Kiev

We are here! We made it to Kiev. I had forgotten how it is to go to a foreign country where everything is strange - the food, the smells, the sounds, and everything around me. Our translator picked us up at the airport and after giving us a crazy ride across town dropped us off at our apartment. We dropped our stuff off and then went to exchange some money buy a cell phone and get some dinner. All of this sounds rather normal, but wow! Can I just say wow! I can’t even begin to describe everything that assaulted my senses today.

When we finally decided to get something to eat , I was starving. Our translator took us to a place which was like a big buffet, normally this would have been great - lots of options. There were many things to eat but none of it was familiar. The little signs next to the options didn’t help either as they were in Russian. I tried my best to choose things and guess at their taste. I was wrong and surprised on all accounts.

Our translator gave us a brief tour of the necessities ; a few restaurants and a small grocery store. Grocery store is really stretching it (A very small room with a cash register with items packaged in a way to make them unidentifiable to an American.)

After getting back to our apartment, brushing my teeth with bottled water and showering in brown water (hey at least it was hot) I thought to myself. What am I doing? I wondered to myself how I was going to survive the next 5 weeks.

I remembered feeling this way when I went on my mission to the Philippines. I remembered my first night there thinking, why did I do this? A year and a half seemed a million years away, tonight, five weeks seemed an eternity in this strange place. I remembered deciding on my mission to put aside my fears and despairing thoughts and to love the people and the country and become one of them. I did. I ate everything and did everything they said Americans would never do. As a result, I gained a great love for that land and people.

Tonight , I made that same decision here in the Ukraine. Someday, my Lena may not remember very well where she was from, she may wonder about the country and the people of which she is a part. When that day comes , I want to be able to tell her that I loved the Ukraine and its people and I want to be able to tell her about all the beautiful and good. I want to be able to tell her and her children someday everything I loved about this place. I can’t do this unless, I forget for the next 5 weeks that I am a spoiled American and emerge myself in their culture.

It will be a challenge, but I am going to take it on. So everyone hold me to it. Don’t let me complain and help me remember why I am here.

Tomorrow we meet with the SDA. We will find out then when we will be able to see Lena. I can’t wait to give her a huge hug and see that beautiful smile again.