Daily Life

“Kindness has converted more sinners than zeal, eloquence, or learning.”  Frederick W Faber

I don't know who Frederick Faber is but we like this quote, especially since we have no eloquence right now!  We are starting to get more opportunities to relate to people and try out our limited Russian, which has been encouraging.  When we're idiots hopefully we can at least be kind, smiling idiots!

        A typical day for us starts with language school that lasts 3 hours. We study at the seminary which is about 1 ½ miles away. Sometimes we are able to take the bus and other times it breaks down and we walk. We live on the extreme northern edge of the city, so on our walk to language school we leave the city and enter a village. You always know when you're leaving a city because there is a sign of the city's name with a big X through it.  It's quite subtle.  Odessa is a city of about 1 million people, so there are many people from these nearby villages who come to sell their items at the renok (which is like a flea market).

After language school one of us goes to the store. We have to go to the store more often because you can only take back what you can carry and sometimes you are walking up to a mile with your groceries. I learned that one the hard way! Then we come home and unwind a little because your mind can only handle so much Russian. Because you walk more you are able to observe interesting aspects of the culture. Most people don’t have dryers so you either hang up your clothes on a rack or on a line in your balcony. Well, sometimes you end up finding pants, shirts etc. in the trees because the wind blew them off the line. The other day I actually saw a rug up in a tree!! 

     

Helplessly Trying to Help Others

We have been here for nearly 3 months now, and we are learning that missions is not all ministry and activity, sometimes it is waiting and prayer.  We expected this to a certain degree as it takes time to study Russian and form relationships, but this process has been more challenging than we anticipated.  For 2 years we prayed about being here, dreamed about being here, and shared that dream and vision with others.  It takes so much effort to get here and so many people give in order to send us that as a missionary you want to repay that investment.  You get to the mission field excited to serve and help others, and then you realize you are the one who needs help.  Help to communicate, help to figure out how to live here, patience and kindness from Ukrainians to help with loneliness, and help to even get an opportunity to minister to orphans.  It is a humbling process.
         
          While we know this phase will not last forever, the most difficult apsect of life here so far is the overpowering sense of uselessness we feel.  Being away from friends, family, & what is comfortably familiar can be difficult, but we would be much more willing to make those sacrifices if it immediately led to lives being changed and the Gospel advancing.  When that is not the case, the impatience and discontent that often lies just beneath the surface in our lives quickly surfaces.  Scarcely a week goes by that we don't ask ourselves, "Why are we here again?"  Then we remember that the purpose of this move was never going to be seen in 3 months, or 6 months, and it might not be seen by us at all.  Our job is to obey our Heavenly Father, and usually that obedience includes a time of waiting.  In my mind I was prepared to do great things for the Lord but not prepared to simply wait on Him.  However, as we were reminded recently by a pastor and good friend, waiting starves the heart of its idols, and teaches us Who is running the universe and Who is running our lives.  We pray this period of waiting and perceived helplessness will lead to a life and ministry where the excellence of the power will be of God, and not of us.
       

Earlier this week we got to see the transitional home Blagodat (Grace) Church is building for their orphan graduates.  It is huge, more like a small dorm!  It is 4 stories, and is designed so that each room is complete with a bathroom and small kitchen.  There are large rooms that could be used for Bible study & fellowship, movie nights, games, etc.... lots of ministry potential!  We also met Peter, an older Ukrainian (or in the prime of life for those of you over 50) who has been working with Odessa orphans for 10 years.  He showed us around and we discussed with him and Alfie (our team leader the possibilities of moving there in the fall.  We kept telling Peter that we are very open to that possibility, but nothing is decided yet.  That didn't seem to phase him however... as he showed us around he kept making comments like, "This is where you'll live, and in this room Gabe can lead Bible studies while Sarah brings the kids snacks."   When we asked him what the plans were for one large room he responded with, "Whatever you decide."  He seems like a very gentle man who is thrilled to have some help with this ministry.  We look forward to getting to know him better.  It is neat to see a church that has a heart for orphans, and that is investing so much in them.  We will continue to pray about where God would have us after our language improves, but it was exciting to see one potential ministry for us!

Balancing the Books

A couple weeks ago our heat was shut off.  We were surprised since it was only the middle of March, but fortunately it wasn't too cold.  A day and a half later it was turned back on.  Apparently Odessa was behind on its payments for heat to Kiev, so they just shut off the heat to the whole city.... 1 million people.  I guess that's one way to balance the books! 
    Our fun times at with language continue.... Gabe said he was born in 1880 and Sarah discovered the verb that means go clean the toilet.  Everytime we leave our apartment we are torn between wanting to make friends, and then thinking when someone approaches us, "Please oh please don't talk to me."  Gabe also got unanticipated language practice when he was cornered by a drunk outside our building.  The man liked Esther and said he always wanted a daughter but he just had 3 sons.  He said maybe we stole his daughter from him and kept asking which apartment we lived in.  Gabe pretended to not understand him (usually we don't have to pretend) and got away as soon as he had the chance.  You never know what you're gonna get!

Shopping in Odessa

Celebrating Esther's birthday in our new home

Cultural Glimpses

My language teacher was recently trying to explain a couple words to keep me from getting (more) confused. The Russian word for bank is the same as ours, but they also have a banka, which is a jar. She said in America we put our money in a bank, but in Ukraine they put their money in a banka, because they know at least it will still be there when they want it. Exchanges like this give us interesting glimpses of the mentality here!

       In Ukraine the city of Donetsk is said to be the father of the Ukrainian mafia, and Odessa the mother. Although foreign investment appears to have increased since we last lived in Kiev in 2006, the corruption and poverty that are so ingrained here have not diminished. Immorality and drug use have also soared…. outside of Africa, many believe Ukraine has the highest HIV rate in the world. These realities will be important for us to keep in mind as we work with orphans.
       Recently at a team meeting we were praying for various requests of Send’s missionaries in Ukraine. The list of requests included ministries such as teaching pastoral training courses in Russian, and it certainly portrayed an impressive depth of experience and giftedness…. people much more intelligent and educated than us! As I read this list and considered my own relative helplessness with the language, I felt very small. How will God ever be able to use us here? Then I remembered that we are not here because of a talent or education or something we can offer, we are here because of who Jesus Christ is. May this truth continue to transform us and those we meet as continue our life here.