sow all these seeds across the world. We were talking the
other night about how amazing it’s going to be when we get to heaven and these
people we have been ministering to will be there to meet us at those pearly
gates!
We also
had an eye glass clinic on Friday at Maxim’s church and I met a man that God
continues to put on my heart. Sasha is a guy from this city who is around 55
years old and he is the bad guy of the town. He came strictly to get glasses
and we were told later that he usually doesn’t want anything to do with
conversations about God and normally storms off when it’s brought up. Well
after he got his glasses he agreed to let me give him a bracelet and our
translator and the pastor of the church picked up on the conversation. Sasha
told stories about how he is always in and out of prison, he’s been stabbed
multiple times, he has wounds on his head from where he’s been hit with an axe
3 times and he was also in a horrible car accident that he survived but his
friends didn’t.
This man’s heart was so hardened and he was so
bitter and depressed. Sergei, our translator, and Victor, the pastor, started
bringing God into the conversation more and more and he got up to leave
multiple times but something kept him stuck to that bench and he continued
conversation for the next 30 min. I kept feeling a Bible verse come to mind
(Proverbs 14:12-13) so I gave it to Sergei to read to the man and as he was
reading it this man just looked me in the eyes. This 5 second glimpse seemed
like an eternity and I could see the hurt and despair that had been his life.
It was one of the first defining moments of this trip for me. He eventually
went home without accepting God but I prayed so hard when he left that he would
know that he survived that crash for a reason and that God has big plans for
his life. I also prayed that God prick his heart and open him up to be drowned
by His love and adoration. A month ago in prayer I kept seeing these eyes and I
had no clue what it meant and God brought to my attention a few days after
meeting Sasha that those eyes I saw were his…it was such a powerful moment
during prayer. I have an overwhelming feeling that Sasha will eventually accept
Christ and I pray that he will then be a beacon of light for God in his
community…so please join me in praying for this lost and broken man. GOD IS
GOOD…ALL THE TIME!!!
