"Back...in the UKR"

Ok, bad attempted pun on the Beatles "Back in the USSR", but I was at a loss for what to title this post since it is so terribly overdue!

I am indeed back in Ukraine and it is strange to me how familiar it all seems, even though MANY things have changed here in Kyiv in the less than 10 months that I have been gone.

My first day back I was at the little market on my street near my home and bought a roast chicken and some drinking water (the water in our flat is quite yellow at times). Then I bought some home-canned "Adzhika" (like salsa) and marinated mushrooms from a babushka on the street.

I chatted with the babushka a bit and then climbed the five flights of stairs (no elevator) to my new place here in Kyiv. I remember thinking that I felt like I had come home. This wasn't some excited thrilled feeling...just as a matter of a fact. It was comforting, though.

Within a few days I got a phone call from a friend from church asking if I would travel to the town of Cherkassy to teach a girl's bible study soon. A girl who had come to Prague with the Kyiv drama team (but who actually lives in Cherkassy) invited me. I am really excited to go although at this point I have no idea what I have to share with these girls. I know that by the time I need to, I will know...or as often happens...as the words come out of my mouth! ha!

Pastor Alosha said that there is a great need to meet with the college age gals in our church, too, to encourage them and help counsel, etc. It was such a surprise to me to see girls that I remember as being "so young" are actually now in that age group! The others that I remember as "students" are many of them now married and with children! How time flies! I haven't been gone that long, but I guess they have just been growing up without me noticing.

It was crazy, too, to look at the new church photo album and see all the faces that I have seen go through so many things and grow in so many ways! And now to see them with their spouses, kids, with new jobs, homes...life certainly marches on...

I really don't know what else to say right now...I am filled with a lot of emotion (what a surprise for me! ha!). :) One thing I have learned over the last couple years is that no matter what the specific circumstances of your life are - married, single, children, vocational ministry or 9 to 5 job - life seems to be all about letting go...adjusting...moving on...re-evaluating...returning to the basics over and over again....strengthening the foundations...forgiving, being forgiven,...dreaming new dreams after mourning old ones....etc. In the last couple of years I have seen people lose dear spouses, fathers and friends (on both continents that I call home), ministries subtracted from and added to, re-grouped and re-arranged or completely put on hold, etc. I have seen people called to stay when they wanted to go and go when they wanted to stay, family relationships changed irreversibly - both happily and sadly....and I have to agree that the only thing constant is change...and God. Aaaahhhhhh... :) He is a mystery, but He is so constant and His love never changes. I wish I could say I was better at the letting go to things of this earth than I am, but my only consolation is that I am better at letting God hold on to me than I have been. :} Make sense? :)

So...sermon over :) I have a TON of emails to catch up on (my advance apologies if you are one of them......before I left Prague I was completely swamped, packing, getting rid of things, etc. all over AGAIN! And then when I got to Kyiv it was a bit before I got the internet up and running, then setting up the apartment, and helping a friend with her daughter's wedding...so, bear with me and I hope to be caught up on correspondences soon.)

Love you all...

Cara

..."and the envelope, please"

Ok, so maybe waiting for news on my blog is not exactly like waiting to hear the winners of - say - the Academy Awards, but many of you have been asking for a little "what's up?" info. So here it is. :)

God is good...all the time
I don't know when I'll learn that it's really only "faith" when I don't see what's ahead! ("So faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen". Hebrews 11:1) So the last few months have been an awesome journey of faith! :)

After determining about two months ago that my time in Prague was through, the next question was "what (or where?) next"? :) Although I have many options and invitations for ministry there in Prague and in other countries, including the US, the pastors and elders at my sending church in CA encouraged me to take some time to simply wait on the Lord and hear His voice. When they asked me where I thought was the best place for me to do this, I was a little embarassed to say anyplace other than with them, since they have been so very supportive ever since they first sent me out as a missionary 9 years ago.

But honestly, the first place that came to mind was Ukraine! Thankfully, they agreed and said they had actually "figured as much". :) When I met with Pastor Alosha and some of the leaders of the church in Kyiv, thankfully they said they were glad to have me for as long as the Lord would direct! When I said that I didn't want to make the mistake of rushing in and committing to anything long term until I was sure of God's leading, Alosha encouraged me with the example that if he were to "leave home and go somewhere and then when it was time to leave there, how could it be a mistake to simply come home, if only for awhile?" :) It was great to hear that they, too, saw Kyiv as my "home away from home".

It's weird being so far from family and native culture, etc., and to truly miss them so much, but to be blessed with a place that feels so much like home to me, too.

So What's Next?
Recently in my transition, I had the privilige of hearing Pam Markey share at a discussion on Practical Mission Life at the Bible College in Vajta, Hungary. She reminded us that sometimes we get so caught up in the What and How of ministry that we forget the Why. She encouraged us to keep the goal of loving God, loving one another, and seeking to glorify God and make Him known paramount and let the Whys, Whats and Hows fall into place accordingly.

I heartily agree! This simple "ministry plan" (love God, love others) :) has been leading me for many years.., first to Ukraine, then to Prague and back to Ukraine and now - surprisingly - a very interesting "What" has fallen into place! Unbeknownst to me, John Chubik and his family arrived in Hungary at the College just a day after myself. John and I went to Bible School eons ago (literally!) and he and his family served in Kyiv, and then in Zaporizha, Ukraine. John and Karen are dear friends that I'm priviliged to know. John is going to be working on a book about Pastor George's life and when he heard that I would be in Ukraine for a time, asked if I would help with some of the research for the book! What a privilige! I am blessed to be helping the church in Kyiv gather the stories of those whom George's life and ministry touched over the years. (George Markey was our dear pastor in Kyiv that passed away nearly a year ago).

Keep Praying...
So that's the latest. :) "Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain they that try to do anything not according to His plan". I don't want to labor in vain, so although I have lots of other thoughts and options for the future, I am simply putting them before the Lord to see what will come of them. So as always, I appreciate your prayers!

I have a new blog, along with this one...

...how about that for getting to the point? :)

I have started a new blog just for my "writing thoughts"...meaning specifically articles I have written, poetry, etc. With all this time on my hands here in the Budapest airport (see that previous post here) it seemed like the time to do it, finally. :)

So check out www.anewwayofseeing.blogspot.com It needs a lot of work, but I just wanted to get going on it. Danny, I may be asking you for graphic help since it seems like everyone else in the Ukraine missionary blogging world already has...I wanna jump on the bandwagon! :)