January

I arrived in Kiev, by train, early on January fifth. It was difficult to leave the children in Vapnyarka, knowing it would be some time before I would see them again and realizing that my time in Ukraine is dwindling quickly. I stayed one day and a night in Kiev. My day was filled with meetings to plan the events that I would take part in during the rest of the week. On the evening of the fifth, I was also blessed by a surprise birthday party thrown by two of the missionary families who live in Kiev. Unfortunately I did not have my camera at the time, so I do not have any pictures but I do have some wonderful sweets, an interesting banya kit, and a “Happy Birthday” poster created by a true artist.

On the morning of January 6th, my actual birthday, I embarked on a journey with a team of five Ukrainians and Bob Skinner, the Field Strategy Coordinator for the CIS. After driving over six hours we reached our destination, Burezshnavolya. Burezshnavolya, home to between four and five hundred people, is located fifteen minutes south of the Belarusian border. It is a place where horse and buggy still outnumber automobiles and where indoor plumbing is not common. The people live and work in close community- borrowing, trading, and taking care of one another. As you can imagine, the January weather was cold and snowy. Although I hold a great dislike for these chilly conditions there is some benefit- It keeps the smell of the outhouse to a minimum. The home I stayed in was warm. Fire wood was put in a small door in a brick wall. The fire heated the brick and in turn heated the rooms of the house. My favorite place to sit and read in the evening was on a stool with my back against the warm brick. Our host Luba used a huge brick oven to cook our food. This roaring oven also helped keep the house warm.

So why travel for hours to this remote place in early January? For those of you who do not know, Ukrainians celebrate Christmas on January 7th, not December 25th. I went as part of a team to work with the children and youth of the community and the church. During the three day period from the sixth to the eighth we held three sessions for the kids and youth which included a craft, games, English lessons, and a Bible lesson. In addition we took part in a Christmas service for the whole church by serving sandwiches, tea, and fruit and performing a skit of the Christmas story in which I made my Russian speaking acting debut (It wasn’t pretty).

On the evening of the seventh, Christmas, the team and I joined some of the local youth to go caroling. It is a Ukrainian tradition for children to travel from house to house and sing. In return the persons in the homes they are visiting give them candy or money. While the young girls we were with collected money and candy, we distributed calendars on behalf of the local church. As we walked through the town in traditional Ukrainian dress, the moon shone brightly above. As it hit the snow it created a magical glittering effect. I did not even mind the crisp cold air around me as we trudged down the snow covered roads and cut through fields blanketed in white. From house to house we went, no knocking, we just walked in the door and said, “Merry Christmas!”

My time in the village was short but it is an event that shall stay within my heart for the rest of my life. I will always remember the kindness of the people as they lived together; helping meet each other’s needs. It was a quiet, peaceful community, untouched by the rest of the world. Rooted deep in tradition, the people of Brezhshnavolya preserve a way of life that though simple to the rest of the world, is rich in that which matters most- family, community, and love.

On the evening of the eighth Bob and I left for Selishi, for a meeting with all the Nazarene ministries involved with child development, which includes the two House of James and the children’s home in Vapnyarka. It was a long day and a quick trip. We left in the evening for Kiev, where I was to spend the next week as a substitute teacher in the American Christian School.

I spent a week as a substitute in a third grade class. It was fun to teach again, in an English speaking environment. In many ways it was like a vacation. On Monday I came into a class of eight students. While helping one student with a worksheet, I noticed something in her hair that I hadn’t seen in some time… LICE! By the time Friday came the third grade was down to four students. Half the class was home treating lice. Unfortunately, I also contracted lice during the course of the week.

With the discovery of lice in my hair, also came a change in plans. Instead of traveling on to Chernovtsy, I would remain in Kiev an extra week at least, while I was being treated, so that I would have help picking through my hair. I am very thankful to Katie and Dana who have let me live with them during this time. Every night they take the time to search through my hair. Fortunately I have been able to continue working on my computer between loads of laundry and vacuuming the apartment, both essential to ridding the apartment and myself of lice. Oddly enough, the only time I have ever had lice before, was on my first trip to Ukraine.

Lice while it may be a nuisance, is not the end of the world. Every day I’m learning new lessons. I understand Paul better when he talks about being content in every situation. I am finding that God often has another plan, and that we must be flexible.

Please pray with me that the lice in the school and on my head would be gone. Pray for me as I begin to say goodbye to the people here. Pray for me to be motivated to work and that God’s hand would be on all that is going on here. I thank you for your love, prayers, and support over the past ten months. It has been comforting to know that in good times and in bad, I am not alone. God Bless, Tiffany