Perspectives

Hey everyone:) Well it has already been 5 days since we left and time seems to be flying by. Everyone is in good spirits and enjoying this adventure. We went on a day trip the Kiev yesterday to check it out. Quite amazing!! The buildings and different statues and such were beautiful to gaze upon. Me and Michael were, at one point, talking about how interesting it is that the Ukrainian people look as though they could speak english like us americans. Basically saying that you could not tell them apart, for the most part, from us until you heard them speak. So alike in many ways, yet so different too! I think a lot of times we have a tendency to judge a book by its cover before taking the time to open it to see what it says.

For me this trip so far has been interesting. I said before in my first posting that I was not sure why God wanted me to come here instead of Honduras. As of yesterday it has become very clear to me. I have felt called to full time missions to Mexico for some time now and being here is allowing me to be able to discuss different aspects of a life as a missionary with the Micah and Cristy. I find myself "picking their brain" so to speak. God has been allowing me to see and experience different things that I will encounter as a foreign missionary. For me it's not so much the work of the missionary, rather the different aspects of the battlefield the missionary faces on a day to day basis. A lot of these things are common to what we as christians face in the USA. The difference being that on the mission field out side of your home country, these common everday battles and struggles( personal or not) some how become intensified.

God has given me a lot to think about as He prepares me to GO.

Please continue to pray for unity amongst the team as well as safety and that we all are open and willing to going deeper with our MIGHTY GOD AND SAVIOR, LORD JESUS:)

Working and Singing...oh and don't forget the ice cream!

Day 3 in the field was definitely diverse. We split our group up into three teams. Most of the guys went with Sasha Romanenko and Micah Claycamp to chop up some wood that was left for a Babushka. Harlan, Taylor, and Jeannine went with Pastor Danny Foote to take care of a huge trash pile. Then the others went to do some wallpaper at a lady's house. Some sweat and labor put out today!

This afternoon we mellowed out a bit after lunch, bought some snacks and actually a few of us got naps in. Then it was off to Micah and Christy's for dinner followed by Music outreach in the town center.

On the way there we stopped by the big park in the middle of Kaharlyk. We then lost Harlan and Aaron! Well, not really. They went to look at the War memorial and then came back a different way. I had a blast trying my VERY sparse Ukrainian to ask a group of young soccer players if they had seen Americans. They all nodded, but I think they thought I was asking if they had EVER seen Americans. LOL.

Music ministry was great. Micah, Michael, and Josie led us in worship songs. It was such a blast. Several people stopped and watched, but no conversations really sprung up. Well, maybe next time! Off to slumberland with a very tired, but happy team. Serving is always a blessing, and we are having a blast doing it. One last favor I ask, and it's a personal one. Please pray for my sister Bonnie Chamberlain. She went in for a routine surgery and when she came out she suffered major involuntary muscle and torso spasms. Painful and she can't control herself. She is going to the Barrow's Neurological Institue in Phoenix. Being here in Ukraine at this time is hard. Pray for my brother in-law Steve and my niece and nephew as well.

First Full Day

One of the visions of Calvary Chapel Kaharlyk is to reach out to the community with social outreach. Micah Claycamp, Pastor Wayne, and Pastor Danny have been working towards putting a Coffee shop in the church in one of the old rooms. Realize that this is a 1920's sewing factory that has been slowly renovated for the church. So first off we had to clean up the old sewing room of machines, tables, etc. Then we began patching the walls from electrical and water pipe runs.

All of this occurred right when a big rainstorm hit. All the "crazy Americans from Arizona" went out and danced in the rain. It also helped clean all the plaster off from the plaster fights. ;-)

This evening we spent time with the Youth Group and shared in worship and testimonies. Once that was done, outside we went for their Youth's first encounter with S'mores. We had brought marshmellows and graham crackers from the US. Their incredible chocolate they have here in Ukraine really helped make them glorious! It also brought about many conversations with the Youth Leaders here in Kaharlyk. One of the leaders told me about the tremendous spiritual growth they have experienced in the past few months after increasing the amount of prayer they have lifted on behalf of this city. One leader told us about a Satanic worshipping band that came to town and sung songs about how Church has left them hanging and that Satan is the answer. How important it is gang that we pray for the young people in our country, yet it's so important to pray for the kids here in Ukraine and other parts of Europe.

We also gave Pastor Wayne and his wife Olya their gifts. What a blessing our fellowships were to them today. They were overwhelmed by the coffee, Ikea mugs and saucers, and all the clothes we brought for the fellowship. THANK YOU to everyone who donated clothing and other gifts. Tomorrow is more work! Pray for continued health and strength for our team.

We have arrived!!

After a rather harrowing journey including a 4 hour delay at JFK, a fuel spill and repairs, we arrived in Kiev at 12:30pm Ukraine time (10pm Tuesday) We had a work day today and tonight is Youth Group. We'll post more as we get a chance this evening. Thank you for all your prayers and keep them coming!

What's this "Camp 120" all about anyway?

Lots of you probably are wondering what we'll be doing for part of our Missions trip? Serving at a Youth Camp on an Island in the middle of the Dneiper River. Think "Survivor Ukraine" except you can't be voted off. In fact, you can't leave!! Boats drop us off and then come back at the end of camp. I guess if you're a great swimmer, you could make it to shore. Ha! But something about "shreeking eels" enters my mind at this time. ;-)

At the Camp we will be having devotional studies, times of worship, and just letting the Youth have a good time! It's just like camps at home, except for you're on an island..in the middle of the river...well, you get the point.

All the food is brought in, our drinking water, and we even build our own toilets. It's the real deal. I think this is also why my wife wants to visit Ukraine in the winter rather than this time. ;-)

We could definitely use your prayers. Pray for safety, good weather (camping is not as fun when it's raining all the time), and for the lives of our team, as well as the youth at this camp, to be changed. Pray also for Jono Miller, our camp director. He's a Kiwi from New Zealand, so this oughta be a great "walkabout".

Michael - Uncertainty leads to Faith

I'm not exactly sure why I signed up for this trip. I did pray about it, but I'm not totally positive I received confirmation. I just kind of took the approach of , "if God provides, then I guess He wants me to go," and so far, He has provided. In truth, I have found throughout my walk with the Lord, that when I just open the door to let God work, He does. It's scary. It's full of uncertainty, but He comes through, over and over again. I am encouraged by how He worked in the last mission trip I went on. You probably all heard this, but it's so cool I'll say it again :).

I signed up for the Ukraine trip in 2005. All of the money came in smoothly, I had my passport, but I didn't have my visa in time, and that basically meant I couldn't go. I prayed to God, bringing Him my situation, but it all seemed hopeless. Honestly, I felt like I blew it. If I weren't such a procrastinator, I could have gotten my visa in time and avoided the whole issue. But God in His grace, took care of everything. I think it was the day before we were supposed to leave that we found out that Ukraine changed its foreign policy to where short term visitors from the U.S. no longer required visas. He totally came through. In my immeasurable weakness, in this case procrastination, God showed His power, and gave me undeniable confirmation that I was meant to go, and that He wanted me to go.

So yeah, I didn't receive some incredible vision or a voice whispered in my ear telling me to sign up this year, but I am simply leaving the door open, and giving God an opportunity to work in me and through me, and whatever happens, happens. - Michael Steinle (i'm the guy to the left in the photo)

Aaron's return trip...

Hi, I'm Aaron, and I have been to the Ukraine before. When I went with my dad, we met many new faces while also trying new things. I have a heart for these people and the Lord has blessed me in allowing me to go again in just one more week! I am super excited and hope that it will be as fun as it was last time.

I thank everyone who donated money that I may go again, and I really appricate the support you gave. I will post a couple more blog entrys while there and will hope for the best while there.