We have internet!

**This blog post was written on October 3 (it took a while to get internet set up in our apartment)**

Today is October 3, 2013. Exactly one year ago today is the day Emily and I moved to Ukraine. Wow, time has really gone by fast when thinking about it. We’ve have some major ups and downs since we’ve been here in Ukraine. And of course when going through trails, time doesn’t always seem to go by to fast. But at the moment we are looking back on this past year and it is really hard to believe that we have been living here for one year already. 

The center of Donetsk (Lenin Square)

Before moving to Ukraine, talking to other missionaries, we were told that the sixth month to one year mark will be the hardest period on the mission field. I don’t know if this is true or not, but we are really excited to be at this one year milestone in our ministry! The Lord has been so good!

God has done some amazing things over this pastyear, but the one thing we wouldn’t have believed if we were told a year ago, is that we are now living in a new city. God can do a lot in one year and He has has show us that as He moved us to Donetsk last week. 

Yesterday marked week number one in Donetsk for us. Again, I’m amazed at what God can do not only in one year, but in one week! 

So here’s an update about what God has done during our first week in Donetsk:

Donetsk welcomed us with cold rain :)

Sep 24: We shipped all our belongings from Ternopil to Donetsk via a local postal service. Up unto the day before, we were unsure of how we would get all of our stuff moved. The Lord showed us a huge amount of grace by helping us find this company and work all the details out. We were so blessed by the inexpensive price and how they handled our bags. 

This evening we said our goodbyes to Ternopil and boarded the 20+ hour train ride to Donetsk. 20 hours on a train seems like a long time, but Emily and I were so exhausted from traveling and moving, we slept more than half of the journey!  

Sep 25: We arrived in Donetsk at 4:25pm and took a taxi out to the hostel that we would stay at. We were so blessed by the people at this hostel (connected to a small Christian university on the outskirts of Donetsk). There are a number of very helpful, encouraging believers there that welcomed us to our new city. 

 26-30: We began the process of finding an apartment to live in. 

Moving into our new place!

Not knowing the city well, we began to just pray that God would guide us to the right district, neighborhood, and apartment. God decided to go above our prayer requests. Through some friends of ours that used to be missionaries in Ukraine, we met an amazing, young, Ukrainian, believing family that befriended us. 

To make a long story short, this family has blessed us beyond what we could have imagined as they gave us a few home cooked meals, helped us look at apartments, showed us around the city and simply gave us friendship. In the end, the Lord used this family to help us find an apartment that we really believe is exactly what God had in mind for us. It’s about 10-15 minutes away from the center of Donetsk in a comfortable neighborhood. We are praying that our new apartment will be used in a mighty way to impact the Kingdom.   

October 2-3: All of our belongings arrived, undamaged and we have starting settling into our new home. We are so blessed.

Heating in the hostel wasn't on yet

Ministry update: Just in this first week, God has arranged a couple of meetings with us as we begin ministry. We were able to visit an orphanage and we are preparing to serve there starting next week. Emily has made a few connections regarding English teaching. Finally, we’ve been gaining vision for what’s to come in bringing Donetsk the Word of God and the love if Jesus. We are so excited and blessed to be here, but we have lots to pray through still. We are asking that you would join us in prayer as we seek the Lord’s will concerning our ministry. 

Weather update: COLD!

God bless,
Byron

(We plan on getting back into our regular blogging schedule this week!)