CHRISTMAS EVE...Enjoying working together to celebrate Christ's birth!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Jenn in charge of Christmas cookies

Dad's traditional Kutya with help from Malsie

Dan's fruit bowl

A new idea....Emily's snowmen eggs.

Awesome appetizer....Karissa's crab salad & cream cheese cups

Mallorie whips up Uncle Jack's Famous Ukrainian side dish.

Matt with little sis works on great olive and meat trays

James checks Jenn's cookies...yup, they're good! : )

Lizzie helps check if everything is good! YUM!

CHRISTMAS DAY!
Happy Birthday Jesus!

Winter 2013

Winter in Ukraine

shedding tears before Kirill leaves for America....
THEY'RE JOKING! : )

working on the Christmas newsletter

all students met reading requirements for the month...
PIZZA PARTY!  WOOHOO!

This year's Christmas topper!

The stockings were hung.....

supplies from America....thanks!

~ From Karissa's Desk

                                         What We Do

When my family first came to Ukraine we thought we would be visiting orphanages each week.  The first year of this trip we worked with a small mission organization.  Instead of us visiting orphanage it was more like the orphans were visiting us.

In late December 2012, my father and two of my sisters went to a school for teens to pick up two girls who had visited us before.  But when the came back they only came with one girl and two boys.  Their names were Oleg, Vova and Nastia.  Ever since that day Vova and Oleg kept coming to our house every weekend until spring.  In spring, Oleg graduated.  He has been living with us ever since.  As for Vova, he left in July or August.

In the end of July 2013, we stopped working with the organization and moved into an apartment near the center of town.  After that, more young men have been coming to live with us because they have no family.

Although mostly teenage boys have been coming to stay, there has been one girl named Diana who we met about two months ago.  Diana does not come to our house every weekend but I think that when she does come she enjoys it a lot.

So far, I've written about what we do with orphans but we also do things at our church.  Every Sunday we try to go to church.  Although we barely understand a word the pastor says, we always sing songs in Ukrainian and English.  Sometimes my dad preaches if there's someone who can translate, even though my dad is not actually a preacher.

At the church we attend, there is a young man in his twenties who is a Christian, is married, and has a baby.  Andri and his little family come to our house frequently for Bible studies, singing, and coffee.  I enjoy listening to the debates among Oleg and Andri about what the Bible says.  I also like watching on their baby.

Other than that we live like normal people; going to the Bazaar and supermarket.  We do school, play at the park, and celebrate holidays and birthdays.

I hope now you can understand more clearly of what we do here in Ukraine.

Karissa - age 11

~ From Mallorie's Desk

Proverbs 15:1  A soft answer turns away wrath.
    
That is one of my favorite verses because when I am mad at my brothers or sisters I remember that verse.  It sometimes is not easy but I try to remember it.  Sometimes it works....and sometimes not.

I think it is good when people see us treat each other nicely, because they will probably sense we are Christians.  I hope I will remember this verse when I am older.

Mallorie - age 10

~ From Jennifer's Desk

Probably the biggest lesson I've been learning from being involved in ministry- especially Ukrainian ministry- is to trust God and remember that He is sovereign and good.

Over the past year, we've been faced with many various situations- some have been really awesome and others have been a bit trying. But looking back, I can see how God has used these experiences to teach and grow us.

The Bible says that God “works all things to the benefits of those who love Him” (Romans 8:28), and He has “a plan and a purpose” for us (Jeremiah 29:11). Even if we can't see what God is doing or why He is doing it, He loves us and has our best interest in mind. Why do we hesitate to trust the Creator of the Universe with our lives and instead “lean on our own understanding” (Prov. 3:5)? God is the one who is totally sovereign and wise, not us!  I like to think of it this way: if a situation is out of our control, that leaves it in God's hands, which is the best place to be.

Of course, as humans, it can still be difficult to trust God and not to worry. I think part of the reason we hesitate to trust God is because we can't always see what He is doing. We all face things in life where we don't understand what is going on or why God lets certain things happen. But we need to remember God's promises, and we need to trust Him, knowing that He loves us and He has a purpose and a plan for everything.

Jennifer - age 16