04.17.09
Posted in Epiphanies, Mission Trips, Ukraine at 3:50 pm by Administrator
Two impoverished boys born a world apart: Fred, a native Mississippian was an American soldier in Germany at the same time Nikolai was imprisoned as a Russian soldier. Unwittingly their lives would be woven together for a lifetime and how much so would be revealed more than sixty years later. The Weaver’s hands unseen by either man gently placed the threads of their lives and began to loosely knit them together.
Fred had already returned home to his wife and only child when American soldiers freed Nikolai and the other prisoners from their death camps. The war had finally ended. The USSR had expected any soldiers who became prisoners to take their own life. If they did not and returned home to Russia, they were sentenced to a Siberian prison. Nikolai, an atheist with no place to go stayed as a refugee in Germany. He had lost his family and his homeland.
Fred was working as an agricultural county extension agent when he felt God’s call upon his life to be a preacher. He returned to college and eventually on to seminary. After an encounter with God, Nikolai became a believer and he and Fred ended up at the same small seminary in Louisiana. By then, Fred was ordained as a preacher and conducted his first funeral that for Nikolai’s firstborn child. They each earned doctorates in theology and parted for careers as college professors—Fred to Texas and Nikolai stayed in Louisiana. They sporadically kept in touch through letters, exchanged Christmas cards, and Fred sent Nikolai copies of his poetry books and commentaries. As the number of friends expands, life gets busier, men age, and staying in close contact becomes increasingly difficult, but the tightly twisted cords of friendship remain.
Years ago my parents, Fred and Sarah, and I were putting together a scrapbook of their life—more than fifty years of marriage sandwiched between their respective childhoods and ancestors. The enormous task was less daunting because my mother had organized their life into segments: wedding, college days, war days, ancestors, places they lived, and so on. As we worked together placing photos and memorabilia onto pages my parents would reminisce and tell the stories behind the pictures. My sister’s name, Katrinka was one Daddy had heard while serving in Europe. Disappointedly, they couldn’t remember where they got my name, Belinda.
One particular photo was of a former seminary classmate, Nikolai Alexandrenko, his wife and young son. I liked the rhythm of that name: Nikolai Alexandrenko. Daddy said Nikolai had been a Russian war prisoner of the Germans and kindled a fire to stay warm using pages torn from a Bible when he became interested in reading the text. His life was transformed and after the war he immigrated to America, attended college, went on to seminary, and taught at Louisiana College. For more than fifty years Nikolai had no contact with his family for fear of retaliation by the communists. Just prior to the fall of communism in 1991, Nikolai returned to his native Russia in search of relatives, to share about a life in Jesus Christ, and established a seminary. Not only did I like his name, I was awed by his story and asked my dad to write it and place it in the scrapbook next to the picture. My parents and I completed the scrapbook and my father “Fred” died the following year.
Evangelism has always been a natural part of my family. I participated in missions as a youth and teenager. As an adult my older sister, Katrinka has spent most of her summers on short-term mission trips to Eastern Europe, primarily Poland, Belarus and most recently, Ukraine. She is responsible for recruiting me into these mission trips teaching conversational English and sharing Jesus Christ.
Our father died in 2000, before Google was a household name and a verb. Recently, Katrinka and I were looking at the scrapbook when I decided to “Google” that melodious name. In America where Alexandrenko is uncommon, it didn’t take long to locate information. I found a Belinda Alexandrenko and sent her an inquiring email. Her response was, “Yes I am his daughter and I was named after you.” She promised to send me a copy of her father’s book, a memoir with that awesome testimony as the byline. Fred and Nikolai each had six children and a daughter named Belinda.
I went back to Google and found a recorded sermon of Nikolai Alexandrenko telling his story. At the time of the recording he was already eighty-three years old. He talked of his homeland, Russia and now more specifically, Ukriane. He mentioned cities such as Odessa, Kharkov, Kiev and Chisinau, places where two of Fred’s daughters and a granddaughter have ministered.
As I listened mesmerized by the work of The Weaver I could clearly see several of the dark but mostly colorful threads The Weaver had so loving knit together of these two lives and more thread on His spool.
Nikolai Alexandrenko Hear his story of being a WW II Russian soldier imprisoned by the Germans and finds hope in a fire when he discovers two religious tracts written in his native language.
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12.20.08
Posted in Ukraine at 1:37 am by Administrator
In late October 2008 I had the privilege of serving on a short-term mission team to Kharkov, Ukraine with Michael Gott International. This organization is not one with elegant offices and high overhead. Michael and Janice “Jan” Gott operate this ministry out of their home with a small support staff. They have conducted English schools of evangelism for seventeen years with the team effort of numerous prayer warriors, benefactors, and volunteer short-term-missionaries like you and me. This was my fourth trip with the Gotts, three to Ukraine, and one to Moldova a country approximately the size of the state of Connecticut situated between Ukraine and Romania.
Michael Gott International has organized teams for over two hundred English schools. Tens of thousands of Eastern Europeans have been introduced to Jesus Christ through this venue and thousands have accepted Jesus as their “heart friend.” Because the English language does not have an appropriate word to describe the unique bond of special friendship, the term “heart friend” is used to describe the relationship available by grace in Jesus Christ.
The core team consisted of seventeen Americans from five states and three Ukrainians. This particular trip was unique compared to other locations because of the large population of university students in Kharkov: many of them International, the relationship the host church has established with International students, and the working partnership of the host church with the foreign missionaries serving in their community.
There are 300,000 university students in Kharkov, 40,000 of them international. University classes are taught in the local language of Russian. Many students have taken years of English, but have little if any opportunity to converse with a native speaker. The ability to speak and be understood in the International language of English, for many, is THE open door of opportunity. During the flight to Ukraine I visited with a young businessman working in communications. He told me that in the near future, when placing a food order at a drive-through window, we will actually speak with someone across the world that will then enter the order into a computer and it will appear on the local restaurant’s order screen. The reason for this is twofold: maximizing the ordering process and cheaper labor. I shared this information with my students and added, “Just think, I may be at my local McDonald’s drive-through, hear someone ask, “May I take your order?” and I’ll ask, “Is that you Svetlana?”
Each year, Michael Gott International offers several 10-day schools of English providing the opportunity to learn and speak English with Americans. (An added bonus is when those American are Texans.) Seventeen year-olds to senior adults, many who have never entered a church, are attracted by the opportunity to learn or strengthen English language skills.
I cannot adequately express the sheer joy and excitement working with the students. It is something you must personally experience, though I will attempt to share a glimpse of what this awesome ministry is like:
The first Saturday after the team’s arrival in Ukraine is Registration Day. The team is prepared for hundreds of students to register from 11:00 AM until 7:00 PM. This is our first contact with students and we want them to feel welcome and excited about returning for class on Monday. Registration continues on Sunday afternoon and into the first two days of school. If classes are not filled, registration is accepted throughout the course, however a student does not receive a diploma without attending a minimum of five classes.
I taught four classes each day at 10:00 AM, 1:30 PM, 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM. Classes are two hours, beginning with corporate singing, then an hour in a small class setting, and closing with the entire group again. Teachers are greeting students 20-30 minutes before class and we sit together by class. Several team members lead the music teaching students songs such as: “My Bonnie lies Over the Ocean” and “You are My Sunshine.” As the days progress, students will have learned fifteen songs in English including, “Jesus, Name above All Names” and “Lord, I Lift Your Name on High.” With the assistance of an interpreter, students enjoy evangelist, Michael Gott’s humor as he builds a relationship with them. During the closing session, Michael may teach them a different way to say goodbye such as, “see you later alligator” and the students leave laughing as they practice their new phrase with teachers. This small gesture builds bonds and creates a desire for students to return to class the next day.
During the hour students spend in individual classes, they receive one-on-one attention, encouragement, assistance with pronunciation, and practice speaking with a real, live American. In Kharkov the majority of our students are Ukrainian. Due to the international influence, there were many from several countries in Africa, China, Jordan, Brazil, and Russia. I had a young university student from Iraq named Hezha and though American solders occupy his country, we immediately determined we are friends.
I taught beginner students who can understand most of what I say, have a large English vocabulary, but speak in words and phrases. My goal other than to love them as Christ is to teach them to speak in sentences by example, practice, and role-playing. We had so much fun with the lesson, “Carl’s Café” ordering burgers, fries and Coca Cola and everything else that reminded me “I was not in Texas anymore.” Another day we “went shopping” by describing articles of clothing as students pulled pictures from a paper sack. On the last day of lessons, students took me on a virtual tour of Kharkov. They drew monuments, metro stops, and favorite places with markers on a plastic sheet stuck to the wall.
At the conclusion of the first week students are encouraged to bring family, friends, and their university English professor for “Super Sunday at Six.” Students have already begun to write out questions for Michael and place them in a designated box. Some of their questions are silly, some are serious, and some are spiritual. On “Super Sunday” the students sing and celebrate all of the songs they have learned. A few of their questions are read and addressed.
On Monday (class day six), I presented each of my students a Russian/English New Testament. Inside the front cover, was my handwritten message expressing what God’s Word has meant in my life. Every student accepted my gift. One evening after class Hamaan (not his real name) told me, “We are not God’s friend” referring to the song we had sung earlier, “I am a friend of God, He calls me friend.” I asked if he was Muslim (yes). He said, “I watch American television and we are not like what they say. In my country (Jordan) killing is wrong. We have many Christians there.” I took this open door of opportunity and we used our markers to line out our common ancestors. Communication was challenging because he is a beginner student. Obviously the names we use in English aren’t the same in his language, but he named Adam, Noah, and Abraham. I wondered if we were each attempting to enlighten the other. He told me Jesus was a prophet like Mohammed and is alive and will return someday to save his people. I asked, “Is Mohammed alive?”
“No, he is dead. Allah saved Jesus from death.”
Oh, how I wanted to continue that discussion but the conversation had gone far enough. It was time for me to step out and allow the Holy Spirit to work. We were embarrassingly late joining the rest of our class back in large group where we were supposed to be.
On Tuesday of the second week, Michael introduced the concept of Jesus as a “heart friend” and asked students and teachers to stand if Jesus was their heart friend. I made a mental note as to who did not stand. Every student stood in my first two classes. My late afternoon and evening classes were primarily university students and many did not stand. My heart sank and I was resolved to pray like never before. Many of you prayed for these students. Several of you received a specific “how to pray” letter outlining the daily schedule of the ministry. Those of you who have served on previous teams know each step in this ministry and virtually serve heart, mind, and soul with us. My husband sent emails at critical times requesting prayer for these students. Our team prayed morning, noon, and night. We prayer walked and touched seats where students would later hear the full gospel. We asked God for open hearts to hear His call.
Thursday was bittersweet as we spent our final day with students and present diplomas. The depth of these new friendships is amazing. There are tears and as is their custom, gifts of appreciation. I was most surprised by my last class of the day. It was a large group of 17-30 year-olds, many who hadn’t known each other. Someone organized a group gift of chocolates, a pottery mug made locally and postcards picturing many of the sights drawn on the cling sheet. On the back of each postcard a student wrote a personal message. Did I mention students aren’t the only ones in tears?
During our final combined session individual classes were photographed as well as the entire group and we sang together for the last time. Michael explained a questionnaire written in both Russian and English. Then teachers distributed them to the students to answer questions regarding future interests in another English language school, attending a small group Bible study, and other special English language events. Students were asked to rate their teacher and, “As you heard Michael and other teachers talk about Jesus in their life, have you asked Jesus into your life?”
At the conclusion of each class after we said our final “good-byes” the team matched student registration forms to their questionnaires. Responses of “yes” and “no” to Christ were tallied and noted who stood for Christ on a previous day. This vital information was left for the host church and in this particular case, the local IMB (International Mission Board) missionaries to follow-up with invitations for church services, Bible study and continuation of English language studies.
This was an emotional time for team members as we rejoice in those who have accepted Christ and grieve the rejection by others. None of my Muslim students said “yes,” but I rejoice in Hamaan’s response to an interest in Bible study.
I want to share an appropriate story: Marisha was a student in Len’s super advanced class. She was instructed to speak in English as fast as she could about any subject. She told of being in the English language school the year before as student in Steve’s class (my husband) and of hearing Michael’s message. She had answered “no” to accepting Jesus into her life. Then she came to America in the summer (2008) on the FLEX (Foreign Language Exchange Program) and was invited to attend church. When she heard the message she thought, this is what Michael was talking about and accepted Christ into her life.
What I recall and you cannot see are the students’ smiles and seeing their self-confidence soar. What I recall and you cannot feel is how exhausted I felt each day. Jetlag, standing long hours, climbing multiple flights of stairs, teaching eight hours with just enough time to eat, late bedtimes and an early rise. What I recall and want you to know is the miracle that occurs when I get to the end of my own strength and think I cannot make it. It is at that point I experience the exchanged life: Christ’s strength filling me. “It is no longer I, but Christ.”
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