Zapporoshia
If you look at a map of Ukraine, you will find Zapporoshia in Eastern Ukraine, along the bank of the Dnieper River. Because of its location, Zapporoshia is greatly influenced by Russia. This means the cultural mindset, the spoken language, and the religious views of the people are very Russian. The Communist roots have developed a strong atheistic position among the people. In the midst of this dark and dreary world you will find a young church that has become a beacon of light to many, seeking something different from the sorrow in which they live. During our first week in Zapporoshia we spent time constructing Western Decorations, publicizing for Vacation Bible School, and playing with the children who hung out at the church. Kids met us at the door. They came in groups. They wanted something to do. They needed somewhere to be. Sometimes we played with them outside, other times they helped us construct buildings of cardboard and construction paper. It didn’t matter what we were doing the kids were there. For these kids they were at more than a church, they were coming home. In the eyes of the children, Andrei the pastor, his wife Marina, and Nina the President of the Non-profit organization the Nazarene church uses to distribute humanitarian aid are family.
Working with this small, very young church, was an inspirational experience. Nina, was one of the most giving ladies I have ever met. When we arrived in Zapporoshia, a very pregnant woman and her husband had taken up residence in the apartment in which we were to stay, so that they would be close to the hospital for delivery. Immediately and without hesitation, Nina opened up her air conditioned house and everything in it to four strangers. Although she also lived there, we saw very little of her. She left early in the morning and did not return till late at night. She was busy running a ministry. But not too busy to welcome the 10 teenage girls who visited her office every day for a hug. Before the church started Nina had started working with and mentoring the young girls. One evening while we were there, she brought one of the girls home with her to stay the night, giving the young girl shelter from the nightmare going on in her own home. Joining Nina, Andrei and Marina have also opened their hearts to the children by opening the church doors to them and offering them love by building relationships with them and even reaching out to their families. Because of Nina’s love for the kids and Andrei and Marina’s open arms almost half of the congregation is made up of children. God could be seen in the hearts of church leaders. Vacation Bible School was an opportunity to reach out to the families of these children and to further touch their community.
For two weeks we were blessed to be a part of this family of believers for two weeks. One of the most interesting activities I participated was advertising. As would be customary in the states we went door to door, leaving fliers and giving them to people we met on the street. One of the things I have never seen in the U.S. is the posting of fliers on buildings and telephone poles using GLUE! Yes, that it right. We took school glue, squirted it right on the back of the flier and stuck it right to the cement telephone poles and the metal doors of apartment buildings. Although it may seem odd to us, this is a common practice here.
The second week our family grew, as we were joined by two Ukrainian teams, one from Kiev and one from Vinnitsa. Men, women, and teenagers gave up their week to reach out to children they had never known. They came to Zapporoshia as part of the church body. Together People from all three areas of Ukraine put together a program to offer kids, fun, food, and God’s love. They allowed us, Americans, despite our lack of communication skills, to work with them.
Vacation Bible School is one of my favorite summer activities, whether I am in the U.S. or in Ukraine. When I was only four years old, I prayed to receive Christ as my savior after hearing about him at Vacation Bible School. Growing up in the church, VBS was a time I looked forward to every year. It was a fun time with all my friends. I heard Bible stories containing God’s promises for my life. When I was too old to be a student at Vacation Bible School I became a worker. I have helped, behind the scenes and on the platform. I have been a part of VBS in several countries, Native American Reservations, city parks, and churches I have never attended. No matter where I go, what language is being used, or what part I play it never ceases to amaze me when I see the body of Christ come together to tell the story of his love and see lives of both children and adults transformed. Anyone who has helped with a week of VBS, will tell you it is exhausting. But I am living proof that it is worth it. I am ever thankful for the people who took the time to present the gospel to me in a way I can understand. I am also grateful for those who continue to poor themselves into the lives of children everywhere. You never know what seeds you are planting. By offering yourself you are offering God, perhaps even to a child who has never experienced him and to a family who has never known him.
This thought was magnified on the Friday night of our VBS during the closing concert. Three little boys wore their best dress suites for the concert. Grandparents and parents came to see their loved ones perform. For some kids the church body, including Nina, became the parents who came to celebrate their accomplishment- learning Bible verses and songs. Many who had not come to the church before came for the occasion. There were not enough chairs for me to sit during much of the program. As I stood smashed in a corner I couldn’t see the slide show of pictures from the week. What I could see were the faces of kids and adults. The crowd cheered as pictures appeared. Parents smiled at the sight of their children’s faces. My heart overflowed. People were experiencing the love of God because someone had invested in those they loved. Children’s lives were changed because someone gave up a week of time. It is amazing what God can do if we give him what little we have. At the end of the week, I find myself humbled. It was not the decorations, the games, the food, the crafts, or even the singing that the kids will remember but the love they received.
With these thoughts in mind, I find myself wishing to go back to my children in Vapnyarka. However, God has another plan for my summer. I will be travelling to a small village, more rural than Vapnyarka, named Goradkeefka. I will once again be traveling with Vica, Nadine and Jessica(The two NNU students), and Ree another college student who joined us for the second week in Zapporoshia. We will be orchestrating a three day children’s program. We are currently uncertain exactly what the details are.
Please pray for us as we travel. Pray for the village of Goradkeefka and the church being planted there. Pray for the children we will be working with. Please continue to pray for the church in Zapporoshia. God is doing amazing things there. Pray for the community. Pray that they will continue to be touched by God’s love through the church. Pray for the children from the Children’s Center in Vapnyarka. Pray that they will have a restful summer and that God will continue to heal and change them. Pray for the program that I am developing over the summer. Hopefully it will go into effect in the fall. Pray for wisdom and guidance as I go wherever it may be that God takes me next. Pray for the team I am working with. Please pray that we will be an example of God’s love to each other and others around us. Pray for Natalia as she continues to plant a church in Odessa. May God’s hand be on her and on her family. I am continually thankful for the church around the world. By joining me in prayer you have blessed me greatly. May God Be With You. Tiffany
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Dr. Vladimir
Vladimir Update from Cliff
Dear Prayer Partners,
I want to give you another update on Vladimir Khursin.
Vladimir has finished his course of treatment in Orlando . He’s been having daily sessions of radiation therapy (5 days a week) and he’s completed his course of chemotherapy as well. It has been a time of ups and downs with Vladimir being sick for much of the time. However, through it all, he has kept a good attitude and while sometimes the news has not been all that good, his faith and hope is solid in the One who is in control.
Vladimir is weak and the headaches have continued and he still suffers with double vision. The vision problem is not going to go away quickly and this is going to render him unable to work once he returns to Ukraine .
A cat scan was conducted on 3 July and the results were very good. After all of the treatment, the tumor shrunk 30-40%.
Hopefully, Vladimir will be returning to Kiev in the next two weeks.
One of the difficult things in all of this is that although Vladimir has completed his treatment in the US , he will need to be on medicine for the rest of his life. This medicine is not cheap. The medicine Vladimir needs normally costs over $8000 for a 6-month supply. Dr. Gary Lehman found a source to obtain this 6-month supply for $1000. This is quite a savings.
We have two big needs at this point.
1) Finding the funds to buy this medicine for Vladimir
2) Finding funds to help Vladimir live since it does not appear he will be able to work once he returns (due to the vision problems).
If you would like to contribute to these needs, you may write a check to the General Treasurer, Church of the Nazarene. Please mark the check with the following: APT 1056, CIS Field Medical Care. The address to send the check (if not through your local church) is Global Treasury Services, Church of the Nazarene, 6401 The Paseo, Kansas City , MO 64131 .
I received an email from Vladimir a few days ago. He requested especially that we continue to pray for his sight. Would you please do that?
Thank you for your prayers for him.
Just so you know, we are collecting funds for Vladimir as well (here in Ukraine ). These will be given to him when he returns to help with his living expenses.
Thank you again.
Blessings,
Cliff
Dear Prayer Partners,
I want to give you another update on Vladimir Khursin.
Vladimir has finished his course of treatment in Orlando . He’s been having daily sessions of radiation therapy (5 days a week) and he’s completed his course of chemotherapy as well. It has been a time of ups and downs with Vladimir being sick for much of the time. However, through it all, he has kept a good attitude and while sometimes the news has not been all that good, his faith and hope is solid in the One who is in control.
Vladimir is weak and the headaches have continued and he still suffers with double vision. The vision problem is not going to go away quickly and this is going to render him unable to work once he returns to Ukraine .
A cat scan was conducted on 3 July and the results were very good. After all of the treatment, the tumor shrunk 30-40%.
Hopefully, Vladimir will be returning to Kiev in the next two weeks.
One of the difficult things in all of this is that although Vladimir has completed his treatment in the US , he will need to be on medicine for the rest of his life. This medicine is not cheap. The medicine Vladimir needs normally costs over $8000 for a 6-month supply. Dr. Gary Lehman found a source to obtain this 6-month supply for $1000. This is quite a savings.
We have two big needs at this point.
1) Finding the funds to buy this medicine for Vladimir
2) Finding funds to help Vladimir live since it does not appear he will be able to work once he returns (due to the vision problems).
If you would like to contribute to these needs, you may write a check to the General Treasurer, Church of the Nazarene. Please mark the check with the following: APT 1056, CIS Field Medical Care. The address to send the check (if not through your local church) is Global Treasury Services, Church of the Nazarene, 6401 The Paseo, Kansas City , MO 64131 .
I received an email from Vladimir a few days ago. He requested especially that we continue to pray for his sight. Would you please do that?
Thank you for your prayers for him.
Just so you know, we are collecting funds for Vladimir as well (here in Ukraine ). These will be given to him when he returns to help with his living expenses.
Thank you again.
Blessings,
Cliff
Thursday, July 3, 2008
On the Road
July 2, 2008
When you are in a foreign country you expect “interesting” things to happen. You must expect the unexpected. If you are not flexible you will break. While in Chernefsi, Verra told us to be ready for anything. Anything can be cancelled within two hours of an event. But don’t worry. It only takes two hours advance notice to plan something new.
This past Wednesday, I attended an Ukrainian wedding of a couple who had already been married two weeks ago. The bride was from Russia and the Groom the pastor of the Nazarene church in Vapnyarka so one wedding was in St. Petersburg and the other Vapnyarka. Being late is not a very big deal in Ukraine under most circumstances although being over a half an hour late is a little more obvious when you are escorted by an entourage of seventeen children. It would be logical to think that we were late because it is difficult to get this many children ready for a wedding.
The girls had picked out their dresses days in advance. The caretakers washed, pressed, and hemmed up any loose ends. The evening before the wedding all of the kids took their weekly bath. On the day of the wedding, Leda, a caretaker, came a few hours early to do all the girls hair. Curls, braids, up dos and glitter… one would think the girls were preparing for prom. There was plenty of time to arrive on time. We left but we weren’t half way down the road when one of the older girls decided she needed to change her shoes. As we continued down the road, she and another girl went to change her shoes. At the end of the road we waited, 5- 10- 15 minutes finally they came, we crossed the road together and made it as far as the train station before we stopped again. This time I watched as a young girl ran off. Where was she going? I didn’t know. What was she doing? I didn’t know. All I knew was we were waiting and waiting. 10 minutes- 15- 20, we were definitely late. But it didn’t matter. None of the other adults seemed to care. Finally the girl arrived with an ever important bouquet of flowers (We already had a couple). We were off. When we arrived at the outside ceremony, it was difficult to miss the kids as they invaded the church property and moved toward the service. Here we were, joining in the back, the bride and groom already at the altar. The bride and groom said their vowels. They were prayed over. They kissed. They are now, husband and wife, again.
There have been many things that I have struggled to make sense of in my life but living in Ukraine has multiplied the number of things that I find to be senseless. Learning to accept this is difficult. Learning not to try to fix everything and everyone is a struggle. Ukrainians hold a different mindset. The best way to enjoy them is to not try to understand but only to accept.
Change is something that happens often. This past week plans have changed numerous times. In order to expand my vision of God and the work he is doing in Ukraine I decided to rejoin the two college students from ENC and Vica as they traveled to Zapporoshia. I would be leaving Wednesday the 25th after the wedding. It was a great plan. I would be back to the kids in a few short weeks. Monday of the week, I was to leave, I found out the kids would also be leaving that Friday for a village 20 minutes from Vapnyarka. They would be there until the 20th. This was a trip I had originally planned to make with them but unfortunately not be able to. Although disappointed, God has reminded me that he will take me where I need to be with the kids he has chosen for me to love at the time he needs me to love them. This was not my plan but I’m not here to execute my plan.
A Bump in the Road
What should have been about a six hour drive from Vapnyarka to Kiev after the wedding became the longest night since the PALACE of DOOM. Just before 10:00 pm about two and a half hours from Kiev our van ran over a semi- truck tire block that was lying in the middle of the road. As we coasted off the road we left a trail of oil and diesel. The fuel and oil lines had both been torn open among a few other issues. As I did with the children before the wedding, I waited. This time we waited about four hours. The police, insurance company, a towing vehicle, and a vehicle to take us the rest of the way to Kiev had to called. As we dozed in and out of sleep the cool early morning air crept up on us. Passing vehicles caused the van to shake as they raced past. Finally another van arrived. We were tightly loaded in and on our way. At 4:00am we walked through the door of our apartment. As the sun rose we fell into deep slumber.
Due to several complications and changes our journey to Zapporoshia was postponed a few days. This gave us time to catch up on our sleep and our history. Touring with an American team about to leave for home we visited the caves monastery and the World War II memorial and museum. Bob and Cliff guided us as Bob shared information to help us better understand the culture in which we were serving. Orthodoxy, Communism, and War have greatly influenced the people of this land. Seeing the artifacts from the war, watching video of the peace before the war and the devastation that followed, and hearing the stories and statistics made one realize the evil of man. If you can, imagine gloves made of human skin or soap made from human fat. Picture the faces of men women and children stripped, shot and bulldozed into a ravine. In this part of the world you won’t find many concentration camps- “Kill!” was the order. Brokenness ravaged the nation as their homes were destroyed, everything they had- taken, and men women and children were exterminated. Everyone was affected. Everyone lost someone close to them. To help us better understand a comparison of statistics was share: Before the War Russia and The United States were similar in population. The U.S. lost 500,000 men; that is approximately 5,000 for everyday of the war. Russia lost 30 MILLION! The last room of the museum painted two pictures, one on each side of the room. One picture was the celebration of life, of peace. Instruments hung in the air. Scarves of brightly embroidered flowers graced the ceiling. Smiling faces hung on the walls. Down the middle of the room was a long table. The right side of the table was set with glasses to toast the merriment of the end of the war. Opposite these glasses were canteens, flasks, and other make-shift drinking instruments used during the war. Below the glass table top were death certificates of those who lost their lives. The left side of the room was adorned with reminders of the sorrow brought by the war. Instead of beautiful scarves, army jackets clouded the ceiling. The entire left wall (as can be seen in the pictures) was dressed with the hundreds of faces of those whose lives were taken during the war. As I gazed into the eyes of men, women, and children my stomach turned, my heart ached, and my mind struggled to grasp the magnitude of what I was seeing. War, long ago or now is very real. Loss is felt. Courage and Bravery are essential. Evil exists in the hearts of men. It is overwhelming to think about.
The plans for Zapporoshia changed several times while we were in Kiev.
Plan A: Leave for Zapporoshia Friday by train
Problem: No train tickets
Plan B: Cliff would drive us early Saturday Morning, around 5:30
Problem: Cliff couldn’t go Saturday
Plan C: Cliff drives us EARLY Sunday Morning (3:30AM) so we would arrive in time for church
Executed- but what do we do now?
Time: We have discovered in our journeys together (Jessica, Nadine, Vica, and I) that wherever we go there is a clock whose hands do not move. This means that it is always the same time. So what time is it? 9:05??? 10:41??? Or 12:00??? We don’t really know… but we are learning that, that is okay.
Zapporoshia
Social Studies Lesson: Zapporoshia is located on the banks of the Dnieper River. It has a population of 1 Million people. The majority of the population works in automobile factories. It is also the location of the beginning of Russia. The Original Cossacks built their fortress on the island and the shores of Zapporoshia. We were able to visit the island. Andrei gave us some back ground information- Only the men were allowed on the island. The women lived on the opposite shore. When the women needed something, they would go out to a small rock island in the river and signal to the men. The men would then swim across the river to meet them.
Sightseeing is not the only thing we have been enjoying in Zapporoshia. We will be here a total of two weeks. This first week we are making preparations for Vacation Bible School next week. We have filled our days, creating, posting, and passing out flyers. Using hundreds of sheets of construction paper and cardboard boxes we created a Western scene. Paper cacti, horses, and hay bales have been glued together to decorate the walls. It is times like these that makes me ever so grateful for the simple, often overlooked, life experiences God has given me to prepare me for such a time as this.
Please pray for us as we promote Vacation Bible School for next week. Pray for the people reading the signs and flyers. Pray that God will draw children and families to the church. Pray that it will be an opportunity for the church to be better connected to the community. We will be joined next week by two other teams made up of Ukrainians from Kiev and Vinnitsa. Pray for their safety. Overall pray for God’s will to be done. May we always remember that this is His project and we are only the hands he uses to reach out to those in need of Him.
When you are in a foreign country you expect “interesting” things to happen. You must expect the unexpected. If you are not flexible you will break. While in Chernefsi, Verra told us to be ready for anything. Anything can be cancelled within two hours of an event. But don’t worry. It only takes two hours advance notice to plan something new.
This past Wednesday, I attended an Ukrainian wedding of a couple who had already been married two weeks ago. The bride was from Russia and the Groom the pastor of the Nazarene church in Vapnyarka so one wedding was in St. Petersburg and the other Vapnyarka. Being late is not a very big deal in Ukraine under most circumstances although being over a half an hour late is a little more obvious when you are escorted by an entourage of seventeen children. It would be logical to think that we were late because it is difficult to get this many children ready for a wedding.
The girls had picked out their dresses days in advance. The caretakers washed, pressed, and hemmed up any loose ends. The evening before the wedding all of the kids took their weekly bath. On the day of the wedding, Leda, a caretaker, came a few hours early to do all the girls hair. Curls, braids, up dos and glitter… one would think the girls were preparing for prom. There was plenty of time to arrive on time. We left but we weren’t half way down the road when one of the older girls decided she needed to change her shoes. As we continued down the road, she and another girl went to change her shoes. At the end of the road we waited, 5- 10- 15 minutes finally they came, we crossed the road together and made it as far as the train station before we stopped again. This time I watched as a young girl ran off. Where was she going? I didn’t know. What was she doing? I didn’t know. All I knew was we were waiting and waiting. 10 minutes- 15- 20, we were definitely late. But it didn’t matter. None of the other adults seemed to care. Finally the girl arrived with an ever important bouquet of flowers (We already had a couple). We were off. When we arrived at the outside ceremony, it was difficult to miss the kids as they invaded the church property and moved toward the service. Here we were, joining in the back, the bride and groom already at the altar. The bride and groom said their vowels. They were prayed over. They kissed. They are now, husband and wife, again.
There have been many things that I have struggled to make sense of in my life but living in Ukraine has multiplied the number of things that I find to be senseless. Learning to accept this is difficult. Learning not to try to fix everything and everyone is a struggle. Ukrainians hold a different mindset. The best way to enjoy them is to not try to understand but only to accept.
Change is something that happens often. This past week plans have changed numerous times. In order to expand my vision of God and the work he is doing in Ukraine I decided to rejoin the two college students from ENC and Vica as they traveled to Zapporoshia. I would be leaving Wednesday the 25th after the wedding. It was a great plan. I would be back to the kids in a few short weeks. Monday of the week, I was to leave, I found out the kids would also be leaving that Friday for a village 20 minutes from Vapnyarka. They would be there until the 20th. This was a trip I had originally planned to make with them but unfortunately not be able to. Although disappointed, God has reminded me that he will take me where I need to be with the kids he has chosen for me to love at the time he needs me to love them. This was not my plan but I’m not here to execute my plan.
A Bump in the Road
What should have been about a six hour drive from Vapnyarka to Kiev after the wedding became the longest night since the PALACE of DOOM. Just before 10:00 pm about two and a half hours from Kiev our van ran over a semi- truck tire block that was lying in the middle of the road. As we coasted off the road we left a trail of oil and diesel. The fuel and oil lines had both been torn open among a few other issues. As I did with the children before the wedding, I waited. This time we waited about four hours. The police, insurance company, a towing vehicle, and a vehicle to take us the rest of the way to Kiev had to called. As we dozed in and out of sleep the cool early morning air crept up on us. Passing vehicles caused the van to shake as they raced past. Finally another van arrived. We were tightly loaded in and on our way. At 4:00am we walked through the door of our apartment. As the sun rose we fell into deep slumber.
Due to several complications and changes our journey to Zapporoshia was postponed a few days. This gave us time to catch up on our sleep and our history. Touring with an American team about to leave for home we visited the caves monastery and the World War II memorial and museum. Bob and Cliff guided us as Bob shared information to help us better understand the culture in which we were serving. Orthodoxy, Communism, and War have greatly influenced the people of this land. Seeing the artifacts from the war, watching video of the peace before the war and the devastation that followed, and hearing the stories and statistics made one realize the evil of man. If you can, imagine gloves made of human skin or soap made from human fat. Picture the faces of men women and children stripped, shot and bulldozed into a ravine. In this part of the world you won’t find many concentration camps- “Kill!” was the order. Brokenness ravaged the nation as their homes were destroyed, everything they had- taken, and men women and children were exterminated. Everyone was affected. Everyone lost someone close to them. To help us better understand a comparison of statistics was share: Before the War Russia and The United States were similar in population. The U.S. lost 500,000 men; that is approximately 5,000 for everyday of the war. Russia lost 30 MILLION! The last room of the museum painted two pictures, one on each side of the room. One picture was the celebration of life, of peace. Instruments hung in the air. Scarves of brightly embroidered flowers graced the ceiling. Smiling faces hung on the walls. Down the middle of the room was a long table. The right side of the table was set with glasses to toast the merriment of the end of the war. Opposite these glasses were canteens, flasks, and other make-shift drinking instruments used during the war. Below the glass table top were death certificates of those who lost their lives. The left side of the room was adorned with reminders of the sorrow brought by the war. Instead of beautiful scarves, army jackets clouded the ceiling. The entire left wall (as can be seen in the pictures) was dressed with the hundreds of faces of those whose lives were taken during the war. As I gazed into the eyes of men, women, and children my stomach turned, my heart ached, and my mind struggled to grasp the magnitude of what I was seeing. War, long ago or now is very real. Loss is felt. Courage and Bravery are essential. Evil exists in the hearts of men. It is overwhelming to think about.
The plans for Zapporoshia changed several times while we were in Kiev.
Plan A: Leave for Zapporoshia Friday by train
Problem: No train tickets
Plan B: Cliff would drive us early Saturday Morning, around 5:30
Problem: Cliff couldn’t go Saturday
Plan C: Cliff drives us EARLY Sunday Morning (3:30AM) so we would arrive in time for church
Executed- but what do we do now?
Time: We have discovered in our journeys together (Jessica, Nadine, Vica, and I) that wherever we go there is a clock whose hands do not move. This means that it is always the same time. So what time is it? 9:05??? 10:41??? Or 12:00??? We don’t really know… but we are learning that, that is okay.
Zapporoshia
Social Studies Lesson: Zapporoshia is located on the banks of the Dnieper River. It has a population of 1 Million people. The majority of the population works in automobile factories. It is also the location of the beginning of Russia. The Original Cossacks built their fortress on the island and the shores of Zapporoshia. We were able to visit the island. Andrei gave us some back ground information- Only the men were allowed on the island. The women lived on the opposite shore. When the women needed something, they would go out to a small rock island in the river and signal to the men. The men would then swim across the river to meet them.
Sightseeing is not the only thing we have been enjoying in Zapporoshia. We will be here a total of two weeks. This first week we are making preparations for Vacation Bible School next week. We have filled our days, creating, posting, and passing out flyers. Using hundreds of sheets of construction paper and cardboard boxes we created a Western scene. Paper cacti, horses, and hay bales have been glued together to decorate the walls. It is times like these that makes me ever so grateful for the simple, often overlooked, life experiences God has given me to prepare me for such a time as this.
Please pray for us as we promote Vacation Bible School for next week. Pray for the people reading the signs and flyers. Pray that God will draw children and families to the church. Pray that it will be an opportunity for the church to be better connected to the community. We will be joined next week by two other teams made up of Ukrainians from Kiev and Vinnitsa. Pray for their safety. Overall pray for God’s will to be done. May we always remember that this is His project and we are only the hands he uses to reach out to those in need of Him.
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