Has it been a whole month?

That's pitiful!  After blogging everyday in November, I almost went all of December without writing anything!

I've blown several good blog opportunities.

I could have written about how I spent 15 hours on 3 different trains getting from Ukraine to Munich to catch my flight home.

I could write about seeing The Hobbit in Germany before it released in the States.

I could write about reuniting with my Jeep and driving across three States without a License.

I could write about seeing friends at Zion Hill Church, or at Bayou View Church, or about how Agricola Baptist Church replaced my broken computer with a brand new beast of a laptop.

I could write about all the friends I've seen and all the favorite foods I've eaten or how I've gained 10 pounds in two weeks.

Of course, I could write about Christmas and riding my niece and nephews around in my Jeep with the top off on a sunny 65 degree day!

But right now I don't have time to write any of that because I'm at Passion 2013 and the Doorholder meeting starts in a little while.

I promise I will write about it though!  In a few days.

5 People I'd like to get stuck sitting next to on the flight back to America

I'm not an airplane conversationalist.  I usually watch movies or sleep, maybe listen to music or read.  I've never seen anyone "famous" on a flight and I've never really sat next to anyone especially memorable except for an elderly Indian couple one time; I helped them complete their Customs form and navigate the airport in NY upon our arrival.

But I'm always on the lookout and so here, not in any particular order, are 5 people I'd like to get stuck sitting next to on my flight to America next week:

1.  Katie Holmes.  By Ukrainian standards she's not too young for me.  And she should be on the rebound, right?  I'm taller than Tom Cruise so she could talk to me without having to look down so much.  I like to think I'm a pretty normal guy so that should be a change-of-pace from her last 6 years.  Maybe I could help her detox from all that scientology suff and I'd like to remind her that Jesus died for her and loves her.  (A close runner-up here is Natalie Portman but I want to keep my list to just 5 people).










2.  Pastor Rick Warren.  He may not be your cup of tea.  A lot of my friends are all about more cerebral preacher/writers like Piper or some of younger crop of current church leaders.  I like Rick Warren because he's a master of "practical".  I've never had to read something he's written over and over again just to understand it.  He's as successful as any big-time preacher in modern history yet he remains, by all accounts, the same grounded person he's always been.  I've never heard him stumble over an opportunity on a big stage to boldly (if simply) proclaim the Gospel.  I've read that when he became a bazillionaire he repaid his church for 25 years of back salary and continues to serve without a church salary.  I've read that, like the late RG Latourneau, he tithes 90% and lives on 10%.  His church has sent workers to most every country on the planet.  In short, he's put his money where his mouth is, he makes disciples, equips the saints, and serves the poorest of the poor all over the world.  Whenever I encounter a critic, I usually want to ask, "ok, so what have you done for the Kingdom?", and it usually pales in comparison.

3.  Kari Jobe.  Would it be creepy if I just looked at her the whole time and kept saying, "sing something for me." From seeing her onstage one time and reading a little bit about her I think we could have pleasant conversation about the church and worship and missions.  If she wanted to give me her number, I'd be ok with that.

4.  Bill Gates (or maybe Warren Buffet).  A speaker friend of mine said a few years ago that you should have a definite answer to the question, "What would you do with a million dollars?"  He told a story of a man who had an encounter like that and because he had a definite answer he was given a great amount of money.  I've thought often of that story.  So I have a definite plan for $45,000 (fund our Refugee/Student Outreach for 2 years), I have a plan for $90000 (fund our Print-on-Demand business/ministry).  I have a Million Dollar Plan (Build or buy a big enough house here in Ukraine to start an Orphan Home...of course I need a wife to do that). and I have a 5 Million Dollar Plan (Ministry Happens, Inc- to fund thousands of mission trips).  I'd love to hear from Bill what motivates him to give so generously and I'd like to thank him for the lives he's saved and the difference he's made in the world.  I'd also like to tell him about the One who gave it all.  I'd like to ask him for some money, too.

5.  Any American family returning home with one or more former Ukrainian orphans.  I'm not fluent in Russian by any means but I think I could offer some assistance to a family traveling with a handful of excited/anxious/downright scared kids who were just a few days earlier wards of a Ukrainian orphanage now on an airplane for the first time and on their way to a new life in America.  I always love to hear adoption stories. They are, each in their own way, a parable of the Gospel.



Who would you like to get stuck sitting next to on an overseas flight?

The Weight Loss Index

I don't think I've stepped on a scale this year but anytime I'm overseas for more than 3 months I start loosing weight.  That's not a bad thing.  I remember on The World Race I think I stayed fairly constant most of the year up until the last 3 months.  I almost shriveled away in SE Asia.

Here in Ukraine I don't think I noticed much weight loss until late-summer.  Here's a pic of me in June I think.

By early August my lone pair of Bluejeans were getting baggy and I asked my friends Caleb and Haley to bring a new pair when they visited; I ordered a size smaller in the waist.

It was hot and I had a pretty active summer eating a lot of "camp" food.





Fast forward to, now.  Those new Jeans I started wearing in early August are baggy on me by about an inch in the waist.  My Medium t-shirts that used to be tight around the gut now hang on me just a little bit.  And this shirt I bought on sale last year that NEVER fit me before now fits pretty good.

So there you have my patented weight-loss program:

Move to a foreign country.

Cook fresh foods rather than processed foods.

Get rid of your car and walk everywhere.

Carry all your stuff- computer, books, groceries, etc with you in a small backpack!

Work all summer in camps chasing and being chased by rugrats.

I like mine Smothered, Covered, Scattered, and Chunked!

Every month, because I'm an important member of the...get something free from Waffle House every month club...I get a teasing email from them.  Sometimes it's a free Waffle.  Sometimes it's the ever tempting Hash Browns.  Sometimes it's a dessert or a free drink.

And every month it's the same.  Every month I'm forced to simply delete the email because, alas, there are no Waffle Houses in Ukraine.

Every month I receive an email offer like it's some sort of cruel prank.

But not this time.

This time I will use my Waffle House coupon.  This time, fate, is on my side.

30 Days of Blogging. Day 30, The End.

It's been a fun 30 days of blogging.  Some days I had no idea what to write about.  Other times I knew a day or two in advance.  I think I covered a lot of ground and painted a pretty good picture of my life here in Ukraine right now.

If you've kept up with all the blogs then you shared my birthday with me and you got a ground-floor view of the launching of a new ministry.  You got to peep in on a Bat Mitzvah, and you got to hear me sing on more than one occasion.   You might have laughed along with me as I study the language, or laughed at me when I went for a haircut.  You may have visited one of our weekly youth group meetings or traveled with me when I taught a church about youth ministry.

Maybe you shared in my frustration of trying to get things done back home from 5000 miles away, or maybe you were offended by my attempt to reminisce about my love for MSU.

Or maybe you haven't taken the time to look at any of those blogs.  That's ok.

I like writing blogs.  I generally have no idea if it's worth the effort, though.  As far as I know, there are 3 regular readers.  The offensive MSU blog was apparently discovered by some of those friendly Ole Miss types who generously made it available to a more diverse group of people than I could have ever reached on my own resulting in some positive, encouraging feedback from them.

Maybe I could learn a few things from one of my favorite bloggers, Jamie the Very Worst Missionary. Whether it's her content or her "presentation" of her content, she seems to quite often stir stuff up which in turn I'm sure leads to higher readership and a LOT of interaction.  The price she pays though is that she gets slammed by people.  A lot.  I could probably learn something about being thick-skinned from her as well as how to make the blog something people want to read.

But in the end- it's not entirely about making it something people will want to read.  It's a great glimpse into what I'm doing and at times, what I get to see God doing around me, in me, and through me.  But mostly I'm writing for me.

30 Days of Blogging. Day 29, Chopsticks

This Sunday the youth group from the Messianic Church is coming over for a fellowship time, to practice some English, maybe watch a movie and... I'm cooking Chinese for them.

Last time they were here I made Taco's and Fajitas for them.  Pretty sure it was their first Mexican food.

This time, I'm feeling Chinese. I've been shopping on and off through the week for ingredients and I'm looking forward to some Sweet & Sour Pork for the sweet tooth's and some Kung Pao Chicken for the adventurous ones.

The kicker for making Chinese food for a bunch of kids is to find Chopsticks!

Ukraine is a funny place.

More times than not I can't find what I'm looking for.  That's probably more a reflection of me not wholly grasping the language and not knowing where to find stuff.  I mean, in America, I either know where to find whatever I need or at least I know where I can find it.

Sometimes not being able to find what I'm looking for is a function of non-existent customer service here in Ukraine.

For example: Three summers ago I worked at a camp.  We had a lawn mower that had been bought locally at a Home Depot knock-off and it's cheap plastic wheels were literally disintegrating and falling off.  I went to the store to get new wheels but they didn't sell replacement parts so they gave me the name of a Service Center.  The first couple times I went to the Service Center they were closed.  Middle of the day.  Not a holiday.  Closed, just because they guy wasn't there.  No apparent office hours.  When I did finally luck-up and catch him at the store he didn't have the spare parts.  I guess there was some semblance of good customer service though because he ended up taking the wheels off another mower.  I'd love to know if he ever sold that mower without the wheels!!

But I digress.  My friends Beth and Inga told me where they saw Chopsticks and lo and behold I found them.  Today was a win.  It doesn't take much to make my day!

30 Days of Blogging. Day 28, Countdown....

Two weeks from today (I think) I'll begin the trip back to Mississippi for Christmas.  I don't feel especially burned-out or anything.  I'm in a pretty good place emotionally and physically and as spiritually good as a plank eyed saint with dirty hands and heart divided (and who really can't understand 90% of any given sermon) can be.

I think it's just knowing I'm headed back in a couple weeks has my brain in "shut-down" mode on this end and in "start-up" mode for the familiar of home.

Home.  Now there's a funny word.  If it's a building, a domicile....then I don't have one.  Here or there.  I'm hard pressed to identify a hometown even.  I don't really feel like I have any place to "go back to".

I guess home is more like family and friends, and well, familiarity.  I am looking forward to all of that.

My parents aren't getting younger.  That's in the back of my mind every time I board a plane.  My great-nephews and nieces are getting older.  I don't like missing that.

I learned while on The World Race a few years ago that for my friends back home...life goes on.  Without me.  It's difficult to remain connected to them and my nature is to remain connected.  Regardless of how it happens, when those bonds are broken, it sometimes feels like abandonment on this end.

So being back in Mississippi, even for just a couple weeks, is needed.

And bacon, is needed.
And biscuits.
And fried catfish.  And BBQ.  And a Steak.  And Taco's.  And bacon.

30 Days of Blogging. Day 27, Haircuts

This post definitely deserves before and after pics but I didn't think that far ahead.

Haircuts are interesting here.  The first 3 times I went to a "salon" I just pulled up a picture on my IPad and played charades with the stylist.  Um...it didn't work.

I remember the first time- she cut and cut and cut.  Then spun my chair around so I could see in the mirror, I nodded and said "ok", then she spun me back around and kept right on cutting.  Obviously something was lost in translation.

More recently I worked with my language helper to learn the particular phrases I need to get a haircut: Short on the side and back, please, not too short on the top and front.

There, that's not too much to ask is it?

I learned today that I need to learn some new words and phrases.  She spun me around and I thought she was asking if the front was ok...I said yes, then she put the clippers to my eyebrows.  I panicked but it was too late.  Fortunately, she had a guard on the clipper and was just trimming the stray Gandalf's.  For a moment I thought I'd be painting-on eyebrows for the next 3 months.

Also I think I might need to learn the phrase for "can you do something about the grey, please?".

30 Days of Blogging. Day 26, Lazy Day.

Typically my Monday's are relatively hopping.  Well, not terribly busy, but any day that requires two trips downtown is a big day for me.  So, typically I have language study late morning and then band practice late afternoon and that usually makes for a pretty full day.  I usually wake up in time to go over my language stuff for an hour or so before making my way into town.  Then in the afternoon, I like to practice our music and songs before going to band practice.  It's usually after 8:30 at night before I get home.

But today my language lesson was moved, and we cancelled band practice today.  And this weekend I stayed up all stinkin' night Saturday watching that excuse of an Egg Bowl.  After church yesterday I crashed. Hard.  I think I took about a 5 hour nap!  Naturally, I was up all night again.  At least I was productive; I got into cleaning/organizing mode for several hours!

So, what with staying up all night and not having any responsibilities today...I slept till after 1.  And I've spent a good bit of time since then horizontal on the couch.

I'm not in the least bit upset by any of this.  Sometimes it's just nice to be lazy.

30 Days of Blogging. Day 25, Sunday

One of these days I'll have a good camera.

30 Days of Blogging. Day 24, Late Thanksgiving

I've been looking at Thanksgiving meal pictures and reading statuses (stati?) on facebook about leftovers for 2 days now and I have to say it was good to finally get around a table for a sit-down dinner tonight.

There were 6 of us, 3 Americans, 1 Canadian, and 2 Ukrainians.  You can get Turkey here, no problem, but we opted for a couple of whole rotisserie chickens.  We had cranberry sauce, cornbread, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, dressing, and I made deviled eggs and green bean casserole.

And speaking of Green Bean Casserole.  I found a recipe I liked but it called for a can of Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup and a can of Fried Onion Rings.  Neither of which you can get here.  So I found a recipe for homemade soup and did that last night.  Then I thinly sliced some onion rings and deep fried them to perfection.  PER FEC TION.  It was pretty good if I do say so myself.

Oh, and Pumpkin Pie and Apple Pie, too!

We played cards and laughed and just generally had a good time.  

30 Days of Blogging. Day 23, Maroon Friday; Egg Bowl Eve

I tried to edit this blog for clarity for some sensitive (yet mostly anonymous) readers (see comments).  I probably didn't succeed and if not I probably won't lose any sleep over it.

I love Mississippi State University.

I love that Al Gore created the internet so I can watch games on my computer/tv here in Ukraine.

I don't remember when I first started liking MSU, I think sometime in early high school or jr high.  I remember looking at MSU yearbooks in the school library at Holly Bluff.  Somehow or another, without actually knowing anyone at the time that attended either school, I became "aware" of the apparent cultural differences represented by the two schools, or at least by their respective fanbases.  Those differences I think are perpetuated today by fans of both schools in the form of stereotypes.

I grew up in a small Delta town in the 70's where the contrast between the haves and have-nots was sometimes pretty stark.  Mine was a world less than 10 years removed from segregation.

In the grossest generalities (a gross generality by definition allows for some exceptions so don't get your boxers in a wad), the Ole Miss kids in town were the snotty rich kids.  Later, of course, I met State fans that were equally well-off but I never knew a State fan growing up that put on "airs" the way a lot of my Ole Miss friends seemed to.  I thought they had an over-inflated sense of self worth.

I think a lot of them equated being an Ole Miss grad or fan with being "cultured" and elite but in my experience growing up (remember the times) most of the Ole Miss fans I knew were of two extremes: Either rich snobby types or off-the-chart-rebel-flag-waving rednecks, the latter of which, like many Alabama fans, probably never set foot in a college classroom.

In contrast, I think every State fan I ever knew growing up was a friendly, down-to-earth type.  Many were rednecks for sure- but more the good ole country boy variety than the entitled plantation owner variety.

• I love the sound of clanging cowbells.
• I love "you can wrap this one in maroon and white".
• I love the sight of smoke and the smell of a hundred grills wafting over Dudy Noble Field.
• I love, "Welcome to Humphrey Coliseum for an evening of Baaaasketball, Mississippi State style."

And yes, I love the education I received at MSU.    Even more, I love the life-long friends I made there and how I was discipled and nurtured by several on-campus ministries.

I love the Chapel of Memories.  I love the story of Old Main.  I love Eckie's Pond and the South Farm and the Wildlife Pens and Switzers Sweetgums and the Vet School.  I think State's ice cream, and wine and cheese and vineyards are a whole lot cooler than the Pot Farm at Ole Miss.  I like "Hail" to my dear old State better than "Hail" to my mixed drink but I do admit GTHOM at the end of our pre-game prayer is tacky and I never participated in saying that.  I love the "Game of Change" and the fortitude to sneak-out-of-State in the dead of night to mount a blow against racism.  I love the history and the long list of State luminaries.

Ole Miss obviously has a rich heritage, too and it's share of important graduates.  It's just that, eh, I don't care about them!

Now- I will grant that there are some lovely sights at Ole Miss.  Perhaps my all-time favorite being 1987 Miss Teen Mississippi Kristi Addis who was at Ole Miss right after I finished at State.  She was, in fact, one of my roommates' cousin.  I always liked the BSU Directors at Ole Miss.  I do count a few graduates as friends and I've known a lot of great kids that went to school there- I usually call them Missionaries.

Of course, I got no complaints about the "sights" at Mississippi State, either.  In fact, I'd have to say it's more of a Mississippi thing than a State or Ole Miss thing.  I once took a Northern Californian friend (land of extreme granola girls, his words, not mine) to a Mississippi State football game and within a week or so he transferred to State.  He had seen the light.  And about 20,000 beautiful Mississippi girls!


So, here I sit in my Maroon MSU Hoodie.  It is, afterall, Maroon Friday.  Tomorrow is the Egg Bowl and I'll admit I'm a little nervous.  Records don't mean much in this series.  I remember several times when the best team on paper came out on the losing end of the final score.  Win, or lose- I love my Dogs.  I'll still think most folks associated with Ole Miss are obnoxious, snotty brats (probably in part because I read sports blogs and the most obnoxious among them like to troll on State's blogs.  I NEVER post on Ole Miss's blog).  And if they think I'm an Ag School redneck country bumpkin so be it.  It fits.

30 Days of Blogging. Day 22, Happy Thanksgiving.

It's Thanksgiving Day and it could not possibly feel less like Thanksgiving Day.

If I were in Vicksburg the eating probably would have started a day or two ago and of course it would continue throughout the weekend.  Here in Uzhgorod, I had a Ceasar Salad for lunch at a local restaurant.  Hey, eating lettuce here is sort of a big deal so it's not as bad as it sounds!  I'll have leftover Chili tonight.  And yes, my Chili is just as good here as it is in the States!!

I will have a Thanksgiving meal with some friends Saturday evening, so don't feel too sorry for me.

Still, it's not the same without a ton of good food and family and kids everywhere.

Of course, if I watch more than 30 seconds of this video, then I don't miss Thanksgiving as much.

30 Days of Blogging. Day 21, She's Official...

My friend Tonya excitedly posted this picture yesterday.

She's a high school senior and  member of Zion Hill Church in Wesson, MS where I'm a member.  She's a cool kid with a growing heart for the Lord and for missions.  She started expressing interest in visiting Ukraine last year when I was still building my Support Team.

Several months ago that interest turned into plans and several weeks ago those plans turned into action as she applied to serve through International Teams' Mobilization Dept.

Tonya has served a week in Mexico twice and last summer she spent 10 days or so in Costa Rica with ServantLife.  This time she'll stay a whole month here in Ukraine!

We haven't ironed out the exact dates yet but tentatively she and I will fly back here together since I'll be Stateside most of May for a wedding and to meet with my Support Team.  While here in June she'll probably participate in my church's youth camp and then we'll work together in the Day Camps where I served this summer.  I'll try to expose her to as much variety in ministry as I can; she'll work with me and I'll introduce her to the work of other missionaries and ministries in the area.

30 Days of Blogging. Day 20, Up, up, and away....

Tonight we had our 3rd Connections Coffee House.  The previous 2 weeks it was just "us"- me and one other American along with some of our Ukrainian friends (we have a small team from our church who are committed to working in this ministry) along with a couple of college/university aged Ukrainian friends who get the vision.

Our "promotion" hasn't been all that great.  I was late getting the business/invitation cards printed and thus we've been slow getting them distributed.  And really, it's mostly up to our core group of University students to distribute those cards.  I mean, really? When and where can I meet a bunch of University kids?

But there's this: the lady who printed our cards for us was curious about what we are doing.  I explained it to her and then she told me she had 3 university aged kids...so I gave her a few of the cards to give to them.  They came tonight.

This past Sunday when Christina and I were coming back from Kalush, we boarded the train in Ctriy and there were a BUNCH of university kids in the train car with us on their way back to university in Uzhgorod from their homes near Lviv.  As we approached Uzhgorod, I broke the ice with several of them and gave them the cards.  Some of them showed up tonight, too.  And one of our regulars brought a friend tonight, too.

We had about 19 people there tonight.  Three of us American missionaries, plus one member of our team from church, plus 3 of our core kids and one other Ukrainian friend who speaks excellent English came...so about 8 "workers" and the rest were 1st time visitors.

30 Days of Blogging. Day 19, That's Stupid!

Don't tell anyone, but my driver's license expired the first of this month.

It's stupid, really!

I knew when I came over here earlier this year that it would expire while I was here.  I went to a local DPS Office late last year and explained the situation to them. What I wanted was to go ahead and get a new license (they're good for 4 years, right?).

NOPE.  Not so fast.  They couldn't do that.  Why not?  I don't know, but it's stupid!

They could replace a lost or stolen license, no problem...with one that would expire on my original expiration date.  That's stupid!

I could renew online...except that I can't renew online because I've had a Commercial Driver's License for more than 20 years and you can't renew the Commercial Driver's License online, something to do with the Patriot Act, I'm sure...and that's stupid!

I offered to turn-in my Commercial License and just have a regular driver's license...I'd be ok if I never drove a church bus again, right?  But it didn't matter.  Even if I have a regular DL...because I ONCE had a Commercial DL...I can never renew online.  That's stupid!

Oh, and I didn't even mention that because I have a CDL and because of new federal laws that even though my CDL is good for 4 years I'm supposed to have a complete Physical every 2 years and a particular certificate to prove it.  Ie, the CDL itself is no good without a current certificate of health.  I used to drive a Church Bus, not fly a Commercial Jetliner.  That's stupid!

So.  When I arrive back in Atlanta next month on a Friday night.  I will be unable, I'm sure, to rent a car because I won't have a valid license.  I have every intention of being in Mississippi that following Sunday which means I'm going to be driving without a license for at least the weekend.

And I know.  That's stupid.

30 Days of Blogging. Day 18, That child can wail

We finished up Semester 2 of coaching at the church in Kalush.  A couple of the youth leaders are also in the youth worship band- Kolya plays the drums and Ivanna is the vocalist and plays rhythm guitar.  The guy playing lead guitar is the leader of the band and is responsible I think for most of their arrangements; his young son plays a pretty mean Bass!

They are as good a 4 piece band as I've heard anywhere.  The video does absolutely NO justice to them.  Their worship this morning ranged from slow ballads, to rockabilly and bluegrass.  There's just something about an electric guitar wielding girl with a great voice!  It was amazing.

30 days of blogging. Day 17, hide and watch....

Day 2 of coaching the church in Kalush is in the bag.  Today culminated in a 4 hour long mini- retreat.  It never fails when you tell them they'll spend 4 hours practicing one of the spiritual disciplines that they think, " wow, what am I going to do for 4 hours?"  It also never fails that after it's over when we spend some time debriefing that they all say the time flew by!

Tonight was no exception.  There were tears and some laughter.  A common theme seemed to be some kids, after spending some time just being quiet before the Lord, just affirmation from God that they are loved.

Afterwards, because the group was mostly girls (3 guys and maybe a dozen girls), Christina had multiple opportunities to love on the girls.  She spoke life over them and prayed for nearly all of them.  If you want to see ministry in action, then find Christina and hide and watch!

30 days of blogging. Day 16, coaching.

After an 8 hour bus ride, Christina and I arrived in Kalush near Ivano-Frankivsk.  As I type, Christina is teaching the opening session about Prayer.  I'll teach next about "Study".  Tomorrow we'll continue teaching about spiritual disciplines culminating in a 4-hour long mini-retreat so they can practice a new discipline.

30 Days of Blogging. Day 15, Ready, Set . . . .

It's Thursday night and I'm leaving in the morning for another 7 or 8 hour bus ride over the mountains to the city of Kalush where Christina and I are coaching a church there.  This will be the "2nd Semester" or 2nd session where we focus all weekend on Spiritual Disciplines with the youth leadership team and also work with the youth leaders and church staff in some administrative areas such as recruiting leaders and maintaining good staff relationships.

As you can see below, my seminars are ready to go.

I'll be leading sessions on:

Study
Confession
Service
and an optional (if we have time) session on Solitude.

Christina will talk about:

Prayer
Fasting
Submission 
and an optional session on Meditation.

Our leadership team will have a 4 hour block Saturday to go practice one of the disciplines.

I'm preaching in church Sunday morning.

And then Sunday afternoon we'll meet with the youth leadership team and the church staff and talk about a couple of those administrative matters like Recruiting Leaders or Involving Parents in Ministry, etc, and we'll spend some time evaluating their progress so far and giving them homework for the next session in January.

30 Days of Blogging. Day 14, Penalties for tomatoes and plums?

I check out our local online news almost everyday.  Even if the articles weren't informative I think I'd get a kick out of some of the translations.

So here's a recent article so you can get a feel for life in the big city.

Uzhgorod residents are considered offenders if they plant "gardens" near high rises

To work on the land, to form the beds, to plant, to root out, to grow something with their own hands - for many people, especially the elderly, this is the best kind of rest. Therefore it is not surprising that among all kinds of leasure many Uzhgorod residents choose to go to the country or work in the garden. Autumn is the most rewarding time for this, because they can literally "reap the fruits of their labor." However, even those city dwellers who can only dream of several acres in the suburbs find a way out of the situation: they arrange small gardens right under the windows of apartment blocks.

For some it's just a vent, the way to spend free time, sort of a hobby or an irresistible love for the land. And for someone it is a real opportunity to save on home grown cucumbers, tomatoes and greens. 

Ms. Hanna has lived almost all her life in the village, but after the retirement she had to move with her children in the city, a village house was sold several years ago. The woman says that the piece of land under the balcony is a true salvation for her, otherwise she could not stand the city life. And there are many people like her, among the residents of first, second floors in Uzhgorod. Flower beds, clean beds and fruit trees, please the eye among a rather monotonous cityscapes and usually weedy "no man's" green patches.

However, as it turns out, all these oases of care and fruit and vegetable abundance are ... illegal. And their masters are evil offendres. Especially those who also enclose their own mini-gardens with fences against intruders and stray animals. They face penalty in the amount of 340 to almost 1400 UAH!

The department of city improvement of Uzhgorod City Council meanwhile says that they are trying not to take such harsh measures against too thrifty inhabitants of high rises. "We ask people not to plant vegetable crops and garden trees in areas adjacent to buildings. We are trying to find an agreement. After all, administrative penalties are rather significant. Residents then complain, that they do a good deed, keep the area clean, and for that they are punished" - explains the head of sanitation and improvement department of Uzhgorod City Council Oleksandra Turyanchyk.

"Fenced beds under the windows of apartment blocks are a serious breach of fire regulations, as they impede access of special vehicles to buildings", - the municipality commented.   

"It is also forbidden to ​​plant fruit trees, especially plums, within the city line because their fallen fruit become good food for rodents, contribute to their spread. Rodents, in turn, are the carriers of many infectious diseases dangerous for human. So this must be addressed. The same can be said about the grapes, which weaves up many balconies to the 4th or 5th floor. For mice and rats also can use it to get into the apartment" - Oleksandra Turyanchyk adds.

It turns out that in order to plant a tree in your own yard you need the approval of the municipal authorities. Because only certain species are suitable for planting within ​​the city line. However, only a few appeal for such approval.   Officials believe that the people must become accustomed to treat their own adjoining areas responsibly. They must use them in accordance with the applicable rules under which only grass and flowers can grow in the green zones, and access to them must be unobstructed. However, not all of Uzhgorod residents are willing to accept this formulation. Some people over the years have become so accustomed to a piece of land under their windows that they regard it as their sole property. Meanwhile, officials note, the adjacent to the house territory belongs equally to all residents of the building - no matter which floor they live on.

However, experience shows that if there is no flower or vegetable garden under the windows, there is usually a dump and shrubs there. And it can also be a good home for rodents

30 Days of Blogging. Day 13, language funnies....

So, in preparing for language class the other day I pulled out an old handout from a class a few years ago.  It's a great little handout that describes all sorts of verbs and motion-verbs, you know, stuff like "When I approached the corner, I stopped and wanted to take a smoke, but it turned out I didn't have any cigarettes. Immediately across the street was a small store so I left the sidewalk to cross the street but in the street was a large puddle that I had to go around since it had rained the night before...."

Ok... all of that is in Russian, right?  There are several words in the dialogue that I don't understand, right?  

Well, apparently I had translated part of it in the past to help me understand what was going on, right?  The guy had to go around a big puddle, right?

So yesterday I'm reviewing this handout, having long since forgotten that this one word meant "puddle".  

My handwriting, in any language, is terrible.  So as I'm reviewing the handout, my translation looks like poodle, not puddle.

It took me several minutes to figure out what was going on.  It was downright perplexing to me that there was a poodle so big in the middle of the road that the guy had to walk around it it and I couldn't figure out what the rain had to do with it.  

30 Days of Blogging. Day 12...contact.

I should probably wait till after Thursday to write this blog; it might be more substantive by then.  But I'm a little excited about this.

Over the last couple years, but especially last year going through training with International Teams I found myself more and more drawn to the plight of refugees.

So even before coming over I thought there might be some opportunity for ministry among refugees here.  Doug and I began talking about it almost immediately since it goes hand in hand with a broader ITeams initiative (to share the gospel with Central Asian Muslims).  On the heals of that initiative came some mid-year changes in International Teams' overall strategy- one being to "transform" 50 communities around the world by 2020.  By "transform" we mean to make sure that in these 50 communities there are no "invisible" people groups...that everyone has access to food, freedom, and forgiveness (in keeping with our mission to bring people together to help the oppressed).  We want Uzhgorod or some area of Transcarpathia to be one of those 50 communities.

It seems like we've talked about it all year.  We KNOW there are displaced people in our community but we haven't been able to connect with them.  No one we asked knew exactly how to go about it.  

Finally, a few weeks ago Doug met an international relief agency worker in Kiev who had the UN contacts to get us rolling.  And today I spoke with a representative of the agency here in Uzhgorod that works with the UN working with refugees and he's going to meet with me this Thursday.

We've already been "recommended" by our friend so I think we will be able to step into some sort of official role helping these refugees.  Our plan is to put together a coalition of churches, beginning with our own, to simply discover the needs of these people and then meet those needs.  If they need food, we'll feed them.  If they're being trafficked, we'll rescue them.  If they don't know Jesus, we'll introduce them.  That's the plan.

30 Days of Blogging. Day 11, Video Blog.

I really wanted to video worship this morning.  I play guitar and sing with the contemporary band.  We have my guitar, drums, a keyboard and a varying number of vocalist- all girls.  How is it that the the lone male vocalist is the guy that can't adequately speak the language?

To give you an idea what I'm up against, here's the first verse of one of the songs we sang this morning:

Стоял Ты пред всем твореньем
Вечность держа в руках 
Всю землю привёл Ты в движенье
Стою я склоняясь.

Simple, right?

I have pretty much perfected the art of strategically turning my head from the Mic to glance at the band behind me, or to back away from the Mic as if saying to the congregation, "take it away, y'all!" when I get to particularly problematic consonant clusters.

But since I didn't get video this morning, I quickly recorded bits of 3 different songs that we sang. Can you name that tune in English??

30 Days of Blogging. Day 10, Rites of Passage.

Today I went to a Bat Mitzvah, the 13th birthday of a friend's daughter.  They are Messianic Christians, her Dad, the Rabbi, is also President of Ruka Dopomogy.  The daughter (and son) were some of the first teenagers I met this year because I spoke in their church the first or second weekend after I arrived back in January.

Those Messianic Christians, they are a joyful bunch.  If you do anything with them you can expect to sing and dance.

We used to talk about "Rites of Passage" a lot when I was a World Racer.  In America, there are no rites of passage.  Getting a driver's license, graduating from high school or going to college are probably as close as we get but doing any of those things sure doesn't make us an "adult".  Maybe churches that have "Confirmation" comes close or Mormons sending their kids out on mission.

Bat Mitzvah (for girls, and Bar Mitvah for guys) is about transitioning from childhood to adulthood.  Not only does the young person enter fully into the faith community in terms of having a voice but it's a conscious decision on their part to accept the responsibilities of adulthood.

Today, Sasha was asked to share a passage of scripture- to teach and comment from her own study to the congregation.  It was deeper than ordination services I've been a part of.

She was blessed and prophesied over by friends and of course by her own parents.  That's missing too in American culture- a formal blessing of children by parents.

To be sure, Sasha still appears to be a child.  But in truth, she's an equal member now of her faith community.  Her Father and Mother are now more than Father and Mother, now they are Brother and Sister and friend, too.

I remember in my Adolescent Psychology class in Seminary defining "adolescence" as that period between childhood and the acceptance of adult responsibilities.  Well, heck, the upper limit of that age is extending further and further in America, in part because we keep treating adolescents like, well, adolescents.  Or worse, like children.  Sasha, I'm convinced, is well ahead of that curve because she will not only be treated like an adult...she'll be expected to behave like one, and she said today in front of God and every body that that's the route she wants to take.

30 Days of Blogging. Day 9, Days Off.

I think I wrote a blog earlier this year about how I'm pretty happy to just accomplish one thing a day. I've learned living here in Ukraine not to go crazy with "to do" lists.  You're just setting yourself up for disappointment if you think you're going to complete a laundry list of items on any one day.  It makes you think ahead for sure.

So, there are days when I only do "one" thing.  Yes, there are days when all I "DO" for the day is buy groceries.  In reality, buying groceries isn't that big of a chore- it usually takes me about 2 hours.  I either walk a mile to the store or take a bus which still involves walking and waiting...so the time is about the same and I can only buy what I can carry.  Right now that isn't too bad...but come January I'll be doing it in knee deep snow and sub-zero temperatures.  Would you want to do anything else for the day??

Today I had about 90 minutes of band practice.  But band practice ends after public transportation for my neighborhood quits running for the evening so I either catch a taxi or walk 30 minutes home.  Again, not bad right now...but wait 'till it's -10 or -15 degrees outside!!

Normally, I have plenty I could be doing here at home (I don't have an office, right?).  There's always some language study I could do.  Right now there's a Bible Study I'm leading tomorrow that I could work on some more.  I'm helping to lead worship this Sunday morning and Lord knows there are words and phrases in those songs that I just can't do...I could practice a lot more than I do.  I'm teaching seminars next weekend in Kalush and I need to go over the three seminars I've already prepared and I need to write a new one.  I could have done that today.

But you know what?  I spent about 30 minutes practicing guitar before band practice.  Then I went to band practice and then walked home.  I washed a load of clothes today.  And that's all.  And I'm ok with that.

30 Days of Blogging. Day 8. Hey, I built an IPhone App!

Sounds more impressive than it really is.  Really.  I used a 3rd party App creator and mostly it was drag-n-drop.  However I probably have 40+ hours in it and already can think of some improvements for the next version.  In it's first day available in the ITunes App Store, 15 people (including me) downloaded it for free.  That's 50% more than I expected altogether.

So what's it for and what does it do?

I'll admit, one reason for creating it was just to see if I could do it.  I wish I could drag-n-drop something like Angry Birds (I was thinking "Dirty Birds" where the Atlanta Falcons score goals using a giant slingshot...but I suspect there's LOTS of infringement issues there).

Another reason though is to allow friends and family (and maybe a stranger or two) with an Iphone/Ipad the ability to easily see and share what I'm doing.  I especially like the Prayer Request part that's linked to a dedicated Twitter Account that I use solely for Prayer Request and Praise accounts.  Getting ready for church Sunday morning or your Mission Class on Wednesday and want to pray for me?  Load the App and see what I'm praying for.

You can send me a message via Email (right now, there's two ways to do that...email me or through feedback...it's redundant so on the next version I'll remove one and add a new feature).  Since I almost always have my IPad with me it's almost like real-time communication.

The pictures are linked to a Flickr account and I'll try to change them at least monthly.  In the summer when I'm working at camps, I'll change it every week and let the whole album tell the story of the camp.

You can access my latest blogs.  You can sign-up for my email newsletter and even support me financially online following the links.  Of course, there's lots of information about the ministries and projects I'm working on.

So, it's practical.  And kinda cool.  And one more reason...it serves as a "test platform".  If there's enough interest then I might build an App specifically for Ruka Dopomogy here in Ukraine where youth leaders can get teaching content, game ideas, online registration, etc. and now that I've done it one time I can probably build something for other missionaries that are interested.

You can find the App, "Clinton White in Ukraine" in the ITunes App Store.

30 Days of Blogging. Day 7. Day after Election Day.

This scene from Remember the Titans sort of captures my thoughts in regard to yesterdays' US Presidential Election.

Ok, in reality, I guess I do care a little bit.  I cared enough to call my Circuit Clerk nearly 2 months ago to order an Absentee Ballot.  I cared enough to spend 3 days trying to get it notarized here in Ukraine and sent  back to MS in time to count.

I don't know if it made it back in time or not, or if it was accepted or not and I won't lose any sleep worrying about it.

I wasn't strongly (or even mildly) drawn to either major candidate.  I'm not sure there's a dime's worth of difference in what either one could/can accomplish in 4 years.  I thought one had a better business sense but I honestly think America is too far gone for even the best commander to right the ship.

In the end, I think God placed our leader.  Maybe not what we wanted  Maybe not what half of us wanted, but I'd have to say, probably what we deserve.  As long as God is on His throne (and He surely is), then I can say of the election...I do not care.  The results have no bearing whatsoever on how I live my life in the Kingdom (here and now, and to come) and I don't think it should for you, either.

30 Days of Blogging. Day 6. Humble Beginnings.

Tonight we kicked-off a ministry to International Students in the form of a Coffee House.  Nine people showed up; I think one was an actual University Student.

On the one hand I can think of a hundred things I could have done before launching this ministry like doing a better job training our "hosts", and doing a better job communicating the vision to other ministry leaders both in our church and in other churches, like doing a better job connecting with Christian University students from several churches who ultimately will be the hands and feet and mouthpiece for this ministry.  But then again, this is our on-the-job training.  We'll only meet for the month of November before the universities here in town shut down in December for the holidays and throughout January and February because of the harsh weather.  How's that for a Winter Break?

I knew that going into it.  It was either launch now with "something", or wait 'till March.  Our "Business Cards" will be ready tomorrow and I'll get them distributed as best I can to some kids that can pass them out on campus.  Our numbers will grow each week.  Our Christian kids will start to get the idea that their campus is a mission field and God wants to use them to reach their friends and at some point, those foreign students who go to school here.  Churches and Pastors will figure out that we're not trying to steal kids from their respective churches; we're trying to point some new kids towards their churches.

30 Days of Blogging. Day 5.

You know what?  I'm going to cheat again today.  Here's another submission from my Storylane page.  The topic is "Where did you grow up?"  My answer was: I grew up in the sticks!

My earliest memories are from the tiny town of Arcola, Mississippi. Not long after I was aware of that fact we moved to the "country"- a dozen or 15 miles from the nearest town. I grew up walking and riding a bike, and later a small mini-bike with a 3.5 horsepower lawnmower motor, to my neighbors' houses. My nearest neighbor, a kid about my age, lived maybe 400-500 yards away. My favorite neighbor (the babysitter who was my first crush) lived about a mile away- I could see her house across the bean field that separated our homes.

I grew up fishing with a cane pole in a small, muddy creek that probably never produced a fish bigger than my hand. I grew up shooting a .22 rifle at snakes and turtles and cans and bottles. I grew up playing hitchhiker with the neighbor girls in the abandoned car behind our tool shed; let your imagination roam. Yeah, I grew up with a junk car on blocks in the backyard.

I grew up floating in a raft tied to the front porch during the monumental Mississippi River flood of 1973. I grew up camping close enough to the house that I could run an extension cord to the 12" black and white tv in my tent.

Inside our house we had 19" black and white tv connected to an outside antennae. We received 3 channels and I had to go outside and turn the antennae with a pipe-wrench whenever we changed channels. I grew up peeing off the back steps as much as I did into the toilet. Yes, we did have indoor plumbing.

I grew up in a place....maybe in a time...that I'm not sure exists anymore. More's the pity.

30 Days of Blogging. Day 4. My Dream Job.

I'm cheating today.  I wrote this short blog a few days ago.  I was invited to join a blog community called Storylane- it's a blog that prompts you to write about specific topics.  The first one: Describe your dream job.  So I wrote about how my dream job is the job I have right now.  For now, anyway.

I'm a Christian missionary. I happen to live and serve in Ukraine. But in reality, I'd consider myself a Christian missionary no matter where I lived. I think all Christians are missionaries; or should be.

I serve with a great organization called International Teams. Our Vision is to see lives and communities transformed by the power of God. How we do that, our Mission is: bringing people together to help the oppressed.

We identify with 3 kids of oppression: Financial (the poor), Physical (the slave), and Spiritual (the lost). We want to bring people together to provide access to food, freedom, and forgiveness for those most marginalized in our world.

My particular job with ITeams is as a National Trainer with a Ukrainian Youth Ministry organization called Ruka Dopomogy (Helping Hands). I help Eastern European churches build sustainable, Jesus-focused youth ministries. I'm also involved in College Student and Refugee work, anti-trafficking, and orphan-care.

I don't make a lot of money. But I don't need a lot, either. I get to serve to my strengths and passions. There's enough "routine" in my job to give me some structure; but enough variety to keep things interesting.

Learning the Russian language is a challenge and most days I feel like I'll never really be fluent. But some days, when I'm able to accomplish a task or have a meaningful interaction with someone...well, those days give me hope.

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30 Days of Blogging. Day 3. Club Day.

Saturday is Club Day.

No, not like Thursday was Club Day back in Jr College.

Our church has "Youth Club" on Saturdays.  A lot of Ukrainian Churches do.  It's basically the "youth group" meeting.  I guess you'd call it discipleship oriented in that there's a pretty in-depth bible study every week except for the last Saturday of each month which is usually evangelistic and is intended to be an event our kids can invite their friends to attend (last month we watched Hunger Games).

Normally, Doug teaches the Bible Study.  I taught today (and will teach next week).  We're basically going through the entire Bible using a 6-year curriculum map and this week and next we're on Galatians so I'm teaching a survey of that letter.

A couple of interesting tidbits I learned in preparation: The area of Galatia (particular the northern portion) was populated by the Gauls, or the Celts who invaded the region about 300 bc.  So basically the area was inhabited by Central Europeans (or at least proto-Europeans).  A funny thing I saw in one commentary from a non-Biblical historian of the time called them a people who were "easily swayed" in their opinions (remember, you could call these Galatians proto-frenchmen)...and of course, in Galatians, you see a people who quickly abandon Paul's teaching as soon as the Judaizers sweep in after Paul moved on.

Of course, the important thing isn't the historical background but the message which is Faith trumps Works, Grace trumps Law.  It's pretty much the same message Paul wrote to the Romans but perhaps not as refined but more personal.  When he wrote the Romans, I don't think he had yet spent time with them.  When he wrote the Galatians, he knew them, had spent time with them and had planted their churches.  You get the impression he took it rather personally their "stupidity" (rough translation of the Russian back to English) at abandoning the really good news he left with them.

30 Days of Blogging. Day 2. Birthday part 2

I still really haven't decided on a theme for the month.  I like some of the randomness of the online lists and I like the idea of simply commenting on some quiet time stuff.  I'm actually working on a survey of Galatians that I'm teaching the youth group this week and next. 

But for today, I'll write about my birthday.

To begin with, my upstairs neighbor, my landlords 17 year old son, Roma had the brilliant idea that we should go to Lviv for my birthday.  He decided this MONTHS ago...coincidentally my birthday was the opening day for the new James Bond movie, Skyfall.  So this morning, in order to catch the 5:43 am commuter train to Lviv I was up at 4:20.

Roma overslept.  We BARELY made it to the train on time.  We had to run from the Taxi to the train.  I'm too old for that!

Roma's sister Ira and our friend Katya went with us.  Ira sings and plays keyboard in our worship band and Katya sings and plays guitar, too.  A few minutes into our train ride the girls disappeared and re-appeared with a homemade Pizza complete with a dozen candles.  Why a dozen?  It has something to do with the number of Apostles, the tribes of Israel...and maybe that they came a dozen to a pack!

Then they gave me an even more unexpected gift of a new guitar gig bag.  Somehow or another they got a custom made Mississippi State iron-on for it.

We arrived in Lviv just before noon, still full from the pizza for breakfast.  We got coffee at McDonald's then shopped in the open market and walked around beautiful old town.  Later we went to the huge King Cross Mall and watched SkyFall on the Imax.  I do recommend the Imax experience by the way.

After the movie we went to Aquapark- I guess the largest indoor waterpark in Ukraine.  We stayed for 2 hours then went back to downtown where we had a late McDonald's meal before walking to the train station on a drizzly night.  Our train left at 12:49 am and we returned to Uzhgorod about 6:50 this morning.

That was quite a birthday!

30 Days of Blogging. Day 1. It's my birthday.

I still don't know what my "theme" will be for this 30-days-of-blogging exercise, but today is my birthday.  I'll start there.  It's 4:55 am and any minute now the 17 year-old son of my landlord, Roma, will come downstairs and he and I along with his sister Ira and our friend Katya will go catch a train to Lviv for the day.  They promise we'll take lots of pictures.  We're going to a Waterpark and to see the IMAX Ukrainian premiere of the new James Bond movie.

Last night I received my first non-family birthday wish via Facebook.  It was from my friend Ivanna.  I doubt I'll receive anything sweeter from anyone else.  She asked me back in the summer to be facebook friends (she had heard of me from other friends) and the very next week we were together for camp and got to know one another in person.  Here's what she said:

hi , Clinton! I know it is your birthday tomorrow. A lot of your friends will congratulate you , so, i want to be first)))) I have never met as good person as you. You love God and it is wonderful. I thank God that i have been at this camp , and had a chanse to speake with so lovely person) I am very grathful for your love , peace... I love you sooooooooooooooo much))) I miss you sooooooo much. Thank you for everything) Congratulation)))))))

That's not a bad way to start a birthday.