Wow! Time is flying by!

Hello friends!
It's taken me much longer to update this again than I had hoped or anticipated!  The days have been full, and the nights have been too short!  :)  I'll try to get everyone caught up on what's been happening, but I'm sorry if this is all jumbled.  There is so much I want to share, and I know that no matter how I try to describe everything, I simply won't do it justice.
So, since I last posted, I've been continuing to work at the English Language Camp for children.  It's been amazing, and the kids are so precious!  I got to work with both the older age group and the younger age group, and I just can't describe these kids.  I've fallen in love with each little face, and as I anticipate the end of camp...well, I just try not to think about that.  God blessed me with the opportunity to build really great relationships with a number of the team members from Texas, and I am so excited to see how He will continue to use them as the travel to Kiev for the next couple of weeks.
Okay, so I have to be at a coffee shop in about an hour for more outreach, but I want to tell a little bit about yesterday.  Yesterday morning we took about 70 kids (ages 5-16) to the park.  Ukrainian kids are probably the best behaved children ever, because PRAISE GOD we did not lose any of them!  We got to play with sidewalk chalk (which they loved), eat ice cream, dance to music, and watch some amazing dramas performed by the team from Texas.  Each staff member was to keep an eye on one or two younger children, and I was entrusted with an adorable brother and sister named Kristine and Roman.  At first, they were very shy, but as the day continued on, they were eager to talk and play and show me all that they had drawn with chalk.  When their mother arrived to take them home, they each wrapped their arms around me and said, "goodbye, Jasper...have a good night".  Augh...even typing that I get all teary.  I cannot express the joy that explodes from my heart when these little ones smile, or laugh, or tell me a secret, but especially when they look up at me and I know they understand how much Jesus loves them.  Watching 60 little faces watch a drama illustrating Jesus' sacrifice for us - His death in our place - is an experience I will never forget.  And friends, it's addicting.  When even one child understands Jesus' love for them and accepts that love, the angels rejoice.  A heavenly party erupts, and we get to take part in that rejoicing!
I can't wait to share more stories with you all.  I had the amazing experience of visiting Lviv - a city filled with 300 year old buildings and seemingly endless places to explore!  I will post pictures of some of the buildings on here soon, but there is an album on my facebook if you would like to see them sooner :)
So much love from Ternopil, Ukraine,
Jasper

Hello!

Good news! The King’s Kids team is beginning to get comfortable, and tomorrow we begin an outreach in the form of an English Camp.  We have about 80 young people ages 6-18 registered for the camp where they will become more familiar with the English language through Bible stories, skits, and times of conversation with each other as well as our staff.  I’m so excited!

For the last two days, I’ve helped in the kitchen fixing lunches for the teams, and starting tomorrow I will only be doing that every other day (working at the camp on the other days).  While I am excited to begin working with the children here, I am going to miss being in the kitchen with my new friends.  I am beginning to catch on to some humor, and I’ve loved getting to know them better.  Today, I was told that I had sliced the vegetables “perfectly”…which is a big deal (you have to cut differently for soup vs. salad).  We’ve had so much fun!

I so treasure the friendships that are growing here.  I am trying to learn some vocabulary each day, but language is slow going.  Fortunately, most people here on the base speak English quite well.  My new friend Ruslan wanted me to tell you all hello.  He thought it was funny that I was in the kitchen to write this blog, but the internet is really quite fast in here…and it’s the only quiet place.  J

I hope everything is going well there…I heard that Fox News’ Twitter account was hacked?  That’s a bummer.  :(

I’m loving it here in Ternopil, and I’m already thinking about ways I could get back here in the near future.  Thank you so much for your prayers! 

Happy 4th of July!

My favorite holiday…one traditionally filled with swimming, barbequing, and fireworks.  I had thought (with some disappointment) that by being in the Ukraine I would miss out on this celebration that I so love.  I was wrong. 

I won’t spend my whole entry on my excitement over the 4^th of July, but I am very excited – Fireworks are legal in the Ukraine.  Like, real…big…off the ground explosions…are legal (and common) in Ukraine!  They are often part of wedding and birthday celebrations here in the city, and today, a large group of Americans working at the base, as well as many who attend the Calvary Chapel here in Ternopil, got together to celebrate Independence Day.  We all went to the home of one of the families in the congregation.  I found out that kitchens in the Ukraine do not have smoke alarms (and a good thing, too!  We filled the kitchen with smoke grilling hamburgers on the stove!).  In spite of the smoke, we were able to make lots of hamburgers for all the people who attended.  Everyone talked about where in the States they are from, and it was a great time of laughing, eating, and fellowship.  There were 13 adults and…wait for it…15 children!!!

Outside of this celebration, the team arrived from Texas to help begin the King’s Kids ministry!  There are 32 team members total!  I am helping cook lunch for the team, and let me just say – I am already a better cook!  I have learned so much from Dima, the gentleman in charge of the kitchen.  I’ll never peel a potato the same way again!  (and I know how to make potato salad from scratch!  And mayonnaise!  And I love Ukrainian mustard…which is a big deal because I don’t like American mustard.)

We’re planning on participating in the “I love Jesus” festival in a few weeks.   It’s a huge outdoor event which will last (I believe) 5 days.  I’m really excited to see how God is going to work not only at this event, but also in preparation for the event. 

I love the staff here at the base so much.  I’m getting to know each individual in their little quirks and traits.  I’ve begun to build real friendships with a couple of the girls in my room.  I will tell more about these things soon, but it’s getting late.  I hope all of you have a wonderful 4^th of July!  <3

Ukraine!

Dear friends,

I have made it safely to Ternopil!  It is absolutely beautiful.  Praise God everything went smoothly entering the country.  I almost missed BOTH of my connecting flights, but God intervened and in New York I was helped by a woman who worked for the airliner to quickly get through security.  She was wonderful – everyone else basically said, “Sorry – you missed it.  Reschedule for tomorrow.” But God had other plans.  I made it onto the plane with time to spare. 

Yesterday, I met up with the family who came to meet me at the airport and went for my first meal in the Ukraine – McDonalds chicken nuggets, fries and a coke!  J  There are no McDonalds in Ternopil, and since we were in Lviv, the girls wanted to stop. 

As soon as I arrived at the base, I was welcomed by the team.  I have met so many awesome people who I am looking forward to getting to know.  We sat down for a family-style dinner of chicken curry and rice which was made by one of the young men here at the base.  Everyone was speaking a combination of Russian and Ukranian and (for me) some English.  Please pray that I am able to catch on quickly to some conversational language skills!  I have realized that many people speak Russian. 

Today, I rode a bus to the bazaar to buy fruits and vegetables with one of the women here at the base.  It was absolutely indescribable, but I will do my best.  First, I went to exchange some money – in a matter of minutes, I went from holding 20 bucks, to handling about 150 brightly colored hrynvia!  After making the exchange, we headed right into the heart of the market.  Imagine an outdoor market in the most crowded area of San Francisco, and you can have somewhat of an idea of where I was – keep in mind, very few people know more than a few words in English.  There were countless vendors selling everything from raspberries to homemade cheese.  The market system is so interesting.  Rather than selling for less in hopes of attracting more business, most of the vendors sell low to get attention and immediately hike up the prices once they have a crowd gathered. 

Enough about the bazaar – the people!  One of the first things I am noticing as I explore this area is the people’s eyes.  They are the most beautiful colors!  If they are blue, they are VERY blue.  If they are green, they are BRIGHT green.  From little children sitting on curbs to very old women selling vegetables, these people have the most beautiful eyes. 

Today was a very cold day.  It has been overcast, and there were some sprinkles this morning when we were at the bazaar.  (this is probably one of the reasons I was reminded of San Francisco)  I wish I could somehow tell you all everything.  I am taking so much in each minute, and I feel incapable of properly describing everything.  Please pray that as we begin the new ministry here at the base God will work.  Please also, as I said before, pray that I am able to catch on to some basics of the language.  I’ve included a photo taken out the window of the base.  I hope to get more pictures of the architecture within the next few days.  Just down the street is the oldest church in Ternopil.  It is gorgeous. 

God bless you, and thank you so much for your prayers!  Love from Ternopil, Ukraine