When I will leave Ukraine

Last night I talked to my parents.  Apparently, people in their church keep asking when we are leaving Ukraine, because the situation here isn’t exactly stable.  We’ve also been getting emails and messages from worried friends, acquaintances and Facebook entities.  Most people simply assure us that they are praying for us, but some have suggested that we leave the country. 

So, I want to state for the record.

I have no intention of leaving Ukraine.

We have not been in danger yet.

Even if we are in danger, we don’t want to leave Ukraine.

Yes, we have an evacuation plan if the government kicks us out, but we aren’t leaving.  I came to Ukraine to serve.  We moved here because we saw a need that we would be able to fill, and God opened the doors for us to be here.  My church is here.  My friends are here.   I have building projects and camps lined up for this year, and I’m really looking forward to all of those. 

My wife and I only moved to Ukraine two and a half years ago, but since that time we have dealt with culture fatigue, gone through a painful change of organizations, been banned from the orphanage for three months for no reason, sat through countless hours of church services where we understood less than 10% of what was being said.  We’ve broken down on the side of the road in the middle of the night, had police try to get us to bribe them, shoveled 3 inches of water out of a flooded basement at 3 o’clock in the morning.  We realized that one of our favorite girls has been sexually abused, argued with our ministry partners about the political situation in Ukraine, and so much more.  And through all of that, we’ve not only endured but come to love this country and its people.  This is right where we want to be.

A little instability isn’t scary to us.  Besides, most of the time, if we didn’t read the news we wouldn’t really know anything was different.

But here is another thing I try to remember.  If things get worse here in Ukraine, I can  leave.  My friends … they can’t. 

Anya, Bogdon and Dima, three of my best friends have specifically thanked us for not leaving when things got a little scary.  This is a tough time for a lot of Ukrainians, if Ukraine goes to war, a lot of the young men we work with will be the soldiers that Ukraine calls on to fight.  Several of them got their letters calling them to the recruitment offices this past week.  If I can encourage my brothers and sisters by staying during this time when they have that cloud hanging over their head, I want to do that. 

God led us here

I’m not going to say that God called us to Ukraine because I believe that terminology is misleading and inaccurate.  God calls us all to follow him, and all Christians should follow God where ever he leads.  But we need to start following God where ever we are, and then if he leads you to a place like Ukraine that is great.  Our journey to Ukraine was a long one, and God did so many things to lead us here.  He opened so many doors.  He has reaffirmed to us that this is where he wants us for now.  We are both so glad that we have followed him. 

We came to Ukraine to work with kids in the orphanages of Ukraine.  Our goal is to show them the love of Christ and to help Ukrainian Christians provide loving homes where these kids can live, come to know the Lord, and get the education and life skills that most orphanages do not provide.  We want to give these kids a chance at a future. 

It is hard work, its excruciatingly slow.  Often orphanage staff work to undermine us or our ministry partners because every kid that is not in their orphanage means less money for them, and ultimately its about the money not the kids.  The parents that we have partnered with have to deal with so much baggage that their children bring in.  Its a 24/7 job, and can be pretty thankless.  And its heartbreaking work.  Every year, we attend the orphanage graduation, for twenty kids who come and live in our homes, 18 will go off on their own to no future at all. 

We feel a huge responsibility to stand by our partners; to keep visiting the kids; and to show the Christians and unbelievers around us that Christ gives us peace even in an situation that isn’t always peaceful.  That’s why we are here. 

The definition of home:

Last summer, I spent a chunk of time with an American who was in Ukraine to adopt.  Just before I headed back to the States, he wished me well when I was “back home.”  It was one of many times where I wanted to start lecturing another believer on where Home is.  The USA is not my home, its just where I was raised and spent most of my life.  Yes, that’s where my family lives, but its not home.  Ukraine is not my home.  That was very clear to me today when a Ukrainian lady tried to shame me for not eating 4 portions at breakfast.  My home is being prepared for me, and I won’t see it while I’m living in the shadow of real life.  It breaks my heart to realize that so many Christians forget that Jesus died so that when we die, we can go HOME to be with him.  So it doesn’t matter when or how I die in this life, that’s just the beginning.  It does matter how I live though.  And I do not want to live in fear. 

Here is what it boils down to for me:

Reasons for staying:  God led us here and hasn’t called us away.  Our presences is an encouragement to the Church here in Urkaine.  Our work still continues and will increase if things get worse.  I want to.

Reasons for leaving: Safety.

There are three things I know.

God is with me.

Anything that does not come from faith is sin.  Romans 14:23b

and  I am going to die.  Its a fact.

So, why live in fear.  We know how this story ends.  I want to choose faith not fear and worry; I don’t like grey hair. 

Not long ago, one of our teammates was talking with her family who are very concerned for her safety.  One of them asked her, “What will it take for you to come home?”

For me the answer is pretty simple: They are going to have to kick me out.  And even then I’ll probably drag my feet.