Update

Hey guys, thought I would share an update I wrote with you. :o)

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September 6, 2005

Dear Friends,

 

Wow.  As most of you I’m sure know, I left Tallahassee for Ukraine three months ago today.  The journey God has placed me on since then has been incredible, fast, unpredictable, life-changing, and at times, quite difficult.  But, I am very excited to hear that He has called you to be a part of this magnificent journey with me and I look forward to these letters which I will use to share with you what God is doing in my life as best I can.  I want to use these to share both what God is doing with Radooga as well as what He is teaching me, personally, as I live in a new country and culture. 

 

First of all, camps for 2005 ended on August 9^th, and it was a bittersweet ending.  God did so many amazing things in the lives of campers, Am. teams, and Ukrainian staff.  My favorite story is of a girl named Ira who was in my English Class during camp 2.  She was scared to accept Christ because she knew that her father would not approve.  She left camp without making a decision, but with the knowledge that she was loved both by God and by many Americans who left there homes to share that with her.  Then, during camp 6, another girl came to camp and handed a letter and a picture to me; apparently she went to church with Ira.  In the letter Ira said that she had gone home and realized that Jesus loved her enough to die for her and because of that she knew that she had to give her life to Him, regardless of the cost.  She asked my prayers.  It is so encouraging to see that God isn’t done working just because camp is over.  It helps motivate me to never stop praying for these kids. 

 

On August 11^th the All Summer American Staff, minus me and Amberly, got on a plane to head back to America.  I remember on the ride to the airport thinking “ok, this is it; this is real; I’m staying in Ukraine.  Life starts now.”  I was really scared and it was the first time I had felt that way.  There were certainly tears as I waved goodbye to my summer family, but after that, as I walked back out the airport doors—peace.  I can’t explain it, but I felt it.  The fear was gone, not forever, but for the moment, and I knew I was where I was supposed to be.

 

After the summer staff left, I stayed with Oleg and Lena Vasileski.  Oleg is the director of Radooga and his wife also works there.  They are both so sweet and did everything they could to help me feel comfortable during my time with them.  I must admit that God was teaching me patience, though, while I was there.  I didn’t want to be an imposition and I didn’t want them to feel like they had to take care of me all the time.  It was really hard for me not to have a place to live, but my prayer was that God would prepare a perfect place for me and that I would be patient in my waiting on Him.

 

Well, God is faithful and on September 2, 2005 Amberly and I moved into an apartment that is right next to the Radooga office.  I am able to walk to work and go home for lunch and I don’t have to fight with the crowds on the Metro during rush hours.  Also, the worship leader, Sergey, and my friend Denis live in the building right next to ours and have already been a huge blessing.  Denis came over just the other night and helped us to put up our shower curtain. 

Today was my first official day of work at the Radooga office.  So, I look forward to telling you more about what God is doing here in my next update.  For now I want to leave you with some prayer requests and praise reports and say thank you, one more time, for all you have invested into my life and into the ministry of Radooga and therefore to Ukraine.

 

Serving with you,

Lori

 

Praise Reports

v      A two room apartment right next to the Radooga Office

v      My first day of work

v      Oleg gave me a cell phone to use while I am here

v      Calyn called me on my cell phone yesterday

 

Prayer Requests

v      Preparation for fall Conferences on October 29^th and November 5^th

v      Safe travel for Oleg and Oleg to the States on September 10^th.  They will be meeting with the board of directors and also with Student Life while they are there.  So, please pray that God will give everyone wisdom and clarity in all the decisions that are being made while they are there.  These will be decisions that will affect Radooga for the upcoming year—through ’06 camps. 

v      Pray for me as I get into my job here, because I often feel inadequate.  Pray that God will constantly remind me of 2 Corinthians 12:9 which says, “But, He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you; my power is made perfect in your weakness.’” 

v      For me and Calyn.  God has really been teaching us gratitude for each other, and the separation has not been easy for either of us.  In fact, often times, it is the hardest part of my being here.