July 17,2010 – In their Words

Dear family,

We’re home!

U10 arrived safely at JFK this afternoon . . .  promptly headed to Flushing for Korean food.

Thank you, each one, for praying for us and supporting us in all the ways that you did.  It was our joy to bring you with us to Ukraine in our hearts, and to be used of God to transmit your love & affection & spiritual sisterhood to NHC and all of our friends there.

We look forward to sharing more about our trip!

With love,
c., on behalf of U10

July 16,2010 – Parting Thoughts

Dear NHF Family,

In 8 hours, we leave for the airport.
In 11 hours, our plane will be taxi-ing the runway for liftoff.
In 14 hours, we’ll be landing in New York.

Unbelievable.

July 15, 2010 – Good-byes

Hi everyone,

It’s night here in K’chug . . . we just got back to the church from Camp.  Do you want the good news or the bad news?

Ok, the good news first.  We’re back to western toilets & hot showers!!!!  I know, I know, it’s such a spoiled American thing to say, but it just had to come out!  =)  But wouldn’t you know it: today, on the last day at Camp, Julia, Sunny & I were walking back from one of the squatty-potties, and we heard ourselves commenting, “Huh, that wasn’t so bad!”  And then we laughed at the wretched irony of getting used to such a scuzzy thing on the last day we’d be there . . .

And here’s the bad news: leaving Camp, leaving our friends, was really, really hard.  It was a hot mess, for sure.  Even for the first-timers, there is a vicarious affection that has been built up over the last three years, so for all 7 of us, it was just so difficult to say goodbye.

July 14, 2010 – How Time Flies

Hi everyone,

Can u believe we’re only here for another day @ Camp, then 1 more day in Kiev, then home? Sad…

July 13, 2010 – There is lots of love here

Hi all,

Day 2 @ Camp is ending … Twas a rainy day today, but it provided much-needed rest 4 all. Even Pr Sasha got to take a nap.

Here’s the run-down:

July 12, 2010 – Old and new faces and places

Hi all,

We’re @ Camp now = no wifi = no computer = back to “typing” on the Crackberry. Oy vey. Excuse the abbrev’s & spelling errors…

We’re back @ the same site as last year; it felt to Sunny & I like our 3rd home away from home, but this time twas better bc we were here from the start. Getting on & off the bus w/everyone, settling in w/ all, finding our linens, etc. makes us really feel like part of the family.

Bad news first: the girls had their 1st smell of the squatty potties. Half-seriously: pls pray for them. =)

July 11, 2010 – The Half Way Point

Dear NHF Family,

What day is today?  Am I awake?  Are we really halfway through our trip?  You’re telling me we haven’t been here for 2 months already?

Yes, it’s been that kind of day — the Hump Day, the middle of our trip, the hinge between one series of activities and the next.

First the funny: U10 performed its skit twice today, at 2 different church services, and each time was a tragi-comedy unto itself.  At 10a, we worshiped at a “daughter” church of NHC.  Because this church is much smaller than NHC (only about 30 people), its worship space is also much smaller . . . which means its stage is, well, near-miniscule.  Width-wise, it was probably about the same as the performance width at home.  But depth-wise . . . I could lay depth-wise, and my feet would hang over the edge.  =O

July 10, 2010 – Yaaawwwnnnn…

Dear NHF Family . . .

Yaaaaaawwwwwwn.  We’re sleepy today!  But I think it’s a great sleepiness, actually . . .

This morning, we got to “sleep in” a little bit (FYI: there is a current friendly competition on to see which room — the mens’ or the womens’ — gets to morning devotionals on time.  McDonald’s in Kiev, or ice-cream back in NY, is on the line.  As of yesterday morning, we were tied 1-1, but this morning, the women took a slight lead when 3/4 of our men uncharacteristically overslept!) before heading over the the local orphanage, the same one past U-teams have visited.  With us were Natasha (16yo Marina’s mother, serves in the children’s ministry at NHC), Nastya and another woman named Marina.  Nastya and Marina are in their 20s and unmarried, but both have adopted daughters (2 for Nastya with another one in the dreams, and 1 for Marina).  It was so interesting to hear about their heart for Ukrainian orphans, and to learn a little bit about domestic adoption processes here in Ukraine, and to see the adoptive love of God the Father displayed in human form.  (And admittedly, there is no small curiosity regarding: “How do single, 20-something women adopt children at such a young age and without a husband-father to join them in parenting?”)

July 9, 2010 – “Thank God for Day Two’s”

Dear NHF family,

Thank God for “Day Two’s” . . .

Chae led us this morning in a devotional from Psalm 43, and encouraged us to put our hope in God, to remind ourselves, speak to ourselves the reminder to trust in He who shines light, and in whom our hope comes to strong fruition.

July 8, 2010 – In Kremenchug

Thursday in Kremenchug: check!

It’s no longer a joke: Ukrainian mosquitoes (or “mo-SQUEE-toes” as JohnCho likes to say) really do love Sunny (and Rachel too, I think, although she hasn’t taken an official tally of her bites).  I do believe one bit Sunny as soon as we landed at Borispol Airport, or on the way into Kremenchug from there.  Sunny’s response?  “Ahhh, now I know I’m welcomed back into the country.”  And then overnight — as we slept with the windows open to battle the heat — she got eaten up some more.  What a sport!