A Special Trip

I took a little trip last week (since I had a couple days off from class for American Thanksgiving) and although I didn't take many pictures, I thought it would be a good opportunity for a blog post.

Waiting at the вокзал (train station) in Kiev for our train to arrive.

I went to the train station via маршрутка и метро (taxi-bus and subway) on my own - and I had no problems with boarding once the train arrived. I boarded around 9:10 pm on Tuesday, Nov. 20 and we pulled out around 9:25 pm. I was very hot on the train - Я была очень жарко на поезде - but otherwise it was fine. I even had a little bit of sleep. I interacted a little -- in my limited Russian -- with the ladies who shared the train berth with me.

Daryl Porter and our friend, Victor Dantsev, were both at the station to meet me when I arrived at 6 am the following morning.

We did some shopping after breakfast and I had a little nap in the afternoon before Curtis, Tanya and Vika arrived to take me to the orphanage with them. This was the first time I had been with the team during a regular visit to the orphanage. Some of the boys were familiar to me -- I had met them last June -- and so that was exciting!! I did not understand very much, but I was glad to be there.

Thursday was a nice relaxing day -- I did some studying and some reading and enjoyed visiting with Daryl and Molly Porter, who hosted me for the 3 days I was in Krivoy Rog.

Getting ready for a game of Dutch Blitz at the orphanage.

On Friday afternoon, the team picked me up again to go with them to the orphanage -- this is only one of the orphanages where they have opportunity to be involved. This time Janna and Roma joined us -- two of the young people who have been impacted by our team's ministry and want to be involved.

This time, I understood a little bit more, and we played a game of Dutch Blitz (which just happens to be one of my favourite games). I was also able to give a bag of knitted toques and mittens to the kids which had been sent to me just the previous week by a friend and supporter. It was fun to see their excitement!!

Going to the train station in Krivoy Rog for my return trip.

After supper, Daryl and Molly went with me to the train station for me to return to Kiev. It's dark so you can't see it too well, but the building is beautifully designed. It was very cold outside, so the temperature in the train was a little more bearable this time.

I slept a little better on the way back, but still not very soundly. But I was very glad for the time away and the opportunity to see my friends again. Am looking forward to going back during the Christmas break.

EXPECTATIONS, LETTING GO and TRUST

This blog post has been a draft for about a month now. I knew that I needed to write it, but I needed to experience a few more situations first...and now I'm ready. Sometimes putting my feelings and thoughts into words gives me courage for the challenges ahead, so here goes:

Living here in Ukraine and trying to adapt to the culture and the challenges of studying seems to bring out both the best and the worst in me, and that's a good thing, although it doesn't always feel like it. When God in His grace redeemed me and called me to Himself, He began a process called "sanctification." Sometimes I forget this, and then my Heavenly Father lovingly chastens me and reminds me that the goal is to change and transform me to be more like His Son, Jesus Christ. There are times along the way when I may receive unexpected encouragement or glimpses of the miraculous changes that He is bringing about, but it is important to remember - especially when it's hard - that He will complete the work He started in me because it is all about Him.

"being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ..." (Philippians 1:6)

EXPECTATIONS -- sometimes we realize that we have them, and sometimes we don't. In both cases, there is often disappointment and hurt and a wide range of emotions. But there is also great opportunity for grace. I think probably one of the hardest aspects of understanding expectations is acknowledging that some of them are not important and truly desiring to change the way I respond to circumstances. I will never be free of expectations in this life, but I am so thankful that in His mercy God understands my weakness.

LETTING GO -- once I have honestly faced my expectations I must move to the next step - learning to release my grasp on them and the emotions attached to them. This is really a shift in perspective, because in order to let go I have to be willing to change. Too often I find myself thinking, "Why is this so hard? Why can't I just do it the way I want to or have done it for so long?" This is stinking pride -- the root of it is that I want to feel knowledgeable or important or that I have been able to achieve something, and so instead of being willing to learn from others and looking for the positives, I gripe and complain about how difficult it is to change.

"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.” (Galatians 2:20-21)

Were it not for this truth, for the reality that Christ lives in me and is working in me, it would feel hopeless. But I can press on because I know that this is true.

TRUST -- it is a daily challenge to trust that God's plan truly is the best and to translate that into how I build relationships and respond to circumstances that come my way. I have to trust that there is a reason, even if I cannot see it now and I must trust that if my heart is truly willing, my Father will enable me to do what feels impossible to me at the moment.

These insights have come out of my experiences in learning to live in close quarters with people I don't know who think and act differently than I do, and in studying a language and culture that is in many ways foreign to me. I want to relate to the people in my life and to build relationships with them, and in order to do that I have to be willing to develop new ways of thinking and acting, but the old ways must go first.

I appreciate your prayers and encouragement on this journey -- God is at work and I want to joyfully accept what He brings into my life and allow Him to transform me into the person I need to be. I am in the service of the King and He must be Lord of all.