Night trains, clock towers, and Ukraine

The next leg of my journey began with a night train from Minsk, Belarus to Lviv, Ukraine. Call me childish, silly, or a travel newbie if you want- I was excited. I'd never been on a night train before. You know, the kind with fold out beds and little tables for long journeys. So with last goodbyes to my Belrussian friends, it was just me and Nick, my compartment buddy, in for the 14 hour ride to Lviv. An older Russian man now living in Minsk, Nick was a great travel companion. To my astonishment and pleasure he spoke English. After he shared a traditional fruit juice drink with me, we quickly fell into a conversation about religion, politics, and life in general. A night train pro, Nick helped me figure out the beds, translated for not one but two border patrols, and helped me order coffee in the morning. What a blessing!

Our train compartment!

Right out of the train stood my next hosts, Pastor Ivan Chabon and his wife, Luba. Along with them was my soon-to-be friend and translator, 14 year old, Sofiya. They immediately whisked me away to their home in Kamyanka' kabuska, about an hour outside of Lviv. Over the next few weeks I was blessed immensely by their hospitality and care for me. Though Brother Ivan and Sister Luba didn't speak English, they made sure through pantomiming, writing, and calls to translator friends that I had everything I needed. During the day, Sofiya or my other translator and friend Nastia, sacrificed their last bit of summer to show me their town, their culture, and their lives.

Brother Ivan, Me, and Sister Luba

During my time in Kamyanka I got to visit Lviv, spend time with their church's youth group, and celebrate Ukraine's 25th year of independence. Lviv was a beautiful city filled with charms and not tourists. I had the pleasure of visiting with friends who served as local guides. One morning we climbed hundreds of steps to the top of a clock tower. Luckily, the Camino was great training for all of the steps and walking. From the top of the clock tower we had magnificent views of the city and surrounding hills. Other sites included several churches, a chocolate factory, an outdoor walk-through museum of Ukraine's different regions and village life, and a hilltop called the High Castle. Other days were spent visiting a homebound granny to talk and pray with her, attending church prayer meetings, and spending time with Sofiya's many friends. One day I went with Nastia to help cook for some men of her church who were working to repair their church's pond bank. I got to spend the day cooking and talking with her about life in Ukraine. I also picked up some great Ukrainian recipes.

The view from the tower

The Lviv Opera House

IRA, Me, Sofiya, and Zenya the Granny

Nastia- friend, translator, and my Ukrainian cooking teacher 

The men hard at work while we cook

I also visited Sister Luba's work, the government office for taking care of the elderly. I got a tour of their facility, complete with a room to get your hair cut, clothes repaired, and a massage if you are elderly and in need. Sister Luba's work here has prepared her well for the ministry God has called her and Brother Ivan to. For 6 years, when they have the funds, they have been building a House of Mercy for the elderly. Located right next to their church, I got to tour their building site and see the care and craftsmanship going into the building. It is clear that they have a desire to offer a well built clean and caring environment to their future residents. They have some cool stories about the Lord's provision for their work-please ask me about them sometime!

The in-house hairdresser

The in-house clothes repairman

The in progress Good Samaritan House of Mercy

During my time in Kamyanka I celebrated my 23rd birthday. This was my second year in a row to celebrate out of the country. It can be a little scary to be in a new place for a special day, you never know if you will get to celebrate or be with people you know and love. For my actual birthday Brother Ivan, Sister Luba, Sofiya, and I were in another small town visiting a small elderly home there. After our visit to the home and church, Sofiya and I said goodbye to Ivan and Luba to go to a youth meeting and then spend the night at the house of a girl in the group. Our time with the youth was a blessing and I loved getting to fellowship with them. Then we headed to where we were staying. Little did I know that they had a cake, party hats, flowers, and a giant sucker waiting for me there! They sang and gave me birthday blessings and to my delight Ivan and Luba where still there too! They headed home and the young people and I stayed up late into the night talking about school, ministry, and the differences between the church in America and in Ukraine. After finally saying good night I went to my room where I read messages and posts from friends and family all over the world wishing me a happy birthday. What a blessed day! Two days later, just before I left, Sister Luba, Nastia, Sofiya and all of her friends surprised me with another party! We had more flowers, party hats, and not one but two homemade cakes! It was overwhelming to be blessed by so many people I had just met.

Birthday party number one!

*Unfortunately, due to my poor command of electronics I can't upload photos from the other party :(

September 1st is thew start of school countrywide here. So on the first day of school I accompanied Sofiya to the opening ceremony and first few classes of her school year. It was an interesting experience to see how schools in Ukraine operate. That evening I met one of the English teachers at the school and she invited me back to school the next day to shadow some classes and meet the other American girl that was helping there. What!? The OTHER American girl!? There was another one and I hadn't heard about her until now! That may not seem like a big deal but in a smaller town in Ukraine that rarely has American visitors, it was amazing. So, I went back to school the next day and had a lovely conversation about with Laura, a Peace Corps girl from Ohio. It was great to hear what had brought her to Ukraine and our different experiences within the culture. Later that day in an unexpected change of plans I headed to Boryslav, Ukraine for the next few weeks.

Ukrainian school opening ceremony!

Sofiya and I on the first day of school

I so enjoyed my time in Kamyanka. Brother Ivan and Sister Luba were the perfect hosts and so many others there gave up their time to ensure I had a wonderful visit. I will certainly miss all those in Kamyanka!

So you can't read Russian?

It has come to my attention that I accidentally posted my last blog in Russian. I am assuming that means none of you could read it...me neither. The post in Russian was due to my host families automatically translating Google pages as opposed to my amazing command of the language. Funnily enough their auto-translating computer will also not allow me to put my Facebook in English. The closest I can get is Spanish! So for now I am posting Russian blogs and operating a Spanish Facebook. Ahh, life on the road!

But no worries. I have gone back and reposted the blog- in English this time. So feel free to go back and actually read it. Thanks for following and for your patience!

Belarus!

After Berlin I headed to Belarus where I would spend the next three weeks. I was nervous coming in because I still needed to get a visa on arrival for the country. I had checked and triple checked all of the papers I needed but was pretty nervous that something would go wrong and they wouldn't let me in. Needless to say, that didn't actually happen and things went fine. I was met at the airport by Nastia, who would be my translator, tour guide, and friend during my first few weeks in the country. 

Once out of the airport, visa in passport, and bag in tow we headed 4 hours east to a small village near Kobrin. This is the home of the House of Mercy and Zemchuzencka, a children's camp. I was connected with these wonderful ministries through the Future Leaders Fellowship and The Missouri Baptist Home. The House of Mercy houses roughly 35 elderly people that are in need of care. Operating separate from government funding the House of Mercy is a Christian facility that seeks to actively share the Gospel with their residents through daily worship music sessions and loving nurses. Zemchuzencka is located on the same compound and is a Christian camp for children. Throughout the summer the facility houses camps for children and teens, with special sessions for children that have been diagnosed with terminal illnesses. 

My first few days there I did some gardening work around the grounds of the House of Mercy. As much as I wanted to help with the residents my lack of the Russian language made this very difficult and would have required constant translation. So it was the garden for me, which suited me just as well. 

The next week a camp for children age 7-14 began. I was the official camp photographer for the week (another great job that didn't require me to speak Russian). I took pictures and played with the kids throughout the morning and early afternoon. I would then impose on my friend Inna in the House of Mercy office. Every afternoon she patiently supplied coffee, snacks, and the use of her computer so that I could make a video to be shown at the evening program. I had a blast getting to know the staff and kids at the camp. Zemchuzencka had great Bible teachers who sought to share the Gospel in a real non-watery way. Sometimes in our attempt to make the Gospel understandable for kids it seems that we end up presenting a watery version that doesn't answer a lot of questions and can relegate the saving grace of God to something that just saves us from a scary hell (not that this aspect isn't important or true!), instead of as an amazing life giving gift that alters our worldview and life purpose. It was clear to me that  the staff at Zemchuzencka wanted to avoid this downfall with strong biblical teaching. The week passed quickly and I even managed to pick up a few Russian words and children's songs. 

The main building of the camp.

Pavel (the camp's current director), Me, and Valadmir (the camp's previous director) 

Unlike in American camps- children in Belarus have to work for their breakfast! We started out every morning with an exercise session including stretching, songs, and jogging.

Children are the same all over the world- there's always a ham in the bunch somewhere!

Me, Inna, and Nastia

Camp group photo 

My next stop was Volozhin (pronounced Va-low-shin), a town of about 11,000 situated 70 km from Minsk. I spent my week there with Pastor Sergei and his family. His daughter-in-law, Katya acted as my translator. I stayed at their small church where an elderly 96 year old woman also lives. She, as with many older people in Belarus, has no children or grandchildren who are able to care for her. This left her living in very poor conditions struggling to care for herself until Pastor Sergei allowed her to move into a room at the church. Now a fellow church member, Olga, comes daily to cook for her and do some light cleaning. My "job" for the week was to help take care of Granny (the name everyone lovingly referred to the old woman as). Again, the language barrier made this difficult but Katya and I were at least able to give Olga some much needed rest and bring some variety to Granny's life. I also had the opportunity to attend all of  their weekly church gatherings including the youth service, Sunday night prayer meeting, and women's prayer meeting.Throughout the week Pastor Sergei took me to the homes of several different elderly people and couples. Some, like granny, had no one to care for them, their living situations were dismal. Others, lived with their children or had children that visited often, these couples were well cared for and clearly had a better standard of living. It was important for me to see and understand the difference between the two situations to fully grasp why Pastir Sergei has a heart for developing a ministry to the elderly people without family to help. Their small church hopes to someday build a facility like the House of Mercy to house and care for the elderly in their community. 

My last few days in Belarus were spent in Minsk, the capital, with Katya and her husband Vanya. There we attended an organ concert at a beautiful old church with Sergei and Igor (a longtime friend of my friends at the Missouri Baptist Home). We went to church at one of the largest Baptist churches in the city and got to witness a wedding as well. In between events, Katya and Vanya opened their home to me and also showed me the sights of Minsk. They along with Igor, then took me to the train station to see me off to Ukraine. 

A small church plant near Volozhin currently being renovated.

Monday night prayer meeting!

Fresh picked wild blueberries- yum!

1 of 3 total fish caught that day... if you can consider my minnow a fish!

Pastor Sergei's Family- from the back left- Nastia, Miriam, Dima, Dasha, and me

Granny and I at the church.

The national library of Belarus in Minsk- it is a glass structure that is covered in lights that make different designs at night.

I am so incredibly grateful for the warmth, hospitality, and care that each person I met in Belarus freely gave to me. They housed, fed, and transported me, going above and beyond with special touches like fresh flowers in my room or sweet notes of encouragement. They also put up with my inability to speak their language. On multiple occasions people apologized to me for not speaking English, apparently forgetting that I was the crazy one who decided to come to Belarus without knowing Russian! 

Thanks and blessings to the staff of Zemchuzencka, the House of Mercy, and Pastor Sergei and his family- particularly Nastia, Inna, Igor, Pavil, Katya, and Olga. Thank you also to the Missouri Baptist Home, Roger Hatfield, and John Jackson for setting up my time here. 

All of these local ministries could use your prayers for God's continued guidance and provision. If you would like more information about these ministries or would like to help further- please let me know! 

Coming Soon: Night trains, clock towers, and Ukraine 

  



















   

  

Berlin Baby

The next stop for my travels was Berlin, Germany. I was there to meet up with Jesse and Erica M. who , along with their very adorable little girl Aubrey, are living in Berlin to do ministry. They also happen to be fellow SBU alumni and Jesse a graduate of the same ICS program. This made our time together even better as we reminisced about old professors, classes, and mutual friends.

Jesse and Erica have been in Germany for about 8 months so they are still in the language learning phase of ministry. It was so good for me to be there with them and see this hard, less glamorous season of ministry life. We often fail to remember when we send out our brothers and sisters for cross-cultural ministry that it takes time to learn a new language, understand cultural cues, and to build relationships for ministry. Forgetting this truth can lead to faulty expectations from those at home as to what a family's ministry should look like after 8,10 or even 12 months on the field. Beyond dealing with difficult expectations from home comes an intense internal desire to also be doing the full time daily ministry you feel you came to the field for and of course the desire to be magically fluent in your new language. All of these factors can make the first season of long term service difficult and dry- or at least this is the valuable lesson I learned through my time with Jesse and Erica. Don't get me wrong, they made it clear that there are good things in the first season too, but gave me a more realistic perspective that I am grateful for.

Since Jesse and Erica are still in the beginning stages our time was spent mostly exploring new areas of the city and prayer walking. They have a desire to work with Muslim background people, particularly the thousands of refugees that have flooded into Germany from throughout the Middle East. I loved hearing their heart for these people and exploring the areas in which the refugees live in Berlin. We visited neighborhoods with high populations of Muslim background people and looked for parks, cafés, and other areas where Jesse and Erica will be able to meet and build relationships with those they seek to serve. As we walked we prayed over the homes, parks, and mosques that we passed, asking the Lord to lead them in ministry and send His spirit to work in the hearts surrounding us.

While in the city I also got to meet one of Jesse and Erica's teammates who is a young single gal. We ate dinner together and I was able to hear about her journey and call to ministry. It was a good opportunity to hear from someone like-minded and in a similar stage of life and who has already traversed the waters I hope to be in soon.

My time in Berlin was good to recover physically from the Camino and transition into a new stage of my journey. I had plently of free time to explore the city on my own and got to see some interesting sights including Checkpoint Charlie, the Brandenburg Gate, and the DDR museum. As someone who was born at the very end of the Cold War and Soviet Union era, there is so much about that time I had never understood or studied. It was so fun to get to learn about Berlin Wall, the DDR, and other historical events in the place where they actually occurred.

Standing in an arch of the Berlin Wall

The Reichstag

A beautiful church with a lovely plaza in front.

Checkpoint Charlie

I also got to spend a few nights hanging out with fellow travelers from my hostel. It was good to swap stories and learn about and share our reasons for travelling. It is not surprising that my reasons are often very different from those I am surrounded by. However, it is a good opportunity to show that Christians, which don't have a very food rap on this side of the pond, can be informed, loving citizens of the world who are not just dead set on shoving their religion down other's throats but who actually care about people as people and not just projects to fix or convert. I'm not saying that my conversations with these people made them want to listen to a Gospel presentation or become Christians on the spot but perhaps I was able to change their perception just a bit about Christians and Christianity in general. I can only pray that our encounters were a chance for the Spirit to begin working in their hearts.My next blog is coming soon (I promise!). In the mean time, please lift up Jesse and Erica and their current ministry as well as those I am encountering. Pray that the Lord will be glorified in my words and speech among all those that I meet. Blessings to you!

The Camino

It's tough to begin a post about the most recent section of my time abroad. For the last 37 days I have been walking the Camino de Santiago, also known as the Way of St James. This is a 490 mile pilgrimage trail that beings in St. Jean Pied de Port,  France and ends in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. I made the choice to continue after Santiago to Fisterra, another 55 miles, all the way to the Atlantic ocean. This means I have walked the entire length of northern Spain. And if you couldn't tell from my poorly hidden hints of bragging- I'm quite proud of this accomplishment.

Me- at the edge of the world Fisterra, Spain

The famous sign marking the edge of Santiago!

Sans 2 rest days, daily life consisted of waking up around 5:30am, strapping on my pack and walking 12-18 miles. I would then check into an albergue (think hostel) and go to sleep around 9 or 9:30 so I could wake up and do it again. Throw in some incredible conversations, about 6 meals a day, and perhaps a nap and you've got a good picture.  In case you are wondering, my pack weighed about 22 pounds when my water was full. Yes it was hard and yes I got blisters.

Camino scenes: cafe sidewalks filled with backpacks and walking sticks

Spain is filled with beautiful nature scenes and my favorite flowers, poppies!

The typical pilgrim lunch: a cheese, chorizo, and bread sandwich. 

But beyond being an incredible physical challenge, the Camino is so much more. People come from all over the world to walk it and for a million different reasons. Some come for sport, some for religious pilgrimage, others for healing, and many because they simply don't know what's next. My reasons were to connect with God, connect with others, and connect with myself.
I was extremely fortunate that my parents were able to start the Camino with me. It is something they have been wanting to do for many years and it was a blessing to share part of the Way with them. They were absolute champs- pushing through bum knees, blisters, plantar fasciitis, and sore ankles. Despite the hardships, I think they enjoyed it and got a taste of the journey I continued on my own.

Mom, Dad, and I with part of the Camino crew.

After Mom and Dad left, I fell in with a group of walking buddies. Two guys- a Canadian and an American and three other girls- all American. People phased in and out of the group but these were the main people I spent the redst of the Camino with. We walked, tsalked, ate, and grew together. We were and remain incredibly different people but poor differences helped treach us lessons we needed to learn. Below is a list of just some of the lessons I learned on the Camino:
1. When you don't think you can't go another step, you can.
2. In life, it is necessary to cast off timidity and play all your cards.
3. Life is best lived with others.
4. Living life with others requires sacrifices- they're worth it.
5. Its possible to walk 12 kilometers before eating breakfast (possible, though not suggested).
6. If you want to have a good conversation with someone- take a walk.
7. Talking about your faith with others strengthens it and allows for personal reflection on your true values and beliefs.
8. People are incredibly different but we all seek purpose and connection.
9. Shut up and listen.
10. Most of us have way more than we need. The simple life is the best life.
11. Choose to live with joy- always.

These are just a few of the lessons the Camino and my Camino people taught me. I now want to share with you a few if the sayings that were often proclaimed on the Camino. The first is, "it's your Camino." This encompasses the fluidity, acceptance, and diversity found on the Camino. This phrase in essence means that though you may walk with others or be asking others for advice in the end the way, pace, and reason why you walk is dictated by you alone. Goodbyes for a day or forever are common on the Camino. In the beginning it is hard but by the end you understand that leaving is what that particular person needs to do to "walk their Camino."

Another phrase we use often is, "the Camino provides." Be it food, a bed, companionship, healing, or confidence- what you truly need the Camino provides. It may take us for an unexpected loop but it provides. And what is "the Camino'" anyways? Well, obviously it is the trail itself but also the people and the experience. When you least expect it someone happens by too help or encourage you. When you run out of water, a fountain is there. When you are struggling with a thought or concept, a conversation or moment will come along that sheds light and understanding.

Interestingly, I also discovered another beautiful aspect of the Camino. It is a place where people, many of whom are nonbelievers, exemplify the Body of Christ without knowing it. Pilgrims care for each other and offer support on many different levels, just as the Body of Christ is called to do. I think that is why so many people are drawn to the Camino- here they receive the  love, acceptance, challenge, growth, and support that they often fail to find in daily life. This highlights the thirst for genuine community that people from all places and backgrounds desire. It also calls us, the Church, to work towards achieving the same raw, genuine, and supportive community in our churches, small groups and homes as is found on the Camino.  If we take up this challenge it is possible to show nonbelievers that the love, purpose, and connection they seek can be found at home and within the Body of Christ.

 Life will never be the same after completing such a journey. I am incredibly grateful to the Lord for providing the opportunity, time, and funds to make it possible. It is my prayer that I never forget the lessons and truths the Lord has revealed to me in this time. Unfortunately, I am only able to scratch the surface of my experiences in this blog. So, if you want to hear more, well...we'll just take a walk sometime.

My Camino girls: from left to right Elizabeth, Me, Melissa, and Tricia

The girls and I in Leon enjoying a well deserved rest day.

The girls with our Canadian walking buddy Brad. 

Long Awaited...Israel

It has been over a month since I left home and almost as long since I left Israel. It is easy to say that never has my worldview been more challenged or affected as they have in this month alone. I will try to give some musings and highlights in this next bit. 

Israel was mind blowing both for reasons I expected and for those I didn't. Obviously there is the Biblical and historical side of Israel that I was looking forward to immensely. However, the modern political side of Israel impacted me deeply. The program I traveled with, Passages, did a wonderful job of including both of these elements and many perspectives into my experience. 

My tour group- complete with 2 SBU professors, our tour guide- Adrian, and security guard- Yoni

Me and our Passages fellow- Lydia

The two biggest take aways for my faith were better understanding the Biblical narrative in terms of geography and culture and the humanity of Jesus. I had a friend who has been to Israel comment that once you have been there the Bible never reads the same way. How true that statement is! How can the way I read the Word of God be the same after seeing the valley where David fought Goliath or the pools of Bethesda where Jesus healed the lame man? 

Dr. Bayer- an SBU Old Testament professor gives us a devotion at An Gedi national park 

A sunrise over the Sea of Galilee

The Western Wall

Some of my peers standing in an ancient cistern that holds roughly a million gallons of water 

This leads me to the second biggest impact of the trip for my faith- I was overwhelmed by the humanity of Christ. We say all the time in Christian circles that Jesus was fully God and fully man. It is an accepted fact that, at least for me, was taken for granted. Jesus called himself the Son of Man on multiple occasions but there is something all together more real about it when you are staring at a 1st century synagogue  where Jesus probably taught. He was here. He walked through this land, stared at these hills...Wow. This man was real and faced struggles the same as me and you. He stood near the Sea of Galilee and thought "Man it's hot today," just like I did (I mean I can't prove it but having been there I think it's a safe assumption to make). Kidding aside it is amazing to sit and have the certainty and knowledge that I worship and follow a God who is not statue or stone but was once flesh and blood. 

In addition to learning about biblical Israel, Passages gave us a great understanding of the modern nation. I had the opportunity to visit the Syrian, Lebanon, and Gaza boarders. Getting a first hand glimpse of the threats that Israeli citizens face daily was humbling and eye opening. It became clear very quickly that the stories I so often see in the news about current situations are usually biased and inaccurate. 

While these two perspectives are incredibly valuable I discovered an Israel that goes beyond the typical biblical or political stereotype that befalls the nation. Israel was breathtakingly beautiful with amazing geographical diversity. There are mountains, valleys, rivers, deserts, beaches, and forests- all within a space the size of New Jersey. The economy is booming and the government has an incredible way of promoting entrepreneurship. The food is fresh, healthy, and delicious. The culture is diverse and beautiful. People are direct and filled with gumption but incredibly kind. The amount of national pride found in each Israeli brings tears to my eyes. 

Mud Masks at the Dead Sea (I'm the one in pink in the front on the left!)

Food!

In short, the nation of Israel is incredible. It is not perfect, something stressed to me by Israelis themselves, but its citizens strive to improve the nation on all fronts with the resources available to them. I encourage you to go and see for yourself the wonder that is Israel from both a modern and Biblical perspective. If you let it, it will change your worldview. I also challenge you to seek non-biased news sources on the nation. And please- if you have questions or want to hear more- ask!