End of the weekend

     Tomorrow is a new week for me. More language classes, Walking English, and just life. For now, I just need some sleep and then to cram for my Monday lesson. Since I spent so much time with the Manchester team, I didn't have my normal study time to do this lesson. I think I can get it all done before class.
     Today was a good day. It was the final full day for the Manchester team. They fly out on Monday. Their leader Matt, who is also their co-pastor, preached in church today. He spoke from Acts 1:1-11 about how, before we can celebrate the marriage supper of the Lamb, we have to take the Gospel to the world.
     After church and lunch, we walked around the campus of Kiev Polytechnic Institute and the park in front of it. I found out three weeks ago, when I went to the Zoo, that Igor Sikorsky studied there. He's famous for many successful helicopter designs as well as the company he founded to design and build them. One of their manufacturing plants is in Coatesville, PA and I applied to work there last year. Walking around this afternoon was a good chance for the team to get to know the area and some of the people a little better. That's been the main purpose for coming here.
     In the evening, we all went back to Pastor Max's house for a cookout and a Q&A. Some of their team met with a small group from Big City on Saturday. But Max wanted them to speak to and hear from more people from Big City. It was a good time to learn more about their history. They are less than a year old but truly want to make missions a major focus. It was great having them here this weekend. I really enjoyed meeting Christians from the UK. That's not something that happens often enough.
     I remembered today that I forgot to write about the Walking English meeting on Friday. It was a long, late night. I didn't get back to my place until around 23:30. Riding the metro that late at night is an interesting experience. But the English time was good. The original plan was to go for a boat tour of the the Dnieper river. That wound up being too expensive so we decided to go for a walk. After we finally decided on a destination and route, we got to actually do some talking. Most of them had been to the Liberty camp this year but there were several who I didn't know. We ended up sitting and playing games until well after dark. The nightlife in that part of Kiev is much different than I'm used to. Noisy college-age people everywhere. Like I said, it was good. Lots of good conversation and hopefully I cleared up a lot of questions about English.
     Alright, sleep time. I need to be doing a lot of studying tomorrow.

Weekender update

     I haven't written anything here in a little bit. So I guess it's time for me to put words in front of one another, punctuated by punctuation, and make a coherent series of thoughts.
     I've had a busy three days. Thursday was my regularly scheduled language lesson. That went well but I had an interesting experience on the marshrutka. It was packed. As in, there couldn't be more people in there unless they sat on each other's laps. There wasn't even space for "standing room only." For the first two stops I was standing in the stairwell until some people got off. But I made it to the lesson with no trouble. After the lesson, things got interesting. My tutor rode with me for a few stops before getting off. At the second stop after she got off, the marshrutka broke down. Being the <sarcasm ON> high-strung, easily-excited, panicky <sarcasm OFF> person that I am, I immediately thought, "huh." It was OK. I didn't have anything other than dinner planned for that night.
     I just followed the crowd. I was the last person off the marshrutka. By then I had about 15 cases of precedent to go by. I tried waiting for the next one to come along but it and the second were packed. So I walked about half a mile down the road to get to another stop. By then another come along shortly and I got on with no problem. I learned that day that if you go in the back doors, just pass the money to the front. Make sure it's the exact fare. Less chance of anything being stolen. I even met one of the staff from Kiev Christian Academy after I got back on. He was heading home from work.
     Earlier on Thursday, I had lunch with David Purvis. It was a introduction/planning/explanation meeting to help me get a little more acquainted with what all I'll be doing. He had wanted to do a get-to-know-you meeting for a while now. Finally after a month, we got to do it.
     During Thursday afternoon, I got a message about the activities planned for Friday. A small church team is here from Manchester in the UK to learn about the Protestant churches here and possibly start a partnership with one of them. I was part of the group going with them sightseeing around the city. It was mostly places I've already seen before. But I think my ulterior motive (that I wasn't informed of ahead of time) was to be an outside voice from Big City. They are here to learn about the church and I guess they would want an opinion of someone who isn't a member. But it was good to be with them. It's interesting meeting other Christians from around the world.
     The team is from a church called City Church Manchester. Theirs is a small church of about forty members. It's relatively young but has a strong vision for missions. They want to partner with another church to send regular trips.
     Saturday was much of the same as Friday. Walking around, seeing the city, dodging crowds, and enjoying the weather. After the fun, we all headed back to the church office. I and Dasha split off from the group to get some things for dinner. She and Yuri are the geniuses behind Walking English.
     David Purvis leads a group of new believers that meets occasionally. Dasha and Yuri are both involved in this group as part of it's ministry. Tonight was the first meeting since summer started. It was dinner, a game, and a lecture about the Bible. We actually had a surprise. One of the new believers invited a friend of his that had been at Liberty camp. To the best of our knowledge, she hasn't made a profession of faith. But she seemed interested in the lecture and didn't shy away from participating in the game. I think that's an encouraging sign. Please pray for her and this group. Her name is Alina. This group is one of the tasks I'll be helping with while I'm here. Being a friend, possibly mentoring, and just being there to talk. I'll keep you updated on how it goes.

     Oh, I saw two familiar faces in Kiev today. The kind with seven slots and JEEP decals in the middle. One was even driving with all the doors off. That makes the Jeep tally for the week a grand total of four. A TJ and three JKU's.

Questions and Answers

     Alright everyone, here it is. The first Q&A post for this blog. Not a whole lot of questions so I'll try to make the answers extra long. The first few are about Walking English but I did get one about the elder class and a few others that I'll share. I'd like to make this a regular feature so I'll let you know ahead of time when the next one with be. Other than that, I'll be answering questions right in the comments. So, let's get started.

1. How many people take part in Walking English?
     It depends on the night. The first time we had six. One I had not met before. The online group seems to be growing quickly. The last time (before the retreat) we had five. All were people I had met at camp or the previous Walking English get-together.
     The staff are trying to get more people involved. Many of the students are even inviting their friends. Even if they aren't proficient, students can still come and learn. In my case, just hearing Russian spoken helps me to more quickly translate the words I do know. I believe the same is true for many of the students. Hearing me speak, along with the others, should help them with their comprehension.

2. Are any if them proficient English speakers?
     I guess by proficient you mean they can convey their thoughts and opinions with little difficulty? Then yes. All of them know English to some degree or another. Actually most of them already have a good grasp of the language. Each could get along just fine without a translator if they visited an English-speaking country. Obviously they aren't going to be speaking perfectly. That's the whole point of getting together to talk. They get to practice as well as ask question about grammar so they can add to their knowledge.

3. Do any staff come?
     Yes. The first time there were two staff from camp as well as me. The second it was just one. A small group met while we were away this weekend. That meant it was just students getting together. More of a study session than class. I guess the idea of walking around the city and speaking English appeals to a lot of people and they want to continue it as often as possible. We'll be going out again Friday night. Possibly a river tour. So I might have a captive audience. (Insert evil laugh here)

4. Does the elder class take place in English or do you have someone translating?
      The person who taught it was a PCA pastor in Texas for about 20 years. His name is Jerry Rahm. He does fill-in preaching now for churches who need a pulpit filled on Sundays. So that means the classes were in English with translation for the elder candidates. Pastor Max translated twice and the other two days were shared by two women from Big City, Dara Nikitiuk and Katya Lavrinchuk.

5. How many people on average come to church on Sunday?
     On average, between 25 and 30 people come to church each Sunday. Like a typical church, there will be people absent. But attendance, compared to membership, seems to be higher relative to churches in the US. I can't say with certainty, but it seems like the percentage of regular attendees is higher than normal. That might be because of a range of reasons; the demographic, the ages, or just culture.

6. Were there more or less at the retreat?
     I'd say there were over 30 at the retreat. My guess is about 33. Some couldn't be there because of work or other commitments.

7. What is the age demographic?  
     The age range seems is roughly between 18 and 35. At 28, I seem to be among the oldest at church although there are a few who are older (like Max, his wife Nina, and my language tutor Nadia). However most are in university or have recently graduated. Before the retreat, I thought one or two of the elder candidates were older than me. Now I'm almost certain I'm older than all of them. Despite that, I feel like what ever age difference there is, it's not a problem.
     I'm at the age where I can easily relate to people ten years younger than me all the way up to ten years older. I'm not so far removed from college that I don't know what it's like to study for hours on end. But I also have six years of real-world career experience that I can draw from. <Bryan Mills voice ON> I have a certain set of skills. <Bryan Mills voice OFF> More specifically, a range of experiences that makes relating with the people of the church easy. We like similar music and movies. We are at similar points in our lives. Many of them want to change to a better career that offers better opportunities. I've been at that point for the last three or four years. But the best thing is that I feel like I'm a part of the group. It's not like I'm trying to fit in with the cool crowd at highschool. I've said this a few times already but I don't remember to whom. So I'll just repeat this (very unoriginal) thought here. Ukrainians are like watermelons. They have a hard shell but once you break through, they are very sweet. By sweet I mean kind, welcoming, caring and friendly.

     OK folks, that's all I have for now. Thanks for the questions. I really enjoy writing in the blog. I'd consider writing one of my many hobbies although I do sometimes suffer from a lack of inspiration. However, that hasn't been much of a problem so far for the blog. It's also helpful to know people are reading it and enjoying it. I hope by the time I'm done here, there will be a huge pile of posts that I can look back at and have a good record of the time I was in Ukraine. This is my third time here. The previous two times I wrote in a journal what all I did plus some personal thoughts. But this has been a first. Well, other than my Tumblr page. That got a few opinion posts but nothing substantial like this. It feels good to write a lot about the things that are going on here.
     Finally, I'd like to point out that yesterday, the 25th of August, marked one full month of being here in Ukraine. It doesn't feel like it. I don't want the time to go fast. But it's helpful that I don't feel overwhelmed by the length of time (past or remaining) either.

Post-retreat Update

     I need a vacation. Or at least a long night's sleep. It never fails. I have fun with a big group of Ukrainians and I lose sleep. Not that I'm complaining. It was some of the best fun I've had in a while with a great group of people. But sometimes I forget about the time (or stop caring) and I get to be at 1AM or, like last night, at 2:15AM.
     The last four days were a great chance to get to know the people of Big City Church better. My sphere of knowledge was only a few people before Friday. But thanks to spending hours on end with them, I'm glad to know more of them a little better. I still have a lot to learn though. Jerry Rahm, the pastor from Texas, made it a point to sit and talk with as many people as he could one-on-one. I could do well to copy that example.
     Speaking of Jerry, he did an excellent job conveying his message this weekend. He isn't afraid of using old and new friends to make a point or a joke. And the humor he does use is put to great use. Even through a translator, he made people laugh. The whole point of his series this weekend was to help Big City to improve its function as a church and a family. I wrote a little about it before. Improving how they show compassion, care, love, trust, and faith while sharing in their struggles and successes will determine how their ministry to the people of Kiev grows. They have to care for their own members who are struggling. They have to welcome visitors warmly. They should grow with, support, encourage, serve, and love their fellow members because they are part of the same body. Each has a function and should do it to the best of their ability.
     We had a schedule for the weekend. However, it was more of a suggestion than a strict set of guidelines. As such, we switched and swapped a lot of things throughout the weekend. The night game that was planned for Friday never happened (even with trying to do it Sunday night). Instead we had a fire and cooked sausages and marshmallows. That was definitely my favorite part of the whole weekend. It's a rare time that I experience a moment of total contentedness where I wouldn't change anything. Sitting around the fire with the people of Big City while someone plays a guitar and others sing is exactly that moment. Good food, good friends, good music, a warm fire on a cool summer night and the Milky Way shining overhead. I didn't even understand all the words they were saying. But in that moment, I realized I am exactly where I need to be.
     Did I mention the kite making? I think so. Too lazy now to go back and look. But it went well. Other than not having the requisite wind to make the kites work that is. Dara (the leader of this retreat) found a set of instructions online that I used to guide them in making six different kites. Plastic bags, sticks, string, tape and some super glue. The individual steps are easy. But apparently, growing up in the city means most of them have never done anything like this. I grew up making things like this for fun. I'm just glad that now I can share that experience with them.



     As part of the closing ceremony, we had a neon powder war. You've probably seen videos of it. A group of attractive, twenty-somethings throwing neon-colored powder in the air and at each other. If not, have a look at our version. Lots of fun but a total mess fest. I'm gonna be finding that powder for weeks. It's all over my camera and it was sitting away from the action. My sandals were purple and I wasn't even wearing them. It's taken at least three times blowing my nose to clear out all the blue gunk. Messy but still fun. For future reference, wear clothes that are going to be washed right away. Or be ready to go swimming. I'm going to shower now and get the remainder out of my hair.
      Have a great week and thanks for reading. Look for the Q&A post this week. Oh, BTW, this blog saw it's 1000th visitor this weekend. Thanks.

Saturday

     I won't be posting every day this weekend. I just don't have a lot of time between the end of activities and sleep time. Last night I was playing THIS game until almost 1AM. It's like someone crossed Four-Square with soccer. It's fun and a little addicting.
     This weekend, starting yesterday, morning is the Big City Church retreat. We're at a camp north of Kiev right on a part of the Dnipr river called the Kiev Sea. The accomodations seem fairly standard for camps here. No AC but the weather has been beautiful. No need for it. Like most retreats, this is designed to give the church members a chance to relax without the demands of daily life. Classes were organized for them to learn while having fun. As I'm writing this, there is a break-dancing class going on nearby. Yesterday, there was shooting (just airsoft) and makeup. There will also be cooking (making blini), kite making (taught by me), disc - golf, and water games. After the stress of two camps (for some people), they need a break. The food hasn't been bad either. Maybe I'm just getting used to it. I managed to finish the plate of plain buckwheat that was served for breakfast.
     Pastor Jerry, who was teaching the elder class this week, is also the featured speaker for the weekend. Friday night he spoke about the church and some of the attributes it should have. Things like family and worship. He'll be continuing that theme through the time here. Today he spoke about compassion and patience and the need for the church to be attractive to non-believers.
     On the English front, it's also been a good time for people to practice. I didn't realize there were so many people in the church who could speak it. At this point, I think there are more who can than can't. But being here is also forcing me to learn Russian too. Just listening to people, I hear words I recognize but I can also make guesses at other words.
     We finished off the night with an un-talent show. One thing I've learned here is that Ukrainians love to perform. If it's just a silly little skit or song, they don't have much regard for getting laughed at. The point is that other people are laughing and having fun along with them.
     I don't know if mentioned the challenges at Liberty camp. Yes, there were difficulties but this is different. The students got a challenge on a piece of paper that they had to complete. The person with the most points at the end of the week was Kostya. The game was continued this weekend. I'm convinced that the point of a lot of the challenges was to laugh at the Americans. But it's all in good fun. Four of us got to stand in front of the group and sing a children's song in Russian. Trainwreck is a good way of describing it. But they liked it so it must have been ok.
     Included for posterity is a photo of the break-dancing class.

Thursday

     Real quick post for tonight. Tomorrow I'm leaving to go on the church retreat and I need to sleep and pack before meeting at the office at 9AM tomorrow. I'll just write my notes out similar to how they are in my notebook.

• Elders are to live/model/demonstrate the life of Christ.
• Elders need to be overseer. They should watch carefully, pay attention to the needs of the congregation. The need to talk/communicate with the congregation, especially those they don't see/talk to often.
• The elders should love the congregation as Christ loves the church. They are entrusted to the elders. The elders have the responsibility to care for the people. Read about Moses to see how he led the people.
• Elders need to become the servant of the people. Show humility.

     Yeah, it's not clear and written out like the past few days but there has been a lot going on today. I just got back from a late-evening walk with some of the people from English club. It was similar to the event on Tuesday. It seems like this will be a regular thing. The group is called Walking English. We walk around different parts of the city and talk in English. Sometimes it will be about something historical in the city. Other times it's just a preplanned topic and I help them with their vocabulary. It's just a good way of getting together and practicing. It sure beats being stuck in a classroom.

A Quick Note

     This post is probably a little self-evident and a lot of obvious blather. But I'd like to say it because I think it's interesting. It's amazing how much confidence comes from knowledge. More so with experience.
     Today was another language lesson. I had to travel to the northern part of the city by marshrutka to get there. Today, for the first time, I rode the marshrutka by myself. I planned ahead of time to figure out which number I needed to look for and I even figured out (with Google Street View) which stop to get off at. So the ride itself was uneventful. Both times (going to and from the lesson) went smoothly. I got on, paid the driver, and sat down. Of course it was during the middle of the afternoon and not rush hour. Small steps. Maybe another time. But for now, I'm happy with that.
     The lesson went mostly well. OBVIOUSNESS ALERT - Learning a new language is hard. However, and I'm probably disillusioned by having studied a little before, it's going well I think. It's a big confidence boost when I successfully remember a word or phrase that I need or when I master a new word or phrase.
     I know in the grand scheme of things I don't know anything. But having the knowledge of how to ride the marshrutka and knowing more words than I did last week really boosts my confidence. I'm nowhere near being a fully active member of society with interaction and conversation and questioning. But I at least know where I need to go, how to get there, and a few more details of what to say. It's all a learning process. The process is going better than I had hoped or imagined.

Wednesday

     In music news, I now have Spotify again. Thanks to their policies, they won't (or can't) serve most European countries including Ukraine. But I'm using a nice little piece of software that makes them think I'm back in the USA. It would have been a long six months with only my collection of music. At this point I can say I'm Feelin' Alright with what I can listen to now.
     And before I get into my update about the elder class I have a short programming note. I'd like to do a little Q&A for the readers back home. If you have a burning desire (or just curiosity) to know about something here, send me an email or post in the comments. The plan is to organize them into a question and answer format for a long post and share the answers with all the readers. I'm not sure when that post will up. This weekend looks like a bust for big posts. It's the Big City Church retreat and I'm teaching one of the classes on Sunday. Nothing theological, just how to make a kite. So the Q&A post will probably happen early next week. That will give people time to think of questions and allow me to organize good answers.
     Also, hello to my readers in Germany. As of this morning, there were 7 page views from there and I have no idea who it might be. The same goes for readers from France (totaling 3) and the one from Ireland. All the same, thanks for reading.

<Radio announcer ON>

"We now return you to our regularly scheduled blog post already in progress."  

<Radio announcer OFF>

     Wednesday night saw the continuation of the Big City elder class. Actually, I'm not really certain what to call it. The six guys going through the training have been doing this for eight months now. There is a teacher, they are students, and they are learning. So I guess class is the right word.
     Tonight focused a little more on how an elder should lead. Jerry used the example from Psalm 23. But he also made the distinction that a rod and staff should not be transposed for the service of the people. A rod is for defense against outside enemies. A staff is for guiding.
     He also emphasized that elders should be (in my words) bridge-builders. They should do everything they can to right every offense, perceived or real. But do not apologize for their convictions, especially if they are based in Scripture. They should apologize for the offense. The example of wine was given. Some people are offended at the idea of Christians drinking alcohol. If a person is offended that an elder is drinking wine or something else, the elder should apologize for offending the person. They shouldn't apologize for following their own convictions especially if those convictions come directly from Scripture.
     The even got off to a late start because of people being late. So we went a little longer that the last two nights. I'm just now getting to finish this at 10:54 PM. Tomorrow is another language lesson along with English practice and elder class. So I've got a packed afternoon.

Tuesday

     After yesterday's language lesson, I needed to start my homework. So today I dove into the vocabulary by making flashcards. It's helping. Rote memorization isn't easy for me but it is going OK so far.
     The group I met with Friday night is part of a group on the main social network here ВКонтакт. Today they had a special but small event to help show the American around part of Kiev while also practicing their English. It was a lot of fun. I met them at the entrance to the University Metro station. Our group grew as we walked; mainly from people who couldn't be there at the scheduled meeting time. The plan was to walk and talk during the time I had available.
     We started at St. Volodomyr's Cathedral on Taras Shevchenko Blvd. It's an amazing structure. I wish I had more time to walk around inside and stare at the paintings while listening to their choir. I was raised Presbyterian but I can see and hear the beauty in a Russian Orthodox church. Frescoes decorate nearly every available square inch of wall and ceiling space. Pictures of saints, Disciples and Jesus are literally everywhere. Sconces for candles, shrines, donation boxes, and vendor stalls lined the walls. It's hard to describe. I'd have taken pictures but it feels wrong to do so in a place like that. And they probably would have charged me for it.

     After that we walked by Taras Shevchenko University. One of the guides, Dasha in the purple jacket, studied sociology there. Across the street is a beautiful park for people to enjoy.By the time we were done there, I was running short on time. I needed to get to the church office to be there for the meeting. We started walking towards our last point of interest but never found it. We'll have to save it for next time.
     Every outing or meeting like this is a great opportunity. I get to learn more about the culture and the people I'm here to serve. But also, the people get to practice a life-skill with huge potential. Everyone today I talked to had a good grasp of basic English. They weren't exactly fluent but they knew a lot and could clearly express ideas, questions, and opinions. Obviously it's easier talking with them when they can speak well. But even people who know English need to practice it to keep their vocabulary strong.
     Riding the metro (subway) is getting a lot easier for me. I'm starting to learn what stops have what name and where they go to. At least on the red line. The blue and green lines are still a mystery to me. I'll have to go exploring on those another day. The upside is that I can switch lines without paying for another fare. It's one low cost for riding from one station to any other.
     I finally made it to the office about 15 minutes after 7PM. But like almost everything Ukrainian, the meeting was late in starting. I guess it's a cultural thing with not being on time. I lucked out in this case.
     Every time I hear the questions the elder candidates are asking, I'm amazed at their maturity and seriousness for the job they are working towards. The questions are thoughtful and earnest. Each of them is wrestling greatly with the gravity of their calling. And it's a good thing too.
     Today Jerry talked about trust and service. He emphasized that the elders need to be worthy of the trust of the people they are serving. People should want to follow their leadership because they see in them honesty, openness, and truth. It's not "do as I say, not as I do." Jerry said it should be "do as I do because I follow Christ."
     He also emphasized that they should serve by coming along side people who are having trouble. They shouldn't lord their power over others because they are an elder. They need to show love and care. People are more likely to follow a person they respect or someone they know cares.
     Every moment in these meetings, I see more and more the responsibility these young men are taking on. It's a testament to the strength and maturity they have been given.

The week in preview

     This week, at least the evenings, will be interesting. Jerry Rahm, a pastor from Texas, is here in Kiev to teach a class for elder candidates in Big City Church. He's here for the week and will also be speaking this weekend at the church retreat. There is a group of six guys from the church that have been going through classes and training for eight months toward the end of serving as elders in Big City. They are all relatively young. Their ages range from mid 20's to late 30's. In America that would be considered young (by my reckoning). But here, mental and emotional maturity seems to happen at a much younger age here than in the States. That they are even considering this shows the need and calling that they have felt and heard.
     As Jerry described it, this is not a lecture. He wants the candidates to ask the hard questions. His purpose is to get them to examine their reasons for wanting to become elders. It's actually an interesting idea. We're all human. We all have different motivations for the things we do. We can do something for the right or the wrong reason. So the purposes that drive us, and especially those in the elder training process, need to come from God. Part of understanding those purposes is feeling the call to be an elder. One of the questions the guys are wrestling with is if they even feel the call. Jerry encouraged them that in asking this and other questions they go back to God for guidance and support.
     That is the point I most appreciated. I'm not taking the class but I hope that by being there, I'll pick up some useful information. That point is what I've been constantly learning these last three weeks. I can talk about my successes and small victories all day long. But them moment I forget that it's God who orchestrates those victories and gives me the strength to get through the difficulties, then I'm lost. I'm setting myself up for a disastrous failure. I need to constantly trust Him for guidance, instruction, and strength.
     This class/discussion/challenge is not summer camp. The process of training, choosing, and electing elders is extremely serious. And after they are elected, they will continue to face difficult choices and situations. Jerry stressed the importance of mutual reliance and "getting into each others lives." They need to understand that the enemy will try to disrupt their work in any way he can. To combat that, they need to keep each other accountable while also supporting and praying for one another.
     That's all I have for now from the class. It'll be interesting to follow where the discussion leads. All of that is just from the first night. I'm not sure how much I'll be writing about it this week. It's already shaping up to be an intense series of meetings. And I'm not even training to be an elder.

     In other news, I've started language lessons today. I knew learning a new language wouldn't be easy. I forgot though how much memorization there is. I'll start with two lessons a week and we'll see where it goes from there. My teacher is a woman from the church. She teaches Russian at Kiev Christian Academy where the Eide and Purvis kids attend. It's also where the missionary kids from upstairs go to school.





     Oh, I forgot to talk about Saturday. I went to the zoo. I saw a mullet. That is all.

Week-ending activities

    Friday night's activities were planned at almost the last minute. But from my view, they went smoothly. Since we aren't doing the normally scheduled English classes yet, it was more of a game/conversation night. We did read and discuss an article about Joni Eareckson Tada at the end however and I think it will lead to some more discussion later on.
     I should note that David Purvis arrived back in country Thursday night so I wasn't the only English-speaker at the meeting. We started out with a game called Alias (not named after the TV show). It was a simple game similar to Catchphrase. After we played a really long game of Uno. The Ukrainians like to add new rules that I'm not familiar with but they are good additions.
     Seeing how David interacts with people shows me that I have a long way to come in learning to teach. I have a certain set of knowledge that I need to add to (hopefully with some of his experience) to make my time here successful. Camp showed me some of that and now I just need time actually teaching to get there.
     David and two students had to leave early. So they didn't get to be part of the reading and discussion. We re-read (for most of us at least) the story of Joni Eareckson Tada and discussed it a little too. One thing we didn't have time for at camp that we did this time was translate the paper into Russian after reading it in English. Other than not knowing Russian, I really liked that idea. It seemed to help them with their comprehension of the story. We still had to go through each paragraph and explain the confusing words. Their collective lexicon is growing but each person still needs different words explained. After the article we watched this video to help explain Joni's story a little more. I'll be transcribing that when I get a few minutes free time. It was noisy at the office and most people couldn't hear the video.
     Now, I want to take a moment to talk about small victories. Every time something positive happens that I've been dreading, I relax a little bit more. This whole trip will see me slowly relaxing and getting more used to living here. Each of those small victories is proof to myself that I can live and function here.
     By nature, I don't like change. Yeah, yeah, I know. Then why move to Ukraine? Never mind that. I answered that in my first post. Right now I'm talking about surviving change and thriving in it. Finding things that I can do on my own successfully (like buying groceries or riding the subway and not getting lost) is very meaningful to me. It'd be easy (for a while at least) to just stay in my apartment and not go out except for church or events. A sort of modern-day hermit in the big city. But when I find I can do something on my own, in a strange environment, it means a lot to me.
     For example, today I went out and bought fruit for the English club meeting all by myself without help. I even navigated the busy sidewalks and streets without trouble. Yesterday I went on a self-guided tour of a historical part of Kiev. I didn't get lost or in trouble. I rode the subway and didn't miss my stop. I even started to understand the names of the stops along the way as they were announced. Each of those is a small victory for me. It's proving to my brain that living here is just like living anywhere else in the world. There are certain activities that I need to complete each day and the only difference between here and home is unfamiliarity.
     Yeah, that's not really profound. But I like simple things. If I look at the big picture I tend to get overwhelmed. It's better to let the person who created the picture worry about it. I'll handle the daily things one at a time as they come.
     Oh, one last thing. Do you realize how small this world is? The missionary family that lives upstairs has kids enrolled in the same school as the Eide family here in Kiev. They even know the Eide and Purvis families. I learned that earlier this week. But Friday morning I got to visit the school and play basketball. Kiev Christian Academy is located in the northern part of the city and is about a 25 minute marshrutka ride from my apartment. It's a fairly typical school building but it reminds me a little of an old highschool that hasn't been remodeled in over 20 years.
     OK, that's all. Have a great weekend.

Thoughts...(Updated)

     I've said it twice this week to other people but it's worth repeating. Some people need another vacation to recover from the first vacation. Apparently there is a similar saying here but I haven't heard it yet. But it seems very true for a lot of people. There were many sentiments about not wanting to go back to work this week. I sort of had an excuse not to (besides not having a normal 9 to 5 job). I was sick. But that's all gone now (mostly) and I had to get out of the apartment today for some fresh air. It was very good.
     Other than the heat pushing over 90F in some places, it was a great day to be outside. The sun was shining, there was a breeze, and I got to do a lot of walking. Oh, and I didn't get lost either. It was my first official time out by myself without a guide. I planned the route before leaving so I had a rough idea where I was going. I also had been there last year so unfamiliarity wasn't an issue. The only things that had changed were the locations of some street vendors.
     It's an interesting experience walking around a foreign city not knowing the language or the exact directions to get somewhere. I wasn't looking at every corner as a potential hiding spot for trouble but I was wary. It's just good policy to be cautious in a new or unfamiliar place. I think that, while nothing bad happened this time, I'll be cautious for a long time to come.
     From this point on, I'd like to editorialize and educate a little bit. So be prepared that this isn't directly related to the ministry here. There is a little correlation but that's at the end. I want to talk about war. Specifically, the war that Russia claims it isn't propagating but actually is.
     Bear with me as I provide a bit of back story. It seems that someone at camp picked up the local bug-of-the-month at camp. It made it's way through much of the staff and I finally got it Tuesday. After slightly over two days of being sick, I finally had enough and had to get out. I went for a walk today to get some exercise and some fresh air.
     I decided to walk somewhere I'd been before. That way the area would be familiar and I could see things that I didn't have time for on the last occasion I visited. I chose the park around the WWII museum called The Ukrainian State Museum of the Great Patriotic War. It's a Soviet-era museum dedicated to the history of WWII in Ukraine. I didn't go inside but there are a lot of interesting sights outside and around the Motherland statue. She is 62 meters (over 203 feet) tall! I'd recommend it if you're ever in Kiev and have an free afternoon to spend.
 

      But before I got to the statue, there was a display of some damaged military vehicles. Each was accompanied by a sign in Russian, Ukrainian and English. These vehicles are examples of the equipment fielded by the separatists and rebels. Each of these had equipment and furnishings provided by Russian companies to Russian troops that the Ukrainian army does not have. These weren't battlefield-castoffs by the Ukrainian army. Many of these types of vehicles found on the battlefield have Russian military markings. The third vehicle (with the rocket launcher tubes), according to the display plaque, had ballistic charts issued by a Russian military base.

Each plaque held this phrase at the bottom.  

"This item is a material evidence of crimes committed by 

pro-Russian militant groups supported by the Armed Forces 

of Russian Federation at the territory of Ukraine."

     It's evidence like this that the world continues to ignore. They ignore it because the alternative is world-war. However, the last time someone allowed unchecked theft of land and livelihoods on this continent, Austria and Czechoslovakia were ceded to the Nazis prior to WWII. Color me naive but the latest Munich agreements are looking an awful lot like the Munich Agreement of 1938. 

     Walking around the WWII park today showed me more clearly than a news article what is happening in this country. I've been reading the news about the war since May or June of 2014 but now I can understand a little more clearly what this country faces. These bullet-scarred, explosives-damaged vehicles from the battlefield are a testament to the lies and subterfuge coming from Russia.

     Moving on from the rant. Yes, I know I biased the framing of that last photo a little bit. As an American, it's hard not to root for the underdog. It is, however, a great example of the struggle the Ukrainian army is up against. They are fighting a military that has much larger resources while they make do with small donations from the civilians and foreign governments. So far they have been doing an heroic job of it. But it's been tough.
     As I write this, I'm not greatly worried. But the Ukrainian people are. They are very worried about what is happening to their country. They are worried that they have been forgotten. They want to know what the rest of the world thinks is happening here. Yesterday I had to tell a good friend that most people in the US don't even know what is happening here. She had asked what people think about the downing of MH17 last year. I had to explain that many people in the States are more concerned with a geriatric lion shot by a dentist or the latest political scandal than what is happening on the other side of the world. It's a discussion we've had in the past. People tend to only look at what is in front of them. And when what's in front of them is part of a narrative focusing only on their own country, most people can't be bothered to look elsewhere. In this case "out of sight, out of mind" is more pejorative than happy-go-lucky cliche. 
     I know it's difficult to have a global view when your front lawn is burning. But if there's one thing you take away from this post, it is this. Please pray for this country and it's people. Obviously there are a lot of people in this world that need prayer. Well over seven billion by now. But if you are reading this, you at least have some interest in what is happening here. I'm glad I can help keep you informed. I'm also glad I can be here. People are surprised every time I tell them that I'm staying for longer than a just a week. I hope that surprise will lead to conversations about why I'm really here.
     I had hoped to get to bed at a reasonable time but I guess that wasn't to be. It's getting close to midnight now. Oh well. Friday night is an English Club night at the church office and I'm the resident "expert" until David Purvis gets back and we start regular meetings again. It won't be a normal meeting. Just a night of games, discussion and fun. More like a game night with some friends. I'll let you know how it goes. Goodnight.

Update 08/18/15: If you want to keep up with news stories from Ukraine, I suggest these two sites. The first keeps record of war-related news along with tracking the evidence of Russian involvement. The second is an English-language newspaper that covers local and worldwide news.
http://en.censor.net.ua/
http://www.kyivpost.com/

What I saw at camp

     I've had a request for more pictures from camp so here are a few of the best ones.

Encouragement

     Today is the day the team left Kiev. Max picked my mom and me up a little after 7AM and we all drove out to Boryspil Airport. It's a long drive out but I wasn't thinking about it. Mostly it was about how I didn't want to see them go. But real life intrudes too quickly when we're having fun. They got through to security no problem. So look for their arrival around 4PM local time in Newark.
     However the drive back was what really got me thinking. Max was talking with Marina and Zhenya most of the time in Russian and I immediately felt like the odd man out. It made me think about all the things I would need to do over the next 6 months. Language lessons, shopping, teaching, traveling. In short, life. But it's complicated more by the fact that I can only recognize about one word in twenty. All of the sudden I'm bouncing off the walls in my head about being here. It's not quite a panic attack but I could easily get there from here.
     In comes God with a bit of encouragement. After Max dropped me off near my apartment, I walked up to the building and followed another resident inside. She and I shared the elevator ride up. Somewhere around the 2nd floor she turns and asks something like, "Ви розмовляєте англійською?" The only word in there I understood was англійською (English). I say "English?" She says, "English. American?" I reply yes. It turns out she and her husband are missionaries in Kiev with another organization. They have an English club that meets here in the apartment building. Long story short, I had dinner with her family and another couple from the States. Both are from Georgia. So their accents are familiar and sorta comforting.
     I know the Rolling Stones weren't famous for their theological wisdom but the song that came to mind after the encounter in the elevator was this. "You can't always get what you want, But if you try sometimes, well you just might find, You get what you need." Never before, that I can remember, have I so quickly and obviously been given exactly what I needed when I wasn't expecting it. I was feeling very small and alone but now it's not so bad. It's still a tough, complicated situation. But knowing that I'm not alone here feels really good. I had been told there were other Americans living in the building but hadn't met them yet. Finally though, it's good to have just that one extra connection. It means so much more, now, knowing that I can do this. I've seen that Americans have been doing this for years and are succeeding.
     The journey won't be easy but it can be done. And now I have some comfort and encouragement for the journey ahead. Let's see where it leads.

Final day with the American team

     Sunday was the last day most of the students had with the full American team. We got to worship together and afterwards we saw a lot of downtown Kiev. The last day of camp, the students were invited to come Sunday morning to worship with the "first" official Sunday service. Liberty has had several worship services in the past but those were for special events and holidays.
     Since Max preaches for Big City church, Rich Savoy had the honor of giving today's message. He chose the topic of "eternal perspective" and encouraged the students and us to think about living our life with eternity in mind. He said the three main choices we have in life are, in order of importance, our master, our mate, and our mission. The first should influence the second and will also hopefully dictate the third. Dara Nikityuk translated for Rich today since his Russian is не хорошо (not good).

     After church, we got to walk around downtown Kiev with a big group of students from camp. The ones who came to the service, as well as a few others, joined us for lunch at Puzata Hata near Maidan and a good walk around the city. We saw a lot of the same things as last year. But since Austin and Joan missed that trip, we covered a lot of the same ground for them. For me, it was interesting to see Maidan again after a year. The damage from the revolution is mostly cleaned up in the square but at least one of the buildings nearby still shows signs of fire damage. I'm not big on souvenirs but everyone else got some. The Andriivs'kyi descent is a popular spot for artists and vendors to hawk their wares. It's also a popular tourist trap and rightly so. It has an amazing view of the city and is home to St. Andrew's Church, an 18th century structure with great, antique iconography and design.
     We finished off the evening with a quiet, relaxing time at Max's house. His wife Nina is an excellent cook. We got to talk, debrief, laugh, and rest before tomorrow's early morning rushing around. Max demonstrated an interesting way of heating water for tea. The team, Dara and Max also debriefed about our impressions and opinions on the camp, the students and Liberty church's ministry. Joan also had a lot of fun playing with Max's kids, Marta and Little Max.
     It's now 23:55 and I'm in need of some sleep. Tomorrow my mom and I need to be leaving my place by 07:00 to get to the airport on time. The team flies out at 10:00 and will be back in the States Monday afternoon (EST). So please pray for safe travel for them and for no lost luggage. Apparently Paris is notorious for making baggage disappear.
     And as a fun fact, while walking around Kiev today, I met three Americans living here. They have a little bit of a rebel attitude but it's good to hear a familiar accent.

Last day of camp

     Once again, morning came too soon. The fire last night was good, the company even better. But staying up late before another full day isn't wise. I did it anyways.
     Thanks to the late night and the end if the week, we modified most of the activities today. English was two hours in the afternoon (instead of three for the day). It went mostly well for me. I still need practice but it's getting better. My students seemed to enjoy the class so I'll call it a win for the week.
     Max finished up the lecture series this week with the topics of coming out of the storm, being in the church, and some of what the Christian life is. At the end, he invited the students to be part of Liberty Church and to help grow it. His vision is to make Liberty a place for young Christians just starting their lives. That will go a long way towards positive outreach among young Ukrainians.
     After the lecture, the American team handed out our gift packages. It was just a few things but they appreciated it.
     As I write this, Kostya (one of the more energetic and motivated students) is playing guitar with the accompanying voices of about ten people. It's amazing how quickly these students have bonded. I don't know how many of them knew each other before camp. We have at least two pairs of brothers and one or two cousins. But the shared experience has bonded them like few will ever know. They all shared in early mornings, games, challenges, classes, and lectures. Many of them now look like close friends of decades rather than days. Even the staff is part of it. They may have been in a position of authority but they and the students now are friends. I think it's a good indication of what the next few months will look like.
     The American team was highly encouraged by the number of people who have expressed interest, or at least openness, to the Gospel. Rich personally talked with two students using the four-laws booklet. After the invitation in the lecture, I think we will have a good number at worship Sunday.
    Well, that's all for now. It's a long, rough road to Kiev and I need to sleep between now and our arrival. Have a great weekend. I'll update soon about the Sunday service.

Fourth day of camp

     Today dawned way too early. After only four and a half hours of sleep, Austin and I walked over to the meeting area to join our teams. The plan for the morning was to complete the quest with our teams before 10AM. There were several stations where we needed to complete tasks before getting a clue about the next station. The was a lot of running and fun. The students seemed to really enjoy everything we did, with one exception. At one of the stations, we had to crawl through a tunnel with some very stinky substances. It was all food products or soap but it made for a nasty combination. And after, we had to rub all our exposed skin with very smelly mud. In the end, my team finished second. But it wasn't about the speed we finished the tasks. The important part was getting people to work together as a team.
     The rest of the day was different than normal. Everyone needed some time to relax before the lessons and lecture. After lunch, we met for a 2-hour English lesson. People were obviously tired so I had to break up the lesson a little with an activity.
     The lecture went very well. Rich spoke to the students. They were mostly attentive and seemed to respond well to what he said. He used a booklet about the four spiritual laws to guide the lecture. In discussion afterwards, it was obvious in some groups who had been impacted the most.
     Following discussion and dinner, we all went down to the beach for a fire and food. Someone brought a guitar and we had some good (and some scary) renditions of popular songs. The beach was a great time to just relax and talk. I was able to teach a few students some things about photography. We watched the stars and even saw a few meteors. Standing by the sea, when the waves came in, we could see bio - luminescent organisms. When they were jostled by the waves or stopped on the sand, they would light up like a firefly. They looked like tiny shrimp but I'm not sure exactly what it was.
     Overall, it was a very good day. Several others in the group have gotten to talk to students about different spiritual matters. We have a list of 6 or 7 people that seem to be very close to a decision for God. Please keep praying for them. Max, today, will invite them to Liberty church for Sunday's service. Hopefully we will see a lot of them there.

P.S. I've attached a picture of the outside of our main meeting place. It is literally a bar in the resort town. The owner's three kids sat in on Austin's class today.

Third day of camp

     Fortunately, we only have two more days of camp. Your intrepid narrator is starting to wear out. But it's more due to the late night Tuesday than anything else. Tomorrow morning won't help. But after Friday, I'll have a lot of time to catch up on sleep. 

     English for me today was a little more rough than usual. The morning session went well. We read a second story a out Corrie Ten Boom. But I wasnt satisfed with the active English in the afternoon. I think it's mainly with how I prepared for it. I'll work on the plan for tomorrow better before the class starts. 

     Max continued his lecture today with two main ideas; the futility of the law and being lost in the storm. He's focusing more on the saving power and grace of God. Because half the students were not here last year, some are finding it hard to follow his lecture. And since a lot of then are not Christians, some are still resisting his message. In discussion time, following the lecture, they tell the group leaders about what they don't agree with. Rich gets to be the guest lecturer tomorrow.  

     Austin seems to be a full-on celebrity now. He said it runs in the family to be famous in Ukraine. His sister Kristen was here several years ago. People here still remember her. I attached a picture of him beginning his climb to fame. The girl sitting next to him is teaching him a Ukrainian song that several of us sung later after dinner. 

     We finished off the night with an "anti-talent" show. We and the students didn't have a lot of time to prepare skits bit everyone made the best of it. The American group was in one skit together and various others throughout the night. Best of all, we all had fun. There was singing, dancing, comedy, and lots and lots of laughter. Several times, Austin received rounds of applause for his technical prowess, dancing abilities, and even his skill at "braiding" hair. I'll leave that to him to explain. 

     Alright, I need some sleep before the big game tomorrow. We and the students have a big quest in the morning and we're all getting up before 5AM to be there on time.

Second day of camp

     The second day dawned very early. Breakfast was at 8AM but, after a late night, people rolled in later. Today went well. After our morning staff meeting, Austin and I went down to the beach to join in on some ultimate frisbee. It's tough work running on loose sand.
     We had the full schedule of English lessons today. In the morning was a two hour session. We are using lessons about famous Christians. Each lesson tells the story about a significant point in each of their lives. Monday, we only had time to read through part of Jon Eareckson Tada's life. Our method goes like this. Each student reads a paragraph and, after, we discuss what words or concepts they had trouble understanding. Today, we finished Joni's story and read through Corrie Ten Boom's story. The students picked out a few words related to the Bible and biblical principles like Gospel and salvation.
     After a quick lunch, we had time for a walk around the market. Some people picked out some souvenirs or fruit. I just got ice cream.
     Afternoon English is called "Active English." The idea is to get the students talking and thinking in English with a little motivation. Today we used Reese's peanut butter cups and Peanut Butter M&M's. Peanut butter is not common here and the kind they do have is not as sweet as it is in the USA. It was awesome to watch their expressions as they tried what, to many of them, was a new treat. Most preferred the peanut butter cups. Not all of then have the vocabulary to explain every detail. But the goal was achieved. They said this was their favorite English class so far.
     After English we had time for Max's lecture. Today was more about faith with a focus on Jesus' commands and the requirements for living according to God's laws. The discussion afterwards was actually a reading from Matthew chapters 5 through 7. My group didn't talk much after reading but I think it got them thinking about the lecture.
     The rest of the day was swimming, dinner, games and discussion. The discussion tonight was an interesting experience. All five Americans sat at different tables and for 15 minutes we would talk to a student one-on-one. It was a great exercise in conversation practice. I had three picture books of photos I've taken. These helped to spark a lot of good questions and conversation (at least for me). It didn't provide a lot of time for spiritual topics (Rich's hope) but it did work well.
     From there, camp turned into a game night. My mom, Joan and Austin had a raucous time with a group of staff and students.
     Now it's 12:56 and time to end. Thanks for following along and praying for us.
    
    

First day of camp

     Sometimes I really hate technology. I had a bunch of this typed out and it got lost. I'll do my best to bring it back.
     Sleeping on a bus is never easy. Especially one that has to drive on Ukrainian roads. The seats weren't uncomfortable but the road and little time to stretch made the trip tough. We also couldn't sleep a lot thanks to the rough terrain. For the last three and a half hours, our driver had to often swerve to the other lanes to avoid deep potholes.
     We finally arrived here at around 9:30. But in typical fasion, we had to plan on the fly and often found out where things were happening moments before hand. In short, the mantra of the day was "Semper Gumby." The camp is being held at a "resort" town right on the Black Sea.  If you can find Prymors'ke on Google Maps, follow the main "road" East until you find more buildings. This is the resort. As I'm typing this, there are three disco clubs blasting out techno that I can hear over the sound of the air conditioner. It's a nice little village (better term instead of town) but the night - life is very active even at 23:11.
     After getting situated in our rooms, we all met to divide up into teams. Rich and Joan Savoy are on Red team, Austin Lucas and my mom are on Green team and I am on Yellow team. From there we went to play a few icebreaker games with our teams. Each team, along with the leaders and volunteers, has a translator to help us.
     After the icebreakers, we got to go down to the sea and swim. It tastes just like the Atlantic Ocean but has a lot more seaweed. After the long bus ride and the heat, the students really needed the time to blow off some steam and relax.
     From there it was off to lunch and then some time for table games. We finally got to do the teaching segment around 3PM. My mom and Joan took care of the beginner class. Austin and I taught the intermediate level. And Rich had his hands full with the advanced group. Austin and I were able to split the group into two and better handle the task.
     Since it was only the first day, we didn't have a big lesson planned. We started with some basic introductions and moved on to careers or fields of study and then to hobbies. The idea of those was to get them talking and thinking in English before digging into the more complicated part. Like I've said in the past, they do know some English but they just need practice. And they have been getting lots of it already. We finished off the lesson with some reading to hopefully expand their compression and pronunciation.
     Pastor Max started his lesson series this week with the topic of faith. He's working the theme of "journey" into the serries. He used faith as the springboard for explaining the idea of leaving on a long boat journey.
     From there we moved to group discussion (on the beach). Discussion is a time to get the students thinking about their opinions on Max's lecture along with the points it brought up. 
     We had some free time after discussion but I left early to come back and wait for dinner. As I am writing this, they are finishing up a movie before bed. I stopped watching to get this written.
     The meals weren't too weird today. Breakfast was sweet rice with buttered bread and tea. Lunch was borscht with buckwheat, breaded fish (?) patties, veggies and fruit juice. Dinner wrapped up the day with sausage, pasta, pickles and more tea.
     I won't tempt techno - fate any more. I'll wrap things up here. In short, things are going well for the first day. Keep praying for the students as well as all of us who teach and lead them. It will be a long five days here.

      -Quote of the day-
"What devilry encases my sausage?"
(Austin said this whilst attempting to peel the skin off the sausage at dinner)

P.S. I saw a praying mantis today.

     The rest of the team arrived safe yesterday. There was a mix up with where they were going to go (at least in my head there was) after leaving the airport and I wound up walking to the church office when they were supposed to show up at my apartment. It's OK though. Exercise. My mom and Austin are staying with me and Rich and Joan are staying at Pastor Max's house. 

     This morning, we all met up at Zhytomyrska Metro station and took the subway into the city. Since the team was still a little jet-lagged, we didn't do anything too strenuous. Just walked a few miles around downtown Kiev. We visited two museums on the West bank of the city. In the morning it was the National Museum of Chornobyl. It's half-memorial, half-educational site showing the progression of the disaster through to evacuation. Highly recommended if you ever visit here. After lunch we stopped at former prison/fort, now hospital complex, that overlooks the city and the National Sports Complex.

     Once we were thoroughly worn out from walking and seeing the city, we got on the subway and then a маршру́тка (marshrutka, AKA taxi-bus) and all headed over to Max's house. He lives about 20 minutes outside the city by bus. Driving is a little faster because of how crazy the drivers are. At Max's, dinner and most of the Ukrainian team were waiting. We all shared a great meal. Afterward, we went over the schedule for camp and some of the details. It looks like the old mantra (be flexible) will come into play daily. Fortunately, most of us are already limbered up and ready to go. There are still a few details to work out (pray for those, please) and then we'll see where things are when we arrive around 8:30AM on Monday.

     Camp for us actually starts Sunday evening. We'll be meeting the students at the church office at 8PM. We need to determine their English proficiency before leaving so we can divide them up into beginner, intermediate, and advanced. That will give us the classes for English at camp. We'll be on the bus by 10:00PM. It's a long drive so hopefully we can get some sleep on the way or Monday will be a long day. 

Attached are two pictures from today. The first is the view from the prison/fort/hospital. The second...well, just figure out what's missing.