I feel lazy...

I've been slacking a bit on this blog, sorry. But I know that my blogs are usually long enough that it probably takes you about a week to read them anyway, haha. Well, I left off telling you all about the opening of the youth center on Saturday, which went very well. It's open every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 3-8:30 pm. That's a long time to be in the center for me, but it's fun to get to play with the teens. We had about four or five actual teenagers come the first day, most of whom were already well acquainted with the church (two of them having been to camp as well, Kristina and Dima). I played Dutch Blitz with Vika and a friend of hers for almost two hours, and we played several other card games as well. We had one new boy, named Dennis, who came. Matthew and I played ping pong (we have two tables and a lot of board games and cards) for quite a while. He spoke pretty good English, and his mom wanted us to help him practice so I just talked to him as I played. He had just moved the month before from Kiev to Berdyansk, which is quite a move. The two cities are almost nothing alike, and he said that he missed Kiev (as well as his girlfriend). It was great to get to meet him and for him to have a place to get to just hang out and not be bored.

Sunday we did church as usual, and had lunch with everyone in the Tarr's apartment because the Zirkle's were still here. Sunday was a pretty relaxed day, and we didn't do very much else besides that. Monday found all of the missionaries in a field meeting for most of the day, so Matthew and I were sent to Mike who is in charge of the construction here. He had us move around some stuff, and I again weed-whacked for most of the day. I even did some a little outside of the center grounds for the neighboring apartment complex. I think they appreciated it, as they asked us to do it, but several of the Babushka's complained about it.

Tuesday we went to the orphanage again, but again they went to the sea only a half-hour after we got there. Only six were left behind, but we played with them anyway. Two of the girls, Masha and Ruzhia, got to go home which was wonderful, I was so happy for them. Sasha came with us today instead of Bill and Vika, along with Dima from camp. Sasha is so great with the kids, he just brought a picture Bible and told stories to them the whole time, they loved it. After we got back from the orphanage we had to pack because Matthew and I were heading to Kiev with Bill and Oksana (and Dima, Oksana's nephew) to take the Zirkle's back to the airport. Kevin Zirkle, the husband, is the director of the European, Asian, and Oceania fields and was having a field meeting the whole week previously. They were heading to Hungary for a week, and then home before heading back to their home field of Japan. They were really interesting to talk to, and I enjoyed getting to know them (the wife's name is Becky).

We rode the train up to Kiev, which was much more comfortable this time because there was not a 24 hour period of air travel before it this time. During the day we went to three different cathedrals, a monestary, and three museums. The monastery was very interesting, because it was one of the oldest in Ukraine, and possibly in Europe. There were catacombs there, but we didn't have time to see them, but they have several bodies that are still preserved even though they should not be (they said it was the Holy Spirit as a reward for their good lives). We went to the Chornobyl museum, which was interesting to see how that had repercussions in Ukraine (where it happened). I hadn't realized it only happened in 1986, I had thought it was a bit before then. We also went to two war museums, one for the Russian-Afghanistani freedom war from the 70's-80's, and the other for WWII. The WWII museum was intense, and ended in a room that had a huge 50 ft. long table running the span of it with cups set for all those who did not come home. It was very moving, and I found it especially hard to go through the concentration camp room, as I have been to a concentration camp before (they even had a pair of gloves made from human skin, and soap from human fat, which I found horrifying). The top room was all in white and had all the names of those who had passed away in the war. Right outside of the museum was a monument to the war, called the Iron Lady. She is taller than the Statue of Liberty (because of the base), and is a formidable-looking woman holding a sword uplifted in her right hand and a shield in her left. It was very moving, and we could see all of Kiev from the hill she sits on.

We also did a bit of shopping, and I got all of my souvenier things done for everyone that I was buying something for, which is great. Then we headed back home on the train, and just arrived back a couple of hours ago. It takes a while because after the train ride we have a three-hour car drive from the train station in Zapparizhzhia to Berdyansk. We're opening the student center again today (we weren't here to do it on Tuesday, but Igor did), and will do so the rest of the week. The Irish team comes on Sunday, and they'll be here until we leave.

It's so surreal to think that most of my summer is over. It's all gone by so fast. But I'm still keeping my spirit up, even though I'm a bit tired by now. I'm praying that God will bring about a change in me, even with only three weeks left. I've gone on mission trips like this before (although not for as long), and I've come back unchanged. I've hardened my heart and not allowed the Lord to work in me. I don't want that this time. I may not have perfect faith, but I have enough to know that I cannot deny that which can't be proven, it would be very arrogant of me. I believe in God because it is innate in me. It makes no sense, and I've tried to make it logical, but it isn't. I just know it is true. So I'm resting on that, and trying to bring about change in me through that. Please pray for that for me, and for the remaining three weeks I have left here in Ukraine. It will be hard to leave here and all the people I've grown to love, but I'm glad for the experience. Excited to see you all soon, and love you all.

David