The Mighty Mississippi

I grew up close enough to the Mississippi River to sneak over on my bike when I was way too little to be riding that far on my bike!

Later, I moved to Natchez, MS and graduated from High School there along the banks of the Mighty Mississip.

A lot of my Ukrainian friends know about the River. And in all fairness, Ukraine has a pretty sizeable river in the Dnieper (but not as big as the Mississippi).

So, in honor of them, I snapped a couple pictures as I was crossing the river in Natchez to day heading into Louisiana to spend Christmas Eve with my niece and her family.

O Christmas Tree O Christmas Tree. Ukrainians don't play!

I got to see the Christmas Tree going up in Independence Square today. I guess this is equivalent to the National Christmas Tree. It was fascinating. I'm guessing at least 100 feet tall- maybe the biggest artificial/live hybrid tree ever!!

The "trunk" was a tall steel structure, like a light pole. Fixed along the trunk were hollow pipes of decreasing lengths from bottom to top. Real trees were inserted into the pipes and also strapped to the trunk- in other words...whole, live trees are the "branches" of this artificial tree.

I hope they get it decorated and lit before I leave next week. Check it out!!

Odessa Rewind

Gee Whiz, December already? Time flies.

I had a nice visit down in Odessa after Thanksgiving. It was cold and wet and just as ugly down there as it has been here in Kyiv so I stayed pretty close to my hotel room the first day in town. On Saturday I caught up with my Translator friends from summer camp...Natasha and Oksana, who are both attending the Christian University in Odessa. They went with me to visit my friends Katya, Vika and Yura- friends from my very first trip to Ukraine in 2004. The girls are 18 and almost 16 now, Yura is 14. They are growing up. Yura is still involved in the Bible Club but I don't think the girls are too much. My ministry friend Maxim still stays in touch with the family though. I was glad for Natasha and Oksana to meet them; maybe that will lead to some ministry opportunities.

Later that night I found a Cafe with WiFi and was able to watch the State-Ole Miss Game on the internet and enjoy some Intercontinental Smack Talk with my Nephew (an OM fan) and some other friends.

Sunday morning I attended church with Natasha, Oksana, and their roommate Ksusha. Some other friends, former SEND Language Students, were also at the church. I

really enjoyed worshiping with them.

Later that afternoon I met Maxim and attended the Gypsy Church. Here's what I wrote while I was waiting to meet Maxim:

Crazy! I'm sitting in a cafe (which happens a lot in this part of the world) in a shopping center on the outskirts of Odessa. There's a Cafeteria upstairs and when I walked through there earlier I was flooded with memories. I distinctly remember eating there with kids from my youth group during a mission trip 5 years ago. I remember being scared to death because I couldn't read or understand anything. I remember choosing my food and paying for it and trying to look like I knew what I was doing because I was the "leader"!

I still don't know if I know what I'm doing. I'm just more comfortable in my discomfort now!

I'm right in the middle of where it all started...this love for Ukraine. I'm just a few blocks from where we stayed at the church. I'm a few blocks from our daily "Field of Dreams" Backyard Bible Club. It's a 20 minute walk to the Gypsy settlement. In just over an hour I'll be meeting Maxim to go to a Church Service in the settlement. It starts at 4 pm. It'll be dark already and as I understand it, there's no electricity. Probably no heat either. We will worship by candlelight. I don't think there'll be a translator, so I'm off the hook for speaking unless I share my standard short paragraph of who I am and what I'm doing speech in Russian.

Without a Translator, I won't be sharing a message tonight. And even if I did, what do I have to say to a handful of Gypsies huddled in the cold, dark night of Odessa? Do I tell them that in spite of all the blessings I've received from God, despite all I have and all I've been given that I still have all sorts of doubts and fears about my future? I doubt I have anything to say to them that will encourage or strengthen them more than just being with them will encourage and strengthen me.

Aftermath: The church was dark. The worship was by candlelight. They had a propane heater though so it was warm...it was warm in more ways than one. And talk about a mix of no tech (no electricity) and new tech (they used a laptop computer for music and lyrics!!).

The people made it special though. As best as I could tell there were probably only 2-3 families present and mostly teens and children. They are beautiful and friendly. Here's a picture of the Pastor and some of his family.

Finally! Sunday night before catching the train back to Kyiv, I took Natasha, Oksana and Ksusha to their first Mexican Restaurant. Food was edible. Time together was much fun. After dinner, they treated me to Tea and Cookies at their dorm and then walked me back to the train station at 11 pm!

Happy Thanksgiving

Ok, so there is no “Thanksgiving Day” in Ukraine, not like in the United States in any case. Nevertheless, it is that time of the year and I guarantee you the American Community here in Kyiv will be thinking Turkey & Dressing today! I’m spending the day with my friends, the Hathcocks, and a bunch of their friends for all the traditional fare including (maybe) Football (not Futbol) on TV. We’re not quite sure how we’re going to pull that off yet...but we are committed to making it happen! I’ll probably make a Skype phone call to my family sometime this evening. And late tonight I'm taking the overnight train to Odessa for a few days to visit with some friends from summer camp and with my friends Katya, Vika and Yura whom I met in 2004 during my first trip to Ukraine. I hope the time you have with your family reminds you of all you have to be thankful for.

Being thankful is something I’ve struggled with the last few months. I’ve been listening to Ben Stuart’s Podcastthis month (from the Breakaway Bible Study at Texas A&M) as he’s been going through the book of James.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers” James says, “whenever you face trials of many kinds….”

Consider it pure joy? What was he smokin’? I hate to sound like a weenie but most of this year has been a trial for me with no end in sight! And I’m supposed to “consider it pure joy”?

Really? I’d rather complain and protest. It’s a lot easier to list all the things that have gone wrong and the things I’m definitely not thankful for!

But then I read (in 2nd Cor. 11) where Paul is boasting about all the crap he’s been through and then in Phil. 3 he essentially recounts all that would otherwise be accounted as “blessings” in his life and says of them that he considers them as a “loss for the sake of Christ.” It’s hard not to see the “upside-down-ed-ness” of following Christ.

Lord, I want to want Your will to be done no matter the consequences. I want to be like Paul and James and see that my trials are for my good– they are producing Godly character in me. I want to be like the Hebrews in the fire– I want to trust You even if you choose not to deliver me from the fire.

Finally, here's some things I'm thankful for...I posted these a few days ago in another blog, but they bear repeating I guess:

I’m thankful for the opportunity I’ve had to be in Ukraine all year, for the opportunity to move forward with language study. I’m thankful that I’m making progress. Sometimes I can’t believe I’m actually reading, writing, understanding and speaking a 2nd language– even if I do sound like a toddler!! I’m thankful to have lived on less than half of what I originally thought it would take. I’m thankful for my family’s unyielding support of me. I’m thankful for a handful of friends that have consistently reminded me this year that they are! I’m thankful that what I’ve done is not who I am! I’m thankful that He hasn’t forsaken me and He won’t. If it gets worse before it gets better, He’ll still be walking through it with me. And I’m thankful for your continued prayers for me as I approach what has to be the culmination of this ordeal I’ve suffered through all year long.

National Blog Month. Guess I missed the memo.

November is National Blog Month. Lots of people are honoring that designation by posting a blog EVERY DAY this month.

Obviously, I'm not one of them.

What can I say? November has been a slow month. And it's been a pretty hard month too. In fact, this "semester" has been pretty hard.

October was alright. I enjoyed getting to help-out with World Racers who were in town during that time.

I always enjoy getting to hang out with some of my IMB friends- usually on Friday nights when one family almost always cooks Homemade Pizza...which is the best Pizza in Ukraine, by far! A few weeks ago we had Mexican/Enchilada Night in honor of one of the team members' birthday (she's from Texas). The following week we had Red Beans and Rice with sausage in honor of my birthday. So...I can't complain about the food, at least not on Friday nights.

But back to this being a hard month and a hard time. It just is. Maybe it has something to do with the shortening of the days. We're down to just a little over 8 hours of daylight per day. It's still dim at 8 in the morning and it's dark by 4:15ish. The days will continue to get shorter for another month. It hasn't been particularly cold here, but we seem to be in that constant "overcast" mode- aptly reflecting how I feel on so many different levels.

School is hard. Really hard. It's always two steps forward and one step back. Not that I've ever been a real fan of homework...but it's getting harder and harder for me to "just do it." I usually end up waiting until a few hours before class- which is not good studying technique!

My sleeping habits have gotten continuously erratic since returning to Ukraine a couple months ago. At least I'll be all set to get back into the swing of things when I return to the States next month. I'm essentially living on Central Time here lately (which is about opposite of how I should be functioning over here!).

But next week is Thanksgiving. I'll have Dinner with friends and rumor has it we'll figure out a way to watch football too. I do have a lot to be thankful for (here's an excerpt from a newsletter I'm working on):

I’m thankful for the opportunity I’ve had to be in Ukraine all year, for the opportunity to move forward with language study. I’m thankful that I’m making progress. Sometimes I can’t believe I’m actually reading, writing, understanding and speaking a 2nd language– even if I do sound like a toddler!! I’m thankful to have lived on less than half of what I originally thought it would take. I’m thankful for my family’s unyielding support of me. I’m thankful for a handful of friends that have consistently reminded me this year that they are! I’m thankful that what I’ve done is not who I am! I’m thankful that He hasn’t forsaken me and He won’t. If it gets worse before it gets better, He’ll still be walking through it with me. And I’m thankful for your continued prayers for me.

First Little Lite Dusting of Snow

There were very light snow flurries yesterday but no accumulation. Finally this morning there was just the tiniest bit of accumulation. Other parts of the country have already received some snow, but this is the first for Kyiv for this Winter. It's really chilly outside (high 20's F with low 20's windchill) and it's overcast (and if my time here last Winter was an indicator...it'll be overcast until the end of March!!). The days are rapidly getting shorter. It's getting dark about 4:30 pm...and by time late December rolls around it won't get light until after 8:30 or so in the morning I guess.

Since I don't have to drive anywhere I can say that I like the snow. I guess that's a Mississippi thing...to have seen so little of it growing up makes it special for me even though it's such a regular part of life here in Ukraine. Once it gets here for real, I think it's beautiful...and hot tea or coffee is just...better...when it's a snowy white winter wonderland outside.

Anniversary of my Day of Birth

It hasn't been a bad Birthday weekend. It's just that...I find I'm not looking forward to them as much as I used to. How did it happen? I know my family will be quick to remind me that I'm still the "baby" of the family (resist, ok?)...but dang! Forty-Five year old babies? Just doesn't sound right.

But I digress. After a couple of pretty hard days in class Thursday and Friday the Birthday weekend began to show promise Friday night. Most Friday nights I join the Hathcock Family for Homemade Pizza. Darrel and Kim are IMB Missionaries here in Kyiv and he's a Team Leader that overseas a handful of Journeymen (2 year) and Hands-On Missionaries (less than a year term). Homemade Pizza night is something to look forward to!

This past Friday night featured Enchiladas in honor of one of the Journeygirl's (a Texan) birthday. Let's just say anything remotely resembling Mexican Food is a major treat arou

nd here. I helped Darrel move a refrigerator Saturday afternoon and ended up hanging out with him all day...which ended with leftovers Saturday night that was probably better the 2nd time!

Today after church the Hathcock's and another family treated me to Chinese Food...another rarity here. It was really fun especially because-

between the two families there were 7 kids-including 5 girls under 11. That was quite a sight (and sound!) in a small Chinese Restaurant occupied predominately with Asian patrons.

Finally- I have to say the Birthday Reminder is probably Facebooks very best feature. I love it because I've always been terrible keeping up with Birthdays. I don't even remember immediate family birthdays half the time. But thanks to FB, I've received LOTS of online love from friends and family this weekend. AND...MSU won a game (I woke up at 3 in the morning to watch the 2nd half on the internet!)

So. Happy Birthday to me...and thanks to all of you that pray for me.

Swine Flu in Ukraine

In case you're wondering...no, I didn't get Swine Flu for my Birthday. However, seemingly overnight all of Ukraine is in a panic. As best as I can tell from looking at a lot of blogs and news sources, there's been a major Flu outbreak in the Western part of the country and it's moving this way. Also...in keeping with standard government operating procedure over here... no one really knew about it until it reached Epidemic proportions. Reports vary, but some estimates are that about 53 people have died in the last 10 days out West and thousands are infected. Some reports are stating that the government had been warned months ago to prepare for this, but of course that money has been squandered elsewhere.

As it stands...here in Kyiv, all public and private schools are closed for the next 3 weeks. Most public meetings have been banned for the same period, including some church services. No word yet if my school will be cancelled, but I think it will probably go on unless some teachers get sick. Public Markets are closed until further notice...I don't think that will apply to the regular grocery stores. I may stock up on Ramen Noodles just in case!!

(picture stolen from Michelle Knisley's blog)

Travel between Oblasts (like States or really large counties) have been restricted. People everywhere are wearing surgical masks...I can't imagine them being much use. The President said today that some State Factories have been mobilized to begin producing up to 1 million mask per day. Train Station personnel are reportedly "disinfecting" passengers upon embarkation. There's been a run on pharmacies for the masks and for basic medicines. Of course there aren't nearly enough actual vaccinations to go around. One article said Kyiv shipped 1200 vaccines out West...where 150,000+ people may be sick??!! Today's online edition of Kyiv Post says the government has requested International Aid and that the World Health Organization is sending a team here.

So. It's Ukraine. It's hard to tell how bad it really is. In terms of Preparedness and Infrastructure to handle an epidemic...it's probably bad. I feel like there's a pretty big element of "hype" and "panic" though.

Busses and Subways here are always VERY crowded- the potential for spreading a Virus is, well...viral to be sure. I made it through last winter just fine in part I think because once it actually got cold, I would wear gloves everywhere, including on public transportation. I think that probably helps more than wearing masks. In any case, there's no need for me to do much traveling here in the city. I walk to class and I can lay low for a few weeks. I've got good insurance (not that it would do any good with Meds in short supply).

So. I ain't skeered.

Be in prayer though. So many people here don't have the luxury of "laying low". They have no option for mounting the cram-packed public transports every day for work. They don't have private insurance and even if they did it probably wouldn't help them much. If only America would send it's Congressional Health Care Reform geniuses over here to fix things!! Sigh.

The Departure of The World Race (for lack of a better title to describe what I've been up to all month)

The last of The World Race teams left Ukraine Tuesday. The four teams that were in Odessa and Lugansk began arriving last Thursday. So for the weekend all 8 of the January 09 World Race teams were in Kyiv for their monthly debrief. You can learn all about their month of ministry in Ukraine by clicking "Blogs" and "Blogs by Group" and "January 2009" at The World Race website.

From all that I've heard, I think they had a great month of ministry. Three teams worked with ministry friends in and around Lugansk. Some of them taught English and lectured in classrooms. Some of them visited orphans throughout the month. The team in Odessa was met by a Ukrainian friend that led to a great month of relational ministry among University students. Teams here in Kyiv also taught English and ministered alongside Ukrainian University students. Some of them worked outreaches to Drug Addicts several times a week. Some of them worked with street kids. They made friends that will last beyond their brief time here.

The last night was pretty memorable. We had rented an apartment where two teams of girls had lived for the month. Most of the teams left town on Monday, but 2 or 3 teams couldn't leave until different times on Tuesday, so we put them all in the apartment that was already paid for.

So...Monday- right after my language class- I went to a local Ukrainian Baptist Church to host a Coffee House Ministry for some IMB friends that were out of town this week. Not long after arriving at the Coffee House, one of the guys at the apartment called to tell me the Police were there, asking a lot of questions and threatening to confiscate their passports! Apparently a suspicious neighbor called- what with all the loud Americans coming and going.

I told them to bow up as best they could and try not to let them leave with the passports. If all else failed, to appeal to be taken to the US Embassy and to write a "Ticket"...but not to pay a Bribe...and not to give up the passports! The closest thing to a "charge" was that the apartment address was not the same as the address listed on their Immigration Cards.

Fortunately for the team, one of their Ukrainian translator friends was nearby and arrived in just a few minutes to help communicate with the Policemen. As I understand it, I think the scene got pretty heated but in the end, it was agreed that the Police would not take the passports but that one of the team members had to appear in court the following morning.

So...on Tuesday morning Tim Dixon, his friend Galina and I went to the Police Station. I stayed outside and prayed...we didn't feel the need to introduce a new character to the play at that point. A few minutes later, Tim texted me that after the Police finished writing their report then they would go see a judge. A couple hours later, he called to tell me that the Judge read the report and concluded almost immediately that there was "no crime- case closed."

Prayers answered. Adventures had. Blogs written. Another day in Ukraine.

I mentioned that some of my IMB friends were out of town this week on a Retreat. So, I've been house-sitting/dog-sitting for one of them. The apartment is really nice and comfortable. Staying here this week really worked out well for me since my usual abode- a Ukrainian friends Ministry Office/apartment- has been really hectic this week because they are hosting a major conference this weekend.

So...that's October. I have been originally planning to return to Mississippi when this school semester is over in December...but due to cash-flow issues, I may be home the week of Thanksgiving. I should know for sure in a few days.

The Return of The World Race in Ukraine

(Racers just after arrival at Kyiv Train Station)

At the end of last month more than 170 World Racers from 4 different squads, along with a 20-30 WR Alums and current Coaches and Leaders converged in Romania for the 1st Ever WR Awakening Conference. The immediate aftermath of the conference was sort of like a team breaking huddle with everyone motivated and re-energized to make their next play.

The January 09 (H Squad??) began arriving in Ukraine this past Wednesday. I think it was a week ago tonight (Sunday) that I started getting emails and FB and Skype messages enlisting a little help on this end.

Here's how God provided:

There were 8 teams (52 Racers) arriving in Ukraine in less than a week with really only 1 firm ministry lined up that would accommodate 2 teams. They pretty much had no ministry lined up and no place to stay.

I guess the first thing I did was to send out a FB Message to all of my Ukraine contacts- American and Ukrainian alike- to enlist help in finding them a place to stay and ministries to partner with.

(Some of the Racers at St Sophia Square)

Proportionately speaking- I didn't get much of a return on my investment...but a handful of folks jumped on it. One really sweet "God gift" was that I was chatting online with one of the girls who was a translator at camp this past summer. She's a University student in Odessa named Natalie. She told me she'd love to help them. I made the recommendation to Squad Leadership and the next thing you know there's a team heading for Odessa... still with no place to stay and no ministry to work with. But Natalie was there (after a short delay and some confusion about which Bus Station the team was at) to greet them. She found them a place to stay the night with a friend. The next day she helped them find an apartment for the month. She's connected them with a group of her friends that will essentially be the core of their ministry to college students this month. Thank you Lord.

Two teams were already committed to go to Lugansk and work with my YWAM friends Forrest and Darcy. Between my emails and Squad Leaderships' inquiries for ministry partners, another acquaintance in Lugansk agreed to take a team. Thank you Lord!

That left 4 teams for Kyiv. The WR had very fruitful ministry back in the Spring with CCX- a college student outreach of Intervarsity. We thought they'd be a good partner this time too, but we had not heard from them. The other day after the teams arrived I made one phone call and the next thing you know...we're connected and at least 1 team is set to go. Thank you Lord!

I have been a Facebook "Fan" of Ukraine Teen Challenge for months but I had never met the folks that run it. When I was looking for partners last week we finally connected...which led to a meeting the other day...which led to connecting one team to work with them this month...AND...Teen Challenge found affordable housing for the team as well! Thank you Lord!

The first Friday the WR was in town, I connected them with another friend that ministers to AIDS Orphans. So this past Friday I think 3 of the WR Girls joined her for that ministry at a local hospital. Thank you Lord!

(Art on St. Andrews Street in Kyiv)

My friend Oleg answered the call to house a team...offering to rent them a garage/studio apartment within the very limited WR Budget. Thank you Lord!

My friend Darrell moved out of his old apartment last week but managed to get the lease extended a month to allow two teams of girls to live in the apartment this month. It's crowded...but it's home! I thought we would have to pay them in advance last Wednesday night. I was going to cover the Racers until they could get some cash...but when I went to an ATM, my card didn't work. I was nervous, but offered up a quick prayer and God answered...at the meeting with the landlords and Attorney...they said they didn't need the money for a couple more days. Thank you Lord!

So...the WR is off to a great start in Kyiv. They all have somewhat affordable housing. Most of them have very solid ministry lined up for the month.

It's been fun for me to "show off" my city. Helping the Racers get acclimated and helping them find ministry has affirmed my heart for this place, for these people. The downside is that I skipped 3 days of classes so that will be painful beginning tomorrow. But since I won't be working camp later this month, then I guess it's okay that I missed most of this past week. I did keep up with most of my homework! One upside was that I got to use my language a good bit and enjoyed feeling like a genius while helping the Racers get around!

Another big help the last few days has been the presence of another "Camp Interpreter"- Vika (pictured below). She's been in Kyiv this past week and was great helping me help the team. Thank you Lord!

The Writing Blahs...Not Much News.

It's time for an update of some sort, but I don't have much that's "news".

Tomorrow I will begin my 5th week of classes. Time is flying it seems. I can't believe it will be October in just a few days.

For anyone that cares, we have now been at least acquainted with all 6 cases of the Russian Language. To give you an idea what that means (remembering that Russian also uses Genders- M, F, Neuter and Plurals)...that means adjectives and nouns and such could potentially have 24 different endings. Most don't because there's some overlap...but still.

Most of our classwork and homework the last week or so has been trying to put it all together...that is, maybe taking a sentence and rewriting it in each of those 6 cases. I've found myself flipping through the pages of my notes a lot lately. I do alright on my homework where I have the opportunity to do that; but trying to speak it in class is another story. Studying and practicing is hard work.

In other news: About 170 current World Racers along with 20+ Race Alumni and Coaches/Leaders spent last week in next-door Romania. I really didn't have the money to go (I can fly across country in Ukraine for under $50.00 but it was gonna cost $500 to go to Romania!). As the week wore on, I got more and more bummed about not being able to be with them. There will be a Squad of Racers here in Ukraine throughout October though and I should have some opportunities to visit with some of them and lend a helping hand.

Finally, I had hoped to skip a week of school at the end of October and help with a camp similar to the ones I helped with this past summer but those plans have changed too. It's a "circumstances beyond my control" sort of thing. Oh well- not going will save me some money and I won't fall behind in my class.

Lana's Song...the Video

I blogged awhile back about a song I wrote this summer inspired by one of the kids at Camp Friendship. I guess it's called "Lana's Song: When I look in your eyes"...but really, it's dedicated to all the fatherless kids I've known.

I still think the music is pretty one-dimensional...and the vocals were kinda hurried. I created it the track with Audacity (a fun, free download).

Enjoy.

Happy Labor Day

Yep, it's Labor Day. As I write this, I see that it is about 10:30 am back in Mississippi. That means a lot of people I know are probably still sleeping (students), and a lot of my friends are probably getting ready to cook-out sometime today. Sweet.

This being the opening weekend for SEC Football, probably a lot of you will take advantage of the promotional thing with Chick Fil A today where you can get a free sandwich just by wearing an SEC School logo shirt of some sort.

I didn't get much sleep this weekend because I was watching or listening to several SEC Football Games. You have to remember the 8 hour time difference. That means MSU's 2:30 kickoff didn't happen here until 10:30 Saturday night. Florida didn't kickoff until like 3 in the morning!! I watched a little; slept a little. Technology is crazy isn't it? I can watch "most" games on the computer (I guess you can watch every SEC game now on Secsports.com the day after). There are blogs where you can chat and interact with others during the game... it's almost like being there (not!). I's a nice distraction.

I hope everyone back home enjoys their Labor Day. Mine is 3/4 over with. You have to remember the 8 hour time difference. I didn't have the day off. I had a 2 1/2 hour Russian Langauge Class and I have homework to attend to. And I'm hungry but went grocery shopping on the way home and have the fixins for Blackened Chicken Pasta. Now it's time for my own little cook-out.

Headed Back to Ukraine

Thursday, Aug 13- Jackson Airport to Mize, MS

Sat., Aug 15- Mize to Gulfport (USM, Long Beach and Ocean Springs)

Sun., Aug 16- Gpt to Mize

Tue., Aug 18- Mize to Pineville, LA

Wed., Aug 19- Pineville to Wesson, MS

Thur., Aug 20- Wesson to Alcorn State to Wesson to Vicksburg

Sun., Aug 23- Vicksburg to Clinton to Starkville to Aberdeen

Mon., Aug 24- Aberdeen to Amory to Birmingham

Tue., Aug 25- Birmingham to Atlanta to Buford to Mize

Wed., Aug 26- Mize to Magee to Mize to Magee to Mize to Magee to Mize

Thur., Aug 27- Magee to Jackson Airport to Charlotte, NC to NYC

Fri., Aug 28- to Zurich to Kyiv.

Russian Language Classes begin Monday. Fun.

Some of you enquired about my finances. I'm short still. Still not able to come under my Mission Agency umbrella and thus not able to receive tax-deductible support.

If you want to help me directly, send money to my Dad: Clinton White, c/o John White, P.O. Box 601, Mize, MS 39116, He'll deposit to an account I can access in Ukraine.

Lord willing, I'll be back at Christmas and maybe things will be looking up by then.

Mississippi

I'm back!

It was a long day getting home. I didn't sleep hardly at all the night before leaving Kyiv...stayed awake most of the night boxing and sorting stuff I left at my apartment (just in case I don't get to go back as planned).

My driver picked me (and Sam, Angel and Robby) up at 3:30 am. The International Airport in Kyiv is a model of inefficiency! Even though we were there a full 2 hours prior to take-off...it took all of it!

We had a 6 hour layover in Amsterdam so I hightailed it out of the airport and went downtown to the Anne Frank house. It all happened too quick but it was very moving.

I watched the newish Star Trek movie on the flight home. It probably lost something on that massive 6 inch screen! The flight to Memphis was terribly long. However, coming through Customs was a breeze and incident free.

So now I'm home.

Now what?

I'll be in Gpt this weekend. And I need to go there at least once during the week sometime to do some banking. I'll be in Vicksburg next weekend and who knows in-between. I'd like to see friends in Birmingham and maybe Atlanta.

I have a return ticket to Ukraine for Aug 27. What I don't have is funds to live there until Christmas. I have enough Support Money to last for a year and half but I still can't access it yet. (A number of close friends are aware of what the problem is; get in touch with me personally if you want to know more.)

The deal is...for now... either my issue has to be favorably resolved in less than 2 weeks or I need someone to bless me with some support money without the benefit of receiving a tax credit. The other option is to not return for the next semester of language school and work as a surveyor's helper until things are resolved.

Fun Facts & Figures

I've been playing with receipts.
Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, June, Jul, Aug

School $230, $220, $220, $220, $180, 0, 0, 0
Rent 350, 350, 300, 300, 300, 300, 0, 0
Eating Out* 15, 15, 100, 30, 48, 6, 23, 35
Groceries 47, ?, 36, 60, 37, 30, 15, 30
Gloria Jeans** 5, 0, 9, 32, 31, 12, 5, 5
Supplies 102, 250, 100, 0, 0, 200, 300, 0
Travel 0,0,300, 31, 65, 20, 180
Entertainment 0,0,0,0,26, 36,0,
Camp Fees 0,0,0,0,0,900,0,0

* Mostly McDonalds
** Closest thing to Starbucks in Ukraine

Some thoughts: I went to London in March for Spring Break...obviously blew the eating out and travel budget...but worth every penney!

Supplies: Bought a bed in January, a TV in Feb, a Printer in March, a Deep Fryer and ink and stuff in June and replaced my camera in July.

Traveling- March I flew to London, and in August I flew to Lugansk...all other travel expenses were by Train.

Eating out and Coffee expenses jumped in April and May when I was entertaining World Racers I think. Some of my supply cost might have been associated with them as well since I did some printing for them.

I probably spent $12.00 a month to keep my phone and maybe $5.00 on average for subway tokens.

I spent about $900.00 total as a contribution to Camp Friendship...to pay for my meals and lodging and Interpreter salary plus sponsoring some kids for the camp.

The list above doesn't include maintaining US Health Insurance (nearly $200.00 a month) and Overseas Insurance (about $60.00 a month Jan-June) or Vehicle Insurance on my Jeep.

This isn't an exhaustive list of what I spent, but it's in the ballpark.

Camp 3

My original plan was to go back to Mississippi 2-weeks ago. Instead, I postponed my flight home and returned to Camp Friendship.

The scene I'm about to describe on the last day of camp- this past Saturday- actually when Camp was officially over and all that was left was for kids to go home- illustrates why I went back. Why I stayed all summer.

Anastasia is a beautiful little 11 year old from nearby Lugansk. She lives with both parents and has an 18-year old brother. She's really bright. Plays Piano, dances, sings, draws, speaks a little English. She's a lot like so many other pre-teen girls. We met the very first day of Camp 1 and we hit it off immediately.
The last night of Camp 2 she got permission from her Dorm Parent to sit with me instead of with the girls from her dorm. She got one of the Interpreters to teach her how to tell me I was her best friend in English. I know I surprised her with I returned for the 3rd Camp.

Anyway, the "scene" I alluded to. This past Saturday morning I was out on the road telling other kids goodbye when I saw Nastya and her mother walking through the center of the Camp. We waved excitedly to one another but I noticed that they kept walking through the center and not up to the road. A few seconds later I thought, "I can't let it go at a wave, I want to hug her goodbye", so I started jogging down the road back toward the center of the camp. When I was about halfway down the road, she came running around the corner towards me, apparently having had the same thought as I. I got to meet her very gracious mother (pretty obvious that Nastya had told her all about me).

Anyway...we never had any terribly deep conversations...with or without interpreters. We threw the frisbee a lot. We played Checkers. During the last week of camp she came to me twice with an interpreter to pray. The last night she prayed one of the sweetest prayers I'ver ever heard for her family to become believers and for her friends to be serious in their faith. It was precious.

And that's why I stayed all summer. My 15-semester hours of RussianLanguage wasn't nearly enough to learn her life-story or explain to her the current tension between the emergent church and the institutional church (like I could, right?). But there was something of value in spending 2-weeks of my life (6 weeks with her and a few others) just loving and caring for her. Just being attentive and available. Hopefully, being Jesus with skin on.

In a quickly fading summer I hope the Nastya's and Natasha's and Dasha's and Tonya's and Lana's, the Dima's and Kolya's and Sasha's and Anton's all felt as much love from me and Jesus as I felt from them and for them.


(Pictured here is Anastasia and Natasha- Natasha was also a 3-camp-kid...at Camp Friendship all summer. She's from one of the local orphanages.)


Oh, and I'd be remiss not to mention the Interpreters. They were a great bunch of mostly 19-25 year olds that Shane (the Camp Director) has discipled and nurtured over the last 4 years. They were all great and I'm proud to call them my Ukrainian Friends.

A little light summer reading....

This is not meant to be an exhaustive review of the books I've read this summer, but in case the three of you that follow my blog care, I thought I'd at least let you peek at my summer bookshelf.

I finally got around to reading John Eldridge's Wild at Heart during the first camp. A lot of my guy friends and mentors hold it in about the same light as our Mormon friends hold Pearl of Great Price. There's a lot about it that I like. The parts about grace and our new heart/new creation and about fogiveness. And I can't deny that I have a little "Knight in Shining Armor" complex that makes me want to do great things and live dangerously and rescue the damsel. That's some of what the book is about. Still...I'm not entirely sure it passes the "universality" test; that is, it seems very "Western", very "American" to me (and he discusses that in the book) and I'm not sure some man Africa that's thinking about if there will be a next meal is really all that concerned about the feminization of his Christianity and about going camping with the guys and letting it all hang out.



I also read Francis Chan's Crazy Love during the first camp. It was a great book. Lots of people back home should read it. But compared to hearing him speak, I'd say the book was "Francis Chan LITE". I suspect going through it with a group and being able to watch the internet video's that go along with each chapter would be an enhancement (that I wasn't able to take advantage of out in the Ukrainian boondocks). Like Wild at Heart, one of the main themes of the book is grace and I can't get enough of that! It's also about living more simply; something I continue to learn more about the more I'm exposed to the world and it's inequalities.











I finally read Rob Bell's Velvet Elvis. I've started it a half-dozen times, recognizing each time that it's not a book I can casually read over a long period of time...a few pages here and there. This time I disciplined myself to read a chapter (most of them are long) each day...to stay with it lest I forget what I read already. I think it's a brilliant book. One of the best I've read in a long time. He's a smart dude. I don't think I agree with him on everything, but for the most part...amazing. He articulates so well a lot of what I feel about being a Christian and about the church...without bashing the church....much. He is a rabbi whose yoke I would gladly take up.




Back during Spring Break in London, there were 2 special exhibits at the Empirial War Museum. One about Children in the War and the other about Anne Frank. The Anne Frank Exhibit picqued my interest. I read part of the diary in high school but I wasn't mature enough to appreciate it back then. A few years ago one of my "student" friends played the role of Anne Frank in a stage production and I cried watching her portrayal. So, during the last camp, I read The Diary of Anne Frank. It is amazing. I have a 6 or 7 hour layover in Amsterdam this Thursday and Lord willing, I'm going to try to get out of the airport, catch the train downtown and the tram to the Secret Annexe and see her hiding place.











Lastly...I downed a Tom Clancy novel The Cardinal of the Kremlin (I really like the Soviet/Eastern Bloc thrillers a lot lately...I wonder why?) and Clive Cusslers Treasure of Khan. Great books for long train rides!

Lana's Song

Lana is an orphan in Ukraine. Not a true orphan I guess; more of a "social orphan". As best as I could learn, she has a Mother and maybe an Aunt that visits her and her younger sibling and older brother who also live at the orphanage. On the one hand, you look at a kid like this and think 'how in the world could a parent give up such a precious child'? But on the other hand...maybe the Mother did the most loving thing she could do.

The fact remains nevertheless, that the kids that grow up in orphanages in Ukraine and in so many other places around the world have the deck stacked against them in so many ways. It may be better than nothing; it may be better than living at home where the mother is apparently unable to care for her. But the chances this kid has in life are slim at best.

Lana became my friend during a Camp here in Ukraine. At times it seemed like she liked playing with my Ipod or my Telephone more than she liked me. She pouted when I said "no". She got jealous when I gave attention to other kids. But time and again she sought me out to hold her hand while walking across campus. She would take me everywhere and tell the other kids "he understands a little Russian" (in Russian, of course!). Sometimes we were able to communicate with my childlike Russian abilities. And then there were times when it was OK not to say anything and we would just stare into one another's eyes.

It was during one of those moments when I was "inspired" to write a song. Understand...I've tried to write songs before and I've never...NEVER...been able to do it. But later that night, this one came to me. It's long and it's probably still a work in progress. The music is still pretty one-dimensional and needs some work. But here it is:

Today we laughed and we played
you were running after me
I wasn't trying to get away.
And as we grew tired
you climbed up on my knees
I was looking down at you
You were looking up at me.

And when I look in your eyes
this is what I see
I see a wounded little heart asking questions of me
Will I leave you like the others?
Will I forget what I see?
Will I remember your name?
Will I remember your needs?

When I look into your eyes
this is what I see
I see sweet little Jesus looking back at me.
I see doubts and fears
I see pain and needs
I see your longing for a family
I see your hopes and your dreams.

And as I stared deep into
the windows of your soul
the thought occurred to me that you were thinking too.

When you look in my eyes
I wonder what you see?
Is it a reflection of Jesus deep inside of me.
Do you see my Father's Heart?
Do you see the emptiness?
Me without you is as lonely as it gets.
Do you know the price I'd pay, to hold you in my arms.
Do you know how much I love you?
Do you know how much I see?

And then I started thinkin'
'bout how we're the same
I was once an orphaned soul
lookin' for my place.

Jesus when you look in my eyes
do you see what I see?
My doubts and fears, my pain and my needs?
Do you see me longing for a family?
Do you know my hopes and dreams?
Will you hold me in your arms and never let me go?

As surely as I sit here
you revealed your truth to me.
You opened up my eyes so that I could see.

Jesus, when I look in your eyes
this is what I see.
I see a Father's Heart embracing me.
I see love and forgiveness
I feel your tenderness
I know you're my redeemer, I know the price you paid.
I know you as a Daddy and I know you as a King.
You gave me your heart and your eyes to see.

Jesus when I look in your eyes
this is what I see
I see a Father's Heart embracing me.

Book Review: Scared: a Novel from the Edge of the World

I have an “Author” friend. He just released his 4^th book, his first novel. Tom Davis is his name. He’s a former Youth Minister and was one of the men that helped “steer” the 2007 World Race that I was a part of. I’ve known about his most recent project, SCARED: a Novel on the Edge of the World, since those “Race” days.

I excitedly pre-ordered my copy from Amazon before I left the States for Ukraine. In May, I noticed an opportunity to download the novel in PDF from the publisher so I’ve had the book in digital form for a couple months. I had been putting off reading it just because I don’t like reading 300+ pages on a computer screen. There’s nothing like curling up with a paperback, right? But I stayed in a comfortable hotel last night and with no English Language programs on TV I read SCARED. I’m glad I did. Today I’m ordering 5 copies for my church!

It’s about the plight of orphans and the plague of AIDS in Africa- in the tiny, beautiful country of Swaziland, in particular. Our Western mindset would have us believe AIDS is a homosexual disease. Thinking like that releases most of us from worrying about it because we don’t fall into a behavior category that puts us at risk. AIDS in Africa is no more a homosexual disease than the Potato Famine was a French Fry problem!

It’s complicated. Regardless of where it came from or how it started- there are forces at work in much of Africa that exacerbate the problem to Biblical proportions. Ignorance and lack of Education, lack of adequate healthcare and in more instances- just non-existent healthcare, myriad customs and traditions among myriad people groups that hinder communication, corrupt governments and all-talk-no-walk relief organizations, the kind of extreme poverty that we see on late night infomercials but have become anesthetized to, and then there are spiritual forces that can’t be easily explained to a Western thinker.

This is a biased book review. I admit it. I know Tom and I know his heart. His 2^nd and 3^rd non-fiction books (Confessions of a Good Christian Guy, Red Letters: Living a Faith that Bleeds) were sort of run-of-the-mill to me. His first book however, Fields of the Fatherless, established him as a voice for Orphans. SCARED is Tom’s first novel and I think establishes him as a real-deal writer who makes a difference in the world. With the exception of the main character, photojournalist Stuart Daniels, SCARED reads like the front-page of today’s paper, or maybe more accurately, like the blogs of missionaries I know who are at this moment working in Swaziland.

I was gripped by it the same way I am when I read one of John Grisham’s novels set in Memphis, New Orleans, or all across Mississippi. Part of Grisham’s appeal to me is that I know these places, these names. The same was true for me reading SCARED. It’s set largely in Swaziland and I know these places. I know these names. I know these faces. So does Tom. Intimately. God is using his organization, Children’s Hopechest, to care for and keep alive thousands of orphans in that tiny country, raising them to be God’s answer to the crises in Africa.

I read the novel last night in one sitting. It is fast-paced and heart-breaking. It doesn’t preach; it simply tells a gut wrenching story convincingly. There’s courage and cowardice, humanity at its worst and at its best. There’s redemption and hope and inexplicable, unconsolable loss. I cried. I felt gritty-dirty. I felt anger. I felt like I could be fulfilled if I were in Swazi right now holding and feeding an orphaned child.

Read this book. When you turn the last page-stop and pray. Then immediately do something with your wealth- find a way to give- there are suggestions in the back of the book. Go to my friend Seth Barnes’ blogsite and click on the “Swaziland” tab. If you’re not affected by these stories then please see a doctor. You have a heart problem.

This won’t be a spoiler…another novel is in the works featuring the main character on assignment in Russian exposing the international child-sex trade. Children’s Hopechest has been there many years. Tom know’s whereof he writes about.

Still Camping...

Camp Friendship- Camp 1, Week 2- Tuesday, June 23.

If it weren’t for my dated “Utmost for His Highest” Journal I don’t think I’d have a clue what the day and date is. In a two+ week-long camp, the days definitely run together! My original plans were to work this camp and then join some friends near Kyiv to “experience” a couple of different camps. Right now I’m leaning towards just staying here at Camp Friendship until time to go back to the States at the end of July.

I mentioned in my last blog that there’s usually some sort of “stage program” from the kids in the evenings. Yesterday marked the anniversary of the “former Soviet Union’s” entry into World War 2 so there was a very nice, patriotic program last night that included testimony from a local woman in her 80’s that served during the War. World War 2 was not a good time for Ukraine (or Russia). Hitler was every bit as prejudiced and hateful towards the Slavic People as he was Jewish People. He was out for annihilation and extermination. As hard as WW2 was for America, it was a whole different ballgame to fight a war on your own turf; it was beyond brutal for everyone involved.

Last night we watched video and slide shows depicting what it was like during those years and then ended the night with our daily Slide Show from camp- it was a stark contrast. Add to that the fact that the kids were sitting in a pavilion that was once used to indoctrinate children into Communism, and that they were looking upon a stage that now has a mural of Jesus loving on children and the contrast is even greater.

To me it seems that this country- independent for less than 20 years- is still on the brink. The newfound freedom and democracy has yet to completely take root. Maybe it will; maybe it won’t. I don’t want to take the opportunity I have to be here for granted; I see it as a window of opportunity. A window through which the Lord is pouring out his blessings. Everyday I see a constant snow-fall of fuzzy seeds from the trees on campus and I am reminded of God’s grace being poured out and of seeds being planted in the hearts of these children. Their world is being changed, even for those that don’t know it yet.

Oh, and on another note: I just learned that my middle niece just had her second child- a little girl named Hazel. I now have 2 great-nieces and 5 great-nephews. And they are all Great! Congratulations Ashley and Eric.

Camp Friendship

Camp Friendship, June 16- somewhere in the middle of nowhere near Lugansk, Ukraine.
I am having a blast. And I am sore all over. I arrived at Camp Friendship about 4 days before the 1st Camp began with the intent of serving any way I could. I spent 3days cutting grass with a push mower and it was nearly “Mississippi” hot.

On Saturday, nearly 300 children ages 6-14ish arrived for Camp 1- it is two weeks long. There are probably 80 workers at this camp, most of them Ukrainian and most of them working in the Kitchen, the grounds, keeping the furnace going for hot water in the showers and laundry room, being Dorm Parents and Interpreters. A team of about 15 young people and a handful of adults from ServantLife in Birmingham are also staffing this Camp.

My “job” now that camp has begun is 1) clean the pool in the mornings, 2) work in the Camp store just before lunch, 3) Run the Frisbee Golf Course after lunch, 4) Be a Lifeguard at the Pool from 4-6 and when I’m not Lifeguarding, then I help with an English Class for 8 or 9 year old boys. During whatever free time I have that coincides with the kids’ free time, then I just hang out with kids. I think all of us “Americans” are connecting quickly with individual kids. I have about 4 that look for me every day to throw the Frisbee or play guitar or whatever.
While the weather was steamy hot the first few days here it has cooled off considerably. It’s beautiful during the day and downright cold at night. It’s nice!

The kids are kept pretty busy. We start our day with a Flag Ceremony and the Pledge of Allegiance at 8:15 followed by breakfast. From then until lunch the kids rotate between Bible Studies, Crafts and Music. After lunch is nap time for the little kids and organized recreation for the big kids. They have “semi” free-time after 3 pm- I say “semi” because there are several organized activities happening during this time- Frisbee Golf, Ultimate Frisbee, Futbol, Ping Pong, Volleyball, English Classes and other games and activities. Dinner is at 6:30. After that is a Worship Service, followed by games and competitions and a talent showcase from the kids. It rocks.

D-Day, My Dad's Birthday!

Today is my Dad's 77th Birthday. I don't know how that happened any more than I know how I got to be 44! The older I get the more I can see that inside all the "old folks" that I know is the same person they were when they were young. You can see it in my Dad's eyes when he's telling stories.

He's a great storyteller, My Dad. I don't know when I became aware of that- sometime in the last 15 or so years I guess. I didn't notice it or know of it when I was a kid. Honestly, I don't know where it comes from because basically my Dad is an introverted, "Silent Generation" kind of guy with definite "GI Generation" characteristics from growing up close to all of that. Of course he grew up in a great place during a great time- a time that bred heroic tales. Can you imagine being a 9 year old boy when WW2 began and watching all your brothers go off to fight? Can you imagine turning 12 on D-Day?

He's always insisted that he has no desire to leave the USA (and he's a world-class spokesman for the State of Mississippi!) But I think he'd love some of the places I've seen. So much of the world is what MS must have been like when he was a kid. In rural Ukraine people still draw water from a well, cook over coal or wood and go outside to take care of business. With my Dad's gift of gab I could see him carrying on for hours on end with these old men and women in Ukraine!

In the weeks following Kim's death, he and my stepmother lived with me for several weeks. It got to where some of my "youth group" would come over, even when I wasn't home, to ask him to tell stories.

• Running over a mailbox while checking out girls on the lake.
• M-80's or some such firecrackers at a high school basketball game.
• Him playing Harmonica in a band in high school!
• Itching Powder in the ductwork of a local (minority owned) honkey tonk.
• Attempting to jump an Army jeep over a ditch.
• The one about the Bobcat in a suitcase!
• Living through a gas truck explosion.
• Telling Charles Evers (a fairly famous Civil Rights Activist) about having met him before- in the 60's when Charles was marching with the NAACP and he was with the KKK- he was never in the KKK to my knowledge...but only my Dad could get away with making a joke like that!
• Talking- and just blatantly lying- his way out of every speeding ticket he ever met...and probably leaving the Trooper smiling and laughing every time!

I probably never told him this, but as a kid I thought he had the biggest forearms of any man ever, a product of being a hard-working truck driver and mechanic. Like so many in his generation, his education was cut-short by the demands of life. But later in life he earned an equivalency degree so he could be a Company Manager. And here he is now, 77 years old and on Facebook!

I came along a little later (8 years later) than my next closest sibling. By the time I was around, both parents were working and my sisters and brothers were about to leave the nest. I don't remember playing ball with my Dad or too many things like that. But I do remember watching him work on things and thinking that there wasn't anything he couldn't fix or build. I get a lot of that from him. I feel like I can take anything apart and often put it back together- sometimes it works afterwards! I remember neighbors coming to him for help- pulling someone from a ditch or helping with the Cotton or Soybean harvest. I hope when I grow up I'll have as much love and concern for people as he does.

I've watched him mellow-out a lot in these last few years. Maybe he's realizing that he missed some things when we were all growing up. His Mother, whom he loved like few sons have ever loved a Mother, died right around 105 years of age, so maybe now that he thinks he only has about 30 more years left he's making up for lost time by being so attentive and present to his family.

I love my Daddy. He's at a stage in life where he's a Prayer Warrior, but also a worrier and wants to make the most of the time he has... and here I am, at a stage of life (where I didn't think I would be at 44) of trying to discern God's plan for me and believing, for now, that it includes reaching the Nations. It makes being both close, and far-away, difficult.

Happy Birthday Daddy.

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