HI All!!!
this site is under construction-I hope to get it up and running again soon with new pics from Borodyanka and information about the new ministry that the Lord has led me to.
I am currently using the internet at an internet club so time and planning i cannot do-Lord willing i will be up and running at home this week and then can update all!
blessings
and don't forget to listen to the sound of Angel Wings :)
A very cool thing that happened one night as I was on my way up the walk to my house, there were four children playing. One of them saw me coming and pointed to me, and then ran over to her friends and said something. Then as I got closer she blurted right out, "are you from America?" I said "yes, are you from Ukraine? She said yes." Then she asked me if I live alone, then she asked if America was beautiful. I said yes, but so is Ukraine. She said she thinks that America is more beautiful. I smiled and asked her what made her think that. She just said she thinks so. I asked her name and how old she was. She is 8, in the second class, and lives in my building. Her name is Lena, her friends are Sasha boy, Sasha girl, and Igor. They live in the adjacent building. She asked me if America was hot like it was today in Ukraine. I said it depends on where you live. If you live in the south, yes, but in the north, not so hot, then I excused myself and said I was tired and needed to go eat. They are very cute and since our first meeting they have presented me with a bag of apricots hanging on my door when I came home one night from Bible Study, Lena (Alena) came the next morning to make sure I had rec'vd them fine and that no one else had taken them. She said "you were gone forever, till it was very dark. Where did you go? Why did you come back so late? When can I be a guest in your house?"
Then a day or so later, Alena came with more friends. I can't remember all their names, one was a little girl who is 5, her name is Sophia, there was another boy named Maxim, and another girl who is also 8. Now I have regular visits from them, Alena is at her dacha (summer home) for the moment so the other gal has taken over the leadership. She put a bag of apples on my door handle the other night. So cute! I have given them booklets that we handed out at the summer orphan camps, and american crayons. They came back and presented me with flowers, mickey/minnie mouse stickers, and a note that said, Dear Finessa (that is correct, "Finessa") thank you for the presents. From your friends (and all the names were listed). I want to give them salvation bracelets and make them some chocolate chip cookies too.
Even though I am leaving Poltava, the Lord still is using me to plant seeds even when I least expect it!!! PRAISE HIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
P.S. I will post pictures of my new friends at a later date-tonight is the eve before I leave for Boryadanka to go apartment hunting. I will be using a realtor...pray that the realtor price is not high and I can find the right apartment that the Lord desires for me to have quickly. I have felt the Lord nudging me and speaking to my heart about getting ministry started in Boryadanka and to quit waiting. So, I have packed 90% of my apartment in Poltava, and am on an intensive apartment search. To God be all the glory!!!
It's been hot hot hot here!!!
Temps are above 100F almost every day. I was told that the reason we have this hot temperature is that our winds are currently from Africa. Hmmmm... Oh well, I don't mind it, except for when I need to go to the market and by the time I get ¼ of the way down my neighborhood street sweat is already dripping down my back. 
It is supposed to be hot for the rest of the month-or so I am told by Ukrainians. Isn't it time to go to the sea yet?
keep listening for those wings...
By the way, for those watching the news, I am not near where the train with the toxic fumes derailed. That happened in Western Ukraine. Keep praying for all those affected by this. And for the goverment to take care of those affected by this and to take the necessary action against any who were in the wrong, if that is the case.
I want to back up a little from my last depressing little blog (I am doing much better now-thank you all for your prayers!!!) 
June 15th here in Poltava we had our first team for the summer arrive from Florida. Our days were filled with going to camps and shelters. Most days I left my house at 7:30am and didn't return till 9pm or so. Busy, but very fruitful. On June 25th our first team left and our second team arrived. We had much of the same sort of schedule as the first team. But with the second team I believe we were all used to the "groove" by that time and were working as an oiled machine instead of clanking our wheels and getting no where. Praise God during the time both teams were here, no one became ill or seriously injured. After the second team left, everyone crashed and recovered for about three days or so!!! I think I might still be sleep deprived..can't seem to get enough sleep!!
With the second team, the Lord did incredible things...we were going to one camp where the orphans are (orphans are sent to camps each summer, for the fresh air-some orphans go to foster families in different countries-most go to camps-they love it!)This orphanage was a 2 hour drive from Poltava. When we arrived-the orphanage was quarantined with either chicken pox or mumps (it was debated for some time the translation of what the children were quarantined with). The quarantine was only installed that morning so it was impossible for the director to call and cancel...at the camp were health officals etc. If we had gone the day before, some of us may have contracted this disease (one of our translators has a 1 year old boy, and is pregnant with her second child). Although many Americans have had chicken pox, some of us (me included) have not, and although Americans are vaccinated for mumps, Ukrainians are not...the Lord intervened...
The last day the second team was here was a day of miracles-we went to the psychiatric hospital where many children go who are from troubled homes (drugs, alcohol, abuse)or children who are sent to this hospital because they are troublemakers at the orphanages [I don't know if you remember that I used to go there and minister, this is a place that has been on my heart since I was no longer able to go]-(sent there to be punished-it's a stigma to go to the psychiatric hospital)-some of the children have obvious mental problems, others are not so obvious-but these are children who need the love of Christ just as much as any other child-some of them know us from last year and the years when my former Pastor and wife who are in Israel now went there to minister, we recognize them, they recognize us, but the miracle of today is...a few of the children accepted Jesus as their Saviour!!!!! Pray for two boys who came up at the end and wanted to know how they two could be saved-the conversation had to be ended suddenly as they are on a very regimented schedule and it was time to eat...God knows about these two boys...my prayer also is that Poltava church would continue to go to this hospital on a regular basis...
This last team was such a HUGE blessing for us...the way we served alongside each other, and the gospel was shared to many many many children at camps, the psychiatric hospital, in the local neighborhoods...Praise God!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Finally, most of you know that I am moving to Boryadanka, (pronounced Bore yah dahn kah). It is only a city of 4,000 so apartments are hard to find. At this moment there are many of us looking for an apartment at the same time. Myself, my Pastor and wife there in Boryadanka, and Sasha, who is coming to do the youth group. For the last month, some of the ladies in Boryadanka have been asking around and looking at advertisements for apartments for me. But, that could take a while in a town of 4,000 with other people on the team also looking for an apartment. So I have decided to go with a realtor (apartment finder). I will have to pay a "finders fee" but I figured that into my moving budget so I think I should be fine. Please pray (I will be leaving probably sometime after Tuesday next week), that I can find one, that I will listen to the Lord's leading on which apartment to choose, and that all the financial details will work out. I won't return to Poltava until I have found an apartment. But between now and the time I leave, I would like to have the apartment 90% packed (right now it is 75%),therefore when I do return, the actual leaving won't be as rushed. I will post again when I return. Thanks for your prayers. And as always, keep listening for the sound of Angel wings...you never know when you might be visited by an Angel 
A new time in my life is coming up-I am moving once again! This time I am moving to Boryadanka-a small town (4,000 people) 53 kilometers north, northwest of Kiev.
Actually, all the missionaries minus the current Pastor (Eric and Tanya Bougie) and his wife are moving out. The Brinkerhoffs are moving to Kharkov, Marilyn is moving to Ternopil, and I am moving to Boryadanka. Weird, but we know this is His will for the church here at this time. They have been fed for so long, and now it is time for them to feed themselves, to step out into ministry and see what the Lord has for them, instead of us missionaries doing it for them. We have been seeing the nationals slowly begin this process, yet some are reluctant, scared, perhaps nervous about leading a ministry. With us here, no one will fully get out of their seats and start ministering.
BUT, in the meantime, my emotions are all over the place. To be honest, I see the other missionaries having a plan of action, mostly a place to live, while I wait and wait for the phone call "we have an apartment for you". You see, Boryadanka being so small, not many people leave their homes for another, not many people move at all. It's been a month and half since the Lord finalized His plan in my heart and in the Pastor's heart in Boryadanka. Now I am learning all over again how to wait on the Lord. I seek prayer that during this waiting time, even if I am the last one here in Poltava; that I will continue to seek His face, and be on my face before Him daily. It's a learning process, and sometimes the learning can be hard.
I was listening to this song by BarlowGirl. For me, it really ministered to my heart as this is where I am, in a dark place. But at this writing, the Lord has not led me through the dark place into His sun (Son) light, or perhaps I have not allowed the Lord to lead me out of the dark place. Unfortunately, being in this dark place is not only affecting me, but affecting others as well as they try to understand where I am and what is going on in me. Some think I am angry, to be honest, I'm not. Just in a dark place and I can't seem to see the light although I know it is there. I try to be happy and put on a smile as someone said that a Christian who is depressed is looking at themselves and not at the Lord. Perhaps I am. All that I know is that I am in a dark place and I don't like it!!!! I really desire to see Him in the morning. In the song, they sing "I feel the sun light on my face" and on the second chorus I would want to write that "I feel the SON light on my face" but then it's not my song, nor my lyrics..so I leave it as written. 
I know that if I am patient, and real still, I will hear the sound of Angel wings....perhaps you will too.
Here are the lyrics to the song.
You Led Me
BarlowGirl
Good morning.
The night is over and gone.
I thought once, this dark would last for so long
Feel the sunlight
On my face
You have brought me
Through this place
Jesus, Jesus, You found me
Through the long night
You led me
You set me free
Do You see
Just what You've done in my life
You gave me
More than I hoped
For now I
Feel Your Son light
On my face
You have brought me
Through this place
Jesus, Jesus, You found me
Through the long night
You led me
You set me free
Feel the sun light
On my face
You have brought me
Through this place
Jesus, Jesus, You found me
Through the long night
You met me
You set me free
Good morning
The night is over
And gone
Hi ALL~
I'm baaaaaaaaccccccccckkkkkkkkkkkk
Wow! Didn't realize it's been so long. Sorry for the long absence and silence. Now I'm back (having been threatened by the "blog police" )...and will try and keep this updated. I had modem problems and was emailing from the internet café, just the necessary emails...too costly to do anything else. All is well now Praise God.
Much to catch you up on...but for now I shall leave you with this....
"To Jesus, prayer was not a hasty add-on, but a joyous necessity."
J. Oswald Sanders, Spiritual Leadership
Did I not tell you," Jesus asked, "that if you believed, you would see the wonder of what God can do?" Here is the clue to the lesson: It is faith he is looking for, a quiet confidence that whatever it is he is up to, it will be a wonderful thing, never mind whether it is what we have been asking for.
Of all the Christmas messages that could come, or we may hear this season, I really like this one...I have been "pondering" Mary for a while-who she was, what she pondered, what was it like for her to tell Joseph she was pregnant...i've been pondering. this is a good message (of course I am partail because I really like Elizabeth Elliot:) ), for us all to ponder.
Subject: Elisabeth Elliot Devotional: December 16, 2006
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Author: Elisabeth Elliot
We see her first, that little Mary (may I say little? I think she was a teenager), as a simple village girl in a poor home in an out-of-the-way place. She is bending over her work when suddenly the light changes. She raises her eyes. A dazzling stranger stands before her with a puzzling greeting. He calls her "most favored one" and tells her the Lord is with her. She is stunned. I don't believe her thought is of herself (Who am I? or Am I ever lucky!). Mary is troubled. She discerns at once that this has to do with things infinitely larger than herself, far beyond her understanding. What can it mean? The angel does not weigh in immediately with the stupendous message he has been sent to deliver. He first comforts her. "Don't be afraid, Mary." Mary. She is not a stranger to him. He is assuring her that he has the right person. He explains what she has been chosen for--to be the mother of the Son of the Most High, a king whose reign will be forever. She has one question now--not about the Most High, not about an eternal king--those are things too high for her--but motherhood is another matter. She understands motherhood, has been looking forward to it with great happiness. Her question is about that: "How can this be? I am still a virgin." He does not really explain. He simply states a mystery: "The power of the Most High will overshadow you." He goes on to tell her of another miraculous pregnancy, that of her old cousin Elisabeth, well past child-bearing age. "God's promises can never fail," he says. They won't fail for you, Mary. Rest assured. How will the girl respond? She is at once totally at the disposal of her Lord (she sees that the visitor is from Him). Whatever the mystery, whatever the divine reasons for choosing her, whatever the inconveniences, even disasters (broken engagement? stoning to death--the punishment of a fornicator?) which she may be required to face, her answer is unequivocal and instant: "Here I am. I am the Lord's servant; let it be as you have told me." Anything, Lord. We see her next with Elisabeth, who, by the manner of Mary's greeting and by her own baby's sudden movement in her womb, knows immediately that God has chosen Mary to be the mother of the Lord. They don't sit down over coffee and chatter about the gynecology or the practical logistics or what people are going to say. Mary sings her song of gladness, of thoroughgoing acceptance of the gift, of trust in the Mighty One. We see her sweating in the cold of the stable, putting her own life on the line, as every mother must do, in order to give life to somebody else. We see her with the tough shepherds, breathlessly telling their story of the glory of the Lord and the singing of the angel choir. Everyone else is astonished (a word which comes from "thunderstruck"), but Mary does not join the excited babble. She is quiet, treasuring all these things, pondering them deep in her heart. We see her with the mysterious travelers from the East bringing their lavish gifts. She says nothing as they kneel before the baby she holds in her arms. We see her on the donkey again, on the roundabout journey to Egypt because her husband has been given a secret message in a dream. She does not balk, she does not argue. We see her in the temple handing over her baby to old Simeon, to whom the Holy Spirit has revealed the child's amazing destiny: a revelation to the heathen, glory to Israel. But to Mary he gives the far deeper message of suffering, for there is no glory that is not bought by suffering: her son will suffer--he will be a sign which men reject; she, his mother, will suffer, will be pierced to the heart. No question or answer from her is recorded. Again we know only her silence. We see nothing of her for twelve years--days and nights, weeks and months, years and years of caring for the infant, the toddler, the little boy, the adolescent. There is no mention of any of that. Mary has no witness, no limelight, no special recognition of any kind. She is not Mother of the Year. Hers is a life lived in the ordinary necessity of their poverty and their humanity, no one paying attention to her attention to Him. Whatever the level of her comprehension as to the nature of this boy, she knows He was given to her. She remembers how. She treasures all this. She ponders things in the silence of her heart. Did she share any of them with Joseph? Could she? Could he receive them? We know next to nothing of the dynamics between them. She was content to be silent before God. The apostle Paul tells us we are "hidden with Christ in God" (Colossians 3:3, NIV}. There is mystery there, but when I think of the life of Mary, I see some facets of that mystery that I missed when I read the apostle. Hers was a hidden life, a faithful one, a holy one--holy in the context of a humble home in a small village where there was not very much diversion. She knew that the ordinary duties were ordained for her as much as the extraordinary way in which they became her assignment. She struck no poses. She was the mother of a baby, willing to be known simply as his mother for the rest of her life. He was an extraordinary baby, the Eternal Word, but His needs were very ordinary, very daily, to his mother. Did she imagine that she deserved to be the chosen mother? Did she see herself as fully qualified? Surely not. Surely not more than any other woman who finds herself endowed with the awesome gift of a child. It is the most humbling experience of a woman's life, the most revealing of her own helplessness. Yet we know this mother, Mary, the humble virgin from Nazareth, as "Most Highly Exalted." I am thanking God that unto us a Child was born. I am thanking Him also that there was a pure-hearted woman prepared to receive that Child with all that motherhood would mean of daily trust, daily dependence, daily obedience. I thank Him for her silence. That spirit is not in me at all, not naturally. I want to learn what she had learned so early: the deep guarding in her heart of each event, mulling over its meaning from God, waiting in silence for His word to her. I want to learn, too, that it is not an extraordinary spirituality that makes one refuse to do ordinary work, but a wish to prove that one is not ordinary--which is a dead giveaway of spiritual conceit. I want to respond in unhesitating obedience as she did: Anything You say, Lord. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. |
Today was "one of those days". I was late getting out of the house to get things prepared for the girls Bible Study tonight. I had a good reason to be late as I had a last minute important phone call that ended up being a counseling phone call. I was glad that I was home to help this one person out.
BUT, by the time I go to the store on the other end of town (my first stop), I wanted to buy crackers to go with the soup I was preparing for girls study. I stood there and waited patiently for the person in front of me to finish. She was almost done when I started realizing something was wrong. What was I missing? Hmmm, I had my packet which had things I needed for the study, I had..wait...no..I didn't have my purse! That means I had no money! That means I won't be able to buy the crackers, potatoes, milk, etc. that I needed to prepare dinner for tonight. Hmmm...well, I'll go and call one of the missionaries, see if I can borrow a little money from them. Thankfully I had not ordered the crackers yet, I would have felt REALLY foolish! (oh sure I could have turned around and gone home, but I live across the tracks which is about a 15 min public transportation ride, plus about a 7 minute walk to my house ONE WAY..nope...we'll make do with whatever happens). Ok..so I went on to where we have the girls study. One of the girls is staying at the house while the missionaries are on furlough and after hearing my story said "Oh, here, I have money, go buy what you need!" WOW, thanks God! You provided so fast.
So, the evening went on. She and I had a good time of fellowship while we prepared dinner for the girls. The study went well and everyone ate and was happy.
Myself and another missionary left after the study and were on our way home. We hit a crossroad (she was going one way and I was going another) so we said goodbye and see you later. The path I took was across from my normal path, but it was on a sidewalk (more or less) and I thought that I would just stay there instead of crossing back to my normal path. Well, this path took me past a construction site for a new apartment building. No big deal usually, but this time three or four dogs came out and started barking and nipping at my heels. I looked at them and thought, whatever, dogs are always barking and following you. But this time, these dogs were serious! One of them (two or three were small dogs, not much bigger than a small poodle, the other one, the leader was bigger than a poodle type dog, but not a HUGE dog, not big like a Labrador), was very serious. The bigger dog was the one who came out of the construction site first, barking and nipping at my heels, the others followed. The bigger dog then BIT ME on my leg! I was shocked (I'd never been bit by a dog before and have never really been afraid of dogs). As he bit me I screamed, not loud, more of a screech, and at the same time I thought "what do I do? I know what to do when a bear attacks you but not when a dog attacks you." He kept barking and wanting to bite me again, (but thankfully he didn't). I started swinging my bag at him (I wanted to say "Ot vahl lee-which is Russian slang for "get away from me" but I thought, he's a dog, not a person, that won't work on dogs), I continued screeching and whimpering and running. Finally they all dropped back after about a minute chase. I walked a few paces and then stopped to look at the damage, blood, bite mark, skin broken. I am thinking, when did I have my last tetanus shot? What made me more frustrated than getting bit, was that there were all these people around and NO ONE DID ANYTHING. I passed a couple right after getting bit and they said NOTHING! They just looked at me with concern in their eyes. I wanted to scream at them, HELLO!!! I JUST GOT BIT! COULD YOU MAYBE ASK IF I AM OK??!!!!! Ahhhh, the joys of living in Ukraine. No one ever gets involved in another person's business.
I got home fine, shaken up, but fine, and surveyed the damage. Moderate bite, teeth marks, bruise, and swelling, could have been worse. I checked my shot records, I'm ok Praise God! So I cleaned the wound and put a bandage over it.
Today was "one of those days", but I know the Lord was watching out for me, it could have been worse!
I remembered that I had this blog waiting to post...and when I re-read it, I thought "WOW LORD! YOU ARE SO COOL!!! YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I NEED TO KNOW AND WHEN!!! Thanks God!!!!
Obstacles in Ministry
Difficulties and obstacles are God's challenges to faith. When hindrances confront us in the path of duty, we are to recognize them as vessels for faith to fill with the fullness and all-sufficiency of Jesus; and as we go forward, simply and fully trusting Him, we may be tested, we may have to wait and let patience have her perfect work; but we shall surely find at last the stone rolled away, and the Lord waiting to render unto us double for our time of testing. --A. B. Simpson
Before We Kill and Eat You: The Miracles and Adventures of a Pioneer Missionary Couple in Africa by H. B. Garlock, Ruthanne Garlock, H. B. Harlock
The miracles and adventures of a pioneer missionary couple in Africa~
These High, Green Hills (The Mitford Years Series , No 3) by Jan Karon
Fictional-you'll get to know the characters in this series as if they were old friends dropping by for a visit!
Waiting on God by Andrew Murray
Written out of the conviction that God's people need to learn in practice and experience the art of waiting only on God. Arranged in thirty-one chapters as readings for each day of the month.
Heaven by Randy C. Alcorn
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