In Kiev

Greetings Family and Friends,

We woke up before dawn and headed to the train station on what feels like the coldest day so far here in Ukraine--Its about 10 degrees Farenheit but feels more like 10 below with the wind chill. (It looks like you guys back home have had a bit of cold weather too.) The train was nearly 40 minutes late so we stook outside in the dark and froze--This was the coldest I have ever been. The trains are tricky here, barely coming to a complete stop with droves of people trying to get off and get on at the same time. We barely made it on the train! We found the train comfortable, warm, and clean.

We arrived in Kiev at about 9:30am this morning and went straight to the US Embassy to sign all necessary forms together before Karen leaves on Saturday. Everything went smoothly at the Embassy. We met another family, the Graces, from Alabama at the Embassy who where there finishing out the process to adopt a 13-yr old girl. As soon as we began talking with them we knew they were believers as their speech was seasoned with much salt. The church that they are a part of has a ministry where they sponsor a group of 12-14 orphans from one orphanage to come and visit during the summer. They minister to the children for a couple of weeks and spend time getting to know each of them. Two years ago they met their Dasha while hosting a group and began the process to adopt her. They already have a daughter (8 yr) and a son (14 yr). What I found interesting is that several families from their hometown where all in Ukraine together adopting a group of these children they had hosted. It is so encouraging to see the body of Christ in action and to meet all of these different people and hear their stories of faith and love. We ran into this family again later in the day while out on the streets of Kiev. What's the chances?

It is so good to back in civilizatin even if it is only for 48 hours. We have running hot water and an internet connection for the first time in three weeks! Our flat is located overtop of a McDonalds on Independence Square right in the heart of the city. I will enjoy every bit of this place before traveling back to Tulchyn with my brother-in-law on Saturday evening.

Tonight Karen and I have a dinner meeting with the director of Bethany Social Services here in Ukraine, Taras, and Dr. Jim Peipon and his wife Marianna with Ukrain Medical Outreach to discuss further the details of an special orphan care trip scheduled for March. The goal of this trip will be to provide Medical Education to orphanage directors and staff in the Vinnytsa Region to improve the quality of care that children are recieving over time and to build relationships through which we can minister also to the spiritual needs of children and workers in these places. Please be praying as this is a very ambitious project involving folks from our church, Crossroads, along with these other organizations and Christian friends here in Ukraine.

As I look out the window of our flat here in Keiv and see the snow gently falling on this historic city that has known so much tumult and bloodshed I am reminded of Isaiah 1:18 "Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crismson, they shall become like wool." Let us pray that the saving grace of Jesus Christ would blanket this city and this land like snow. Let us ask our Father who is in heaven to bring about a revolution of the heart that more and more the people in this place would "cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause" (Is. 1:17). What is needed is a revolution of the heart that can only happen where the gospel finds fertile soil and begins to bear fruit in the lives of individuals. This gospel must be preached in the cities and in the villages!

Love and Blessings,

Jim and Karen