December 2011 KCA/Ukraine Update

Christmas greetings to you!

My next update will be from the New Year, so I send Christmas greetings now.  The past few weeks have been extremely busy—I’m glad that a couple weeks’ vacation from school is on the horizon!

Speaking of vacations….
For the Thanksgiving holiday, I traveled to Budapest to visit the Sunberg family.  Ukraine recently changed its visa system, and I thought that I would need a new visa.  As it turns out, my old one is still good, and I had a few days to simply relax and celebrate Thanksgiving.

Hanging out in Heroes' Square in downtown Budapest--it was COLD! (photo by Teanna) 

Lexi (an MK who had been at NYC this summer) and I also hung out, watching our favorite TV show and going to a used (English) bookstore together.  During my layover in Vienna, I had ice cream with my friend Natasha from Kiev – she and her husband used to host a Bible study I attended.  The long weekend was a nice time of relaxing and refueling before the mad dash at the end of the semester!

High School students after Snow-Ball 2011

KCA Life
On December 3, KCA held its annual Snow-Ball.  This event is a semi-formal banquet for all high school students, and the girls invite the guys (Sadie Hawkins-style).  After dinner and a senior trivia game, the students change clothes and play all kinds of active games in the gym.  My roommate and I (and another teacher) were chaperones, helping with set-up of food, clean-up, and games.  It was a lot of fun to hang out with these students, and to learn some little known facts about the seniors!
My 6th grade Bible class has been going better than before -- I am trying to involve the students more by asking them questions to get them thinking about God's Word.  Reading the Scripture on their own before we discuss as a class gives them more time to think/process, then I can ask them about applying it to their own lives.

6th graders (Zoe, Chae Hee, Andre, Kolya, Paul) collaborating during their exam review game

Hope House visit #2
The week before our second Hope House visit was fraught with many uncertainties--and made us practice flexibility!  Once there, Amy and I kept our English lessons short, because the girls had been at a church all-nighter.  After dinner, our Bible lesson was on Hannah and her dream of having a child.  We discussed our dreams, and what the girls said was revealing of their culture and their life circumstances.  They dream of finishing university, learning English to be an interpreter, to marry and have an apartment, having a car, to teach art to kids.  Despite having had hard lives, these girls can still dream – especially since these things aren’t “givens” for them.  Praise God for the hope that He brings to our lives!

This is where we get off the bus in the evenings -- by the camels.  :)

Another link in the banana box trail...
Some of you may remember my story of seeing the entire path of humanitarian aid to Ukraine.  My home church in America, Chestertown, MD, has a "packing house" where banana boxes of clothes and Crisis Care Kits (CCKs) are organized, labeled, and then taken to the NCM warehouse in Fawn Grove.  During my YIM trip to Ukraine in 2008, I saw empty banana boxes that had come from the US, loaded full boxes from the church onto a truck, and then saw kids wearing shirts with the names of 2 churches on my district.  To see the process all the way through was pretty neat, though I never got to see the kids receive anything.

Today (12/15) at Kids' Club, when the kids were about to leave to go home, Sveta told them, "We have a gift for you from the church," and put a banana box on the table.  Each child received their own Crisis Care Kit!  These kids were--of course--more interested in the stuffed animal than the toiletries.  "It's scented!" the kids realized, and sniffed their toys.  No kidding -- it's been in a Ziploc bag with shampoo and soap for weeks or months! :)

Anya/Anna

The kids looked at each other's bags and toys, showing each other what they got.  I heard "Спасибо" (Spasibo--thank you) repeated multiple times by the kids.  Anya, pictured above, was showing the adults her sunflower bear.  It was so cool for me to see these kids receive the CCKs -- I have been going to Kids' Club for about a month and a half now, so I know some of these kids and some of their stories.  I've helped them make crafts when they just can't do it themselves, tried to keep them from touching the snack ingredients too much, and have tried to show Christ's love even when they drive me nuts.

On behalf of these kids, I would like to thank you for sending banana boxes of clothes and CCKs throughout the world.  You may never meet these kids, know their stories, or watch their expressions as they receive this gift.  These DO make a difference, no matter how simple it seems.

~Jessica

Upcoming Dates:
December 19-21: Semester exams for KCA middle/high school students
December 22-January 4:  America for Christmas break!

Prayer Requests:
*Hope House girls—for their studies (to pass exams).  Their church needs a youth leader.  They want their relatives to know God.  Pray for their character development.
*KCA MS/HS students taking semester exams on the 19th, 20th, 21st
*Holiday travel: KCA alumni are returning home for Christmas and New Year's, and other families/teachers are traveling to America or elsewhere
*More flexibility, and a Christ-like attitude when things don't happen according to my expectations

Praises:
*Spending time with friends and fellow teachers
*6th grade Bible class -- discussion is improving!
*my Russian skills are improving -- I prayed a few sentences in Russian at the home Bible study last week!

November Update 2011

Hello all,
Here is a recent update from life and ministry in Kiev, Ukraine!

KCA Fall Retreat
The school's Fall Retreat, held  from October 7th to 9th, was a great time of getting to know the students and watching them bond with each other.  My roommates included one 6th grade girl and a new 7th grade girl.
On Friday night, we played a large group game outside in the dark, called "The Most Dangerous Game."  Imagine a massive game of teachers hiding and students seeking -- BUT the teachers are armed with "weapons" like mayonnaise, wet dog food, flyswatter (that was mine), or frozen cauliflower.  Students could earn points for their team or lose individual lives (they had 5-10 total) if the teacher got them first.  The perk of looking like a high schooler was that I could sneak up on the students and tag them before they even realized I wasn't one of them! 
The rest of the time was filled with group games, discussion groups, worship sessions, and -- what is always a highlight -- the "extended worship" time just before the bonfire. 

High school girls having fun at Fall Retreat! (photo by Nadia)

Inquiring minds....
Have you ever wondered something about Ukraine and never had the chance to ask?  Some of you I haven't had the opportunity to see while in the US, especially when I'm at different churches.  I have created a sidebar on my blog where you may submit questions and I can answer them!  Questions will not be posted until I review and answer them.  Click here to submit questions (anonymously if you like)!


Regional Conference:
From October 10-16, I was at our Regional Conference with just over 600 other people.  Here are a few of the highlights:
~Missionary Retreat for the first few days:  I was able to reconnect with old friends and meet new volunteers.
~Dinner with other Mission Corps volunteers, sharing our stories with each other
~Spending more time with friends from Kiev, seeing other leaders from Ukraine (including pastors that I first met in 2008!), and meeting others from around the CIS Field (98 of us total)
~Connecting with Lonnie and Connie, our new Field Strategy Coordinator
~I learned that I have a blog reader from India!  
~Meeting and spending time with people from countries like India, UK, Spain, Holland, and also other Americans.
~Touring the Roman ruins at Perge and Aspendos
~Putting my feet in the Mediterranean Sea
~Hanging out with the MKs and other teens, playing games like Extreme Uno and "Honey if you love me"
~Ordination Service of 5 people, a few of whom are from Creative Access countries!

Conference Links:
Regional Newsletter about the conference
Highlight video

Some of our group singing in Russian.  That's me in the purple shirt, reading the words from the page!

New Ministry Involvement
This semester, I am working on earning an Intercultural Studies practicum credit from Nazarene Theological Seminary.  In addition to teaching English at Obolon and helping at Hope House, I have begun attending a Russian home Bible study and Kids' Club at Kiev First Church of the Nazarene.   Both of these include immersion in Russian for a few hours (though sometimes I get translation help with the Bible study), with the intention of learning more about the culture, ministry style, and spiritual formation here in Ukraine.  It's very tiring to listen to and try to comprehend Russian for more than 15-20 minutes, but my hope is that I can extend my attention span as well as my understanding.

Masha, my Russian teacher, and I went to the President's House one day after school.  You can't get this close to the White House!

Upcoming Dates:

Nov 6: Dedication Service of Pastor Oleg and Natasha's little girl Anna plus Day of Thanksgiving

November 11-13: Odessa trip to Hope House
November 20: English lesson at Obolon

November 23 (afternoon)-27: Thanksgiving vacation -- I will be traveling to Budapest to visit missionary friends there. :)

Prayer Requests:
*Patience with students when they ask unending questions
*Improved classroom management skills
*More engaging teaching methods to get my 6th graders discussing God's Word and how to apply it to their lives and draw closer to Christ
*Next year's staffing needs @ KCA

Praises:
*God is faithful, and will take care of me no matter what the future holds.  I can trust Him rather than putting my hopes into other people.
*Bible study with Colleen and two other teachers from KCA -- this is a great time for us to grow in our relationships with God and with others
*A fun evening tonight (11/5) with Svetlana from Obolon and her two boys.  We invited them over for pizza and worked on a puzzle.

Thank you for your prayers and support.  Without you, this would not be possible.  Thank you for being my "cloud of witnesses" (Hebrews 12:1) so that I can run this course of ministry in Ukraine.  May we remember to fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith.

In Christ,
Jessica

October 2011 Ministry Update

Hello, friends, family, and other supporters!

This update is chock-full of stories and information.  Read on to see how God has been at work in Ukraine!

Hope House visit
In the middle of September, my roommate and I traveled to a village outside Odesa, Ukraine, to spend some times with the girls of Hope House.  Click here to read my blog post from shortly after our visit (there is also a link to my roommate's blog post).

My roommate and I with most of the girls of Hope House

As an update to my blog post, I found out last week that two more of the girls, Katya and Tanya, gave their hearts to Christ!  Yay! Praise God!  Now only two of the girls are "holdouts" -- pray for Nadia and Lena, that they would be open to Christ's love, hope, and work in their lives.

Please pray that our time with these girls will reflect Christ's love, and point them toward His hope.

KCA Teaching
There are some unique caveats about teaching at KCA, like the time we had "Left Bank School" due to the swine flu quarantine in 2009.  One of my geometry students, Rebecca, is still in America, and should be returning any day now.  Her family is still in the process of raising support, so she has been independently keeping up with her assignments.  I have sent her homework assignments and answer keys, and have emailed her explanations to other problems.  Last week I Skyped her to see how she was doing -- this may become a more common experience in the next few lessons as needed.
My 6th grade math class has been working on a project about decimals called "Let's Go Out to Eat."  In groups, they created restaurant menus and used the food prices to practice adding, subtracting, and multiplying decimals.  This is the first year I've ever used this as an alternative to the chapter test (I got it from one of my prepracticums in college), and it's been a learning experience in regards to how the students cooperate (or don't), who tends to take charge, and how to keep them on task.

What is Normal?
"Normal" in my life is a whole lot different than "normal" in your life.  For instance, putting our extra juice cartons (we bought 5 cartons of juice when we were at the store on Sunday) on the dryer is perfectly acceptable/logical, because our dryer is between our fridge and cabinet.  Normal is being comfortable when singing worship songs in Russian at my "home church" here in Ukraine.

Click the section title to read what's normal for me in Ukraine, and what was "normal" when I went back to America this summer.  If you have any thoughts on what to add, let me know! :)

Some of the kids from Obolon -- I teach the older group.

Upcoming Dates:
October 7-9 KCA Fall Retreat for middle and high schoolers
October 10-16 Eurasia Regional Conference
November 6: Teaching English in Obolon
No time change for Daylight Savings in Ukraine! (This means we will be 8 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time, rather than just 7.)

Praises:
*Natasha, the pastor's wife in Obolon, gave birth to a healthy baby girl, Anna on 9/21.  They were both at church on Sunday the 2nd.  :)
*During both of our train rides between Kyiv and Odessa, my teammate and I had 2 women coupe-mates.  This is definitely a blessing from God.
*Pastor Vova of Kyiv First Church (my "home church" in Ukraine) and Sylvia of the US got married on September 24 in San Diego.  They will have a "renewal of vows" ceremony here in Kiev on October 8.

Prayer Requests:
*Rebecca, my geometry student who is still in America (as well as others) -- pray that they will receive the monthly support that they need, and that she will be able to jump right back into the swing of things at KCA
*Patience with my students when they fail to see the gaps in their own knowledge (did you think I was going to leave it as "patience when they fail"??)
*Development of a Christlike character in myself, the people I work with (both Ukrainians and expats), and in my students.

In Christ,
Jessica

Baptism Service

I came across this video on Zee's page and just had to share it.

This summer, while I was in America, Kyiv First Church of the Nazarene held a baptism service in their backyard.  The Eastern Orthodox church (the most prevalent church in Ukraine) baptizes people at a young age, but these individuals chose to be baptized again before their church family.

Kyiv First is my "home church" in Ukraine, and though I was sad that I missed this event in the life of the church, I am glad that Zee recorded video and posted it on Youtube!

On the left (your left) is Pastor Vova, and on the right is Sergey Dziba, the youth leader.  In order of their baptisms on this video are:  Sergey Orlyuk, Ilya, Philip (Pastor Vova's son), Andrei Tkachenko, Kristina, Pasha (Sergey's son), and Katya.  As you can see, most of those baptized were youth.  A number of these youth are already involved in church and youth group activities, whether it is as part of the music teams or helping with camps.  

What an exciting time in the life of our church!

Train-ing across Ukraine

Last weekend, we took the train to Odessa.

Riding the train is something my team and I did a LOT of during the summer of 2008.  When we went to a new town/city, some part of our journey to or from the city would include being dropped off at the train station, riding the train, and/or being picked up at the train station.  Sometimes Cliff would drive us, but most of the time, we rode the train.

I really enjoyed the train rides, and still do.  There's just something about being in a compartment with friends and/or strangers, talking, maybe playing cards, looking out the window and enjoying the fresh air, and sleeping on narrow bunks -- which outweighs the stuffiness, the chance of traveling with smelly men or drunk people, and the toilet you have to hover over.

During these summer train rides, when the sun hadn't set by 9 pm, I enjoyed looking out the window at the scenery.  Sometimes the scenery was only a forest, but other times you got glimpses of village life.  Old people might be herding their cows or sheep in the grassy area near the tracks. Seeing small garden plots, people walking down the road, and small settlements were all just so serene and peaceful compared to life in the city.

Unknown village and river in Ukraine, 2008

How to Ride the Train in Ukraine:
1.  Arrive at the station 30 minutes before your train departs, to find the correct track, wagon, and place.  Otherwise one of your traveling companions might have to pull the emergency "стоп кран" lever.

Wagon #2 of the Odesa-Kiev train (#124)

2.  Place your things in the storage areas -- under the bottom bunks, on the shelves, or in the space over the passageway.

Coupe with under-bench storage area visible

3.  Sit in your coupe, look out the window, talk with friends, maybe eat a picnic dinner.  The conductor will come by at some point to check and take your tickets.

Our group going to Chernivtsi in January 2010

4.  If you are sleeping in a top bunk, climb up and unroll your bed.  Make your bed using the provided sheets and pillowcase -- they're clean!

5.  You may need the wool blanket provided, sometimes even when the weather's nice outside.

Wool blankets on shelf, reading light, and bedrolls on the top bunk

6.  When you are ready to go to bed, or to change your clothes, close the door to your compartment.  There is also a mirror for your convenience.

The storage area is in the background above the doorway, and you can also see coathooks and hand rails.

7.  The bathroom is at the end of this hallway, and is locked when the train stops at stations.  This is because when the flusher-pedal is pushed, you can see the tracks passing beneath the train car.

8.  In the morning, about 30-60 minutes before arriving at your destination, the conductor might come by and wake you up.  Otherwise, you need to un-make your bed, roll up the mattress, and pack up your things.  When you return your sheets to the conductor, he/she will return your voided tickets.

Odesa Train Station, early in the morning -- 2009

Special Situations
*Sometimes you might need to change trains part of the way through your journey.  Sometimes, that means you sit at a train station from 3 am to 8 am, dozing off while trying to keep an eye on your group's luggage.

Waiting area -- "bufet" -- in the train station

Remember not to speak English too loudly, and if a babushka sells you vareniki and gives you plastic forks she wipes off with napkins she found in her bag, just "wash" your hands with hand sanitizer and eat with your fingers.

Zhmerinka, 2008, where we stayed for 5 hours one night.

*If you are a young female or two females traveling "alone", the best coupe situation is to be with other women.  However, since you cannot choose your traveling companions unless you are buying your tickets together, you just have to hope for the best.  When you DO have 2 other female companions, look at each other in relief.  (Praise God that this past weekend Amy and I traveled with 2 other women both times!)

Last week, despite the logistics of getting to the train station after our Parent Teacher Fellowship, and the logistics of getting to school on time on Monday morning, our train travels were uneventful!  Having women coupe-mates both trips (especially since this was Amy's first time traveling via overnight train) was definitely a blessing from God!  I can't wait for more train rides across Ukraine this year! :)

Hope House: September Visit

 This past weekend Amy (roommate) and I traveled to Odessa, Ukraine, on the coast of the Black Sea, in order to visit Hope House and participate in a ministry opportunity there.  Hope House is a ministry of World Hope Ukraine, and there are two Wesleyan missionaries there named Kerry and Carole.

Hope House exists as a sort of transition home for teenage girls who have aged out of the orphanage/internat system in Ukraine at around age 15-16.  Often, they are unable to write their entrance exams for vocational "colleges", and don't have papers to show their status.  Many move to the government "dormitories", but this is a "party environment," as Carole put it.  Generally, within 6 months of "graduating" from the internat, teenagers will commit suicide, be on drugs, or get pregnant.  This of course perpetuates a vicious cycle.  There are about 16 girls currently living at Hope House, ranging in age from 15 to 19.  Hope House provides structure and a family-like environment, responsibility for routines like caring for chickens, and opportunities for learning English.

Chickens!

Last spring, Cliff (Nazarene missionary) asked me if I'd be interested in teaching English down at Hope House, because the Canadian missionaries leave every winter (due to visa issues).  The girls would need someone to help them practice their English.  The purpose of our visit this month was to meet the Allisons, meet the girls and begin to build relationships with them, and learn how to get to the house by ourselves. 

Here is a video that tells a little more about the idea behind Hope House (even though it refers to a different ministry). 


On Saturday morning, Amy and I prepared for our Bible lesson by sorting through a suitcase full of flannelgraph figures (remember those from your Sunday school days?) that related to the story of Deborah.  Carole talked with us about the English lessons, and though I almost thought I'd have to plan a new lesson, I was able to use my original plan as review.

We had lunch with the girls at Hope House, then began our lessons shortly thereafter.  Even though my lesson was a review for them, we were able to get to know each other.   My group--the "advanced group"-- had five girls: Nadia, Vika, Yana, Luba, and Lena.  We reviewed am/are/is, and how to negate them.  I also had different location phrases -- "at the beach," "in the car," etc. -- for them to combine to make sentences.  Some of my instructions for an activity weren't very clear, and because of her frustration, one of my students "shut down" for a few minutes.  I have seen this at KCA with another one of my students, so I kept trying to involve this girl.  Finally, for one of the charades, I had her join me to act out "at the beach" -- she smiled and all was well!

The outside of Hope House

In the evening, Amy and I shared the story of Deborah (Judges 4-5).  We began in prayer -- my first time praying through an interpreter!  Amy shared about the cycle of sin in Judges, because her 3rd grade class had just learned about it in Bible class.  She read the story of Deborah, Lena interpreted, and I moved the flannelgraph pieces.

Judges 4:14 (MSG) Deborah said to Barak, "Charge! This very day God has given you victory over Sisera. Isn't God marching before you?"

"Replace 'Sisera' with any difficulty in your life--a battle, a sin, anything.  God is marching before us, and He'll give us the victory," we told the girls.  We asked them, "What has God given you victory over already?" 

Most of the girls and I after church on Sunday

The rest of our time we spent getting to know the girls -- we taught them how to play Wii bowling, and I walked back from church with two of the girls.

In our conversations with Kerry, he talked about how there is no one who will speak up for these girls, who will help them find their way in society.  "Who will go to bat for them?"  In other words, who will defend them?  Who will help them?  Later, I was thinking, I can't help them with Ukrainian paperwork and the Ukrainian system.  I can't help them find their way in a society/culture I am just simply learning myself!

Then I remembered James 4:17 -- "If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them."  For right now, I can simply give what I have -- a willingness to visit them and get to know each of the girls, training/background in teaching, and speaking English as a native.  THIS is what I can give for these girls, to support them in their transition.  God will take the little bit that I have and use it to encourage the girls -- it's my responsibility to obey Christ in these little steps.

What opportunities do you see around you to do good?  How has the Lord provided for you, in order that you may provide for others?

We will return on October 22 for our next visit.  :)

(Click here to read Amy's perspective.)

What is Normal?

Here's a glimpse into what's "normal" for me.

America, summer 2011:
Normal is arriving at a new place and staying in the home of people you've never met before. Normal is finding out there are fewer than six degrees of separation between you and that family. 

Normal is speaking at 1-2 different churches every week and rarely hearing a sermon that you are not preaching.  Normal is finding time while driving to listen to a sermon from a church in San Diego that you have never attended.  Normal is being outgoing and friendly simply because it's necessary then riding in the car in silence for an hour.

Normal is going less than 30 days without living out of a suitcase.  Normal is having 2 different pastors in 2 different countries, and "home" churches in multiple states.  Normal is thinking that a church service held entirely in English is just too easy.

Normal is wondering if people in America actually call it "Philadelphia" instead of "cream cheese."  Normal is getting confused about the money that is not color-coded.  Normal is thinking that American pop culture is weird.

Ukraine:
Normal is attending a church service where you sing along to songs you barely understand.  Normal is hanging out a girls' camp for the day and zoning out most of the time because you don't understand.  Normal is joining group games with the help of others to translate/interpret.

Normal is feeling some distance (communication) between myself and the people around me at church, or those I meet, even when we are back to back on public transport.  Normal is listening to one of the KCA moms speak Spanish, then responding in Russian.

Normal is not knowing literal translations of signs, but only the practical implications.  Normal is having American friends who are not from your home state.  Normal is when you have to plan extra time to prepare ingredients for cooking because there are not pre-packaged salad mixes or boxed things like Hamburger Helper.  Normal is saying that spring begins on March 1, even if it snows 2 weeks later. 

Normal is not having internet for the first week.  Normal is routine activities taking all day.  Normal is having to live by a different kind of clock.  Normal is thinking of at least 2 uses for every object in your house; i.e., a radiator can help thaw raw meat, or a wet Q-tip works as an "eraser" on overhead transparencies.  Normal is being entertained easily by catching the пух with a vacuum cleaner.  Normal is picking up and paying for train tickets at the church, and not at a cashier at the train station.  Normal is paying for bags at the grocery store.

Normal is inviting 2 American English teachers whom you have never met, but only chatted with one online because they know another missionary friend of yours, to stay in your apartment for three or four days.  Normal is the kitchen being a perfectly logical place to tell them to put their used bath towels.

To quote Youth in Mission, "That's different, but that's okay!"


What's "normal" in your part of the world?

September 2011 Update

Dear family, friends, and supporters,

Hello once again from Kyiv, Ukraine!  I have been back in the country for almost 3 weeks now, and (for now, anyway) it seems to be a smooth transition back into the swing of things.  My roommate and I have settled into our new apartment and found essential places nearby like the bank, grocery store, Dreamtown mall, and Domino's pizza.  :)  We've enjoyed catching up with friends again, hanging out in the evenings after school or on Sundays after church.

KCA: The First Week
All four of my classes are in a row this year:  6th grade math (during 2nd period), then a snack break, then precalculus/advanced math, geometry (followed by lunch), and 6th grade Bible.  The first 2 weeks have been a time of "training" my students in the daily routine and how I do things in my classroom, in addition to teaching math and Bible, of course.
For now, the hardest part about my schedule is that I don't get a break, and have to be "on" at all times, ready to teach or answer questions or get ready for the next class.  I'm an introvert (though not shy, in case you were wondering), so I need to make time to "recharge" away from people.

Jen and Kara
From Aug 24-27, my roommate and I hosted 2 American English teachers in our apartment.  Kara (who is also a YIM alum) and her cousin Jen came to Ukraine to teach English with International House in Poltava (not to be confused with IHOP).  We showed them around a LOT of the city, and introduced them to some church leaders before they left on the train.  Their first night -- mere hours after their arrival -- we made them come to the city center for some Independence Day festivities.  These were their first few days in Ukraine, so we showed them around a grocery store and taught them a little Ukrainian history.  I was even able to help Jen buy antibiotics at the local pharmacy!

Riding the metro with "just one more" passenger:  Amy and I in the background; Kara and Jen in the front

Obolon English and Other Church Ministries
This morning was the "kick-off" for Sunday school/children's church at the Obolon church, located only a 10 minute walk from our apartment.  Though we didn't teach a lesson today, Amy and I went to see the kids and our fellow teachers again for the first time since the spring.  We sang a song that I first learned in 2008 in Zaporozhe that goes something like this:  "Every day and every hour...Lord, come help us."  Our first lesson will be on October 2, and I look forward to working with Svetlana again this year.

The kiddos at Obolon

On the first Sunday I was back, I went out to the district Girls' Camp for the evening to see friends and hear Pastor Vova speak.  Though there were a handful of people there that spoke English (including Tanya from Moscow) and Zee translated the message, I was mostly immersed in Russian for most of the time.  Eight of us played Dutch Blitz, then after a tea spill, we played a game that was a combination of charades, pictionary, and taboo.  Zee and Tanya were on the other team, so they would translate what I needed to do, though sometimes I understood the phrase

Also, a team from Susanville, CA was here a couple weeks ago to help the church-plant in Poznyaki.  (Some of you may remember that there was an NNU team here, and I've helped teach English over there too.)  Each night for a week, the team and Andriy and Marina's family held a VBS for the neighborhood kids, with the intent of connecting these families to the church plant.  A couple times I joined them to help paint and help with the kids and games.  I enjoyed getting to know each of them throughout the course of the week, including 12 year old Ben and 6 year old Danny!

The team (Verne, Cathy, Ben, Danny, Jameson) and myself

Hope House Opportunity in Odesa
Yesterday I spoke on the phone with some Wesleyan missionaries in Odesa (a city on the Black Sea) about coming to teach English there once a month.  Last spring, Cliff told us about Hope House, and how we could visit once a month while the Canadian missionaries are gone, so that the girls could practice speaking English.  Now that I have talked to the missionaries a bit (and we Skyped tonight), I'm excited about this opportunity for teaching English and leading Bible studies!  Pray for the planning and coordinating of this time, and for the people to whom and with whom we'll be ministering.

Upcoming Dates
*September 12 (I think): "Operation Mary / Hold and Witness" team comes to Ukraine
*September 16-18: Visiting Odessa and Hope House
*October 2: Teaching English at Obolon
*October 7-9:  MS/HS Fall Retreat
*October 9-16: Eurasia Regional Conference

Prayer Requests
*Students/parents who are still on their way to Ukraine
*English-language learners in all my classes, and patience/understanding in working with them (In my 6th grade class, only 2 of the 9 students are American.  One has lived in UA all his life, and the other was adopted from Russia.)
*Time management: in regards to tasks I need to complete, time with people, and time spent with God
*Hope House girls and the ministry that happens there every day/week.

Praises
*My geometry class has only 14 students this year (rather than 18), which means more space in my classroom and more time to answer students' questions.
*Ministry opportunities -- teaching English in various places, building relationships with the KCA students, and just being with my Ukrainian friends
*Russian-language triumphs, like asking directions, putting our friends on the train, and basic conversations

Thank you for all your prayers and support!
In Christ,
Jessica

August 2011 Update

Hello friends and family,

I am writing this while still on the western side of the Atlantic, but on Monday the 15th, I fly back to Ukraine!  My roommate and I will fly together once we arrive in Munich -- should be fun.

Summer Life
Besides speaking in churches, I've spent this summer visiting friends and family -- plus meeting lots of new people.  I've been both a tourist and a tour guide in my own country.  Another highlight was the ability to connect with others who have been to Ukraine, or who have recently been on missions trips themselves.

Support Funds Update
Many of you asked about how much support I'd received this summer.  Here's the breakdown:
Still left in my Ukraine account as of the beginning of August-- $5,668.11
Received this summer from churches, monthly sponsors, or other one-time donations:  $4,669
Churches who still need to let me know an exact or additional amount:  5ish.
There are a couple current or future monthly sponsors whose contributions are not recorded, and I'm not sure of those amounts.

The definite total at this point is $10,217.11, and I spoke at one last church on Sunday the 14th.  That will make a total of 13 churches I've visited this summer.

So, through you, God is providing funds for this year!!!

New Field Strategy Coordinator for CIS Field
Lonnie and Connie Norris will be moving to Kiev this year to serve as FSC.  I have never met them, but they already have ties to the field.  Click here to read the related NCN News article.

Random Travel Facts:
This summer, I:
*Visited all 4 commonwealths within the US within a 2 week time:  Kentucky, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts.
*Have driven through 18 of the 23 Maryland counties.
*Spotted license plates for 45 different United States (missing AK, HI, Montana, Nevada, SD), 5 Canadian provinces (Quebec, Ontario, Nova Scotia, Alberta, Manitoba), plus DC and Diplomat tags.
*Walked across the state of Maryland (nearly 3 miles).

Upcoming Dates:
August 15:  Depart USA
August 16: Arrive in Ukraine
August 18-19: KCA Teacher Orientation/Preparation
August 23:  First Day of School!

Prayer Requests:
*Safe travels back to Ukraine (for myself and other missionaries, including some school families)
*Calmness and focus in preparing for this school year
*Nazarene mission team dynamics, as this is a year of transition:  two of our missionaries (who have been there long before I first came to Ukraine with YIM in 2008) are relocating to another Eurasia field, and we have a new Field Strategy Coordinator arriving.

Praises:
*God's providing the necessary funds!
*Time with family and friends, and meeting new folks!

Thank you for all your continued support!

In Christ,

Jessica

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July 2011 update

Hello all,

I wanted to title this "Ukraine update" or "KCA update" but then I remembered I wasn't at either place!

"The America"-- By the Numbers
12 Maryland counties entered; 5 states + DC visited.
$2,403 raised (4 churches, plus a few small donations)
38 more people needed to sponsor me at $25/month!  Click here to contribute electronically.
4 of 13 churches visited

"Fundage" Update
My ministry in Ukraine cannot happen without your help and partnership.  YOU are part of the team.  As mentioned above, this summer $2,403 has been contributed toward my account.  A small part of that amount came from monthly sponsors.  To cover my expenses for this last school year, I still need $9,597 from either one-time donations or through monthly pledges.  If you are interested in contributing electronically, the link is above.  For contributing by check, here are the instructions:  Checks should be made out to: General Treasurer, Church of the Nazarene and mailed to PO Box 843116, Kansas City, MO 64184. Please include Jessica H /Mission Corps/Ukraine on the memo line of your check in order for the funds to go to the appropriate area of the world where I will be serving.  Thank you SO MUCH!

Re-Entry Shock
Re-entry shock, or reverse culture shock, hasn't been too bad.  One of the confusing things is dealing with time zones:  there is now a 7 hour difference between my friends in Ukraine and me, but no difference between me and my East Coast friends. Here is a funny story:  At Family Camp, I had a water bottle that I would refill in the dining hall and then take back to the cabin.  Eventually I realized that the tap water in the cabin was perfectly drinkable and that I didn't need to take my water bottle with me!

New Friends
In my travels, I have been able to meet lots of people.  Here are just a few --
*Lisa-Jo:  she and her husband lived in Kiev for 3 years, and attended the Nazarene church.  I read her blog, and we have many mutual friends.  We met for lunch the day I applied for my visa.
*Aleksey and Lena:  Ukrainian missionary couple with Campus Crusade ministering in Ocean City, MD to Eastern European students
*Missionary Rod Reed and his daughters Katie (18) and Hannah (12):  Missionary speaker(s) at Family Camp, from Africa Nazarene Univ.  I enjoyed having lunch with them one day, and hearing them share during the missions service.

NYC -- the capstone of my summer
Over 6,000 Nazarene teens and their sponsors gathered in Louisville, Kentucky last week for a time of worship, service, prayer, and fun.  Our Missionary Kid group had 29 students and 6 sponsors, coming from every region of the Church of the Nazarene.  My roommates included 2 MKs from Eastern Europe and one from Senegal.  I saw friends from all over the country -- Mid-Atlantic District, New England District, Maine, Michigan, and even El Paso!

Our crazy MK group

Our students (and sponsors too!) participated in the Bundles of Hope project, where we sorted and packed all kinds of baby supplies to be distributed to lower-income families in the Louisville area.  Another ongoing project was called "Something to Eat" (click link to learn more), where we helped package basic nutritious meals to be shipped around the world.

"Something to Eat" assembly line

We heard messages with the themes of Create, Broken, Promise, Presence, Satisfied, Mission, and Restored.  Later, in a time of group reflection, the students shared about how God was speaking to them.  Some shared about how they too can actively be involved in ministry where they are, that it's not just about their parents -- including their unsaved friends and getting involved more in their own youth groups.  Others shared stories of how God provided the funds and logistics for them come to NYC in the first place.  For these MKs, simply being with others who have common experiences of being a "third culture kid" and having friends scattered across the world was an encouragement.  They understand each other and can share their own experiences.

We also had times of fun, whether it was go-karting and mini golfing on Saturday, playing Ninja or Pterodactyl at the hotel, or enjoying the exhibit hall (usually gravitating to the drums in the NCM exhibit).

Eurasia representation at NYC

Upcoming Dates:
Click here to see my most up-to-date listing of churches I will be visiting.

Other Dates:
July 22-24: Road trip to New England!
Aug 15: Depart America for Ukraine
Aug 23: First Day of School / Parent Orientation

Praises:
*The MKs' openness to God's leading and for their recognition of what God wanted to say to them during NYC.
*A full schedule of speaking at churches
*The opportunities to see friends and family while "home" in America

Prayer Requests:
*For the MKs to assimilate how God's spoken to them into how they live their lives for months and years to come
*MKs in transition -- whether it is between other countries or back to America
*Provision of the remaining funds for the rest of my school year.  I hope to be able to stay in Ukraine until the end of July, so that I can attend the district kids' camp.

One more year at KCA, here we go!  Thanks for all your support!
Jessica

Pre-Home Assignment Update

As my year in Ukraine comes to a close, with just three days remaining, I thought I would take this time to share some specific summer prayer requests and information with you.

Speaking Schedule 2011--Here is a list of where I have officially been scheduled to speak this summer.


June 12 --
AM: Westminster, MD

June 19 --
AM: Frederick New Beginnings, MD (youth Sunday school class)

June 25 (Saturday)-- 
PM: Berlin The River, MD (youth service)

June 26 -- 
AM: Berlin The River, MD

July 3 --
AM: Hanover Trinity, PA (between Gettysburg and I-83)

July 10 --
AM: UNAVAILABLE (Nazarene Youth Conference)

July 31 -- 
AM: South Carroll (Eldersburg), MD
PM: Pleasant Ridge, PA

August 7 --
AM: Gettysburg Harvest, PA
PM: Ryot, PA

August 14 -- 
AM: Leonardtown, MD


Prayer Requests:
Please pray that God would:
-Help me to have a smooth time of re-adjustment to American life (read my definition of reverse culture shock here)
-Speak through me and with His words in the various contexts: Sunday School class, youth service, regular Sunday services
-Provide funds for this next year of teaching at KCA, from one-time or monthly sponsors
-Keep me safe while traveling:  across the ocean, to Kentucky, driving throughout MD/PA
-Provide enough personal funds for the things I will need to take care of while at home in America:  gas, food while on the road, cell phone bill, doctor/dentist/eye doctor appointments

Nazarene Youth Conference:
In the past few weeks, I have been getting to know the students of the MK District via our Facebook group.  They are sure to be a fun bunch, and I already know 3 of the Eurasia students and a few of the sponsors.  I also discovered that I will have the chance to meet one of the MK's at my very own district Family Camp, just a week before NYC!

Please pray for these students and for us sponsors.  Pray that the students will be open to what God wants to teach/tell them.  Pray for us sponsors, that we would be able to guide these students closer to God, connect with them, and have the energy to last through the week!  We will be there from July 5-10.

Thank you again for all your prayers and encouragement.  I hope to see you sometime this summer!
Jessica

Cultivating Time(s) of Rest

This summer, I will be in America for 2 months during KCA's summer vacation.  However, this time in America is not really a vacation for me, since I will be super busy.

What does my summer include?
*Speaking at 9-10 different churches, plus a camp in RI, in order to find monthly sponsors to provide my support for next year
*Nazarene Youth Conference in Kentucky, as a sponsor for the MK district
*Jon and Allie's wedding in MA
*Re-applying for my visa (2 trips to DC)
*Going to District Family Camp!
*Replenish supplies that I will need in Ukraine, and go through my belongings at home to see what I don't need anymore
*Time with family
*Visiting friends that I don't get to see very often, plus spending some time with my new pastor's family to get to know them (and having that support base from my home church)
*Possibly doing some study on the New Testament as preparation for teaching 6th grade Bible again next year

From another missionary blog:

Beyond the initial culture shock of being in a foreign country, there is a certain level of culture stress that never goes away.  Living day in and day out in a culture with different values, beliefs, and language than your own can create a certain amount of stress.  You can never fully identify or understand the people around you, nor they you.

When I was in Ireland in the spring, I felt like I had a TRUE vacation.  Among other things, I was in an English speaking country, the environment was completely different from Ukraine, and there was nothing required of me.


As you can see from my list, I have a lot to do within the course of 2 months -- enough so that it's not much like a vacation.  The question now becomes, how will I cultivate times of rest during this time in America?

Here's how I anticipate being able to find times of rest this summer:
*One weekend I will be near the beach, speaking at a church.  I plan to find some time to hit the beach, go swimming, and just listen to the crashing of the waves.
*At the youth conference, some of my co-sponsors are friends I've known for 4 years (and I've seen them almost every year since then).  Besides this, there will be youth pastors and youth from around the country that I will know, and I really look forward to seeing these old friends in person.
*I greatly enjoy reading, and will be reading as many books from the library as I can.
*Going to my friends' wedding will give me the chance to see old college friends (yes, I've only been out for 2 years), and also see my "twin."

I challenge you, in the busyness of your own lives, to find ways to rest and to take a "Sabbath" even if it's not on Sunday.  Don't get so caught up in DOING things that you forget you are a human BEING.  Take time out of your schedule and focus on God and what He has to say to you.  Be open to allowing him to shape your life and change you to make you more like Jesus.

Two week countdown

Tonight at dinner with the NNU team and Kiev team missionaries, I realized that I have exactly 2 weeks left in Ukraine.  First reaction:  ACK!  Here's what my calendar looks like, and also my to-do list.

Friday May 27 and Sat May 28:  Track Meet.  I've been helping with the middle school track team, and this is the second and final meet of the season.

May 27: Dinner with Cliff and Heike.  The last time I will have dinner with them at their home here in Kiev before they move.  The meal will include one of Cliff's notorious peanut butter, banana, and mayo sandwiches -- I promised him in fall 2008 that if I ever came back to Ukraine, I'd try one.  Now, I have to uphold that dumb promise.  We're also going to play Scrabble, and they're going to talk to me about a possible ministry opportunity for next year.

Sun May 29:  possibly going to the baptism of 4 KCA students, 3 of whom I've taught.  I just found out about this tonight via Facebook.

Tues May 31:  ICA small group Bible study?  I haven't decided about this one, but I know I should go to say goodbye to people I know I won't see again next year.  (Part of being a missionary means you have to say goodbye a LOT more frequently, and you have to learn to do this in healthy ways.)

June 1, June 2:  Administer semester exams to my classes:  6th gr math, 6th gr Bible, geometry (76 questions, but they are multiple choice!), pre-calculus

Friday June 3:  My brother's birthday!!! Also, the last day of school and graduation.  Cry because I will not see these seniors (whom I have taught both years) again for a long time.  Say goodbye for the summer to the rest of the students.

Sunday June 5:  Last Sunday at Kiev First Church.  Say goodbye for the summer to everyone there (Zena, etc.), plus this will most likely be my last time to see Heike.  :(

June 6: My roommate flies back to "the America."

June 8:  I leave for America

To Do List:
*Show Amy what's packed up from my old apartment, so she knows what we'll have
*Pack things that we won't need till next year and get some help to take it to the new place
*Pack things for America
*Clean the house one last time, rearrange things as needed
*Finish the books I'm borrowing from people
*I'm sure there are other things, but my brain is going to fry if I keep thinking about what still needs to be done and how I have so many goodbyes ahead of me.

PART TWO....will be in another post.

Longer Days!

I'm at a loss for why Ukraine already has longer days than Maryland, and it's not even the summer solstice yet.

Kiev, Ukraine
Sunrise: 5:02am
Sunset: 8:48pm

Crumpton, MD
Sunrise: 5:46am
Sunset: 8:15pm

During the winter, the days are EXTREMELY short, and there is not much sun.  If there's any sunshine in the day, it's hidden behind the clouds.

To give you an idea of how little sunshine I've expected here, I'll tell you how much sunscreen I packed: 0.85 ounces, all in sample size packets.  My roommate and I will use it tomorrow at the church picnic in Obolon.

April/May 2011 Update

Hello all,

This will be the last email posting from Ukraine for this school year.  I will try to post once during the summer, and then continue again in the fall when I return to Ukraine.

Quick points about the past two months:

*April 24 was Easter Sunday here in Ukraine.  I observed some Orthodox Easter celebrations at a nearby Orthodox church, which you can read about here (at this link I also wrote some about the Nazarene sunrise service).  At this link, you can read about the traditions of Holy Week and watch some videos demonstrating how to make Ukrainian Easter Eggs.

Nazarene sunrise service overlooking the Dnieper River

*On May 7, I finished my Cultural Anthropology course through NTS!  I was so relieved to finish my term paper (due on April 30), and also relieved when I got an A on the paper I wrote about children and families in Ukraine!  I'm still waiting for my final grade, though.

*May 9 is Victory Day, which commemorates the surrender of the Nazis to the Soviet Army.  Click here to read some of the history and see some video footage from 1945 (thanks to Youtube).

*A team from Northwest Nazarene University has been here since the 11th, and will stay until the 26th.  They are helping various churches around the city, and also came to KCA on Wednesday.  As one of the track coaches, it was wonderful to have them teaching some of our kids more skills that we are not necessarily knowledgeable about (shotput and triple jump).

They held Kids' Club activities on the other side of the city, and I was able to join them last weekend.  Click here to read about the first Kids' Club I went to, and NNU's assistance to Andriy and Marina in the church plant.

Relay games

*On Thursday, the 6th grade Bible class and I led chapel for the elementary students.  We talked about trusting God -- that it means we fully rely on God (FROG).  The kids did a puppet skit and acted out the story of Peter walking on the water, then asked the elementary students questions based on the story.  Upon reflection after the chapel time, I realized that although we told stories of trusting God, we didn't give the kids concrete ways to apply this lesson to their own lives -- to obey God when He asks us to trust Him.  In this, I have to simply trust God (ha!) that seeds were planted or watered, and that God will be the one to make their faith grow despite times of difficulty.  I even found that I needed to listen to my own chapel message, and allow God to shape my own thinking -- to trust that God will fulfill his purposes in our lives.

Discussion time

*Friday was the Senior Send-off chapel at school, complete with photo slideshows of each senior.  I will miss these students, most of whom I have taught for two years, and the rest of whom I have gotten to know otherwise.

Summer Plans
Many churches have asked invited me to speak in their churches while I am in America, and my schedule is filling up!  Click here to see if I will be at a church near you.  I'm looking forward to seeing many of you, and attempting to also have a vacation at some point! :)  If you are interested in helping sponsor me monthly, please visit http://web.nazarene.org/goto/ukrainejh.

The district coordinator for the MK district at Nazarene Youth Conference has been emailing us more info, and I've learned a little bit about many of the participants.  They will be coming from all around the world, and they are sure to be a fun bunch!  Some of my fellow sponsors are folks I've known from my time with Youth in Mission, and I'm looking forward to seeing them again.

Praises:
*My online course is finished!
*God's provision of churches for me to speak during Sunday services
*How God has been working in my life, and revealing the ways in which I need to continue to grow

Prayer Requests:
*Transitions these seniors make as they move to college or begin work in the fall.
*Many of my students are returning to their passport countries for the summer.  Pray for smooth adjustments.  One student I know is going to the US for the first time in 3 years.
*For the MKs as they prepare for the youth conference -- pray that they will be open to what God has to say to them

Thank you again for your prayers and encouragement.  I couldn't have made it through year #2 without your support!

In Christ,
Jessica

Poznaki Kids' Club

Part One:
Some of you may remember from my trip to Ukraine in 2008 that my teammate and I worked in Zaporozhe with a pastor named Andriy and his wife Marina.  Within the past year, Andriy and Marina have moved to the Left Bank area of Kiev (not far from where we held classes during the swine flu quarantine of '09).  They have started a church plant in their apartment.

A few weeks ago, Andriy and Marina asked me to come and help them for their Saturday afternoon kids' club.  I didn't know what to expect, and nor did I know how to get there!  They said that last time they had taught basic colors to the kids, and asked if I could bring some games or activity ideas.  I decided to bring Twister, and then would "wing it" with another game idea (I think it's called Trainwreck, when the person in the middle says things like "If you are wearing blue, then you need to get up and change seats").

There were three kids there -- Liza (age 7), Masha (age 4), and Andrusha (also 7, I think).  Their moms have been to our church at Studencheskaya, and are both named Svetlana.  Marina reviewed the colors with them -- and they did well!  We started to play Twister (each child taking turns), but it soon became apparent that the kids needed to learn their left from their right in both English AND Russian!  The kids also had a chance to spin the spinner for their friends, and I joined in for a few rounds also.

Masha and Andrusha (brother and sister)

The kids and Marina

Svetlana and Marina also read the children Bible stories and showed a video (I think it was from the Beginner's Bible series) about the Last Supper and Jesus' last hours.  Then we made a craft, and I helped them with that.  Up until this point, I was doing okay with communicating in Russian -- both understanding and being understood.

While we ate a snack, the other Svetlana came and the conversation level went from being at a child's level to being for grown-ups.  Hence, my focus and comprehension level quickly dropped.  I'm convinced Svetlana #2 was speaking Ukrainian to me, because I barely understood her most of the time, except when I recognized the word "mova"which means language in Ukrainian.  Marina would translate/repeat for me from Svetlana's Ukrainian/Russian, to more simple Russian.  

About 10-15 minutes into the conversation happening at the table, Svetlana #2 asked me if I was understanding everything -- I wasn't, because at this point, I'm sure my eyes were glazed over as I thought about other things.  It's hard to stay attentive after about 20 minutes of conversation in a foreign language when it's mostly over my head.  Maybe I should stick to talking with kids.

Part Two:  NNU Team
Currently there is a short-term summer missions team here from NNU, helping at various places throughout the city.  Because I am in school, I'm not able to join them as much, though it was nice to have them at KCA on Wednesday.  Last weekend, I joined them at a nearby park for a kids' club.

As we arrived, the team members made balloon animals for the kids who were flocking to the playground.  Translators included Slavik, Dina, Anya, and also Marina's brothers and sisters who I hadn't seen since 2008!  The team dispersed, and accompanied by translators, we invited kids to the playground and schoolyard at 5.

The kids' club included a craft and relay games at one location, and sports games at the schoolyard.  I tried to talk to some of the Ukrainian kids, but alas, as far as I got with most of them was "What's your name?" and "How old are you?" just like in 2008.  I realized yet again that I am not fluent in Russian, and thus cannot completely translate things.  With this team, any little bit that I can interpret for them is helpful, but I recognize that the Ukrainians doing the translation are MUCH more equipped for the task than I am.  Plus it's more important to give these folks opportunities to practice English and help in the church, as they are rising leaders.  

Victory Day (May 9)

Today, May 9, is a day commemorating the victory over the Nazi army in World War II.  Or, as the war is called here, the Great Patriotic War.

Source: eureferendum.blogspot.com

In America, we recognize D-Day on June 6, but May 9 was when the Nazi army surrendered to the Soviet army.  Today is a holiday, and everyone has the day off (even KCA!).  The above photo is of Red Square, when the soldiers threw down the German banners in a pile to be burned.  I've seen old video footage of this parade and event, and there is a feeling of great triumph.  The soldiers are yelling "Hoorah! Hoorah!"


Here is a video of the 1945 parade.  Since you probably don't understand what's going on, I will point you to specific clips.  I wish I could sit beside you and point out specific things and translate as the video plays.
1:22 Holding the Nazi flags that they've "captured"
2:30 Stalin is one of those important guys, overlooking the parade.  A few moments later is when the parade actually begins, but you can fast forward to 4:57, where there is a gun salute.  Then they all march, grouped by their "fronts" -- 1st Belorussian front, for instance. After a few moments of that, switch to the Part 2 video.



Part 2 of the 1945 Victory Day Parade:
0:59 Throwing the Nazi Germany banners in a pile (watch until 1:29)



I never realized how massive this parade was -- the clips of these videos shown in the War Museum only total about 5 minutes, if that!  I just finished fastforwarding through these videos, and I couldn't really find them yelling "Hoorah!" like in the museum's clips.  Sorry about that -- you'll just have to come here and see the clip for yourself at the museum. :)

Yesterday I walked around the National Botanical Garden with a friend, and the place was packed!  People were enjoying the sort of-nice spring weather and the holiday weekend.

Source: flyuia.livejournal.com

Serving with Eyes Wide Open

The following are some helpful tips/notes that I got from the book Serving with Eyes Wide Open:  Doing Short-Term Missions with Cultural Intelligence (it’s a good book; I highly recommend it).  I jotted these notes down a few years ago to share with the YIM students at ENC, so here's a condensed version.  If you need me to clarify something, let me know!

Knowledge Cultural Intelligence (CQ): our understanding about cross-cultural issues and differences
-gaining general info about how cultures vary
-How does culture affect the way people view the world?  How does that relate to the specific culture you’re about to visit?  How does it explain our own behavior?  What’s behind the common gestures used?
Areas to be aware of:
-Event time vs. Clock time
-High context (people have a lot of history together, and everyone seems to be an insider) vs. Low context (much of the information needed to participate is explicit)
-Individualism (or importance on membership in groups)
-Power distance—how “far apart” leaders and followers feel from each other (having to do with attitudes toward authority figures).
-Uncertainty avoidance—being at ease with the unknown and what lies ahead
-“Interactive learning, conversations, and readings related to cultural differences are helpful ways to gain understanding about cross-cultural differences.” [talk with your teammates]

Interpretive CQ:  the degree to which we’re mindful and aware when we interact cross-culturally
-intentionally questioning our assumptions
How to develop this area:
-stimulate your imagination by reading novels and biographies about and by people in the places where you’re going.  [I know we are all busy college students already reading hundreds of pages…]
Suggested books: Jhumpa Lahiri’s The Namesake: A Novel (from India) and Brother Yun’s The Heavenly Man (China).
-open or close your window (your style of relating and communicating).  Adapt your communication and behavior in a way that puts the other person at ease…By adjusting your behavior to mirror theirs, they’ll automatically feel more comfortable
-JOURNAL!!! Think about the meaning behind these observations and experiences.  Describe things that make you uncomfortable.  Write down questions that come to mind.  What insights are you gaining?  What are you seeing different about yourself, others, and God?  How might your faith be different if you had grown up in this culture instead of at home?
-cross-cultural immersions within your own community/daily life

Perseverance CQ:  level of interest, drive, and motivation to adapt cross-culturally
-engagement with the culture as a whole
-understand different cultures and different ways of seeing the world
-really experiencing the culture [This can also relate to your level of connectedness with people back home.]
-“Our level of interest in connecting with the culture as a whole will directly shape how well we do our work in subtle but profound ways.”
-view the trip as one of many life experiences that impact us and others, as part of a seamless life of missional living that includes giving and receiving, and relevant to God’s call on your lives

Behavioral CQ:  changing our verbal and nonverbal actions when interacting cross-culturally
-flexibility and adjustment
-practice here in the States [Ukraine: crossing arms or speaking with hands in pockets]
-adaptability in interacting and communicating
-exposure to uncomfortable situations

Orthodox Easter celebrations 2011

This is actually a post I had to write for my Cultural Anthropology class.

On Saturday night at 11:30, one of the other missionaries and I went to part of an Orthodox service. The interior of the church was beautiful – no wonder Volodomyr was convinced to convert to Orthodoxy in 988! The walls were covered with paintings of Biblical scenes and saints. The iconostasis had icons of saints in ornate golden frames.

[More information about the cathedral/monastery I visited can be found here.]

I saw people proceeding through a line to view a glass coffin that held some part of a saint, after which they knelt and crossed themselves. (Did you know the Orthodox cross themselves the opposite way that the Catholics do?) Some time later, the liturgical part of the service began. The priest recited/read something that repeated “Lord, have mercy” and everyone would cross themselves and bow. (The liturgy was in Russian and it was even harder to understand than at my church.) Later there was some kind of responsive reading/recitation, where the priest read and the women’s choir sang. We left after this part.

My contraband photo I took inside the women's monastery church.

It is customary here for people to bring their baskets with their food to be blessed by the priest’s holy water in the wee hours of the morning. In the morning, I saw many people carrying their baskets with cloths draped over them that said “Christ is risen.” I knew that they had been to church that day.

Lady with her Easter basket

At the sunrise service, Zena’s mom talked about how Lenin was still dead and in his tomb. She can’t say that Lenin’s with her, but she can say that CHRIST is with her. Later, my pastor preached a sermon about how Christ conquered death—the unknown. This means we have power and victory, and that Christ can deliver us from fear.

Nazarene sunrise service

Easter is celebrated (at the church) for 3 days here, even though Monday was the only day off from work. I was near an Orthodox church on Monday, and could still hear them ringing the bells in celebration.

As I looked around at the people gathered inside, I thought of them as the people who ride the bus with me, who I pass on the streets. I wondered what impact Christ’s resurrection had on their lives, if they connected Christ’s victory over death to possible victory in their own lives (especially for the drunk people I saw later).

The ritual in the Orthodox church reminded that there are millions around the world celebrating with me, and millions (billions?) more that have celebrated in the past in similar or very different ways. What connects us all is the fact that we are rejoicing over Christ’s incarnation, sacrifice, and resurrection. The beauty of the church reminded me that God is a God of beauty – God makes “beautiful things out of us” (“Beautiful Things”, Gungor song).