If  you received our Christmas letter in the mail, we kind of left you hanging. We feel like we’ve been left hanging for more than two months as we have submitted and re-submitted our documents, trying to obtain permission to stay in Ukraine for the next year. Our deadline passed on December 10, but we finally received our temporary residency permit on December 26 with the all-important rubber stamp. Thank you for your prayers. We won’t have to go through this again…until next year. But, [...]

In September Ukraine passed new legislation that invalidated our visas and changed the laws about how foreigners can stay in Ukraine. Russia did something similar a few years ago, and this caused many missionaries to leave the country because they could no longer obtain the permissions they needed to stay there long term. We’re hoping that this won’t be the result here, but we have yet to see how the government will implement their new laws. One thing is sure…the process will certainly be more [...]

It sounds like Christmas, but it’s actually our keys. When we left the States more than six years ago, our key rings were empty. This left an unfamiliar silence in our steps as we relinquished roles and responsibilities, with their respective keys. Now the jingle is back and is louder than ever. The crescendo has been gradual, but now, as we get ready to replace this year’s calendar, it’s exciting to remember how full it was of ministry and new responsibilities. Our primary ministry is [...]

I have never thought of myself as the Betty Crocker type. And when I pictured life on the mission field, I thought I’d be doing something really meaningful and valuable. Certainly not baking. Or making coffee. (Imagine my eyes rolling.) But the longer I’m here, the more I realize that one of the best ways to make people feel loved–something that transcends cultural differences and language barriers–is hospitality. And what’s even more surprising to me is that I’m really starting to enjoy it. At church, [...]

One of my favorite parts of teaching happens before classes even begin in the fall–admissions interviews. The students are usually very nervous, anxious to give us the right answers. I, on the other hand, bask in the stories that they all tell of how God has been moving in their lives and how with our help they’ll be more prepared to follow God’s calling.  Every time we get new students it reaffirms our purpose for being here. This year we had record enrollment again, which [...]

It was a cool treat on a hot summer day, but it wasn’t the sweetest melon ever. The last one we had tasted like candy, so we had high hopes. Watch the 30-second video below.