My News For October.....

(Here is an excerpt from my October newsletter. If you would like to receive my monthly newsletters, please send your name and email address to mmkukraine@yahoo.com)


Doom and gloom, flailing Presidential candidates and failing banks, articles on war and rumors of war …..these topics and more fill our news everyday now. Everyone is not immune to feeling the heat from at least a few of the bad stories that run on the news wires.


But no matter how unstable the world gets, we have to remember that the good news is that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. I have found it’s important to make sure I take some time to read about the good news that is in God’s word everyday. It sometimes seems contradictory to what is going on around me but having my focus on the Lord can sometimes put all the other stuff into a better perspective.


As I continue to live and serve God in Ukraine, I have had many unstable situations occur around me, a constantly changing culture, changing governments, changing financial situations, changing friends, changing churches, changing ministries, and I even had a political revolution break out around me. But the one thing that I see that stays strong is the power of God which constantly works in us and through us. I keep seeing lives changed and people healed, helped and encouraged. It’s exciting and an adventure. Sometimes, this is what makes me want to go on in ministry because I’m just so darn fascinated with what God is going to do next!


I used to work on the street with children that never had a hope for their future in the real world, but God still worked in their lives and I watched them trust the Lord and begin to think about themselves differently as they learned about God’s love for them.


Now I am working with a ministry that not only reaches out to meet street children’s spiritual needs but attends to their physical needs as well. God has been faithful to me as I desired to not only see children come to trust God, but to get them off the street and back into a normal life.


I sat and had a conversation this past month with one of the teenage boys and he told me about the English camp he had been to during the summer in Moldavia. He told me how they not only worked on their English, but learned how to share the gospel.


This last month our ministry placed five children in foster families. When I started working with street children in Ukraine, the idea of a Ukrainian foster family was an unheard of thing. While this is still a new concept, this is a huge step in a direction that will strengthen and help educate people to learn how to help these children in a constructive manner instead of throwing them into an institutional orphanage where they are not taught the skills to live life.


What God is continuing to teach me is that living in Ukraine long term is a commitment. It’s firstly a commitment to him but also a commitment to where and who he’s called me to serve. It’s really hard sometimes, but as I said earlier, to see God pull through for me and for others who are trusting him is very exciting.

Ukraine or THE Ukraine?

I have this pet peeve. It's a really really big pet peeve. It's so big that I don't know if I should write about it because I get very worked up about it and my readers may think that I'm being overly sensitive.

My pet peeve is: I absolutely hate it when people are talking about Ukraine and call it, "THE UKRAINE."

Ukraine is a country not a place. You don't say, THE LA or THE England or THE California or THE America or THE Russia.

When a person says, "THE Ukraine," this sounds as if they don't really understand that it's an independent country and they are are referring to it as being a territory or a land that is not a recognized country. It's DISRESPECTFUL.

It's a grammtical mistake and it makes the person saying it sound like they have failed geography.

My friends and family know that if they slip and say this they get a lecture.

Now you understand why I didn't want to get into this........I get worked up about it.

I promised myself I wouldn't get into US politics on my blog or endorse a candidate publicly and bore you further with more blog drivel on the US elections and I'm not going to but and this is a big BUT this US election has dragged on long enough and I'm tired and cranky.

So will somebody PLEASE let Mr. Obama know that Ukraine is now a COUNTRY and it's UKRAINE and not THE UKRAINE?

Sigh.......thank you gentle readers for letting me get that out of my system......

For a great post on the US elections in regards to the candidates knowledge and perspectives of US relations with Russia/Georgia and Ukraine, and to see the video clip that set off this blog lecture on grammar and correct usage of the word Ukraine, click HERE.

Go Dodgers!

I believe in miracles!

Blast From The Past

This photo was taken a while ago!

Teenagers In Kyiv

With the start of every school year in Kyiv, I watch the teenagers change as I walk by the local kiosks on my street. There is a school near me and at lunch time, the kids come out and buy "lunch" (we will use that term loosely because it's usually chips and a drink) at the kiosks. They hang out on the streets and munch on their meal while talking.

When I first moved to Kyiv nine years ago, most kids that were 13-16 looked like 13-16 year olds and their drink of choice was juice.

A few years later, I noticed the kids dressed a little less conservatively, not bad, just more modern and their drink of choice was soda pop.

A couple of years later the girls started dressing the same as 30 year old women and the drinks were mixed, pop or beer.

Now when I see these clusters of kids they are all purchasing beer. As I stood in line with them the other day I wondered how they can possibly function in class with a buzz. I wondered if their teachers notice or care. I wondered how long these young kids have been drinking beer as they seem so comfortable buying it.

Just as I was wondering this a girl turned around with her bottle of beer and popped off the cap with her teeth.

I have to admit it was an impressive move.

And it gave me even more to wonder about.

Our Testimony

I think one of the most powerful things we have as Christians is our testimony. This idea struck me hard last week as I talked to a friend and tried to encourage her in her relationship with God.

Sometimes I think as Christians we get very worked up over having to know it all, recommending a book that explains it all, having a Pastor tell us how to live life or diagramming a plan for having everything in life, when all God really wants us to do is share with each other what he is teaching us and what we have learned along life's way.

Summer Is Gone

Those hot, long days of summer are gone for good. It has been raining steadily for days and there's no sign of let up until Friday per the weather reports......sigh.....

Cap's Mind Is Open Again

My friend and sportswriter Cap Carey has "opened his mind" once again at his blog, Inside The Mind Of Cap. He shut down his blog for a few months but it is up and running again with a new look. (I knew he couldn't contain himself long and would someday return to the blogosphere!)

If you are into sports and humor, drop by his blog, tell Cap I sent you and mention that you think the Dodgers are the best baseball team in the world!

Talk Like A Pirate Day

Man the ropes and fetch a hook, today is "Talk Like A Pirate Day." Mark my words about that!

Readers be warned, it's fine goal to take in your sails and rouse yourself to this plan, but if this be your intention, they ye'll be needing to do some homework mateys. If ye will be a pirate, then ye need to know the difference between fore and aft and whether the said dog in front of ye will ever move or not. (Audio animatronics not withstanding) Is it parsnip or parlay? Don't be confused. There's a code to be learned. Ye must honor the code at all times.

Humble pirate ye may attain to be but do you know how to strap a pair of sea turtles together? Can you commandeer a ship by yourself? Avast ye mates there are things a man can do, and then there's what a man can't do by his onesy self......savy?

As for me, I will be keeping a weather eye out for pirates today and will be taking what I can and giving nothing back.

Remember, don't fall behind and keep to the code.

(If this post is just not crazy enough for you, check out this blog where you can read genuine pirate haiku poems......)

Lipstick On A Pig

Yes folks, I did run across a pig today at the center wearing lipstick.......

Proverbs

I have just finished the book of Proverbs. I read it with a pen in hand! To me Proverbs is one of the most interesting books in the Bible. I remember reading it when I was young and thinking....."What?!" All that wisdom packed in a book and most of it I didn't really get or understand.

Well I'm a big girl now and have seen some things in life and it's oh so interesting how much these little words of wisdom do apply to our everyday lives.

I thought I would share some of my favorites on my blog:

Trust In the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding....3:5

Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men......4:14

For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it......8:11

He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool......10:18

Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish......12:1

There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.....13:7

Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge.....14:7

The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good......15:3

Commit thy works unto the Lord and thy thoughts shall be established.....16:3

He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want......11:16

He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.....25:28

Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.......26:4

Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.....27:17

A poor man that oppresseth the poor is like a sweeping rain which leaveth no food......28:3

When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.......29:2

Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar......30:5,6

How Do You Cross The Street In Kyiv?

First, you must assess the situation. Here the traffic lights are not working and there are no traffic policemen.

This three way intersection is full of cars and each street is lined up with cars for as far as the eye can see. Cross with others for safety and look alive. Ukrainian drivers are aggressive and have the right of way at all times.

Once on the other side of the street you can breath a sigh of relief. Take a moment to commiserate with those sitting in their cars.

Let your mind be totally spun out as you notice the new, large and rather obnoxious Life:) monument/advertisment.

Then, one last look down the street......

You are now heading to the metro where you will arrive at your destination faster than the people in these cars will!

Free Book!

One of the most amazing books I've ever read is called Tortured For Christ. It was written by Richard Wurmbrand. He stood up for Jesus and was imprisoned in a communist prison for fourteen years. His love for Christ and his captors is an amazing testimony. Everyone should read his book.

Voice of the Martyrs is offering this book for FREE. To receive a copy, click HERE.

You can visit Persecuted Church Weblog to read more about Christian persecution which is still happening all over the world today.

No Words

This is an all too frequent site around the city. People collapsing right on the street. For whatever reasons, alcohol, drug use or homelessness, no one deserves this fate.

Adoption Blogs

Because people are linking my blog right and left, (thank you) and my blogroll is getting long, I am moving the Ukrainian adoption blogs over to Scenes From The Sidewalk and creating their own blogroll there. If you have a blog about adopting in Ukraine, feel free to email me the address and I will list it on that blog........mmkukraine@yahoo.com

Check This Out

Sometimes, people get things wrong about missionaries....sometimes they think that we are either more holy or spiritual than other Christians or we are pitied by them because we are losing out on "regular" life or ministry at home.

I love this video because it shows that we are neither. We are just people who love God and want to share his love with others.

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.......Philippians 4:13 (KJV)

Perspective

Just to give the Russia/Georgia crisis a little perspective, here's a map that's been floating around the internet. It is from a website that is written by people living in Georgia and has all the latest news about what what is going on there.....www.sosgeorgia.org.

If you can't reach the site, it's because it's under constant cyber attack. I read it yesterday though and it is pretty cool. It has lots of photos and up to date information.

Just One More

Okay, just one more Lavra Monastery photo......

Even More Photos From Lavra Monastery

Here are some final photos of my trip to Lavra Monastery this summer. To visit the caves, which are where many Orthodox Saints are buried, women must wear head scarves. Here are Emily and I in our finery.

I wanted a more haremish look.

Here's the bottom part of the large complex. The rose garden was incredible as well as the view of the Dnieper.

Lavra Mural

This is a photo of a mural at Lavra Monastery. You can see it at the entrance of the Monastery. It is a bit faded because it is outside and exposed to harsh weather.