When I look back at the past two months of my life, there is one word that I think particularly suits how I feel: adventure. I got to live in a country I’d never been to, be with people I didn’t know, use my love for writing as I had never done before and see God in ways I could have never imagined.       

Mission to Ukraine overflows with stories of redemption and life, everyday visual reminders of God’s active hand in their work.

I worked with Mission to Ukraine, focusing on their crisis pregnancy center. Between counseling sessions, small Bible studies, home visits and abstinence talks, these women are busy. But in spite of all the work they had to do, they always invited me to come along with them! I got to truly experience this mission and see with my own eyes how they are impacting their society in Zhytomyr.       

It was incredible to see the ways God is currently working through the lives of these brothers and sisters. He transforms lives in the midst of poverty, sadness, death and crisis. He opens hearts to His love through the Mission to Ukraine staff. He provides for people in unimaginable ways. Nothing was more encouraging for me as an American college student than to see God working right in front of me.       

My adventure took me many places and opened my eyes to new things, but the best part of it all was the way I saw God in different ways throughout it all.       

Learning Life

What do babies, beets and coffee have in common?

Click here to read this article…

No Choice

What happens when you don’t take the easy way out?

Click here to read this article…     

Time Away

April brings showers, May brings flowers, but what does June bring?     

Click here to read this travel journal…      

Culture Guide: Surviving Dinner

Like I always say, deliciousness is next to Godliness.      

Click here to read this culture guide…      

Taboo

It’s time for “the talk.”    

Click here to read this travel journal…      

Culture Guide: Expert Navigating Tips

A guide to navigation that even Sacagawea would be proud of…   

Click here to read this culture guide…

Hard to Forget

Who better to talk to than the woman who was there at the very beginning?

Click here to read this article… 

Substitute Husband

What happens when your husband decides he doesn’t want your baby?      

Click here to read this travel journal…

Photo Gallery: The Village

I don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t this…       

Click here to see this photo gallery…

In the middle of the summer, we took a day off at MTU and followed our fearless leader, Pastor Peter, out of the city and into another side of Ukrainian life.  What I thought would be an interesting bit of sightseeing turned into an eye-opening and unforgettable experience…

Of the countless stories that circulate around Mission to Ukraine, there is one that is especially close to the hearts of the women that work here.

Larisa’s story is one of heartbreaking beauty. She has lived through numerous trials and hardships. And although they are not over, she will tell you that the Lord has brought her through it.

This is Larisa’s son, Alyosha. He’s bright and happy and full of energy.

I met Larisa right before camp. In a group meeting, we discovered we were to be in the same small group. As I got to know her and her son at both camps, I saw a bright and unique light inside of her. There was something about her that made me want to be around her. And the more time I spent with her, the more I grew to love her and her precious little son.

Larisa is a strong woman, an inspiring teacher and a faithful member of her church.

I had heard snippets of her life’s story on different occasions, but I got the full story after dinner one evening at my host home. As she told her story, I saw an incredible picture of one woman depending and relying on God in a way I have never seen.

Larisa was a believer and her husband was not. This, along with several other things, caused marital problems and a difficult time with their first child. After a few years, and a visit to MTU, Larisa found out she was pregnant again. She knew her husband didn’t want any more children and she was terrified to tell him the news.

Larisa waited for two weeks, all the while attempting to decide herself whether she was going to keep the child or not. She finally went back to Mission to Ukraine and through the help of many of her close friends and sisters in Christ, made the decision to keep the child, no matter what her husband thought.

When she told her husband that she was pregnant again, his first response was that he was making an appointment for a doctor who would do an abortion. She simply refused. As time went on, she stayed strong in her decision through countless threats and emotional and physical abuse.

This is a place of healing and hope for many women in Zhytomyr.

Six months into her pregnancy, Larisa had an accident in which a metal object fell and struck her on the head.  This caused her to have an endless throbbing pain that invaded every aspect of her life. Of all the doctor’s visits and unanswered questions, there was only one neurologist who said that she could continue in her pregnancy. But she did anyway. She was determined to carry her child as long as possible.

She continued visiting MTU for counseling and Bible studies and attended church at every opportunity. Her husband began ignoring her, claiming no responsibility for her well-being or for the child that she was carrying.

During a time when it looked like she had no one, when she could have been completely alone, she wasn’t. She relied on her sisters and brothers in her community.  Over time, her church replaced her husband: they helped pick out names, they gave her advice, and Mission to Ukraine provided her with the baby supplies she couldn’t afford. The Lord tangibly provided for her in her greatest time of need.

But it didn’t stop at the birth of her precious son, Alyosha. For a year after he was born, his father continued to completely disregard his existence. He didn’t help Larisa with anything she needed. Instead he left her on her own through her persisting medical issues.

The community that is provided at MTU is a haven for those who are left alone when life gets hard.

I wish I could say that the story has a happy ending for all, but that’s not how life is. Things are better, but they are not perfect. As soon as Alyosha started walking and calling out for his daddy, his father’s heart was melted. And though he does not live with them, he is somewhat involved in his children’s lives.

But there is something good we can see in the life of Larisa and her son: a testimony of the Lord’s providence. Her faith has grown through these trials and you can see her heart in the way she talks. Her heart belongs fully to God. Her strength is totally from the Lord. Her love is completely founded in her Maker.

She ended her story to me in these words, “No one will ever be able to tell me that there is not a God.” Though she questions why she was given these trials and these stories, she knows that in the end, her life can be used to glorify God. God used the people in her life, from MTU and from her church body, to cover her in His love.

And this is where I see the one image that I keep coming back to as I’ve been here in Ukraine: a glimpse into the perfect design of the Body of Christ.

People surrounding a scared mother in the midst of her hardships. The beauty of life born despite a multitude of obstacles. Love that shines through the darkness.

This is how it’s supposed to be.

Last week I sat down with Ira Venglovska, Director of Mission to Ukraine (and my most wonderful hostess for the summer) to get her perspective on the ministry. Because she manages the day-to-day operations of MTU, she has a unique insight on the organization and all that it is.

Ira has seen the ministry grow and change since the beginning, and has witnessed firsthand the miracles that brought the organization together. Her words and stories tell of how the Lord is working through this ministry and how she can see it every day…

Ira has been with MTU since it first started. She interpreted one week for the Mission’s founder, David Bentley, and within that same week met the head of the maternity house who would later help them open a crisis pregnancy center.

World Next Door: How long have you been with Mission to Ukraine? 

Ira Venglovska: From the very beginning, since 1997.

WND:  Is there one thing, or one experience that you’ve seen or you see on a daily basis that keeps you coming back to Mission to Ukraine?

Ira: There is, actually. I have known, and I have felt, and I still know that MTU is the goal of my life. It is what God has given me His gifts for, because I can see exactly why I studied what I studied, and why I did what I did. And that’s really where I feel I bring glory to the Lord. That’s what He created me in Christ for.

Of course I’m prejudiced for sure, but I think once you come to MTU, it’s hard to forget about it. Because it’s a place where we see God at work literally every day. There is always a story happening, a life changed, a heart changed… something every day. Where the Lord shows his presence, so much will happen. So for us, work is not work. It’s really a ministry.

WND: How have you seen Mission to Ukraine’s effect on the community of Zhytomyr?

Ira: When we started, we were the first crisis pregnancy [center] in Ukraine. It’s still the only place in Zhytomyr that is trying to fight for the lives of babies. They cannot protect themselves.

Many staff members have spent several years working at the Romaniv Boys Orphanage. Each week they go and teach lessons, bring crafts and share God’s love with boys who don’t have the opportunity to see it every day.

And I know it’s the only place where parents with disabled children can find comfort and real help. And Mission to Ukraine does help them, unlike anybody else that I know.

And we are not just trying to serve the children and help them materially. It is a life matter for some of them. I mean, we are meeting with families that literally don’t have food to eat, diapers, don’t have money for medicines, and I don’t know how they would survive otherwise. And physical rehab and social rehab is just not available in the city [as it is at MTU].  Spiritual rehabilitation is not either.

That is what we are praying for – for the Lord to allow us to have a bigger impact and see how we could stir the churches to pick up the work and go to these people. Because we believe that’s what the Lord wants us to do – to go to those who are mostly broken, who are broken in their hearts and in their bodies. We see some of that happening already but we still have a long way to go.

Mission to Ukraine has had a new addition this summer! What used to be a concrete yard has been transformed into a playground, a garden and a beautiful outdoor patio and fireplace. The opening day and the chaos of the children running around was enough to know that this was a good idea.

Our goal is to affect the whole of society, at least in our area. And to notice these people, and see the value in them. View them as people with special needs, not disabled. You know, disabled is not their status. And you saw the kids at our camps. Remember at the closing? These groups of kids, they don’t feel their disabilities. They were singing! They couldn’t say a word but they were singing. And that’s what it’s all about.

We say that’s our big goal. But for the families that we serve, I literally don’t know how they’d survive [without MTU]. Not to mention the change of life that they’ve had once they come to our camps. Many of them became Christians, and that’s what it’s all about – trying to show the love of God in words, and not just in words, but in actions.

WND: I’m sure a lot of it is that you’re trying to help people holistically, instead of just materially or physically. You’re there to serve people spiritually too.

Ira: Well we don’t view ourselves as a social center. We’re trying to show God’s love in action. If we see a need, we’re trying to meet it. Then they ask, and we can answer why we do this.

Many volunteers give their time and love for many aspects of the Mission’s work. From camp leaders to interpreters to crisis pregnancy work in surrounding villages, this ministry flourishes because of all the members working together for the same goal.

For children with disabilities, it’s really rehabilitation in three aspects: physical, social and spiritual. Spiritual is the key, but we cannot get to the spiritual until we meet the physical needs, and we’ve seen it work very effectively. It’s the same with the women’s department. Again, they come in crisis and you cannot just tell them, “This is not a good decision, there is a better decision.”

I think a miracle is when someone’s life changes, when someone’s heart changes. We cannot do it on our own, with our own effort, but God can. I think it’s the most beautiful thing to see.

We actually feel privileged, because it is God starting this ministry, and designing it and doing it. We’ve known it from the very beginning, and we just feel privileged to be a part of it. It is an exciting place to be every day. It can be hard, it is a spiritual warfare, in many cases, but it is very real. I think that’s what life is, living in the center of God’s will. It’s very exciting.

WND: Anything else?

Ira: Well, I don’t want to make it sound very easy, we can only do it because there are so many other people involved in the ministry, not just here. What you see here is just like a team on a battlefield. But it would not happen if it were not for the money, the resources, for the time, for the prayers from so many other people. The army the Lord has given us is actually much greater.

This mother and child is proof that God is working through Mission to Ukraine. See the way she looks at her baby? And to think that he’s only here because MTU helped her decide not to have an abortion…

There are so many brothers and sisters in the US who are helping us in all these ways. It’s not like we are sufficient and everything is great because we still have so many more needs.

It’s a continuous prayer for the Lord to do something. And sometimes He does, and sometimes He doesn’t. It’s hard to know how and when. But that’s how we operate I think. It’s a faith-run ministry. Which means if we see a need, we pray. We don’t have a [big] bank account we can withdraw money from, but we pray.

Sometimes the Lord just performs miracles because people cry out to him. And I think it’s interesting that the Lord has arranged this ministry to consist of people from different churches. It’s not about denominations, it’s about Christ. We can all work together for a good thing that the Lord has in mind.

I think it’s a very organized plan on the Lord’s behalf. We view ourselves as a place where people come in crisis and once we hopefully introduce them to the Lord, then they need to be surrounded by the Body of Christ. So our next step is to take them to church. And that’s why we need all the churches to be ready, to just grab this person and surround them with love.

This can be hard, because sometimes churches lack training or finances or something else, so we’re still just moving into that direction. But that’s how we are trying to do it. And this way, they get served from all different perspectives.

Okay, so maybe the title is a little misleading.

Coming from the girl who still gets turned around in the city where she’s lived for twenty years, I suppose “expert” is a little strong.

Zhytomyr is the perfect size city for walking, a convenient and healthy (not to mention free!) mode of transportation.

But I’m turning over a new leaf. After years of obliviously following people and expecting them to get me to my destination, I’m taking a new step. And what better place to learn than a foreign country?

Here are the three things I’ve learned to keep myself from taking a forty-five minute shortcut home from the mall ever again.

Buy a map.

Let’s be honest, when was the last time you used a map? And no, GPS doesn’t count. Other than the map to get me around Disney World or to find the food court in the mall, I don’t believe I’ve ever used one.

Recognizing letters in the street names (my attempt at reading) can come in handy. That is, if you can find a street sign.

Try to find a map that isn’t too crowded and busy, making it hard to read and very distracting. Mark where you are staying and other key locations that you’ll be travelling to and from and write down their addresses. Also make sure you know the size of the city compared to the scale of the map, otherwise “turn left in two blocks” will turn into your daily workout and a nice tour of the side of the city you’ve never seen before.

Mark out the important places on the map so that if all else fails, you can stare blankly and point.

The most important things to figure out are where you are on the map and what direction you are heading. Unless you’re one of those mystical non-humans who can instantly know that they’re facing north northwest and walking to a house on the east side of the road and that the wind is blowing in with a southwestern current (hint: not me), then orienting yourself is your number one priority. Otherwise, you’ll learn very quickly that…

It’s okay to wander.

Whether it’s a wrong turn or just a half-mile detour to find one of the three street signs in the city, it’s completely acceptable to do a bit of harmless wandering. Yes, it’s slightly embarrassing to walk past a group of people four times with your map out, smiling sheepishly each time. But it is better than convincing yourself that you remember seeing that statue somewhere, right?

Generally, it isn’t more than 15 or 20 hryvnia ($2 or $3) to take a taxi anywhere around the city.

And while it may sound like a scene right out of Taken, asking for directions is usually okay. Just try not to walk up to the smarmy man standing in the shadows of the alley while loudly pronouncing to the world that you’re a lost American. Usually, nice looking people on the street can be trusted to at least point you in the right direction, if you’ll believe them.

Memorize the public transportation system.

You know people are going to ask why you’re an hour late when you live twenty minutes away, so you might as well blame it on traffic or something other than your lack of directional capabilities.

Public transportation is great for two things: a little rest from walking and people watching.

Learn the routes of the different transportation throughout the city. Buses, trams, and trolleys all have numbers and run various courses from one end to the other. They aren’t very expensive and they provide a great opportunity for people watching and expanding your vocabulary (in ways that Rosetta Stone could never do). Not only do you learn the hip street slang, but you actually get a real life look at the culture and the way the people and society work.

And if you don’t want to get yelled at by a babushka on the trolley, make sure you give up your seat for any mother and child that need one. Oops.

————

Now that you’ve taken a lesson from this modern day Magellan, there’s just one more thing to remember: never admit that you’re lost.

As I’ve spent time here in Ukraine, I’ve noticed some differences between what I grew up learning and how that contrasts with the average Ukrainian. This can be applied generally, of course, but I saw it especially in regards to the abstinence program led by Mission to Ukraine’s crisis pregnancy center.

When I was first told that I was going to go with the ladies to another village to listen in on one of the abstinence talks, I almost felt uncomfortable. This word had an interesting tinge to it in my mind. It was a slightly different take on the well known ‘no sex before marriage’ mantra that has been drilled into my head since birth from various Christian communities. But at the same time I knew that, at least in the United States, abstinence programs were often ineffective and dull (and occasionally received a good eye-roll).

I was confused. It is obvious why a crisis pregnancy center would speak about abstinence. That seems completely logical to me. But is this really the most effective way to be teaching about sex to a group of people? Won’t everyone snicker and become bitter about being told what to do?

The counselors from Mission to Ukraine travel around to local villages to inform women on the harmful medical affects of birth control and abortion.

I decided to figure out the reasoning behind the program by talking to an important group of people that the program is aimed at – the youth.

My camp interpreter and I have become friends.  She is my age, so I decided to sit down with her and her friend and ask them some general questions to get a feel on the cultural ideals floating around young people in Ukraine.

Now, I realize that I can only look at this from the perspective that I know: my own. And whether or not Ukrainian ideals are the same as the American ones, it still seemed an interesting comparison to make and a good way to sort out my thoughts.

So, as we sat around on the beds in their room, I asked them different questions about what they believe.  For example, what does the general public think about different things such as birth control, STDs, and abortion?

Most schools here have a sex education class every year, but most kids get their information from the Internet and television. My interpreter said that people are interested in the process of sex, but not in any of the consequences because no one thinks anything bad will happen to them.

Several MTU billboards and posters can be seen around Zhytomyr, getting the word out to the whole city.

She said that overall, people are not well educated because they really don’t care, taking on the mindset that ‘it will never happen to me.’ She threw in an interesting phrase that explained where this mindset might have originated (apparently it’s a common one used throughout Ukraine and the surrounding countries): “There was no sex in the Soviet Union, there was love.”

She then explained what it meant.  There were no movies, music, books, information or talk on sex in the Soviet era.  While it is not the same anymore, many people here still consider anything related to sexuality a conversational taboo.

My interpreter and her friends explained that most girls are okay with abortion, even though they might think that they’d never do it. In Zhytomyr, abortions are readily available, only needing parental consent if you’re under 16.  They only cost $25.

The more I thought about it, the more it made sense. I remember hearing the talk that was given to the group of women I visited in the village. Instead of Sveta standing in front of everyone and condemning them to hell if they have sex outside of marriage, she was actually helping them.

She talked about the consequences of different birth control methods, and explained the lies and myths that float around society about women’s health and other issues. She was aiding women in making better life decisions, not commanding them from on high.

So much of what we learn as children growing up in the church becomes cliché and lackluster as times goes on.

That’s when I realized why MTU takes this approach and how it is effective. Educating women on the medical effects of abortion and various birth control methods is a way to not only reduce the number of abortions, but to improve these women’s lives.

Since I’ve come to this understanding, I’ve realized that MTU’s mission is quite remarkable. Thought it may seem hopeless at times, seeing someone fight for what they believe in has given me a new perspective on hope. Their odds don’t deter them, they only push them further, to go above and beyond in how they love and care for other human beings.

As I see the effect that this mission is having on the community here in Zhytomyr, it is continually becoming clearer that God is at work in people’s hearts. He has the power to drastically change lives and He uses His people to do so. He’s doing it all over the world. As I watch this play out before my own eyes, I can only hope that He would use me in a similar way.

And if you choose allow God to use you, to work and serve for the same cause, you’ll be able to feel the encouragement and the truth found in spurring each other on.

And when the body of Christ is fighting for something as a whole, who on earth is to say that it can’t be overcome?

As a foreigner in a new land, you have endless opportunities to experience new things. But one that you’ll never forget is dinnertime.

Perhaps the greatest culinary delight of this country is the coffee that is offered at all times of the day.

Here in Ukraine, you get to indulge in the best and most delicious cuisine in the country – the homemade kind. Here is a little advice on how to be the best guest you can be (which is actually code for eating the food).

There has to be a catch, right? Wrong. Unless you count the elastic pants you’ll most definitely need to pull out for the occasion.

Start slow

I know that bowl of borscht is staring you down, but take a deep breath and pace yourself. You’ve got a ways to go, and if you want to make it to your third round of dessert (a.k.a heaven), don’t inhale your first four courses.

Bread plays many important roles in a Ukrainian meal, whether it’s with soup at dinner or butter and cheese at breakfast.

Ukrainian meals aren’t just a quick drive-thru, eat-in-your-car dinner. Here, it’s a time of eating, chatting and relaxing all in equal amount. Everyone sits around for coffee or tea afterwards, conveniently leaving a time to digest and regain your breath before you have to leave.

Learn the technique

I’ve noticed that there is a certain method for effectively transporting borscht (beet soup) from the bowl to the mouth. Here are a few tips:

These spoons legitimately cut eating time in half.

1. Posture – Similar to ‘taco neck,’ the borscht posture requires a hunched over stance, allowing the mouth to be as close to the bowl as possible. Women have found a prettier, more feminine version of this, but I can only seem to imitate the men – elbows on the table in full concentration.

2. Spoon – This native Ukrainian soup is usually served with a large spoon, which of course, I am tempted to fill to the brim. This is not always wise because splashing and spilling will inevitably occur. Rather, try filling a comfortable mouthful, able to be ingested with minimal slurping.

3. Accessories – Sour cream goes with borscht like macaroni noodles go with chili (Oh wait, must be an Indiana thing). Always take at least one spoonful and mix it into the broth for a nice creamy flavor. Bread is almost always served at mealtime and with borscht, it takes on an interesting role. Instead of dipping and soaking like I initially did (Silly American), try taking a bite of bread after a spoonful of soup. The same effect occurs, just without looking at gross, soggy bread as it drips all the way to your mouth.

If you can master the art of the national food, you’re one step closer to becoming a true Ukrainian. After that, drink some kefir (fermented milk) and you’re good to go.

Take a little of everything

Ukrainian diets consist largely of what is in season. Luckily the summer means delicious fruits and vegetables!

And when I say ‘little’ I really do mean it. I’ve heard it said time and time again, “I won’t believe that you like it unless you take more.” Make sure you’ve left room for seconds so as to be the best guest you can be.

Nothing will make your host happier than to see you enjoy their food, so even when you think you can’t fit another bite, suck it up and do it anyway.

And last but not least…

45-degree angle

Try to get the best seat in the house – one that reclines.

—–

Now that you’ve got all the advice you need on how to be a guest in a Ukrainian home, it’s time to take it a step further. Try being a Ukrainian host for your own guests and let’s bring some pride back to the American dinner party.

For the people of Mission to Ukraine, the entire calendar year revolves around the month of June. Why? Camp, of course! And for many of the soon-to-be mommies, disabled children, and women needing a little R&R, this has become a long awaited time of year.

The afternoons were spent outside in the sunshine and on Mission to Ukraine’s brand new beautiful yard!

The day camp held at Mission to Ukraine for the women of the crisis pregnancy center is a special time of fellowship, relaxation and learning – without their kids. Between working, cooking, cleaning and taking care of the family, many women don’t get a chance to breathe, let alone spend some time having fun with their friends.

It doesn’t matter what you’re doing, one thing is true in all languages – laughter is therapeutic and a cheerful heart is good medicine, and everyone needs it.

The schedule was constructed around small group time, a laid back opportunity for women to study and discuss God’s Word.

This is especially true for the women involved in the crisis pregnancy center, as none of these women would be mothers if it weren’t for the Lord’s working hand at MTU. The beauty of this weekend getaway lies in one fact: the women enjoying it have all chosen to become a mother, to have a child, to bring life. And while this choice probably made their lives significantly harder, they all have stories of how the Lord has gone before them.

This time away has become an opportunity to leave family, marital, or financial problems and learn about the attributes of the God who has worked in every one of their lives.

To start off the day, Dr. Lawton spoke a few encouraging words, followed by a time of worship. The main spiritual focus of the camp revolved around a film called Magdelena, the story of Mary Magdelene and her encounter with Jesus.

The American team brought an endless amount of craft supplies because creativity is good for the soul, especially for busy moms who wouldn’t usually have the time.

The ladies were split into small groups, each led by an American team member. This was a time to discuss the film and go through different Biblical stories to encourage the ladies in anything they might be struggling with. Many of the women are in Bible studies together through Mission to Ukraine and were able to take their friendships even deeper.

The crafts were perfectly aimed at each woman’s feminine side. Flowers, shoes and scrapbooking – all the ways to a woman’s heart.

I listened to them sharing their lives, relating to and encouraging each other in the Lord. Having the freedom to open up and share is one thing, but having people actually listen and care is another. I heard women giving advice about unhealthy marriages, telling stories of wayward children and broken relationships and asking for prayer for their families.

I saw the community fostered by Mission to Ukraine grow in love and encouragement with each other.

I saw joy and satisfaction in what the Lord has done in their lives played out in the fellowship and creativity of our sisters in Christ.

While many women were already in Bible studies together, most women had at least one thing in common to make new friends.

I saw that despite what may be going on back home, despite what may have happened in the past, many of these women have seen and continue to see one important truth: God is good.

As I watched the body of Christ enjoying each other, I began thinking: What has the Lord done in my life? Do you and I share by the way we live, our testimony of God’s goodness?

Do we realize the importance of a community that can encourage and empathize through good and bad? And most importantly, are we living breathing vessels of God’s love for his people?

The women whose lives have been changed through Mission to Ukraine have found something that needs to be re-discovered. Looking back at their trials and seeing how the Lord was working gives them the freedom to look forward with the same hope. And this hope comes from a God who is more powerful than any problems to be faced on this earth.

It’s no wonder their laughter and smiles give it away – how could you hold that in?

As I was sitting on a bed in the corner of a small, cramped and dark room filled with the belongings of several people (and now a crib), it all came together. I looked around the room, an old prisoner’s barracks, and at the people in it– a 20 something girl named Marina, her younger sister and her sleeping baby, and I realized where I was. I was sitting in the middle of this young mother’s life, in her reality.

The opportunity of working with a ministry that is geared specifically toward women has allowed me to see some of the inner workings of Ukrainian culture. And one thing in particular that I’ve noticed has made it completely clear as to why Mission to Ukraine’s crisis pregnancy program is so needed.

Where Are the Men?

It makes sense why it is so important to create a loving community for the women within the program and why those women appreciate it so much. Because if you look closely around the city and you take a second glance at the people on the bus, you might ask yourself the same question: where are all the men?

Marina’s kitchen is one of two rooms in her house, and she knows she is lucky to have space to prepare food for her little one.

Now maybe that sounds a bit dramatic, and of course there are men, otherwise the populous would be in quite a conundrum. But I will say this, in the lives of many of the women who come to Mission to Ukraine for help, the men are often in the background, if they are there at all.

Now I can’t say that this is the case for all people, but after observing the culture for the past two weeks, it has been one of the most prevalent issues that I’ve seen. And coming from a culture that is often sensitive to gender stereotypes and has been working for years to expand societal roles for both women and men, it has become a key aspect of understanding the Ukrainian people and especially the women coming to MTU.

Not Unique

The young mother and her new son and little sister are evidence of this issue. The young woman chose to keep her child, knowing that she would not have money or supplies to care for him, or that she would have anyone there to support her at all.

Another family showed us their bathroom; this shower is shared between ten families.

As I stood in the old barracks (that had electricity only on a good day), home to a new baby and his mom, I realized that though this situation seems almost unbelievable, this woman’s life is not one-of-a-kind. She is not unique in her circumstance; these stories cover both the cities and countrysides of Ukraine.

These women haven’t been pushing their government for more freedom in society. Rather, they’ve been thrown into life, and life has become their responsibility. Ukrainian women are strong, but not just because they want to be, or because they want to prove themselves to the world – they don’t really have a choice.

When you decide to keep your baby after your man leaves, you don’t really have a choice but to get a job and fend for yourself. When you get pregnant at age 20 and your boyfriend goes missing in another country, you don’t really have a choice but figure out your entire life on your own. When your daughter has a child and doesn’t even want to look at it, you don’t have a choice but to take care of it yourself, despite your financial abilities.

Caught in the Cycle

Life has a cruel and unforgiving grip on these women, and they don’t have to prove themselves in order to inherit the responsibilities that this seemingly unbreakable cycle has now inflicted on them.

Each new mother is given baby supplies to get a kick start for her new life. This is just one way Mission to Ukraine brings support and care to the women. The bad news? They're running out of supplies. I believe this is where you can help!

In so many cases women are going through pregnancy, and all the details that come with that, alone. They have no one by their side to offer help, guidance, love, or even education on the subject. Instead of the exciting first ultrasound appointment together, many women are simply making a quick trip to the abortion clinic.

Just recently a law was passed that allowed the husband to actually be in the delivery room his wife.  Before that, she birthed her child on her own.

Even after she has her child, after she’s taken a job and supports her new family and after she raises that family and provides for it, she is still alone. We saw that firsthand when we visited the village of Chudniv, just outside Zhytomyr.

Maria

We walked back off the dirt road, through a rusty gate, and into the dilapidated and dirty home of Maria. She’s 87 years old and the sweetest little babushka you’ll ever meet. She lives in her little home in the back corner of a rustic village.  As she comes to the end of her life, her family is nowhere in sight (That is, of course, until she gets her pension check).

Maria’s hands clutched her walking stick as she stood and prayed for us outside her home.

Maria allowed us to take her picture, and the thing I noticed most about her were her hands. They were the hands of a woman who has spent her life working, providing, caring. And here she is, this precious sister in Christ, alone.

Over and over I’ve heard stories of these women who are forced to pick themselves up by their bootstraps and keep going. I hear stories of situations and circumstance that seem unbelievable, but at the same time, they’re kinds of things that just happen.

The good thing is that many of these stories were told by the women working at Mission to Ukraine. That means that in their time of trouble, in their hour of need, the Lord found them. His hand is working through women like Svetia, Natasha and Alonna and reaching out to women who seem to have no one.

Though Marina (the young mother in the army barracks) seemed to have no one, I was in her home because she had been to Mission to Ukraine, because these women came to her.

This is why the community created at MTU is so important. This is the place where they can receive guidance, education and true, Christ-like love when they need it the most, when they have nowhere else to go.

And the best part of all these stories is always the end: watching the body of Christ work together to share love and support and knowing Christ’s hand is moving.  You can see it in Marina’s eyes when you smile at her baby.

She may be caught in a difficult cycle, but she is no longer facing it alone.

As I sit on this rocking chair out on the porch, my stomach full of homemade Ukrainian food and the sound of children playing outside wafting in through the open windows, I try to remember the series of events that brought me to this place. It might not sound very different from where I was a week ago, where anyone reading this might be right now, but let me assure you that it is.

Just listen closely and you’ll hear a series of sounds that don’t exist in the English language and smell unfamiliar scents blowing in the wind. While Zhytomyr may be a bustling city similar to the one I came from, six thousand miles and infinitely better coffee separate us.

These beautiful faces are proof that God is alive and active at Mission to Ukraine.

Though we’ve only been here about a week, I feel confident enough to turn my initial assumptions and observations into facts. One fact in particular has given me reason to believe that by the end of the next two months, it will be hard to leave.

That fact is this: the Ukrainian people are some of the most hospitable, welcoming and kind people I have ever encountered. Perhaps it’s in their blood to feed me until I literally have to be rolled out the door, or maybe they can just sense my new found love for borscht. Maybe all Ukrainians aren’t like this or maybe it’s just a beautiful picture of our global faith family loving each other. Whatever the answer is, and I think the last option is probably most true; Ukraine has perfected the art of first impressions.

But, a good first impression should always leave you wanting more. And as I continue to discover new things about these people and their culture, there is certainly more to be had. I am attempting to learn bits and pieces of the rich Ukrainian history in order to get a peek inside the way the people think. I have learned through conversations that poverty and oppression have ruled the country for centuries and that despite their recent independence, traces of Soviet influence still linger.

Despite Ukraine’s recent independence, Zhytomyr is still affected by Soviet ideals.

But even as the new pro-Russian President makes moves that could endanger humanitarian and non-profit work, the folks at Mission to Ukraine have not given up hope. Just walk in the doors and you can see why. Two pillars stand in the entryway, both covered with pictures of childrens’ faces. One pillar is covered with the faces of the disabled children they have all grown to love and care for over the years.

The other pillar is one of life, filled with pictures of children who are alive today because their mothers decided not to have an abortion due to Mission to Ukraine. As I stood and stared at those photographs, I couldn’t help but feel emotionally smacked in the face with the beauty of human life.

In a place where the average woman has six or seven abortions in her lifetime, the sanctity of human life is taken for granted and the ability to control it is grossly misused. But this is exactly the place where the hearts of the women at Mission to Ukraine lie. And this is the place where I will be learning all summer.

Even after spending only a brief period of time discussing plans for the next two months with Natasha, the woman in charge of the crisis pregnancy side of Mission to Ukraine, I can’t wait to see what the Lord has in store.

I have the opportunity to get to know a group of pregnant women who are clients at Mission to Ukraine on a personal level. I will see what their daily life is like and I am confident I will see the Lord provide in unimaginable ways just when He is needed the most.

If this little guy isn’t enough to make anyone realize the beauty of life, I don’t know what is.

I will get to build relationships, make friends and invest in people’s lives. And I will also see women working through one of the hardest decisions they will ever have to make. I will watch them struggle emotionally, financially and maybe even socially with a decision that will affect them and their families. And hopefully I will be a part of bringing even the tiniest ray of hope into their lives.

As the summer continues and I learn more about this organization and the women who are affected by it, I am going to need help. I can only do so much as an English speaking twenty-year old girl in a country where I can’t even pronounce the street I’m living on (yet). Nonetheless, I hope to discover their needs and through you, the readers, to meet them.

So if you need encouragement, if you need a visual aid in knowing that the Lord’s hand really is at work and that His Word truly is alive, just look at these faces. Know that these hearts are beating because He has a special plan in place for all of them.

And know that you can be a part of it.