Jumping In

April 9, 2008
I have been in Ukraine a week and a half. My entrance into the Ukrainian culture has been a slow one, like wading into a pool one step at a time to avoid discomfort. Although I am out and about in the hustle and bustle of the city, traveling by bus and underground, interacting with the nationals using the little Russian that I know, and sampling some of the local cuisine during the day; I return home every evening to an American family. It is comfortable here. It is nice to hear and speak English. The food is wonderful. I am able to talk to my family at home, in Ohio. It is a time to refresh and prepare to go back into an unfamiliar world. This has been my journey thus far, but tomorrow I plunge into the water. We will start early tomorrow at 6:30am. Me, another volunteer, and two of the pastors here, will take a car to Vapnarkya where I will be spending the majority of my time in Ukraine. On the way we will make a few stops to see some of the ministries and outreach programs that are directed by the Nazarene church.

Once in Vapnarkya I will move in with a young Ukrainian couple and their nine year old daughter. This should be interesting because none of them speak any English. I am hoping this will help me learn Russian faster. I will also be meeting the children and team of workers at the children’s home. As you can probably understand, I am very excited and very nervous about my move.

Please pray for the safety of our travels. Also pray for the children and the community I will be entering, for as you know they have recently suffered a great loss. Please continue to pray for the family of the girl who has died. Thank you for your prayers. They have touched the hearts of many.