DnipropetrovskSeveral weeks ago, Shushan and I took an opportunity that we had to go and visit some Americans who live in Dnipropetrovsk. Dnipropetrovsk is located between Kiev (Kyiv) and Berdyansk. If you look for it on a map printed during Soviet times, you most likely will not find it. During the reign of communism in the Soviet Union, Dnipropetrovsk was a completely closed city, and not to mention controlled by the KGB. Why go through all this trouble for one city in the middle of the Ukraine? Dnipropetrovsk was home to a rocket factory and proving ground for the KGB elite, several key people made their way up the ranks in the city, i.e. Nikkita Kruschev. Throughout the city are remnants of the Soviet past, KGB watch towers, huge statues of Lenin and other Soviet icons, etc. It is hard to imagine that all of this was occurring within the city until only 15 years ago. I am continually amazed by the progress that this country has seen in such a short amount of time.
RestorationAs I have been here, I have been listening to a recent Jeremy Camp song entitled “Restored.” The lyrics have struck me as completely fitting for Ukraine’s current situation. Since achieving independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, the political climate is at bit unstable as the government has been searching for its identity. As is, the government is in an ongoing debate between democracy and communism. The people of this nation have in turn, been affected by this instability. Because the rule of the Soviet Union stripped them of their identity, many people turned to alcohol to fill that void. As a result, many people come from broken homes and face an alcoholic fate themselves. From what I’ve seen through the churches here, I have been feeling God’s will of restoration for this nation, to bring them out of the confusion and self destructive patterns that they’ve fallen into.
English ClassesOur English classes began on October 3rd. Shushan and I are teaching three classes on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. On Tuesday and Thursday we are teaching two beginning English classes, one for youth and one for adults. On Fridays we are facilitating a conversation and discussion group for more advanced English speakers.
We are already seeing God’s faithfulness and abundance in this area. At our first lesson on Tuesday we had seven youth in attendance and one adult. On the second day of class we had nine youth and ten adults! It was amazing! It is so unbelievable to me that people here in Ukraine are so interested in learning English. For them being able to speak English means better jobs, and higher salaries. It makes me wish that Americans had the same willingness to learn foreign languages.
So far, the conversation group that we are facilitating seems to be very promising and will be a lot of fun to be involved with. The purpose of this group is to allow Ukrainians a place to come and practice speaking. For this group we intend to lead topical conversations and discussions, watch American films, as well as play interactive speaking games in order to create a fun, confidence-boosting learning environment.
Things to Pray For:• A church from Northern Ireland has sent a humanitarian aid container to the ministries here in Ukraine. Currently it is sitting in Odessa awaiting clearance from customs. For those of you who, like me, thinking that it was a Rubbermaid container, think bigger as in what is sent on ships and carried by semi-trucks. Please pray that the container is released and that we can begin dispersing the needed items around the area.
• Continue to pray for our English classes, that we would be effective not only as teachers but as ministers of the Gospel, to those who may not have a relationship with Christ.
• For true restoration to come to the nation of Ukraine. That the people of Ukraine would find their identity in Christ rather than through alcohol and promiscuity.
• Also, please pray that we would be able to develop meaningful and lasting relationships with the people here, and that we would be able to minister to them through those friendships.
Lesson from Abroad #3: PotholesWhy fill in potholes when people can just drive around them? Better yet, we can just offer shocks at a discounted price and people can just drive through them!
Lesson from Abroad #4:Don’t be afraid if the only seat on the bus is next to a drunken old man, sit down! True, he probably will start to talk to you, but just be encouraged that he most likely would not make any more sense if you could understand what he is saying.
