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.