Hey!!! What's up? This is Rach. Everything is going good. Yesterday our awesome new friends from church took us all over Kharkov after the VBS. We went to see Mother Ukraine. We went on a bucket ride....uh...we're trying to decide what it's called. It's kinda got the feel of a ski-lift at Disney world. I'm not gonna lie, I was a little scared the that bottom my drop out of the ricketty thing. But it was really fun, and most of us rode with one of the church kids so we got to know them better. The cool thing about spending the afternoons with Vitaly's church kids is that we get a chance to encourage them and talk to on a one-one basis. Then they took us to a freshwater spring. There were people everywhere. Some bathing, some gathering water. They would walk really far with empty bottles, fill them up and trek them back. It is so far from what we are used to. We again enjoyed a funky Ukranian buffet dinner. Even though we don't always pick things that taste good, it's pretty fun. At night we watched Ukraine beat the Swiss. OH YEAH! We got in trouble for cheering to loud after they won. The old guy in the room next to the boys came out onto the balcony and called over, "Come here all of you." (Only Gabe the Brave went over.) "If you make one more cry I will call you the police!" We didnt' think the popo would care that much about a group of Americans cheering because their team won...but we were respectful and went to bed.
We did our second day of VBS in the park. We were a little more prepared for the unpreparedness of the group. We got to the park set up our stuff and started playing football (soccer,) basketball, and american football. There is the cutest kid here named Dima (he's in the picture with me) who doesn't want to play soccer or basketball all he wants to play is American Football...and that kid has a little NFL player trapped inside. Anyways...we had a great time making friends, doing crafts and playing games. After about an hour we got everyone together, with the promise of candy and water, to sit down for a Bible lesson. I think it went really well. The kids got a little antsy after a while, but, the good thing about doing something a couple days in a row is that you can improve with each new day. So, we discussed what to do to make tomorrow better, and with God's help, we will leave a lasting impression on the kids we come in contact with.
Actually, one of my favorite things today was talking with an old Ukranian man. He was kinda drunk, kinda smelly and very talkative. Pastor Andrew was there and he started translating for us. The man told me that he respected everyone, respected every language, trees and animals. He went on for a while. I told him I respected him and asked him if he respected God. It was good to have a Pastor translating for me, cause he put the extra pastoral "oomph" into it all. But when I brought up God, the old man got very worked up. "I dont' believe in God," he said. "I only believe in myself." We discussed back in forth. "If there was no God," I said, "Where did everythign come from? Who made all the beautiful people, the trees, the sky?" He said he didn't know, but he did not believe in God. "But," he said "I believe in angels." (Go figure!) I was like, "Well, then where do the angels come from?" He said I got him there. We spoke for a few more minutes. I told him that I had something I wanted to tell him and asked if he would listen. I told him (while fielding his outbursts of disagreement) that God created him, loved him and wanted to know him. He said he didn't believe in God, and that he was always right. So I asked, "But what if you're wrong this time?" "I'm never wrong. I'm always right." I knew that the conversation coudl go on forever with no earth-shattering changes of heart, so I asked him if I could take a picture with him. He agreed, then tried to kiss me on the cheek. I was like "NIET! NIET! NIET!"
Anyways, as much as I enjoyed talking to him, just for the sheer entertainment of talking to a semi-drunk, kinda crazy old man, it is sad and sobering. So many of these people have been fed the lie that God doesn't exist there entire lives. They don't know that He loves them and wants to have a relationship with them. They don't know that he created them, the heavens or the earth. Not only do they not know, they cannot be convinced otherwise. Pray for that man. I don't know his name, but, he's one of those ones you don't forget. In America, most people atleast believe that a God-figure does exist, this man did not. PRAY FOR THESE PEOPLE. Our God is bigger than the lies communism spread for so many years. Pray that there eyes will be opened, that seeds will be planted and that they will desire more.
Love you guys! Miss you. LEAVE US MORE COMMENTS!!!
PS. Mrs. C, this is for you! Muah!
posted by BRCC Missions @ 4:07 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home