...we wanted to post another update before we left Ukraine to head home, but we're unable to, due to a packed schedule...
...we're home! What a trip! We're all very exhausted, but home!
...thank you once more for your prayers! We look forward to sharing more about our trip with you!
...until then, we leave you with Psalm 10: 12, 14, 16a, 17-18a, as we think about all of the precious faces we saw during our time in Ukraine:
"Arise, LORD!
Lift up your hand, O God.
Do not forget the helpless.
But you, O God, do see trouble and grief;
you consider it to take it in hand.
The victim commits himself to you;
you are the helper of the fatherless.
The LORD is King for ever and ever...
You hear, O LORD, the desire of the afflicted;
you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,
defending the fatherless and the oppressed..."
Grace,
luke
[for the team]
Monday, August 3, 2009
Friday, July 31, 2009
:: Update ::
Thanks so much for your faithfulness in praying for our team!
Our journey in Ukraine has landed us at Ruslan's house for a few days. We arrived last night, had a great dinner and celebrated Ruslan's 30th Birthday!
Today we traveled once more to Ledyzhyn and were priveledged to spend more time singing and interacting with the residents there. I'm still amazed at just how many people this facility houses. I'm also amazed at the vast age range of the residents. Our hearts were heavy as we left, yet we're holding to the promise that God has them all in the palm of His hand. Please continue to lift the Ledyzhyn orphanage up in prayer...
It was also difficult saying goodbye to the precious children at the Tulchyn Orphanage...they hold such a special place in our hearts. We've seen and gotten to know many of the children at the orphanage for three years in a row - many of us have formed "bonds" with the children. Once more, our hope is in our Father, who is a Father to the fatherless...Please continue to remember the Tulchyn orphanage in your prayers...
Our times of soccer with the local kids and teens in Tulchyn was a tremendous blessing. 15-20 kids showed up daily. We were able to build relationships with them as we played lots of soccer, and also shared the Gospel with them every day. One day, a few of the boys gave us a box of chocolates as a present. On the last day, two boys gave us a DVD with pictures of old & new Tulchyn on it, along with Ukrainian folk & modern music. Please pray for these boys - that God would move powerfully in their hearts through the Gospel that has been shared. Pray that they would rise up, embrace the Gospel and grow as spiritual leaders in this town...
Here are a few more pictures for you to enjoy...
Our journey in Ukraine has landed us at Ruslan's house for a few days. We arrived last night, had a great dinner and celebrated Ruslan's 30th Birthday!
Today we traveled once more to Ledyzhyn and were priveledged to spend more time singing and interacting with the residents there. I'm still amazed at just how many people this facility houses. I'm also amazed at the vast age range of the residents. Our hearts were heavy as we left, yet we're holding to the promise that God has them all in the palm of His hand. Please continue to lift the Ledyzhyn orphanage up in prayer...
It was also difficult saying goodbye to the precious children at the Tulchyn Orphanage...they hold such a special place in our hearts. We've seen and gotten to know many of the children at the orphanage for three years in a row - many of us have formed "bonds" with the children. Once more, our hope is in our Father, who is a Father to the fatherless...Please continue to remember the Tulchyn orphanage in your prayers...
Our times of soccer with the local kids and teens in Tulchyn was a tremendous blessing. 15-20 kids showed up daily. We were able to build relationships with them as we played lots of soccer, and also shared the Gospel with them every day. One day, a few of the boys gave us a box of chocolates as a present. On the last day, two boys gave us a DVD with pictures of old & new Tulchyn on it, along with Ukrainian folk & modern music. Please pray for these boys - that God would move powerfully in their hearts through the Gospel that has been shared. Pray that they would rise up, embrace the Gospel and grow as spiritual leaders in this town...
Here are a few more pictures for you to enjoy...
Cheryl sharing Bible stories (in Ukrainian) with children at the Tulchyn orphange:
Maria, the Tulchyn orphanage Director, presented our group with a special decorative plate with an inscription on the back of it. Pictured with Maria is our team leader, Scott:
This is a picture of old Tulchyn - it was on the DVD that was a gift from one of the soccer guys:
Keep praying!
- Luke, for all of us
:: Reflections From Kaitlyn and Megan ::
It is really truly wonderful how the Lord works in many different ways to strengthen our relationship with him. I have clearly observed that this team has been amazed by the way the Lord has brought the true meaning of love and thankfulness to each of our eyes. Recently we have been singing a song during devotions called “God of This City”. This song talks about how great and amazing things have come and even more greater things are still to be done in this city, and that is exactly what present teams, past teams, and even future teams have and will be doing here in Ukraine and around the world. This is only the middle of the week and so many things have already come and greater things are still to be done.
-Kaitlyn Weaver
Well, when we got there, I wasn’t really sure what to expect...But, almost as soon as we walked into the room with the kids on Monday (at the orphanage in Tulchyn), a little girl came up to me and held her arms out to me and I just stood there and hugged her for several minutes. Later on that day, she kept coming back to me with this huge grin on her face just standing there with her arms wide open. So when we go back each day, I don’t have to look for her, she comes to me, and she just wants to be held by me or for me to play with her or to hold her hand. Her name is Angailina. I just want everyone to pray for me and little Angailina because she is attached to me and I am attached to her so it will be hard tomorrow when we leave Tulchyn and it will be the last time I see her. She has definitely touched my heart. She’s one of the many blessings God has provided for this trip. It was a joy to play the piano for the kids today!
-Megan O’Sullivan
-Kaitlyn Weaver
Well, when we got there, I wasn’t really sure what to expect...But, almost as soon as we walked into the room with the kids on Monday (at the orphanage in Tulchyn), a little girl came up to me and held her arms out to me and I just stood there and hugged her for several minutes. Later on that day, she kept coming back to me with this huge grin on her face just standing there with her arms wide open. So when we go back each day, I don’t have to look for her, she comes to me, and she just wants to be held by me or for me to play with her or to hold her hand. Her name is Angailina. I just want everyone to pray for me and little Angailina because she is attached to me and I am attached to her so it will be hard tomorrow when we leave Tulchyn and it will be the last time I see her. She has definitely touched my heart. She’s one of the many blessings God has provided for this trip. It was a joy to play the piano for the kids today!
-Megan O’Sullivan
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
:: A Look Into Kelly's Heart ::
Meeting Nadia is probably one of the best things that has ever happened to me. Nadia has hydrocephalus and it is currently untreated. Her head is noticeable larger than it should be at her young age.
As many of you know I, Kelly Greenfield, also have hydrocephalus, but unlike Nadia, mine has been treated and I have been able to lead a normal life.
Even before the trip I had put up a shield so that saying goodbye would be easier but that shield was broken through the second I saw Nadia. Seeing how blessed I am and that God allowed me to be born into a country where I was able to get my hydrocephalus treated is a gift that I will always be thankful for.
After seeing her, God laid it on my heart to try and do something to help her. She is still young, so surgery may still be a possibility. All I want is for her to be able to lead a normal life and be able to live it to its fullest. She is a beautiful little girl and has captured my heart.
Before I was able to come to the orphanage there was another infant with the same condition but sadly, as true in many untreated cases, hydrocephalus caused his much, much too early death. I do not wish the same for Nadia or any other child suffering with the condition that, until yesterday, I took for granted. Seeing her suffering with this condition and there being nothing they can do about it her has makes me want to try as hard as I can to do something to help her.
I don’t know what exactly that means, but I do know that God has laid this little girl on my heart and leaving Tulchyn tomorrow will be one of the hardest things for me to do. All the children at this orphanage have touched my heart but none like little Nadia.
:: Video Hello from Youth Group Students ::
[...hope the sound works - we're in an internet cafe now & the computer has no speakers. enjoy!]
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
:: Seeing Through Cheryl's Eyes ::
It was on the tour of the “sick room” when we saw him. He was 2 years old and lying in a crib. He was clean, well wrapped and covered, with a blanket up to his neck. Maria, the director, explained that he was born with a section of his brain missing, that he was blind and deaf, had cerebral palsy, and that physical touch hurt him. He was motionless. He will not live long, she said, but he hadn’t been expected to live as long as he has.
When I’m with the children, I do not focus on the fact that they are orphans with huge needs, and I’d say that some others on the team may be like this, too. You just get going: playing, singing, “talking,” chasing, and running. You watch them and look at their faces and try to follow the interaction clues that they give you. You pick them up when they let you, for this is one reason we have come—to be the arms, hands, and faces of Jesus. And you can’t do this if you’re an emotional basket case, crying in the corner. So you just run with it, and with them, and PLAY!
And it is fun, well, unless you’re captured by Marina and forced to stay by a tree, like I was. She was the wolf, and she got me. And she wouldn’t let me go. She said, “Stay!” which I didn’t need to know the word for, and also a lot of other things which I didn’t have a clue about. When I said, in Ukrainian, that I didn’t understand, she just shouted it louder.
I did learn today from the others on the team that if you just talk to them in English, its fine, and they get it. So I tried it with a little boy who tried to reach into my bag when it wasn’t yet time and it worked like a charm.
You do not need to know Ukrainian in order to come here. It was fun for me to learn a little bit before coming, but if you’re wondering if the Lord has a spot for you on a future team, it’s not a prerequisite. You just go and the Lord fills in the gaps, and uses the other members on the team to teach you stuff. Like today with me.
But back to the little guy in the crib, who was seemingly all alone. Last night during our worship time, we sang the song with the line “Jesus, defender of the weak,” (which happened to be the line that did me in. But it was OK for me to be the basket case at that point so I just let the tears go—wasn’t much I could do about it anyway). So today, looking at the child in the crib, I thought, “This is why Jesus has come”—to be with this tiny, untouchable fella whose life looked so small and bleak. This child was not alone. It is a delight to watch each team member here with the children.
At Ladyzhyn, Melanie was not so successful at keeping her own tears in check—not when she was singing, “Jesus loves me,” with her arms wrapped around a boy in a wheelchair. I had to get going to another room.
The teens on the trip are wonderful. (Parents, you must each be as proud as a peacock.) They are never still, and their arms are almost never empty. And the guys have the ability to hold 2 little ones at once, which they normally do—while sliding down the slide, or lifting them over and over to the cries of “More!” (which is the same body language the world around). (Wives who let your guy come without you: thank you. No wonder it was hard to let them go.) We are a team.
We laughed till after midnight last night and right now, I hear Melanie laughing over on the outdoor swing with the same laugh that drove me into fits each time I heard her last night. (But a comment by one of the girls, or by one of the guys from the other room also had the same effect. Their silliness and their antics have been like medicine for me. I love watching the youth group people all together, and I love it that they let other people in.)
Amazingly, we’re all fresh and rested today, another God-thing.Our translators, Julia and Ella, are lovely and gentle, and they use the Ukrainian “diminutive” word forms (sort of a love-y noun form built into their language that denotes care and tenderness) naturally. Marina, (my wolf attacker) was called “Marine,” by Julia, and I smiled. It was just nice to hear.
We had the privilege of meeting the children in the cribs on the first floor the other day at Ladyzhyn, where I had a different crib experience. (Oh, and Beth, one of the first things I saw was one of your little taggie blankies being thrown up in the air by a little guy from his wheelchair.) My dream had been to be able to learn enough Ukrainian words to read the children ONE story. With the help of Kseniya, (and the Lord), I also have a few phrases, and more than I could’ve imagined. So there I was at Lydisian, in a room with several cribs. They were a captive audience, so I gave ‘em what I had. I went beside each one, and I sang them “Jesus loves me” in Ukrainian (my version) which ended with the words, “Jesus says, ‘Come into my arms.” I don’t remember their faces at all—(I knew Jesus knew them, and I was just concentrating on getting to as many different children as I could, one at a time)--except for one. He had black hair, a small frame, angular, bent tube arms, and dark eyes which never left me. I had bent down to where he was, and when I was finished singing, I felt like he was holding me with those eyes, so I lingered. I touched his face, and said, “It’s true”: “Tsay pravda.” Then I said, “Jesus is here,”: “Eesoos toot,” and I touched the mattress beside him to indicate where Jesus was. He was completely unable to move or to speak, but I felt like heard him, like what I had just told him was what he’d been waiting to hear his whole life. He looked …well, serene, like he was Ok with where and how he was—like one of the Hebrews 11 “aliens and strangers in this world who are longing and waiting for a country not their own.” I held out my arms and held him. I hope I never forget his face, but I hope he saw Jesus in mine. It’s what we have been praying.
I expected Ladyzhyn to smell really, really bad. I don’t do very well with some smells, so I’d wondered how I would be. I think I mentioned this to more than one person, including David, who had gently reminded me not to whine too much while I was on this trip. (And David, I have been sort of good about that. But Kristin did comment on my refined ability to work some things into the conversation.
Yesterday when the guys were playing soccer in Tulchyn, those of us who were sitting at the sidelines were more focused on the smell there than on the game. It stunk. And I mean, really bad, like a cesspool. We had been expecting it at Ladyzhyn, but not at the non-orphanage places. It sent us into fits of laughter though, more than once, as we thought of stuffing mint gum into each nostril to try to keep the grossness at bay.)
But back to Ladyzhyn, it really wasn’t that bad…well, not as bad as I’d imagined. It was OK. Oh, it stunk too, and but then so did we when we left, since we’d all been hugging the daylights out of all of those “kids,” but it was OK.
But back to the soccer. The “soccer people” had such a great time that they’d invited the fellas back to play in the evening. So they did, and they gave the rest of us the ‘report’ when they got back. Our team, including the young guys from the village who were on the team with our guys, got creamed. The men who had shown up to play, when they’d heard of the game with the Americans, showed up wearing their cleats and really nice soccer shirts. They had no interest in mixing the teams for a nice, friendly, pickup game. Their goal was obviously blood. So our team was able to be great sports! (I wasn’t there; one soccer game at the sidelines was enough for me for one day, but having seen these incredible guys in action, I have no doubt that this was what had happened.) I thought about how all of that had actually been a gift, that these had been the circumstances, since the young guys from the village had had a chance to see the way that Jesus-guys play soccer, and how they win and lose. Pretty cool, huh?
It’s now time to eat the “milk” candy that Julia just gave me, and Ella is waiting to read this before it’s posted at the internet cafй. The sun is shining (not too hot and no humidity—thank you, Lord, and thank you all for praying about our hotness) and it’s quiet while I’m typing. Most everyone else is gone—to the soccer field (probably to the stinky lot rather than to the turf field), but my time limit is about up. And by the way, the food is great, the toilet here at the house has a mind of its own, I have had one cold shower and have had another using a jug in order to dump water onto myself, since the unpredictable water temperature goes from wild hot to frigid cold in a heartbeat, which was OK—but I’m not going to lie and say that I love using a jug—and let’s see, what else might you be wondering? Oh, I have no idea….
Just please keep the prayers coming--that we would continue holding out our empty hands and letting Jesus fill them up, so that we can hold them out to the children, saying, “Eeday daw manehr naroocheh.” (Come into my arms).
Thanks!
Cheryl
When I’m with the children, I do not focus on the fact that they are orphans with huge needs, and I’d say that some others on the team may be like this, too. You just get going: playing, singing, “talking,” chasing, and running. You watch them and look at their faces and try to follow the interaction clues that they give you. You pick them up when they let you, for this is one reason we have come—to be the arms, hands, and faces of Jesus. And you can’t do this if you’re an emotional basket case, crying in the corner. So you just run with it, and with them, and PLAY!
And it is fun, well, unless you’re captured by Marina and forced to stay by a tree, like I was. She was the wolf, and she got me. And she wouldn’t let me go. She said, “Stay!” which I didn’t need to know the word for, and also a lot of other things which I didn’t have a clue about. When I said, in Ukrainian, that I didn’t understand, she just shouted it louder.
I did learn today from the others on the team that if you just talk to them in English, its fine, and they get it. So I tried it with a little boy who tried to reach into my bag when it wasn’t yet time and it worked like a charm.
You do not need to know Ukrainian in order to come here. It was fun for me to learn a little bit before coming, but if you’re wondering if the Lord has a spot for you on a future team, it’s not a prerequisite. You just go and the Lord fills in the gaps, and uses the other members on the team to teach you stuff. Like today with me.
But back to the little guy in the crib, who was seemingly all alone. Last night during our worship time, we sang the song with the line “Jesus, defender of the weak,” (which happened to be the line that did me in. But it was OK for me to be the basket case at that point so I just let the tears go—wasn’t much I could do about it anyway). So today, looking at the child in the crib, I thought, “This is why Jesus has come”—to be with this tiny, untouchable fella whose life looked so small and bleak. This child was not alone. It is a delight to watch each team member here with the children.
At Ladyzhyn, Melanie was not so successful at keeping her own tears in check—not when she was singing, “Jesus loves me,” with her arms wrapped around a boy in a wheelchair. I had to get going to another room.
The teens on the trip are wonderful. (Parents, you must each be as proud as a peacock.) They are never still, and their arms are almost never empty. And the guys have the ability to hold 2 little ones at once, which they normally do—while sliding down the slide, or lifting them over and over to the cries of “More!” (which is the same body language the world around). (Wives who let your guy come without you: thank you. No wonder it was hard to let them go.) We are a team.
We laughed till after midnight last night and right now, I hear Melanie laughing over on the outdoor swing with the same laugh that drove me into fits each time I heard her last night. (But a comment by one of the girls, or by one of the guys from the other room also had the same effect. Their silliness and their antics have been like medicine for me. I love watching the youth group people all together, and I love it that they let other people in.)
Amazingly, we’re all fresh and rested today, another God-thing.Our translators, Julia and Ella, are lovely and gentle, and they use the Ukrainian “diminutive” word forms (sort of a love-y noun form built into their language that denotes care and tenderness) naturally. Marina, (my wolf attacker) was called “Marine,” by Julia, and I smiled. It was just nice to hear.
We had the privilege of meeting the children in the cribs on the first floor the other day at Ladyzhyn, where I had a different crib experience. (Oh, and Beth, one of the first things I saw was one of your little taggie blankies being thrown up in the air by a little guy from his wheelchair.) My dream had been to be able to learn enough Ukrainian words to read the children ONE story. With the help of Kseniya, (and the Lord), I also have a few phrases, and more than I could’ve imagined. So there I was at Lydisian, in a room with several cribs. They were a captive audience, so I gave ‘em what I had. I went beside each one, and I sang them “Jesus loves me” in Ukrainian (my version) which ended with the words, “Jesus says, ‘Come into my arms.” I don’t remember their faces at all—(I knew Jesus knew them, and I was just concentrating on getting to as many different children as I could, one at a time)--except for one. He had black hair, a small frame, angular, bent tube arms, and dark eyes which never left me. I had bent down to where he was, and when I was finished singing, I felt like he was holding me with those eyes, so I lingered. I touched his face, and said, “It’s true”: “Tsay pravda.” Then I said, “Jesus is here,”: “Eesoos toot,” and I touched the mattress beside him to indicate where Jesus was. He was completely unable to move or to speak, but I felt like heard him, like what I had just told him was what he’d been waiting to hear his whole life. He looked …well, serene, like he was Ok with where and how he was—like one of the Hebrews 11 “aliens and strangers in this world who are longing and waiting for a country not their own.” I held out my arms and held him. I hope I never forget his face, but I hope he saw Jesus in mine. It’s what we have been praying.
I expected Ladyzhyn to smell really, really bad. I don’t do very well with some smells, so I’d wondered how I would be. I think I mentioned this to more than one person, including David, who had gently reminded me not to whine too much while I was on this trip. (And David, I have been sort of good about that. But Kristin did comment on my refined ability to work some things into the conversation.
Yesterday when the guys were playing soccer in Tulchyn, those of us who were sitting at the sidelines were more focused on the smell there than on the game. It stunk. And I mean, really bad, like a cesspool. We had been expecting it at Ladyzhyn, but not at the non-orphanage places. It sent us into fits of laughter though, more than once, as we thought of stuffing mint gum into each nostril to try to keep the grossness at bay.)
But back to Ladyzhyn, it really wasn’t that bad…well, not as bad as I’d imagined. It was OK. Oh, it stunk too, and but then so did we when we left, since we’d all been hugging the daylights out of all of those “kids,” but it was OK.
But back to the soccer. The “soccer people” had such a great time that they’d invited the fellas back to play in the evening. So they did, and they gave the rest of us the ‘report’ when they got back. Our team, including the young guys from the village who were on the team with our guys, got creamed. The men who had shown up to play, when they’d heard of the game with the Americans, showed up wearing their cleats and really nice soccer shirts. They had no interest in mixing the teams for a nice, friendly, pickup game. Their goal was obviously blood. So our team was able to be great sports! (I wasn’t there; one soccer game at the sidelines was enough for me for one day, but having seen these incredible guys in action, I have no doubt that this was what had happened.) I thought about how all of that had actually been a gift, that these had been the circumstances, since the young guys from the village had had a chance to see the way that Jesus-guys play soccer, and how they win and lose. Pretty cool, huh?
It’s now time to eat the “milk” candy that Julia just gave me, and Ella is waiting to read this before it’s posted at the internet cafй. The sun is shining (not too hot and no humidity—thank you, Lord, and thank you all for praying about our hotness) and it’s quiet while I’m typing. Most everyone else is gone—to the soccer field (probably to the stinky lot rather than to the turf field), but my time limit is about up. And by the way, the food is great, the toilet here at the house has a mind of its own, I have had one cold shower and have had another using a jug in order to dump water onto myself, since the unpredictable water temperature goes from wild hot to frigid cold in a heartbeat, which was OK—but I’m not going to lie and say that I love using a jug—and let’s see, what else might you be wondering? Oh, I have no idea….
Just please keep the prayers coming--that we would continue holding out our empty hands and letting Jesus fill them up, so that we can hold them out to the children, saying, “Eeday daw manehr naroocheh.” (Come into my arms).
Thanks!
Cheryl
Monday, July 27, 2009
:: Sunday / Monday Updates ::
Dear Friends,
Thank you for your continued prayers for us! Here are a few updates: On Sunday, we traveled to the town of Ladyzhyn, where we had a picnic by a lake, with the local church there. This church ministers to the orphanage in Lidazyn. We had a great time - some of us swam in the lake with some children from the church, while others interacted with adults from the church.
We then traveled to the orphanage in Ladyzhyn. The residents greeted us at the door, excited to see us. We sang and played with the kids and young adults there as we roamed from room to room. We plan to go back to Ladyzhyn on Friday.
After our visit at the Ladyzhyn orphanage, we traveled to the town Tulchyn, and got settled into the house where we’re staying for the week.
Today was our first day at the Tulchyn orphanage. Cheryl shared a lesson with the children about how God made everything and He has good things to give us. (Cheryl has translated all her stories into Ukrainian and learned the phonetics of the alphabet so she can share them without a translator.) Some more highlights: animal hats, play dough, and singing with the kids.
We also spent some time scraping and painting some windows and the fence. We just finished playing soccer with some local kids from the town. Scott shared the Gospel with them after our game. We plan to play with them again later tonight and multiple times throughout the week.
We're now headed back to the orphanage to spend some more time there with the children. Thanks again for your prayers! Here are some pics for you to enjoy:
Thank you for your continued prayers for us! Here are a few updates: On Sunday, we traveled to the town of Ladyzhyn, where we had a picnic by a lake, with the local church there. This church ministers to the orphanage in Lidazyn. We had a great time - some of us swam in the lake with some children from the church, while others interacted with adults from the church.
We then traveled to the orphanage in Ladyzhyn. The residents greeted us at the door, excited to see us. We sang and played with the kids and young adults there as we roamed from room to room. We plan to go back to Ladyzhyn on Friday.
After our visit at the Ladyzhyn orphanage, we traveled to the town Tulchyn, and got settled into the house where we’re staying for the week.
Today was our first day at the Tulchyn orphanage. Cheryl shared a lesson with the children about how God made everything and He has good things to give us. (Cheryl has translated all her stories into Ukrainian and learned the phonetics of the alphabet so she can share them without a translator.) Some more highlights: animal hats, play dough, and singing with the kids.
We also spent some time scraping and painting some windows and the fence. We just finished playing soccer with some local kids from the town. Scott shared the Gospel with them after our game. We plan to play with them again later tonight and multiple times throughout the week.
We're now headed back to the orphanage to spend some more time there with the children. Thanks again for your prayers! Here are some pics for you to enjoy:
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