We arrived late Friday night after flying from Chicago to Amsterdam, Amsterdam to Berlin and at last Berlin to Kiev. During our six hour layover in Berlin we were able to take a bus to the city center and walk around.

After traveling many hours we were very tired and tried to entertain ourselves by finding people in the airport in Berlin, who looked like people we know back home. The funny part was that we would see a person, but then not be able to remember the name of the person back home! So much time was spent with, “You know, he is married to… or you know, she sits on the right side of the sanctuary…” It is funny what your brain does when exhaustion sets in or maybe it is just old age. We had a lot of laughs.

Sunday we worshiped in a very contemporary Baptist Church in Irpene where Alex and Nadia are members. It is a growing congregation. In fact this was the first Sunday that they have gone to two morning services and both services were full! The congregation is made up of a lot of young couples and single youth. They have a praise band that Alex leads. It was a great morning!

On Sunday night we traveled to Kalinovka by bus, then train, then bus again. We attended the first “Youth Club” in the House of Culture. It is sponsored by our sister church in Kalinovka and was very well attended. They played games, brought in a Christian band and had a Bible message. They will meet every Sunday night. Pray for these leaders, Vitaly, Sash, Vicka and others as they try to reach the youth of Kalinovka. It is a very “new” way of doing things for them.

Today we experienced our “Ukrainian Home Depot” frustration. We drove through heavy traffic to a large building housing many vendors, all of whom have a lot of the same thing. It is difficult to get someone to wait on you and when they do, they usually don’t have what you need. For example, we needed a simple dowel curtain rod. When we finally found one, we were told it would take two weeks. More driving and asking for carpet… walking, walking… simple things at home, take hours here. I keep thinking about my Dad and how he runs over to Menards at home and picks up whatever he needs and is home in no time. Dad, you would go crazy here! We have it so easy.

Well, I must go as this is “borrowed time.”