Ukraine Mission Trip 2005

Christine, Angie, Jennifer, Sarah

My church recently heard the reports from some summer mission trips to the Northwest Angle of Minnesota and to Haiti!  Both had some wonderful experiences.  Every time I hear about missions trips, I think about the mission trip I went on to Ukraine in July of 2005.  My team included sisters Christine and Sarah and my housemate and friend Angie and myself.  We would be representing our church family (Becker Baptist Church) to our "Sister Church" family in Vatutino, Ukraine.  We would be helping run a Vacation Bible School, leading a women's event, and sharing music at church.

Sweet Ukrainian Kindergarteners!

I "taught" the kindergarten group of kids along with two teenagers: Julia and Oksana.  They were very mature, excellent teachers, so I was more of a helper than a teacher that week.  They both spoke English very well, and so I could communicate with them and build a nice friendship.  Another one of my jobs that week of Bible School was to help with the singing.  We usually did one or two songs in English and the rest in Ukrainian.  What a thrill it was to hear the kids singing praises in Ukrainian!

Julia, my translator and me

One thing I really enjoyed about my trip to Ukraine, was getting to have a translator.  Julia opened our eyes and our hearts to the people of Vatutino in an amazing way.  She was able to express complete ideas and thoughts and feelings.  She became a very good friend too.  She stayed with us at our host family's house and helped with all of those conversations too.  Usually she would have us tell her a whole idea or a whole story and then she would translate it into Ukrainian.  It was fun to see our host's reactions to stories as she told them.....especially funny stories!!! 

Our kindergarten class!

It was very hot during our week of Bible School, but we still chose to be outside for games or to find some shade for classroom time.  We did craft projects each day.  The kids were so excited that they had a hard time listening to directions.  We felt like we were yelling over them to be heard.  They had snack each day - they LOVE peanut butter!

Besides working with the kids, we also had a chance to spend time with some of the youth of the church.  They were some great young people.  Angie, Christine, and Sarah had all been  
to Ukraine the year before, so many people remembered them.  They remembered that Angie loves hedgehogs!  I was feeling disappointed to not get to see my own hedgehog, so on the last night we were there, some of the youth and the pastor brought a hedgehog (one they found along the road) and brought it in for me to see and touch!  Crazy Cool!

Hedgehog!

Visiting church members in their homes

Vatutino Baptist Church

Craft time with the Cuties!

We learned a little Ukrainian along the way.  Before we left America, Angie made a tape of common expressions that I could use during our time there.  So, I could greet someone by saying, "Dob-riy den!" or I knew how to Praise God by saying "Slava Bohu!"  I could thank the family for the tasty dinner by saying, "Dya-koo-you za smach-niy o-beed!" or tell the children God loves you by saying, "Boh lyoo-bit vas!"  I loved that one!  I remember walking along with two of my kindergarteners and saying God Loves You in Ukrainian and they looked up at me and smiled!  Sweet!

Sitting by a cute Ukrainian lady!

 As I mentioned earlier, we did music at church in Vatutino.  I played piano and Christine played flute.  Sarah and I did piano duets.  We sang songs all together.  I accompanied congregational hymns on the piano.  They usually don't have a piano accompaniest, so they LOVED it!  I was glad I could play piano because when they sing accapella - they go sooooo slowly and that church was HOT!  It was so hot while we were in Ukraine that the roads buckled!  Thankfully we had some fans at the church and fans at "home."  But, Ukrainians are funny about fans or open windows- they are afraid of drafts - they think they are not safe.  But, we were NOT afraid of any drafts when we were there.  Boy, was it HOT!
    After our time in Ukraine, the four of us spent a day in Kiev and then an evening in Frankfurt, Germany.  Then Christine and Sarah flew home, but Angie and I spent a week in Germany with my friend Anette (from Up With People).  We had a wonderful week and even got to spend a day in Poland!  To read more about our week in Germany, click here: http://journalingjennifer.blogspot.com/2011/04/glimpses-of-god-in-germany.html 
   Overall, I had a wonderful experience on my mission trip and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to see the country of Ukraine and love some of the people there.  I saw God at work all around me.  I felt hope for the people there that God was touching their lives.  The same God who loves me loves the children and adults in Ukraine.... and Germany....and Poland! 

We loved hearing their stories!