I am a basket case of emotions on this train chugging along from Lutugino to Kiev Ukraine.
My month 5 for most purposes is over.
My time crammed in a one bedroom apartment in the little town of Lutugino is in the running with all of Peru for my favorite place thus far on the race.
And as I have realized I am horrible at “details” blogs [AKA what I am actually doing] I thought I’d make an attempt at a “Day in the Life”.
This specific day in the life is an eyeglass clinic day.
So here goes nothing.
The morning of an eyeglass clinic for the most part means getting up super early. Usually 3 of us would walk across the field from the apartment to the Macdonald house slighty bleary-eyed at some time before 7.
We’d load up the van with glasses, glasses and more glasses. An eye chart, a few banners, a bag of bracelet making essentials, Bruce’s every important black bag, lamps, extension cords and other random knick-knacks.
The three “girlies” [as Bruce so lovingly called us] would get into the big red van and start our journey 2+ hours to the clinic at a church or a house of culture.
On our journey to the clinic we would usually pick up Williams and Anya- the two awesome clinicians, we would always stop and get coffee [which is exceptionally hard to drink in the big red van that goes over bumps and potholes].
Usually one of us would fall asleep sometime in that journey which I still don’t know how it is possible to do so with all of the bumps and potholes.
Eventually we would pull up to the unknown location and pile out of the van- attempting to carry the boxes of glasses and odds and ins needed- but for the most part the men of the church we were serving at would have none of it.
We’d set up the clinic in whatever room they chose laying out the eyeglasses, setting up lamps and charts. But quickly we were always ushered out to have our first tea time that the women of the church set up—tea or coffee, cookies, sandwiches, chocolate, salad, fruit and so much other stuff.
[my first eyeglass clinic]
After eating enough to satisfy the eyes of the babushkas we would go back into the clinic room to start prepping salvation bracelets. We’d watch as Anya and Williams would ask each person in the room whether they wanted distance or reading- for the most part each chose reading. And you could see the faces of these people who hadn’t read for themselves in who knows how long- you’d see them change and contort as the words became clearer.
I could watch this happen for hours.
But then as more people would come into the waiting room area the three of us girls would walk out and share with Bruce about the salvation bracelets.
We’d share where we’ve been, where we are going and where we are from.
We’d sing with the members of the church choir- hymns in English and Russia matched together.
Eventually again we’d get ushered into a room to eat again.
Soup, meat, salad, mashed potatoes, cookies, etc.
Stuffed to the gills.
Oh and of course more coffee.
Then we’d go back out and continue to place bracelets on wrinkled wrists, talk through hand gestures with the people around us. Share photos from our phones. Take photos and share those. [or color with the random little kids who were there with the church members..like this guy]
Sing another round of “How Great Thou Art”
And slowly but surely the clinic would die down after seeing anywhere from 80 to 100 people.
Once again we’d load the boxes together and [attempt ourselves] to load up the big red van.
But before we could get back into you know what would happen?
Tea time.
THEN with a parting prayer of encouragement, a grip of photos, we’d climb into the van waving back at the babushkas and the men from the church and head our 3+ hours home.
And what I’ve learned in retrospect from sharing about this month with my squad mates is this:
My ministry wasn’t necessarily to the people who came into the church for the first time.
It was to the people of the churches, of the ministries, of the towns that we worked along side.
It was to be apart of their lives. To encourage them and laugh with them. To sing with them.
To walk alongside them.
And this was something God showed me about myself- I LOVE this.
I want to be a person who walks alongside others and encourages them in what THEY are doing. I can’t wait to see what God does with that in my life.
[sweet Karianne]
I loved my time with the Macdonald family and with the communities we were in.
[Love this family!]
I am so THANKFUL for my time in Ukraine and all I learned.
[singing around the table every night]
I am EXCITED to head to South Africa. and I am SO CLOSE to being fully funded. I have a little under 25% to go- so if you would like to partner with me- click support!
With LOVE
Megs
