What an amazing weekend...

As the title says it has been an amazing weekend, but at the same time it has been VERY busy, so I'll go ahead and apologize for the length of this post...

I'm sure many of my readers know that the European Soccer Tournament is taking place in L'viv and the first of three games in the city was Saturday.  A huge gated area has been constructed in the center of the city called the "fan zone"! I was hesitant at first to venture into this area because a lot has been broadcasted on local news about the violence associated with the European teams, but it turned out to be a somewhat safe adventure.  It was however a little disheartening to see the vast numbers of drunken people celebrating their teams through songs and chants.

On a better note, some pretty amazing things did happen because of these events.  The Ledford's have recently been helping a homeless man named Mikola.  He is the same guy I mentioned in my first post after arriving here, and he has an incredible story.  Mikola was a solider for Ukraine a long time ago, 15 years ago his wife died and as a result he turned to alcohol and lost everything.  He sleeps at the train station along with a lot of other homeless people and begs on the streets everyday.  He has spent the last 15 years of his life like this, but recently he made a life-altering change.  The Ledford's built up a relationship with him and invited him to church one week.  He accepted Jesus that day, which happens very rarely here!  Since then the Ledford's have noticed a real change.  He has no longer smelled of alcohol and he always greets you with a smile and a hug that just beems with God's love.  Anyways... Mikola has had a rough few days because he got beat up at the train station for some food he had been given by a local church.  We heard through a fellow missionary that a local church was hosting a viewing party for the game that night.  We were able to get Mikola to the church.  When they saw that he was homeless they welcomed him with open arms and let him use their facilities to take a bath, they offered him clean clothes, and he was able to fill his belly and enjoy some soccer.  It was such a blessing to witness a brother in Christ go from dirty, hungry, and afraid to clean, full, and happy!  I was overwhelmed...

...But wait there was more.  I also met another homeless man there who didn't speak very much English at all.  For most of the time I've been here the language barrier has been the most difficult aspect, but for some reason I felt led to speak to this guy.  So, in my clearest English, I tried to ask him which team he was rooting for in the soccer game.  He just looked at me like I was crazy, because he had no idea what I had said.  But with some hand gestures I eventually got my point accross.  We eventually communicated where we were both from and our names, and just as our conversation was ending he asked what I could tell was the most important question to him "are you a Christian?" I of course replied "yes, yes, dak, dak!"  The biggest smile came across his face, and he said "good, me too!"  I don't really know why God led me to talk to this guy, but I know that he was placed in my path for a reason.  Maybe he needed encouragment or maybe I needed encouragment to not let the language barrier hender my work here.  Either way it was a blessing to see the smile on the face of a fellow believer when he was able to declare that he was a Christian!

Today we ventured out to a church in a village near L'viv.  It was a 10 minute bus ride followed by another 50 minute bus ride followed by a 30 minute walk through streets dotted with cow manure.  When we finally made it there all I wanted was to be able to sit down on a nice comfy padded pew, but I instead rested my back side on a completely 90 degree angle wooden pew.  Not exactly comfortable, but as I sat there I came to the conclusion that for 20 years of my life I have taken for granted so many things like being able to drive 5 minutes to church and sit on a comfortable pew, in a temperatured controlled room, with music accompanied by instruments.  And despite all these nice things about my church back home, I still make up excuses to not go to church when I just don't feel like it.  God doesn't want your excuses, He wants you to come to church so he can bless you!  And bless me is exactly what He did!  Luckily Chelsey's dad Tim was preaching today with the help of a translator.  So I could understand him preaching in English and everyone else could understand his message through a translator.  He spoke about how loving your neighbor is one of the most important commandments from God!  It was something I really needed to hear because I know I have been called here to show the love of God to the people I encounter in Ukraine, and to be reminded that I am in God's will and following one of his greatest commandments is yet another blessing!

So to sum up the weekend all I can say is it has been full of blessings, GOD HAS BEEN SO GOOD!  I can not believe I have been here for almost two weeks.  The time has just seemed to fly by!  Please continue to keep me in your prayers, and while you are at it please pray for Mikola, The Ledford's, and all the other people in Ukraine striving to share God's love with the people here.  I hope you all had amazing weekends as well!