Current events – historic times
We just got back from our trip to Kiev. Anita and I got our passport renewal applications to the US Embassy and will receive our new passports in a couple of weeks. Then we begin the visa application process. We have a few options to consider so please pray for our wisdom. The girls enjoyed the long 15 hour train ride there and got to see another world capitol. Kiev is a beautiful city. We left there yesterday evening and arrived back in Simferopol this morning. We talked about how normal train transporation is in this part of the world, as it probably was in the US 50-60 years ago. It was another fun adventure together.
While we were in Kiev, we got to watch the news in English. We found out that yesterday was a historic meeting between Ukrainian President Yuschenko and Russia’s Vladimir Putin. The main issue is a gas pipeline that runs across Ukraine that feeds Western Europe with Russian gas (A similar situation exists in Belarus). Russia claims Ukraine owes them over a million dollars in back payment of gas they have used. But this is not the main issue. The main issue is Ukraine’s interest in joining NATO and the EU. This has historic implications of epic proportions. I know most people in the US are enthralled with primary election advertisements and news (yeah, that was sarcasm), but I invite you to pay attention to what is going on in the rest of the world – particularly in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. These are crazy times and we are glad to be in the middle of it!
I forgot to say anything about Russian church last Sunday. We had good attendance – 14 people. I typed my sermon in English then used some translation software and basically read it. Sure, I made a few mistakes but it was generally understood. I can see now that using an interpreter in the past only made me lazy in learning to speak Russian more proficiently. My goal is to eventually preach from notes, just like I do in English. It just takes study and work.
Pray for Al and Dolly King. They are planning to arrive here next week!
