We made it to our home for the month!
So we arrived at the Atlanta airport at like 10:45ish on the 7th! Our flight was supposed to be at 10:25pm but got delayed till 12:05am. That was an 11 hour flight! Actually went by really fast! i enjoyed it! Watched movies, laughed, lip synced songs, slept, tried to sleep! We thankfully made it just in time to our second flight from Turkey to Ukraine!
We arrived in Lviv Ukraine late Wednesday night and stayed at a hostel that night- the next day our hosts came to get us! But we got to do some exploring in Lviv, was a lovely city!
Now my team and I are in Kremenets Ukraine which is where we will live for the month! It’s rather beautiful here! Feels like fall and if you know anything about me- Fall is my SEASON! Absolutely love it! Chilly in the mornings & night! I’m loving it!
We are staying on top of a mountain/hill that is right next to the church we will be serving at for a camp! Here’s a picture!
Our hosts have been Incredible! Always trying to make us feel at home & comfortable! Their hospitality is humbling! There’s a language barrier but they don’t let that stop them from finding anyway to communicate with us! It’s crazy, feels like I’m living a story out of the Bible. Being welcomed into a locals home and being served and taken care of as we help and serve them!
Want to know something cool? So in America, you know how we call it breakfast, lunch and dinner. Here in Ukraine it’s breakfast, dinner and supper haha! They’ve been feeding us so well it’s been such a blessing! Every time we eat it’s like a feast, so much yummy flavorful food. I am now understanding why people from other countries say how Americans put so much processed stuff into our food. The food they make here is so fresh it’s SO GOOD! We’ve been blessed!
And on our way to the city- they totally took us off roading to the middle of nowhere to go to a sunflower field! It was beautiful! ive always wanted to go to a sunflower field there are a ton around here!
We learned today that one of our new friends who’s name I’ll keep private who is from Ukraine, he’s been packaging up used Bibles and burying them underground in case their comes a time when Bibles are banned.
He explained how there’s fear that another nation that they are having tensions with can come in and ban Bibles.
It was crazy to hear how he was just taking precautions for a worry that is very real to them.
But in all that- my team and I are really excited to be here and to serve these people as best as we can!
And continue to know more about this Country!
The people we are helping mentioned last night that we came in a perfect time because they needed help and didn’t have people to help them! Then we showed up! How cool is that!? God is good!
ANYWHO
So how am I feeling!? Glad you asked.
I’m feeling lots of things! Some emotions I wasn’t expecting to feel right away. Nervousness and anxiousness! But EXCITED!
I think it finally hit me that wow this is 11 months! And just realizing how comfortable I am in the US hit me like a bird flying into a newly windexed window!! So I’m taking that as it comes! Just transitioning in general! Jet lag is real people! Hahah Would love prayers for that!
I was talking with a friend I met who already did the world race and she told me the hashtag/motto she lived by on the race: #doitafraid.
Now back to the anxious feeling. I wasn’t expecting that because I love adventure and i mean doing the World Race was a dream for me and now it’s become a reality and just realizing the weight of this- it’s scary and can be overwhelming if I’m honest. And that’s when my friend said : do it afraid.
And as I am trying to process why I am feeling these things I just hear God say it’s totally okay, it’s normal and he totally sees me & understands. He just wants me to take each day as it comes!
So , I’ll do just that! In all- just really excited to get to do this and see what lies ahead!
We started ministry today and it actually made me feel a lot better! We got to help out at this family day at this park and it was so great!
And then we will be doing a camp for children/teens! Super excited for that so be praying for my team and I and the people we will get to be with! That we get to love these people well and show them Jesus!
So yeah! That’s all I got so far! I’ll keep you updated!
Video Vlog coming soon of our travel day and first few days in Ukraine! So stay tuned for that!
Be praying that I’ll see people the way Jesus sees them ! I want to get the most out of every country and really be present! Thank you friends!
Bye for now
Much Love, T!
