An Eternal God
2 Peter 3:8 “But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord and a thousand years is like a day.”
Growing up I heard this verse many times, used in many ways. I never exactly understood it. While in college my Old Testament professor discussed this verse and gave me a new perspective of time and prayer.
How can a day be like a thousand years? How can a thousand years be like a day? It is a difficult task for humans to wrap their minds around such an idea. It doesn’t make sense. We have days. We have weeks. We have years. A thousand years seems like forever. But God, was there at the beginning of time. He is present now. And he will continue to be present in the future. God is not bound by time. It has no power over Him. He is eternal.
The evidence of God’s eternal presence lies in my prayer life. There have been times when I’ve prayed for something and God answers right away other times I must wait years. I have found that my prayers were often answered before I even spoke them. I have prayed and asked God for many things and time after time I have seen God do great works that He began before I had a need. This past week I witnessed this again.
I recently asked you to pray with me for a little girl named Kotia that needed a bed. Kotia prayed. A children’s Sunday school class in Holland joined us and lifted their voices to their father on Kotia’s behalf. Once again God’s people came together and prayed to Him for a need. Once again God answered.
Over two years ago, a donation of just over and 2,000.00 was made to Aquila Foundation. This donation was lost in the mail. Vera received a phone call a few days ago. The money was found and waiting for her in Kiev. This money will go to help buy Kotia’s bed. Had the money come two years ago, it would have been used to meet other needs. Had it come much later it may have been used for something else or been too late to help Kotia. Some may say it is a coincidence that the money was found at this moment, but I say it was a miracle. God is not bound by time.
Rain, Rain, Rain!
It has been nothing but wet since I have arrived back in Vapnyarka. The weather is cold. I am told we will have a “Grandma Summer”, meaning it will stay cold for a little bit but then become warm again. For now, I trudge through the mud everyday to the children’s center, looking like a Christmas tree with bags of stuff hanging off of me. I have discovered in this rainy weather another cultural custom. In North America, opening an umbrella indoors is considered to be bad look by the superstitious. Here on the contrary, opening an umbrella indoors is a common practice. When people come in from the rain in Ukraine, they open their umbrellas in doors and leave them to dry.
English! English! English!
Every day, I help children with their English homework. I must admit that I do not like homework now any more than when I was in school. It is my goal as their tutor that they not only get their homework finished but that they understand it. Many of them have just gotten by and now are behind in comprehension. Vocabulary is key, therefore each of them now have a notebook containing a page for every letter of the English alphabet. Every day we look up words in the English to Russian Dictionary, they do not understand in their homework. The children then write the words in English and in Russian. I also have a notebook. It has a page for every Russian letter. When they write down words in their dictionary I write them in mine. Children earn stickers when they know three new words from their notebook well. They also earn stickers when they spend extra time learning English. When they earn five stickers they will be able to pick something from a prize box.
In addition to being the English tutor, I will also be teaching lessons. The first will be about strangers and safety tools to use around them. This is a subject talked about frequently in North American schools but is not discussed in Ukraine. I will then be teaching lessons about identity from the Life Skills curriculum I attended classes for when I first arrived. Tolik, the oldest boy who is currently attending College to become a social worker is living at the children’s center and working as an intern. I will working with him to teach some of the material and also to help him understand the lessons and skills being taught. Please pray that as we teach these lessons the children would understand and nothing will be lost in translation. Vitalic will be doing much of the translation. It is frightening for him. Please pray that he would be confident. Thank you for your partnership in praying. God is doing amazing things.
Thanksgiving!
Thanksgiving is a truly American holiday that is older than Americans. This past Sunday the Nazarene church in Vapnyarka celebrated Thanksgiving. A table at the front of the church was filled with fruits, vegetables and nuts to signify the abundant harvest. The service was focused on giving praise and thanks to God for His provisions and blessings. The children at the children’s center participated in the service by singing a song and acting out a story from the Bible. The song said “Thank You” to God, for his creation, for the joy he gives, for the comfort, “Thank You”. The skit painted a picture of the rich man who decided to have a banquet and share with all of his friends. When his friends were all too busy to come, he sent his servants out to invite whoever they found. Who did they find? -The poor, the lame, and the lowly. After the service the entire church joined together in fellowship over tea, cookies, fruits, and vegetables. It was truly thanksgiving- no turkey, no big meal but a time of reflecting on the blessings God has given and the opportunity to say thank you.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Sunday, September 14, 2008
A Very Quick Update From A Very Slow Internet Connection
September 14, 2008
Being back in Vapnyarka brings back the old familiar feeling of coming home from college for a break. I unpack my things and try to settle into my room, remembering that I left this or that back in Chernovtsy. I dig through the bags I left behind, to see what I can find. The kids welcome me back home as my family did. I am caught up on the latest happenings and shown pictures of the first day of school and Russlana’s 15th birthday party, which I sadly missed. It is the warm feeling of being home but knowing I will soon return to Chernovtsy to be part of something that is equally as wonderful. I feel very blessed that God has given me the opportunity to work with two ministries; both working with children shunned by their society- those with special needs and social orphans affected by HIV.
I am happy to report that my Russian skills greatly improved over the summer. Enough so, that I am now able to help the children with their English homework. It is a role that I find very rewarding. I am not the only one who grew over the summer. The children have too. The littlest, Mila has started first grade. Russlana has turned 15. In Ukrainian culture it is sweet 15 not 16. When I left the Uno cards were wearing away. I have returned to find that many of them have been laminated in packing tape to make them stronger. The weather also has decided to turn cold. Cloudy and rainy days have ushered in winter’s first cold winds and I am not enjoying them.
Please continue to pray for the children and for the continued renovations of the new children’s center. Much work has been completed through the help of donations and work and witness teams who were willing to get their hands dirty. The kids have also pitched in to help construct their new home. God is doing great things with World Light Foundation’s ministry both here at the children’s center and in Odessa where they have started building relationships with street children. I hope to soon give more complete and detailed information on the progress of both ministries.
While I am here getting reacquainted and reorganized, Vera is back in Chernovtsy battling the bugs. Please pray that this problem would soon be resolved. Before I left, we also unpacked a huge shipment of flood relief from Germany. It is the shipment that contained the wheel chairs that would be given away in one of the local villages. Customs paperwork was to be done this week, in order to release and distribute the clothes, furniture, and wheel chairs. There was a problem, though. The wheel chairs were not able to clear customs without further paperwork, not just from the regular officials but from the ministry of health. These documents could take up to three additional months to obtain. Nothing from the shipment can be released until everything is approved. Vera called everyone she knew to find a local connection to help get things done more quickly. (That is the way things are done here. It is all about who you know. And if you can, start at the top, go to the President first.) Vera went to the local Ministry of Health to see what she must do and try to work with them to get the shipment released as soon as possible. When she arrived, the lady already knew about the shipment. Someone, from parliament had called to see why the shipment was being held up. It was a miracle. Vera does not know anyone in parliament. She is not even sure who called but we know for sure that it was God who released the shipment. Please pray that the items will be distributed, where they are most needed. Pray for the people who will be receiving them. Pray for victims as they rebuild their lives. Prayer is also needed for the club. Please pray for the families and children involved. The club space is also very crowded. Also pray that God would provide a large club space for the winter.
Prayer is powerful. I have seen the power many times over my lifetime. I have asked you to pray for many things and now I ask you to pray with me for a little girl named Kotia. She is an 18 year old girl in Chernovtsy. She is in bed all the time. Her father died about four years ago. Her loving mother puts all her energy into taking care of her. Because she is unable to move, her joints are aching. Her spinal cord is twisted. She cannot lie on her side. Her health condition is getting worse. She is currently in great pain. Please pray for Kotia. Pray that her pain would go away. Pray for her mother to have strength to take care of her. There is a medical bed and orthopedic for people in Kotia’s condition. Unfortunately, the funds are not currently available for the special bed. It costs approximately $3,000.00. Please pray with Kotia, her family, Vera and the Aquilla family and me. Pray that God will provide the bed or the funds for the bed that will help Kotia and her mother. If you are interested in donating money toward the cost of Kotia’s bed please contact Vera or me.
Thank you for your time. May God bless you, Tiffany
Being back in Vapnyarka brings back the old familiar feeling of coming home from college for a break. I unpack my things and try to settle into my room, remembering that I left this or that back in Chernovtsy. I dig through the bags I left behind, to see what I can find. The kids welcome me back home as my family did. I am caught up on the latest happenings and shown pictures of the first day of school and Russlana’s 15th birthday party, which I sadly missed. It is the warm feeling of being home but knowing I will soon return to Chernovtsy to be part of something that is equally as wonderful. I feel very blessed that God has given me the opportunity to work with two ministries; both working with children shunned by their society- those with special needs and social orphans affected by HIV.
I am happy to report that my Russian skills greatly improved over the summer. Enough so, that I am now able to help the children with their English homework. It is a role that I find very rewarding. I am not the only one who grew over the summer. The children have too. The littlest, Mila has started first grade. Russlana has turned 15. In Ukrainian culture it is sweet 15 not 16. When I left the Uno cards were wearing away. I have returned to find that many of them have been laminated in packing tape to make them stronger. The weather also has decided to turn cold. Cloudy and rainy days have ushered in winter’s first cold winds and I am not enjoying them.
Please continue to pray for the children and for the continued renovations of the new children’s center. Much work has been completed through the help of donations and work and witness teams who were willing to get their hands dirty. The kids have also pitched in to help construct their new home. God is doing great things with World Light Foundation’s ministry both here at the children’s center and in Odessa where they have started building relationships with street children. I hope to soon give more complete and detailed information on the progress of both ministries.
While I am here getting reacquainted and reorganized, Vera is back in Chernovtsy battling the bugs. Please pray that this problem would soon be resolved. Before I left, we also unpacked a huge shipment of flood relief from Germany. It is the shipment that contained the wheel chairs that would be given away in one of the local villages. Customs paperwork was to be done this week, in order to release and distribute the clothes, furniture, and wheel chairs. There was a problem, though. The wheel chairs were not able to clear customs without further paperwork, not just from the regular officials but from the ministry of health. These documents could take up to three additional months to obtain. Nothing from the shipment can be released until everything is approved. Vera called everyone she knew to find a local connection to help get things done more quickly. (That is the way things are done here. It is all about who you know. And if you can, start at the top, go to the President first.) Vera went to the local Ministry of Health to see what she must do and try to work with them to get the shipment released as soon as possible. When she arrived, the lady already knew about the shipment. Someone, from parliament had called to see why the shipment was being held up. It was a miracle. Vera does not know anyone in parliament. She is not even sure who called but we know for sure that it was God who released the shipment. Please pray that the items will be distributed, where they are most needed. Pray for the people who will be receiving them. Pray for victims as they rebuild their lives. Prayer is also needed for the club. Please pray for the families and children involved. The club space is also very crowded. Also pray that God would provide a large club space for the winter.
Prayer is powerful. I have seen the power many times over my lifetime. I have asked you to pray for many things and now I ask you to pray with me for a little girl named Kotia. She is an 18 year old girl in Chernovtsy. She is in bed all the time. Her father died about four years ago. Her loving mother puts all her energy into taking care of her. Because she is unable to move, her joints are aching. Her spinal cord is twisted. She cannot lie on her side. Her health condition is getting worse. She is currently in great pain. Please pray for Kotia. Pray that her pain would go away. Pray for her mother to have strength to take care of her. There is a medical bed and orthopedic for people in Kotia’s condition. Unfortunately, the funds are not currently available for the special bed. It costs approximately $3,000.00. Please pray with Kotia, her family, Vera and the Aquilla family and me. Pray that God will provide the bed or the funds for the bed that will help Kotia and her mother. If you are interested in donating money toward the cost of Kotia’s bed please contact Vera or me.
Thank you for your time. May God bless you, Tiffany
Monday, September 8, 2008
The Good and The Not So Good
Club Pearl
Saturday September, 6th marked the season opening of Club Pearl. Club Pearl meets the first Saturday of every month to offer fun and fellowship to local children with disabilities and their families. A team from Kiev joins with local volunteers each club meeting to give every participant individual attention.
Moms, children, and volunteers met at noon at a local social work building. After a welcoming from Vera, we sang Happy Birthday to one of the participants, Sveta. It was Sveta’s 31st birthday. She was presented with a card and flowers. She was grinning from ear to ear with excitement. Like Sveta, the club is a community of friends.
Following Sveta’s serenade, we continued singing songs together. Ira, from Kiev led the kids in fun songs with lots of motions. Participants sang loudly. Those who could not sing used their hands and arms to do the motions. Others danced and hummed along. Moms enjoyed the singing just as much as the kids.
After singing together, it was time for moms to meet together. Coffee and tea helped to break the ice. Laughing, sharing, just talking about life; something these mom need desperately but find difficult to squeeze into their every day schedule of caring for their children. Vera painted a picture of her vision of the monthly club meeting. New ministries such as Bible Study, English lessons, and an Audio book library were introduced.
While moms met kids had fun. A skit introduced the Bible lesson about creation. The story was told as pictures to illustrate it were painted on a paper on the wall. The empty paper was soon full of sun, moon, and stars. Pictures were then taped on of various animals and Adam and Eve. The story of Adam and Eve continued. The audience heard about the fall of man, the separation from God, and how when Jesus came he made a way for humans to have fellowship with God again. To follow up kids were given a word puzzle paper to do in groups. Children also used construction paper to create a whale of their own to take home.
Three and a half hours after club began we were able to begin packing up. Moms and students hung around to talk and play. It was a successful meeting. Moms, children, and volunteers, are now counting down the days until they can meet again for a time of fun and fellowship.
Living With Bugs
Living in a culture different than the one you’re from, you expect that there will be some difficulty. There will be things that test your patience. The new and unknown brings the unusual and unexpected. In the past months I have been in situations and had experiences I would have never dreamed of… not bathing in over a week and then having to bathe in water filled with paint chips, bitten by two dogs in the same week, living with a mouse, living with a cat who loudly climbs up the door and whelps all night long and now living with an infestation of bedbugs that once hibernated in the old pillows we cleaned out of cabinets and were spread by the roaming cat…
While many of these things have caused physical discomfort and mental unrest, I have come to the conclusion that when compared to the deep sickness of the world they are minuscule. I did not come to Ukraine to battle mice and bugs, I came to serve. It has not been easy or comfortable but that all fades away when I am holding a kid in my lap in Vapnyarka or watching a child who has been shunned by society because of a condition they were born with laugh and smile. I am beginning to better understand what Proverb19:23 means when it says “The fear of the Lord leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble.”
Returning To Vapnyarka
Wednesday I will be returning to Vapnyarka for a little while. (For those of you who are wondering and still concerned about the afore mentioned “bed bugs” an exterminator will come while I am gone and kill all my guests before I return.) I am very excited to see the kids. I will also be meeting with Natalia to work on some information and website projects. Please pray for my safe travels. Please continue to pray for the children in both Vapnyarka and in Chernefsi. May God’s work be done not our own ideas of what we think needs to be accomplished. Thank you for your support. May God Bless You, Tiff
Saturday September, 6th marked the season opening of Club Pearl. Club Pearl meets the first Saturday of every month to offer fun and fellowship to local children with disabilities and their families. A team from Kiev joins with local volunteers each club meeting to give every participant individual attention.
Moms, children, and volunteers met at noon at a local social work building. After a welcoming from Vera, we sang Happy Birthday to one of the participants, Sveta. It was Sveta’s 31st birthday. She was presented with a card and flowers. She was grinning from ear to ear with excitement. Like Sveta, the club is a community of friends.
Following Sveta’s serenade, we continued singing songs together. Ira, from Kiev led the kids in fun songs with lots of motions. Participants sang loudly. Those who could not sing used their hands and arms to do the motions. Others danced and hummed along. Moms enjoyed the singing just as much as the kids.
After singing together, it was time for moms to meet together. Coffee and tea helped to break the ice. Laughing, sharing, just talking about life; something these mom need desperately but find difficult to squeeze into their every day schedule of caring for their children. Vera painted a picture of her vision of the monthly club meeting. New ministries such as Bible Study, English lessons, and an Audio book library were introduced.
While moms met kids had fun. A skit introduced the Bible lesson about creation. The story was told as pictures to illustrate it were painted on a paper on the wall. The empty paper was soon full of sun, moon, and stars. Pictures were then taped on of various animals and Adam and Eve. The story of Adam and Eve continued. The audience heard about the fall of man, the separation from God, and how when Jesus came he made a way for humans to have fellowship with God again. To follow up kids were given a word puzzle paper to do in groups. Children also used construction paper to create a whale of their own to take home.
Three and a half hours after club began we were able to begin packing up. Moms and students hung around to talk and play. It was a successful meeting. Moms, children, and volunteers, are now counting down the days until they can meet again for a time of fun and fellowship.
Living With Bugs
Living in a culture different than the one you’re from, you expect that there will be some difficulty. There will be things that test your patience. The new and unknown brings the unusual and unexpected. In the past months I have been in situations and had experiences I would have never dreamed of… not bathing in over a week and then having to bathe in water filled with paint chips, bitten by two dogs in the same week, living with a mouse, living with a cat who loudly climbs up the door and whelps all night long and now living with an infestation of bedbugs that once hibernated in the old pillows we cleaned out of cabinets and were spread by the roaming cat…
While many of these things have caused physical discomfort and mental unrest, I have come to the conclusion that when compared to the deep sickness of the world they are minuscule. I did not come to Ukraine to battle mice and bugs, I came to serve. It has not been easy or comfortable but that all fades away when I am holding a kid in my lap in Vapnyarka or watching a child who has been shunned by society because of a condition they were born with laugh and smile. I am beginning to better understand what Proverb19:23 means when it says “The fear of the Lord leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble.”
Returning To Vapnyarka
Wednesday I will be returning to Vapnyarka for a little while. (For those of you who are wondering and still concerned about the afore mentioned “bed bugs” an exterminator will come while I am gone and kill all my guests before I return.) I am very excited to see the kids. I will also be meeting with Natalia to work on some information and website projects. Please pray for my safe travels. Please continue to pray for the children in both Vapnyarka and in Chernefsi. May God’s work be done not our own ideas of what we think needs to be accomplished. Thank you for your support. May God Bless You, Tiff
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
The Latest Happenings
Day in the Park
Up and down, round and round, back and forth- Can you feel the wind on your face and the anxiety in the pit of your stomach? In the background you can hear giggles and screams of laughter. The hustle, the bustle, the excitement surrounds you. It all fades away as the ride begins and you find yourself experiencing your own merry moment. You are swept away by an amusement park ride. For children of all ages going to an amusement park is one of the highlights of summer. For kids with disabilities in Ukraine, it is a dream. On Saturday August 23, it became a dream come true for some of these kids and their families. Aquila families met in the local park. We rode rides, ate ice cream, and had a wonderful time of fellowship. Rides were not wheel chair accessible. Children who cannot walk had to be carried up steps to board the rides. A few children who cannot sit on their own had to be held in the lap of either a parent or a volunteer. There are not words to express the smiles painted on the faces of these children.
The day in the park was also a social statement. Children and people with disabilities are often shunned in this culture. Most people who pass by rudely ignore them or make statements that the family must be cursed or the parents terrible sinners. To be seen in public together strengthens these families. It also helps others in the community to become aware of disabled people and how they are a part of the community.
An Inspirational Story
Titus 3:14 “Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order that they may provide for daily necessities and not live unproductive lives.”
As we were returning from one of the villages we passed a man working in a field. Using a sickle he cut the tall grass. This would not have been an unusual sight in Ukraine except that the man was 74, was sitting in a wheel chair, and only had one leg. WoW! We were all amazed by what we saw. “Turn around” Vera said. “What for?” said the driver. “Let’s go meet him and at least give him some bread.” We turned around and drove back. When we pulled off the side of the road near the man he was quite surprised. His name is Vassili and he is 74 years old. When we asked why he was out here working he replied, “I just can’t be alive and not do anything.” Wow! Powerful words from a man working not just because he had to, but because he wanted to. Many people half his age without a physical disability do not work with such fervor. We gave him bread and a Crisis Care Kit. Noticing the old and worn condition of the wheel chair, Vera looked at him and said, “Do you know how to pray? You pray for a new wheel chair and I’ll deliver it.” The men from our team finished cutting the grass for him and we were once again on the road home touched by what we had just experienced.
During the next week Vera made a few phone calls to see if anyone had a wheel chair. She found one. This past weekend we delivered it. Once again we surprised Vassili, this time at his door step. The two wheel chairs sat side by side, old and new, as he came out the door to see his new chair for the first time. His eyes radiated with joy. “I’ll only take this chair to see my neighbor.” He commented as he sat in the padded seat. “No, take it wherever you want to go.” Vassili was thrilled.
It is amazing what God does when we listen to his voice. You see, Vera heard God tell her to stop and we did. Upon delivering the wheel chair we learned that in that same village, there are four other people who need wheel chairs due to lack of legs. Before we learned of this need a truck was already in route to Chernovtsy bringing humanitarian aid. In that truck are four wheel chairs. They will be here next week.
God’s plans are greater than anything we could imagine and he orchestrates them in such a way that we find ourselves in awe of his masterpiece.
A Culture Snapshot: We were waiting for a bus to take us to the bus station early Thursday morning when a Marshutka pulled up. As several people got out at the stop Vera stuck her head in and asked the driver, “Are you going to the bus station?” He replied, “No, I still need to go to my doctor’s appointment.” This is what the girls on my seventh grade volleyball team last year would have called W.W.W. T.M.I. (Way, Way, Way, Too Much Information!) Instead of just saying no, he shared personal information. This is one of the daily reflections of Ukraine’s history of social living.
Crossing Borders
Traveling alone, to another foreign country with another language is a little nerve racking. I had to wake early. Vera took me to the bus station. She spoke to the driver; to be sure he knew I needed to return with them that day. It was not a problem. The driver and his friend would take great care of me, all it cost was a kiss on the cheek from Vera.
My trip to Romania went something like this:
7:10 Leave Chernovtsy
8:35 Leave Ukrainian Border
8:50 Enter Romania
By 10:30 I was at the bus station. I had till 1:00 to look around. I didn’t stray too far but was able to observe everyday life in the market and bazaar. In one of the stores I found an American product that isn’t sold in Ukraine, Mountain Dew. It is the only souvenir I brought back with me. I save it for one of those moments when I just need something American. At 12:45 I was back at the bus station and at 1:00 I was on my way back to Ukraine. Looking out the bus window one could see mountains on every side. The picture perfect view was a reminder that God was taking care of me. Thank everyone for your prayers during this time. I will need to leave again at the end of November as part of the Visa requirement.
Lessons from disaster
One would think that the more villages I visit, damage I see, and victims that I meet the less they would affect me. However, I have found that the opposite is true. The more sights I see and people I come in contact with the more it leaves an impression on my heart.
I find that I am constantly reminded of the words of Job just after he was told of the loss of his animals, servants, and children. The scripture said that he shaved his head, tore his clothes and worshiped saying the words in Job chapter 1 verse 21
Job 1:21
He said,
“I came naked from my mother’s womb,
and I will be naked when I leave.
The LORD gave me what I had,
and the LORD has taken it away.
Praise the name of the LORD!”
The Lord gave and the Lord took. It is a powerful statement but what is more powerful is what follows- “Praise the name of the LORD!”
Walking or driving through the villages, it does not take long before you see a destroyed garden of a collapsed house. You hear stories that break your heart but in the midst of all the sorrow you will find something greater than the sadness. You hear people thankful to be alive. They have nothing but life. They are grateful for the aide that has come. The hope they have for a new life is more powerful than the loss they have suffered. I am truly touched by the people I meet, the ones that are not just sitting in anger or sorrow. They have suffered a great loss which they carry with them but that is not their focus. They are rebuilding their lives. Coming into contact with these people has forced me to reflect on my own life. What is important to me? What would I do in this situation? Could the words of Job come from my mouth? “The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!”
Future in Ukraine
Dear friends I am so thankful to be on this journey and even more thankful that I am not alone. Through your prayers, support, and encouragement you have given me the opportunity to learn, to grow, and to serve with you. The past five months have been an incredible adventure that at some times flashed before me at the speed of light and at others seemed to crawl like a snail. There were moments that I did not want to be where I was and others that I could not imagine any other place I would rather be. The road has not been easy but God has been here. He has worked in my life in ways I could have never dreamed. I have been witness to his power time after time. I have had the opportunity to work with a many people in several ministries. God has opened doors to place me exactly where he wanted me. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Thus far the majority of my ministry has been in Vapnyarka at the children’s center. I have lived and loved seventeen children. Currently I am working in Chernovtsy with children with disabilities and their family. For the duration of my time in Ukraine the current plan is for me to travel back and forth between the two places. In both places I will be working with the children and also be helping with correspondence that needs to be done in English. I am very excited about this opportunity to work in both areas. In Chernovtsy I will also be helping to organize the current programs and help prepare it for growth. One of the new ministries we are in the process of creating is a library with both regular books and audio books. The books will be available to the families we work with and to volunteers to take with them to visit children. Audio books are important because some of the children are bed ridden and blind. Books on tape offer them a new form of entertainment. I will also be teaching some basic English to parents and children who are interested. This will provide an opportunity for me to build relationships with them and offer them the ability to learn something new. Being able to speak a little English is also helpful when teams from the United States come. Please be praying for me as God sorts out exactly what my role here is. Pray for the programs, that they will be organized in the most effective way and that God will provide the funds for the various projects such as the library. Once again, thank you for being a part of this journey. You have been a great blessing to me and to those I work with. May God Bless you and keep you.
Tiffany
Proverbs 16:33 “We may throw the dice, but the Lord determines how they fall.”
Up and down, round and round, back and forth- Can you feel the wind on your face and the anxiety in the pit of your stomach? In the background you can hear giggles and screams of laughter. The hustle, the bustle, the excitement surrounds you. It all fades away as the ride begins and you find yourself experiencing your own merry moment. You are swept away by an amusement park ride. For children of all ages going to an amusement park is one of the highlights of summer. For kids with disabilities in Ukraine, it is a dream. On Saturday August 23, it became a dream come true for some of these kids and their families. Aquila families met in the local park. We rode rides, ate ice cream, and had a wonderful time of fellowship. Rides were not wheel chair accessible. Children who cannot walk had to be carried up steps to board the rides. A few children who cannot sit on their own had to be held in the lap of either a parent or a volunteer. There are not words to express the smiles painted on the faces of these children.
The day in the park was also a social statement. Children and people with disabilities are often shunned in this culture. Most people who pass by rudely ignore them or make statements that the family must be cursed or the parents terrible sinners. To be seen in public together strengthens these families. It also helps others in the community to become aware of disabled people and how they are a part of the community.
An Inspirational Story
Titus 3:14 “Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order that they may provide for daily necessities and not live unproductive lives.”
As we were returning from one of the villages we passed a man working in a field. Using a sickle he cut the tall grass. This would not have been an unusual sight in Ukraine except that the man was 74, was sitting in a wheel chair, and only had one leg. WoW! We were all amazed by what we saw. “Turn around” Vera said. “What for?” said the driver. “Let’s go meet him and at least give him some bread.” We turned around and drove back. When we pulled off the side of the road near the man he was quite surprised. His name is Vassili and he is 74 years old. When we asked why he was out here working he replied, “I just can’t be alive and not do anything.” Wow! Powerful words from a man working not just because he had to, but because he wanted to. Many people half his age without a physical disability do not work with such fervor. We gave him bread and a Crisis Care Kit. Noticing the old and worn condition of the wheel chair, Vera looked at him and said, “Do you know how to pray? You pray for a new wheel chair and I’ll deliver it.” The men from our team finished cutting the grass for him and we were once again on the road home touched by what we had just experienced.
During the next week Vera made a few phone calls to see if anyone had a wheel chair. She found one. This past weekend we delivered it. Once again we surprised Vassili, this time at his door step. The two wheel chairs sat side by side, old and new, as he came out the door to see his new chair for the first time. His eyes radiated with joy. “I’ll only take this chair to see my neighbor.” He commented as he sat in the padded seat. “No, take it wherever you want to go.” Vassili was thrilled.
It is amazing what God does when we listen to his voice. You see, Vera heard God tell her to stop and we did. Upon delivering the wheel chair we learned that in that same village, there are four other people who need wheel chairs due to lack of legs. Before we learned of this need a truck was already in route to Chernovtsy bringing humanitarian aid. In that truck are four wheel chairs. They will be here next week.
God’s plans are greater than anything we could imagine and he orchestrates them in such a way that we find ourselves in awe of his masterpiece.
A Culture Snapshot: We were waiting for a bus to take us to the bus station early Thursday morning when a Marshutka pulled up. As several people got out at the stop Vera stuck her head in and asked the driver, “Are you going to the bus station?” He replied, “No, I still need to go to my doctor’s appointment.” This is what the girls on my seventh grade volleyball team last year would have called W.W.W. T.M.I. (Way, Way, Way, Too Much Information!) Instead of just saying no, he shared personal information. This is one of the daily reflections of Ukraine’s history of social living.
Crossing Borders
Traveling alone, to another foreign country with another language is a little nerve racking. I had to wake early. Vera took me to the bus station. She spoke to the driver; to be sure he knew I needed to return with them that day. It was not a problem. The driver and his friend would take great care of me, all it cost was a kiss on the cheek from Vera.
My trip to Romania went something like this:
7:10 Leave Chernovtsy
8:35 Leave Ukrainian Border
8:50 Enter Romania
By 10:30 I was at the bus station. I had till 1:00 to look around. I didn’t stray too far but was able to observe everyday life in the market and bazaar. In one of the stores I found an American product that isn’t sold in Ukraine, Mountain Dew. It is the only souvenir I brought back with me. I save it for one of those moments when I just need something American. At 12:45 I was back at the bus station and at 1:00 I was on my way back to Ukraine. Looking out the bus window one could see mountains on every side. The picture perfect view was a reminder that God was taking care of me. Thank everyone for your prayers during this time. I will need to leave again at the end of November as part of the Visa requirement.
Lessons from disaster
One would think that the more villages I visit, damage I see, and victims that I meet the less they would affect me. However, I have found that the opposite is true. The more sights I see and people I come in contact with the more it leaves an impression on my heart.
I find that I am constantly reminded of the words of Job just after he was told of the loss of his animals, servants, and children. The scripture said that he shaved his head, tore his clothes and worshiped saying the words in Job chapter 1 verse 21
Job 1:21
He said,
“I came naked from my mother’s womb,
and I will be naked when I leave.
The LORD gave me what I had,
and the LORD has taken it away.
Praise the name of the LORD!”
The Lord gave and the Lord took. It is a powerful statement but what is more powerful is what follows- “Praise the name of the LORD!”
Walking or driving through the villages, it does not take long before you see a destroyed garden of a collapsed house. You hear stories that break your heart but in the midst of all the sorrow you will find something greater than the sadness. You hear people thankful to be alive. They have nothing but life. They are grateful for the aide that has come. The hope they have for a new life is more powerful than the loss they have suffered. I am truly touched by the people I meet, the ones that are not just sitting in anger or sorrow. They have suffered a great loss which they carry with them but that is not their focus. They are rebuilding their lives. Coming into contact with these people has forced me to reflect on my own life. What is important to me? What would I do in this situation? Could the words of Job come from my mouth? “The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!”
Future in Ukraine
Dear friends I am so thankful to be on this journey and even more thankful that I am not alone. Through your prayers, support, and encouragement you have given me the opportunity to learn, to grow, and to serve with you. The past five months have been an incredible adventure that at some times flashed before me at the speed of light and at others seemed to crawl like a snail. There were moments that I did not want to be where I was and others that I could not imagine any other place I would rather be. The road has not been easy but God has been here. He has worked in my life in ways I could have never dreamed. I have been witness to his power time after time. I have had the opportunity to work with a many people in several ministries. God has opened doors to place me exactly where he wanted me. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Thus far the majority of my ministry has been in Vapnyarka at the children’s center. I have lived and loved seventeen children. Currently I am working in Chernovtsy with children with disabilities and their family. For the duration of my time in Ukraine the current plan is for me to travel back and forth between the two places. In both places I will be working with the children and also be helping with correspondence that needs to be done in English. I am very excited about this opportunity to work in both areas. In Chernovtsy I will also be helping to organize the current programs and help prepare it for growth. One of the new ministries we are in the process of creating is a library with both regular books and audio books. The books will be available to the families we work with and to volunteers to take with them to visit children. Audio books are important because some of the children are bed ridden and blind. Books on tape offer them a new form of entertainment. I will also be teaching some basic English to parents and children who are interested. This will provide an opportunity for me to build relationships with them and offer them the ability to learn something new. Being able to speak a little English is also helpful when teams from the United States come. Please be praying for me as God sorts out exactly what my role here is. Pray for the programs, that they will be organized in the most effective way and that God will provide the funds for the various projects such as the library. Once again, thank you for being a part of this journey. You have been a great blessing to me and to those I work with. May God Bless you and keep you.
Tiffany
Proverbs 16:33 “We may throw the dice, but the Lord determines how they fall.”
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