They say a picture is worth a thousand words. If that is true then this video must be worth at least a billion. Tiffany came through Servant Life to Camp Friendship's fall camp in Lugansk region of Ukraine at the end of October. Here is a video she put together from her time here.
среда, Ноябрь 18, 2009
понедельник, Октябрь 19, 2009
Begining to let myself think :o)
I wish I didn’t hate making decisions so much.
I wish my coping mechanism wasn’t to close my eyes and pretend the world around me isn’t there.
I wish I could be everywhere at once.
I wish I could do everything.
I wish I could FIX everything.
I wish these valleys of calm and mountains of exploding life would balance themselves out a bit.
Is there always a right path and a wrong one?
Or sometimes are there two [or three or ten] rights and you just have to pick one?
Is one better and one best? Or are they of equal right?
How do you know which one to go down…
…when you’re not sure what’s God and what’s you?
And all your wisest consolers are giving you conflicting advice.
And so you pray. But you know that the decision to keep praying is one of those paths you were so unsure of—and is it the right one?
Cause to wait to decide is a decision in itself; and what if you wait too long?
Will you have missed it? Whatever it is.
Oh how I long to be sure.
So what do I KNOW? That I am HERE now. That I am called to LOVE now.
TODAY, Daddy; I will love the people I see today. And trust You with tomorrow.
Help me.
I do NOT know what I am doing. I do not know where you are leading, but I will TRUST in you.
“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God,
who gives generously to all without finding fault,
and it will be given to him.”
--James 1:5
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose confidence is in him.
He will be like a tree planted by the water,
that sends out its roots by the stream,
and does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought,
and never fails to bear fruit.”
—Jeremiah 17:7-8
I wish my coping mechanism wasn’t to close my eyes and pretend the world around me isn’t there.
I wish I could be everywhere at once.
I wish I could do everything.
I wish I could FIX everything.
I wish these valleys of calm and mountains of exploding life would balance themselves out a bit.
Is there always a right path and a wrong one?
Or sometimes are there two [or three or ten] rights and you just have to pick one?
Is one better and one best? Or are they of equal right?
How do you know which one to go down…
…when you’re not sure what’s God and what’s you?
And all your wisest consolers are giving you conflicting advice.
And so you pray. But you know that the decision to keep praying is one of those paths you were so unsure of—and is it the right one?
Cause to wait to decide is a decision in itself; and what if you wait too long?
Will you have missed it? Whatever it is.
Oh how I long to be sure.
So what do I KNOW? That I am HERE now. That I am called to LOVE now.
TODAY, Daddy; I will love the people I see today. And trust You with tomorrow.
Help me.
I do NOT know what I am doing. I do not know where you are leading, but I will TRUST in you.
“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God,
who gives generously to all without finding fault,
and it will be given to him.”
--James 1:5
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose confidence is in him.
He will be like a tree planted by the water,
that sends out its roots by the stream,
and does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought,
and never fails to bear fruit.”
—Jeremiah 17:7-8
пятница, Октябрь 16, 2009
“The problem with Americans and tea parties is that they think the tea party is about the tea.” -A fellow Americrainian
This is one cultural difference that can be counterproductive to effective ministry in Ukraine. In America, tea and coffee have begun to become somewhat of a fad during my lifetime with coffee franchises like Starbucks popping up on every corner, but in most Eastern countries tea is not a trend— it has been a vital part of the culture for as far back as these people can fathom.
Tea is the lifeblood that bonds us to each other.
The west is very much entertainment oriented. You see this in our schools, our homes and our churches. In schools, sporting events take huge priority. There are assemblies before big games, spirit weeks, and all sorts of activities going on—before the actual game even occurs. In our homes we have televisions and x-boxes and high-speed internet to keep us occupied. When looking for a church we want the most engaging preacher and the most compelling worship.
In Ukraine things are different. Schools don’t have sports teams. My Ukrainian friends may own a television, but certainly not an x-box and computers are a luxury—though becoming more and more accessible. And churches, though often hard to place, because a huge western influence in getting them started here, are often small, preaching is simple-but real, and music wise worship may be less than what we’ve come to expect, but it is no less genuine and I’ve no doubt God hears it and angels rejoice.
I’ve never been to a Ukrainian church that didn’t have tea before or after the service—if not both. I’ve never been in a Ukrainian home where tea was not offered. When I took Russian lessons, there was always tea/coffee breaks. Alina and I drink tea together everyday. At the orphanage this week it was a little girl’s birthday and we had tea and cookies to celebrate.
Tea is tradition; tea may be in response to the cold weather; tea heals all ailments.
But more than these things, tea is relationship.
And that is what we Americans often miss. When a Ukrainian offers to have tea with you, they are telling you that you are important to them. That they want to talk to you, to get to know you better, to be your friend. Don’t miss this.
I love this culture—I will not receive an invitation to go to the cinema and see the latest film; I will not receive an invitation to come over and play the latest wi game (unfortunately for me because I really want to play Beatles Rock Band); but I will get a phone call saying “Let’s have tea.” Or “let’s go for a walk.” I’ll take relationship over entertainment any day.
So the next time you get an invitation to have tea, remember—It’s not about the tea.
среда, Сентябрь 30, 2009
marshrootka musings...
Yesterday I finished reading the book of Ezekiel and I just kept coming back to this one section. Several times throughout the book God tells Ezekiel to tell the people that He is going to do something for His Name’s sake, and in chapter 36 He expands on that and it says:
“Therefore say to the house of Israel, this is what the sovereign Lord says: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. I will show the holiness of my great name which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the Sovereign Lord, when I show myself holy through you before their eyes.”
Oh how I can relate to Israel. How many times have I not been Christ to the people around me? How many times have I been led by selfishness and not by love? And how inaccurate has my perception of salvation been?
“It is not for your sake, O Israel that I am going to do these things…”
“it is not for your sake, O Lori…”
“for the sake of my holy name…I will show the holiness of my great name…”
God will do what he purposes to do—show the glory of His Name.
The amazing thing is, he has chosen to do it through his people—even when we’ve profaned his name time and time again.
“Then the nations will know that I am the Sovereign Lord, when I show myself holy through you before their eyes.”
I am overwhelmed by this statement; especially in the context of the book of Ezekiel. God’s people had turned away from him as we all so often do. And still redemption is his heart SO THAT his glory may be seen and known.
Thank you, Daddy, for saving me; help me, everyday, to better understand what that means; to love as you love—for your name’s sake.
“Therefore say to the house of Israel, this is what the sovereign Lord says: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. I will show the holiness of my great name which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the Sovereign Lord, when I show myself holy through you before their eyes.”
Oh how I can relate to Israel. How many times have I not been Christ to the people around me? How many times have I been led by selfishness and not by love? And how inaccurate has my perception of salvation been?
“It is not for your sake, O Israel that I am going to do these things…”
“it is not for your sake, O Lori…”
“for the sake of my holy name…I will show the holiness of my great name…”
God will do what he purposes to do—show the glory of His Name.
The amazing thing is, he has chosen to do it through his people—even when we’ve profaned his name time and time again.
“Then the nations will know that I am the Sovereign Lord, when I show myself holy through you before their eyes.”
I am overwhelmed by this statement; especially in the context of the book of Ezekiel. God’s people had turned away from him as we all so often do. And still redemption is his heart SO THAT his glory may be seen and known.
Thank you, Daddy, for saving me; help me, everyday, to better understand what that means; to love as you love—for your name’s sake.
пятница, Сентябрь 11, 2009
четверг, Сентябрь 10, 2009
What four years will do...
I am sitting at my desk eating borshch.
Remember when I though beets had to be disgusting?
I made it myself.
Remember when I didn’t cook?
I’m drinking carbonated water, wishing it was the strong carbonation and not just the slightly carbonated.
Remember when I thought fizzy water was gross?
Kvas now makes appearances in my diet, not frequently, but there have been moments of craving.
Remember when I didn’t even know what Kvas was?
I walk whenever possible and when not possible I take public transportation.
Remember when I never wanted to grow up, just be old enough to drive?
It’s more likely that you’ll find sour cream in my fridge than ketchup.
Remember when I was the ketchup queen and specifically ordered things without sour
cream?
I dreamed in Russian last night.
Remember when I was studying French in high school?
After 4 years, I finally made my way to a public pool.
Remember when I swam everyday?
Washing machines, dishwashers and microwaves are somewhere in my past (or at friends’ apartments :o)
I know some words in Russian that I have to think hard about to find in English—“икра,”
“тазик,” “зарядка.”
My blessing and my curse is that I am not who I was and not yet who I will be; I am caught somewhere in the middle of a paradox-al life.
I am American. And yet I am not.
I am not Ukrainian. And yet I am.
Home is where I am. And it is where I was. And it is where I am going.
I yearn for the past. I yearn for the future. I live in the moment.
I trust Christ more now than I ever have before. I have more questions now than I ever have before.
I love taking life one day at a time. I hate not knowing what’s next.
Wonder what the next four years hold…
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”
Jeremiah 29:11-14
Remember when I though beets had to be disgusting?
I made it myself.
Remember when I didn’t cook?
I’m drinking carbonated water, wishing it was the strong carbonation and not just the slightly carbonated.
Remember when I thought fizzy water was gross?
Kvas now makes appearances in my diet, not frequently, but there have been moments of craving.
Remember when I didn’t even know what Kvas was?
I walk whenever possible and when not possible I take public transportation.
Remember when I never wanted to grow up, just be old enough to drive?
It’s more likely that you’ll find sour cream in my fridge than ketchup.
Remember when I was the ketchup queen and specifically ordered things without sour
cream?
I dreamed in Russian last night.
Remember when I was studying French in high school?
After 4 years, I finally made my way to a public pool.
Remember when I swam everyday?
Washing machines, dishwashers and microwaves are somewhere in my past (or at friends’ apartments :o)
I know some words in Russian that I have to think hard about to find in English—“икра,”
“тазик,” “зарядка.”
My blessing and my curse is that I am not who I was and not yet who I will be; I am caught somewhere in the middle of a paradox-al life.
I am American. And yet I am not.
I am not Ukrainian. And yet I am.
Home is where I am. And it is where I was. And it is where I am going.
I yearn for the past. I yearn for the future. I live in the moment.
I trust Christ more now than I ever have before. I have more questions now than I ever have before.
I love taking life one day at a time. I hate not knowing what’s next.
Wonder what the next four years hold…
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”
Jeremiah 29:11-14
понедельник, Сентябрь 07, 2009
Summer in the life of Lori: Part 2 (an overview)
I have decided to give you the basics now and add some more specific stories later in the week.
When we left off I had spent one camp at Camp Friendship in Lugansk and then come back to Poltava for an orphan camp with Radooga. I said sad goodbyes to my Radooga friends and was really unsure of my decision/commitment to return to Camp Friendship; Radooga, though full of its own problems turned out to still be my comfort zone—I know what is needed and how to make it happen there. I spent one night at home and then got on a train back to Lugansk…
…I can’t really break the summer up, there’s just too much to tell. But to give you an overview, there were two more kids (ages 7-15) camps (each 15 days with a 5 day break between the two). Then the day after the last kids camp began youth (ages 15-25) camp (5 days).
All camps, I worked in the camp store. For kid’s camp 3 I was able to teach the older girls’ Bible Study as well. We talked a lot about the journey that is life. How long is a lifetime? What makes life count? When does life start? When does life end? What will Heaven be like? What is hell like? It was really awesome to use the Bible to help find the answers to some of these questions. Since camp ended I’ve been able to keep in contact with several of the girls from our class and hope to see them again in the future :o)
After camp 3 it was time for Allison to return home; we took a train to Kiev and spent the night with the Magdych’s. I was able to meet up with several friends and Allison did some souvenir shopping. The next day, I took her to the airport and then met up with some other American’s who had been with us at camps in Lugansk and had just arrived in Kiev that morning. We did the Kiev Tour and then I headed to the airport to fly back to Lugansk. It was my first “in county” flight. I told Magdych that I felt weird not taking the train, but I didn’t want to be away from camp any longer than necessary :o)
When I arrived back for youth camp, it was weird because the campers were already there and it was late at night and they were all out in the court yard hanging out and playing games. I went straight to bed and decided adjustment would happen best at the beginning of a new day and with a little sleep. It was a good decision.
I again worked the store and served as a ‘floating interpreter’ for youth camp. My Russian skills are not that good, but we had a lot of Americans and not so many interpreters and people were getting sick all camp, so everyone was helping everyone else out. As it should be :o) Youth camp was awesome and a lot of the boys who had been around for kids camp really started paying attention during youth camp and there were a lot of kids who asked for prayer, several who gave their lives to Christ and others who committed their lives to ministry in the future. God did things that only He can do and I love watching Him change lives. I am so blessed to be here; so blessed to get to see what He is doing.
After Youth Camp, I spent another week in Lugansk region hanging out, going with Shane and Terry to churches and visiting in villages and helping clean up from our camps and helping with logistical issues of other people renting the camp grounds.
Then I traveled with Shane and Terry and Alec and Yura to Kiev where I spent a week with the Magdychs—yay! I got to be with Magdych on his birthday; Emily flew in from 3 months in the states, so I got to pick her up from the airport and spend some time with her, took Yan to his first day of school, had coffee with Michelle, hung out with Yura before he started Bible College, met some Lviv-ians, and bought a new Russian text book, among other miscellaneous things :o)
Thursday I arrived back in Poltava and life here is already in full swing: I’ve been to the orphanage twice (and go back on Monday), I’ve had two English lessons with a sweet girl who wants to go to the states in December, am working on unpacking and doing laundry and getting my apartment back in order. Life is good. God is awesome. And I am looking forward to continuing with Him on this journey He has set before me :o)
When we left off I had spent one camp at Camp Friendship in Lugansk and then come back to Poltava for an orphan camp with Radooga. I said sad goodbyes to my Radooga friends and was really unsure of my decision/commitment to return to Camp Friendship; Radooga, though full of its own problems turned out to still be my comfort zone—I know what is needed and how to make it happen there. I spent one night at home and then got on a train back to Lugansk…
…I can’t really break the summer up, there’s just too much to tell. But to give you an overview, there were two more kids (ages 7-15) camps (each 15 days with a 5 day break between the two). Then the day after the last kids camp began youth (ages 15-25) camp (5 days).
All camps, I worked in the camp store. For kid’s camp 3 I was able to teach the older girls’ Bible Study as well. We talked a lot about the journey that is life. How long is a lifetime? What makes life count? When does life start? When does life end? What will Heaven be like? What is hell like? It was really awesome to use the Bible to help find the answers to some of these questions. Since camp ended I’ve been able to keep in contact with several of the girls from our class and hope to see them again in the future :o)
After camp 3 it was time for Allison to return home; we took a train to Kiev and spent the night with the Magdych’s. I was able to meet up with several friends and Allison did some souvenir shopping. The next day, I took her to the airport and then met up with some other American’s who had been with us at camps in Lugansk and had just arrived in Kiev that morning. We did the Kiev Tour and then I headed to the airport to fly back to Lugansk. It was my first “in county” flight. I told Magdych that I felt weird not taking the train, but I didn’t want to be away from camp any longer than necessary :o)
When I arrived back for youth camp, it was weird because the campers were already there and it was late at night and they were all out in the court yard hanging out and playing games. I went straight to bed and decided adjustment would happen best at the beginning of a new day and with a little sleep. It was a good decision.
I again worked the store and served as a ‘floating interpreter’ for youth camp. My Russian skills are not that good, but we had a lot of Americans and not so many interpreters and people were getting sick all camp, so everyone was helping everyone else out. As it should be :o) Youth camp was awesome and a lot of the boys who had been around for kids camp really started paying attention during youth camp and there were a lot of kids who asked for prayer, several who gave their lives to Christ and others who committed their lives to ministry in the future. God did things that only He can do and I love watching Him change lives. I am so blessed to be here; so blessed to get to see what He is doing.
After Youth Camp, I spent another week in Lugansk region hanging out, going with Shane and Terry to churches and visiting in villages and helping clean up from our camps and helping with logistical issues of other people renting the camp grounds.
Then I traveled with Shane and Terry and Alec and Yura to Kiev where I spent a week with the Magdychs—yay! I got to be with Magdych on his birthday; Emily flew in from 3 months in the states, so I got to pick her up from the airport and spend some time with her, took Yan to his first day of school, had coffee with Michelle, hung out with Yura before he started Bible College, met some Lviv-ians, and bought a new Russian text book, among other miscellaneous things :o)
Thursday I arrived back in Poltava and life here is already in full swing: I’ve been to the orphanage twice (and go back on Monday), I’ve had two English lessons with a sweet girl who wants to go to the states in December, am working on unpacking and doing laundry and getting my apartment back in order. Life is good. God is awesome. And I am looking forward to continuing with Him on this journey He has set before me :o)
среда, Сентябрь 02, 2009
More to come :o)
I know I owe you all summer stories...and they will come. I am not home yet. When I get there I will update.
The Day I Almost Cost A Teller Her Job
I needed to pay my rent, and wanted to do it in dollars, so instead of going to an ATM (more fondly known as "bank-o-mat") I decided to take an attempt at going inside and getting money off my debit card through a teller. I walked up to the counter and asked if this was possible (some banks here will let you and others won't). She took my card and began the transaction. When it got time to inspect my passport, the confusion started. I could tell she was having trouble reading it so I offered to show her the information she needed.
"Your last name is Amber?" she asked.
"No, my last name is Jackson."
"First name?"
"Lori."
"Ochestva?" (a form of your father's fist name, used for identification in Ukraine and other former soviet countries)
"We don't have Ochestvi. My middle name is Amber."
very confused look.
"You can type it there, where the ochestva should go, or you can just leave that blank. They know Americans don't have ochestvi."
"Birthday."
"3 April 1983"
"what is this?" (pointing on my passport to the city Charleston)
"that's where my passport was printed. It's not important."
(and so on and so forth)
I sign a bunch of receipts and write my cell phone number on the back of one of her copies at the last minute. She returns my card and passport (since that time the embassy lost my passport, I'm paranoid about handing anyone anything of such value and and watch it like a hawk.)
An hour later I've made it to Emily's apartment. We're going out later to meet our friend Michelle. Sitting on her piano bench my phone rings. I answer it and on the other end is the lady from the bank in a panic.
"I need you to come back as soon as possible."
"I'm busy right now. Can I come by in the morning"
"I need you to come right now?"
"what's the problem?"
"there was a mistake."
"What time do you close?"
"In 30 mins."
"there is no way I can make it back in 30 mins. What time do you open in the morning? Can I come by then?"
"What if I call a cab for you? We need to close out for the day and I really need you to come back."
"A taxi won't help me get there within 30 mins. There is a traffic jam. Can I come tomorrow?"
"I'll stay here until you can get here. Anytime tonight. If you don't come tonight, I won't have a job in the morning."
"ok, I'm on my way."
Emily and I call Michelle to say we'll be late. Get on a marshrootka and head back to the bank to see what the problem is.
She had charged my card wrong. We redid the transaction. Signed a bunch more receipts, and as I began to walk away she thanks me profusely and insists I take a box of chocolates.
Only in Ukraine :o)
"Your last name is Amber?" she asked.
"No, my last name is Jackson."
"First name?"
"Lori."
"Ochestva?" (a form of your father's fist name, used for identification in Ukraine and other former soviet countries)
"We don't have Ochestvi. My middle name is Amber."
very confused look.
"You can type it there, where the ochestva should go, or you can just leave that blank. They know Americans don't have ochestvi."
"Birthday."
"3 April 1983"
"what is this?" (pointing on my passport to the city Charleston)
"that's where my passport was printed. It's not important."
(and so on and so forth)
I sign a bunch of receipts and write my cell phone number on the back of one of her copies at the last minute. She returns my card and passport (since that time the embassy lost my passport, I'm paranoid about handing anyone anything of such value and and watch it like a hawk.)
An hour later I've made it to Emily's apartment. We're going out later to meet our friend Michelle. Sitting on her piano bench my phone rings. I answer it and on the other end is the lady from the bank in a panic.
"I need you to come back as soon as possible."
"I'm busy right now. Can I come by in the morning"
"I need you to come right now?"
"what's the problem?"
"there was a mistake."
"What time do you close?"
"In 30 mins."
"there is no way I can make it back in 30 mins. What time do you open in the morning? Can I come by then?"
"What if I call a cab for you? We need to close out for the day and I really need you to come back."
"A taxi won't help me get there within 30 mins. There is a traffic jam. Can I come tomorrow?"
"I'll stay here until you can get here. Anytime tonight. If you don't come tonight, I won't have a job in the morning."
"ok, I'm on my way."
Emily and I call Michelle to say we'll be late. Get on a marshrootka and head back to the bank to see what the problem is.
She had charged my card wrong. We redid the transaction. Signed a bunch more receipts, and as I began to walk away she thanks me profusely and insists I take a box of chocolates.
Only in Ukraine :o)
понедельник, Июль 06, 2009
Summer in the life of Lori: Part 1
To sum up the first half of my summer wouldn’t fit in a hundred books.
The past year has been about me taking life one day at a time and though for most of the world that’s not an option—we’re so focused on the future and “what’s next” the world won’t let us close our eyes to tomorrow long enough to live in today. At the same time, tomorrow may never come so living today is of utmost importance.
I don’t often like living “one day at a time.” I want answers when people ask me what the future looks like. But the only real answer I have is “I have no idea.” And really that’s the only honest answer any of us have. In America this spring, it was hard not having answers about my future or even my summer for all the people asking. But looking back, it doesn’t matter. I don’t need the answers; I need to live by faith and not by sight. I need to trust that He who wrote every day of my life before I was even born will lead me as I trust in him. And if I’d seen the future before I got to it, I may have turned and run from it. Because life isn’t always easy and I don’t always want to deal with the things that come up on this road I’m walking. And yet, I press on.
I’m pretty sure every summer turns into “the hardest summer yet.” And I’m already ready to say that about this one and it’s still coming at me full force. When will you sleep, when will you rest? My mom and close friends keep asking. When He provides it. I trust Him to know when I need it; I trust Him to be my strength when I shouldn’t have any. Today He has given me a day of rest. A day at home between camps to spend with Him and to be alone. The first in a long time. But I wouldn’t trade a day of what has been until now. And when I get on the train tonight, I don’t know what will be waiting for me tomorrow or for how long but I’ll continue to take it one day at a time; one step and then the next.
All that to say, that I can’t tell you what tomorrow holds, but I would love to share what’s been going on before that…
My summer began with the arrival of a friend and ex-summer staffer, Allison Jackson. She and I toured both Kiev and Poltava and then headed to Lugansk where she is summer staffing this year. I had intended to just drop her off and come back to Poltava, but Allison and the Dukes encouraged me to stay. And being that I knew several people coming for the first camp, I decided to stick around.
Camp Friendship is awesome :o) The kids are great, the Ukrainian staff worked really hard and the American team was well prepared and everyone had a lot of fun. The village of Novapavlaka where the camp is located is beautiful. I loved getting to hang out with the kids and they were all really encouraging about my Russian skills :o) I mostly worked in the camp store which was a really good fit for me—I got to use my administrative skills as well as interact with just about everyone at the camp on a daily basis. My favorite were the kids who would just come in to hang out and talk to me while I was there :o)
Sadly, two days before the end of camp 1 at camp friendship, I got on a train headed to Poltava where I had agreed to help Radooga. Radooga Poltava camp was also awesome. It was really good for me to spend a whole week—day in and day out—with the kids from the orphanage here. It helped to build and solidify relationships that had begun from my visits to the orphanage in Poltava. Oksana Magdych and I spent the week with the 12 and 13 year olds and they are amazing. Each one of them is so talented and beautiful. When the week ended and camp was over it was really hard to leave. I just kept thinking about how many people have come into the lives of these kids and after some time passes they’ve left. Oksana and I talked with them a lot about friendship—about needing each other and about Christ being the best friend and God always ready to listen. A huge part of me wanted to just throw the rest of the summer out the window and stay at Camp Mayak with them. I’m glad I get to come back in the fall and be with them again.
Today I am home. I paid my bills and checked my emails and now I’m packing again. Summer Part 2 begins tonight at 11:30 when my train leaves for Lugansk. I’m excited to get back there and see what God has for tomorrow and tomorrow and the day after that. I’m rested and ready for the next step—even if I can’t see where it’s leading, I know who’s hand I’m holding and I’m certain that He won’t let go :o)
The past year has been about me taking life one day at a time and though for most of the world that’s not an option—we’re so focused on the future and “what’s next” the world won’t let us close our eyes to tomorrow long enough to live in today. At the same time, tomorrow may never come so living today is of utmost importance.
I don’t often like living “one day at a time.” I want answers when people ask me what the future looks like. But the only real answer I have is “I have no idea.” And really that’s the only honest answer any of us have. In America this spring, it was hard not having answers about my future or even my summer for all the people asking. But looking back, it doesn’t matter. I don’t need the answers; I need to live by faith and not by sight. I need to trust that He who wrote every day of my life before I was even born will lead me as I trust in him. And if I’d seen the future before I got to it, I may have turned and run from it. Because life isn’t always easy and I don’t always want to deal with the things that come up on this road I’m walking. And yet, I press on.
I’m pretty sure every summer turns into “the hardest summer yet.” And I’m already ready to say that about this one and it’s still coming at me full force. When will you sleep, when will you rest? My mom and close friends keep asking. When He provides it. I trust Him to know when I need it; I trust Him to be my strength when I shouldn’t have any. Today He has given me a day of rest. A day at home between camps to spend with Him and to be alone. The first in a long time. But I wouldn’t trade a day of what has been until now. And when I get on the train tonight, I don’t know what will be waiting for me tomorrow or for how long but I’ll continue to take it one day at a time; one step and then the next.
All that to say, that I can’t tell you what tomorrow holds, but I would love to share what’s been going on before that…
My summer began with the arrival of a friend and ex-summer staffer, Allison Jackson. She and I toured both Kiev and Poltava and then headed to Lugansk where she is summer staffing this year. I had intended to just drop her off and come back to Poltava, but Allison and the Dukes encouraged me to stay. And being that I knew several people coming for the first camp, I decided to stick around.
Camp Friendship is awesome :o) The kids are great, the Ukrainian staff worked really hard and the American team was well prepared and everyone had a lot of fun. The village of Novapavlaka where the camp is located is beautiful. I loved getting to hang out with the kids and they were all really encouraging about my Russian skills :o) I mostly worked in the camp store which was a really good fit for me—I got to use my administrative skills as well as interact with just about everyone at the camp on a daily basis. My favorite were the kids who would just come in to hang out and talk to me while I was there :o)
Sadly, two days before the end of camp 1 at camp friendship, I got on a train headed to Poltava where I had agreed to help Radooga. Radooga Poltava camp was also awesome. It was really good for me to spend a whole week—day in and day out—with the kids from the orphanage here. It helped to build and solidify relationships that had begun from my visits to the orphanage in Poltava. Oksana Magdych and I spent the week with the 12 and 13 year olds and they are amazing. Each one of them is so talented and beautiful. When the week ended and camp was over it was really hard to leave. I just kept thinking about how many people have come into the lives of these kids and after some time passes they’ve left. Oksana and I talked with them a lot about friendship—about needing each other and about Christ being the best friend and God always ready to listen. A huge part of me wanted to just throw the rest of the summer out the window and stay at Camp Mayak with them. I’m glad I get to come back in the fall and be with them again.
Today I am home. I paid my bills and checked my emails and now I’m packing again. Summer Part 2 begins tonight at 11:30 when my train leaves for Lugansk. I’m excited to get back there and see what God has for tomorrow and tomorrow and the day after that. I’m rested and ready for the next step—even if I can’t see where it’s leading, I know who’s hand I’m holding and I’m certain that He won’t let go :o)
среда, Май 13, 2009
Glory to His Name
Sleeping during a thunderstorm, waking up to sunshine. It was a good night.
I am home. And it is good.
I'm working on finding my place again...getting back into life here. I feel like most of my life is spent doing this.
But coming home tonight I was reminded, once again, of how blessed I am to be here. What an honor it is to spend time with each person God brings into my day. I'm learning to be more aware of each of them--the email from Magdych, the facebook message from America, the lady across the hall who walks out her door when I'm walking out mine, the taxi driver, the American family who's here adopting, the kids at the orphanage, the lady behind the counter in the minimarket, the old men playing chess downstairs, the youth from church who randomly knock on my door, the phone call from Michelle, the SMS from Dennis, the smile from the kids outside as I walk by...God may I constantly be reminded that you have a plan for each of these moments. May I spend every second, every breath, every word, every gesture with you so that I might fade into the background of all these encounters and You will be what is remembered. Help me to bring glory to Your Name.
I am home. And it is good.
I'm working on finding my place again...getting back into life here. I feel like most of my life is spent doing this.
But coming home tonight I was reminded, once again, of how blessed I am to be here. What an honor it is to spend time with each person God brings into my day. I'm learning to be more aware of each of them--the email from Magdych, the facebook message from America, the lady across the hall who walks out her door when I'm walking out mine, the taxi driver, the American family who's here adopting, the kids at the orphanage, the lady behind the counter in the minimarket, the old men playing chess downstairs, the youth from church who randomly knock on my door, the phone call from Michelle, the SMS from Dennis, the smile from the kids outside as I walk by...God may I constantly be reminded that you have a plan for each of these moments. May I spend every second, every breath, every word, every gesture with you so that I might fade into the background of all these encounters and You will be what is remembered. Help me to bring glory to Your Name.
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