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| Ukraine Arrivals |
| We're here! I'm the first of 6 to get on here to do an update, so I own't spend too much time with alot of things, and there will be more complete updates on the way, when time is more readily available. That time. More like that Ukraine. The Ukraine is bawling. We arrived yesterday afternoon. I stayed up all night the day before to basically get to the point where I was soo bagged that I didn't have a body clock to mess up. I know there are things like getting sick to worry about, but I'm alright. Some cat naps on planes, and in cars, but mostly held of until a good sleep at our dorms. Well Good until Victor couldn't sleep at 7, and then well. The rest is history. Alot of things are hard to describe without pictures, but I'll try. I thought that the Ukraine would be like Hungary. I guess parts are, but it's alot older, and well more russian here. ww2 scenery every where. I'm loving it. It's really neat to see old high rises, and houses, everywhere etc. Style is alot different here in everyway, cars, houses, clothes. etc. The reason we're here is for God though, and it wouldn't be fair to carry on without getting into it at all. Jim. Maybe I am coming out of my closet here. Canada has been exciting for me hanging out with you and Nick,etc. but the Ukraine and language barriers,etc. has really hit it big with me. He is certified Tesol. God has been with us no doubt prior to our journey, and the whole team feels his blessings throughout our safe journey, and throughout our time spent here in the Ukraine. We've already had an impact on lives here, and have been able to experience alot of where God is working here in the Ukraine, and how we can get involved with the lives of the people here,etc. Alot of people were asking me what we were going for, and to be honest with them, I didn't really know alot, ot have alot to say. So my simple answer was we have a contact with an international man of ministry, and our home camp was at a university and we had some plans of teaching English. More so though that we were going to pioneer. To step out in faith, to answer God's call, to bless the people of the Ukraine, and to take part in God's work. Now all of that has been true. There is alot of unknowns in those last goals, and they are only just starting to make sense now. Yes we've met Kent, we're at the uni., but what about what God is up to here? We are in cities where people are living on a couple hundred u.s. dollars a month. Cities where there is one church to every 30-40 thousand people. Cities where many people haven't heard anything of the Gospel before. Ukraine is considered the bible belt of this area of the world, which o.k. you can say, as it is like just over 1% Christian, compared to like .5 in other former Russian states, but the numbers are still staggering. Take Cochrane for example. There is 10+ churches we figured out for what 10-12 thousand. That is like 30 times more. The people here are hungry to hear, and to explore the Gospel. We had an opportunity to meet and take part in "Ukraine tent Days" which was a week long tent, setup where they brought youth in, and told them about Jesus, and the Gospel, and where they can go with it, and what it means,etc. It was really neat to be mixed in with a group of a couple hundred youth, same age as me, and to experience this. In the mix of translators,etc. It was alot of fun. I had an opportunity to share my testimony with them, and I think there were alot of hearts that are ready. Dinner is ready at our hosts house, and I've taken my time. I will see what I can do with Victor to get some media online to share with you. Once again, Thanks soo much for your prayers and blessings. From the Ukraine Ryan |
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