Country Roads Take Us Home

UKRAINE MINISTRY, PART 1

Update (12/4/21)- After spending some time with the Lord and praying over how to adequately rest and spend time in His presence, I have decided to limit screen time to 2 hours or less per day. This will go a long way towards being present with my team, the ministry, and also to dive deeper into the Word during downtime. However, I am expecting to reduce the amount of social media engagement as a result. I am also looking to post 3 blogs a month instead of 5 as well- to still cover notable events/ updates while on the field. Personally, I am making these changes knowing that not everything that happens will be able to be blogged about and posted. However, if you are interested in learning more about what is going on, please feel free to message or call me.

We rise early in the morning for a quick breakfast. The food is tasty, and we have just enough time to get ready for the day. Our ministry partners come in, and we load green food bags, water cases, and books into the van. And before we know it- we are off! The highway is in the rear view mirror, and soon enough, we adventure through the back roads of rural Ukraine. We sometimes slide around in the mud as the driver takes us through dirt tracks. At last, we reach the village- where we deliver bags of food and water to families in need. It is a blessed time.

After Kosovo ended, my World Race team (The Navigators) and the Bullseye team were combined into an 8 person “Mega Team” (called “Dry Top Ramen”). We were told to take this as a “team change”, and I could tell that times were changing. The Balkans portion of the World Race was over. Soon after debrief, the eight of us plus squad leader Hannah landed in Ukraine and took a train to the seaside city of Odesa. We were greeted by a sweet host family who helps run the ministry “Heritage Ukraine”. Heritage specializes in supporting children and at-risk families throughout the Odesa city and surrounding Oblast area. They have a variety of ministries including an autism center, orphanage outreach, and orphan prevention (working with families to keep children with their parents). Recently, we have worked on construction projects; which involved moving an attic full of camping equipment to a new storage facility and moving dirt to fill in holes that were excavated for landscaping work.

And so- here I was. Navigating this new country, new people, and in a different chapter of the Race. I had been challenged to die to self and be open to what was to take place. I continued to pray over the World Race- especially since Ukraine was not a country that our Squad expected to visit. A few days back, plans to visit Kyiv and Chernobyl together as a team fell through. Yet the Lord reminded me: “It’s not about You”. Its about bringing light into darkness, and pouring ourselves out to make a heavenly Kingdom known to a people who are hurting.

Venturing out to explore Ukraine came to pass- in a way that I did not expect. The Lord had something very different in mind- but it was so so good. And it happened along the rough and muddy country roads that gave us a different look into Ukraine. Over the course of three days, we delivered bags of food, cases of water, and books with Bible stories to families in need. First, we worked in local villages that were fairly close to the city. The last two days were spent going to places that were further away and more removed from the city. At each family, we went with the Ukrainian staff to deliver the food and sometimes enter their homes.

So many sights and sounds greeted the landscape as we entered the villages. Yet to give a picture of what it is like: picture a dirt road going over the rolling hills. The horizon beckons over the landscape as the van presses onward. Suddenly, rows of houses open up, and the road becomes straighter. Flocks of ducks/ geese line the sides of the road near where their owner cares for them. Massive farm fields surround each village in the country- with rectangular areas of brown mud and green grass. A small Orthodox church establishes itself in some of the villages, and three bar crosses dot the landscape. The houses are lined up next to the street. Dogs bark and cats come out to greet us. Some people heat their homes with wood- including a very sweet grandmother that we met and delivered a trailer full of wood to.

One of my favorite songs growing up is called: “Take me Home, Country Roads”. Yet these country roads took us to a beautiful expression of the Kingdom- a Kingdom that I do call home. Many of these families that we reached out are in unstable situations. Hearing some of the stories from the ministry staff made me heartbroken and challenged me to pray for them. Yet in the end, I also realize that there is hope- and that we are making a difference in their lives. Yet that hope does not come from anything on this Earth. It comes from the Lord- who does heal and mends that which is broken. Yet I invite you to lift up these families in prayer- and that they can receive the hope that is found in Christ.

We are thankful for our time with Heritage Ukraine- and are glad to be able to partner with them for the month. Will keep you posted as more ministry happenings take place!

1 Peter 4:7-11: The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Above all, live each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen!