Ya Tse Lyublyu!

Today, Deb and I (plus Brent and Clark, who are 6 and 2,) went into Kiev a bit and shopped at some second hand stores with Priscilla, who came from Rzhishchiv to meet us. Bruce dropped us off at the metro and Priscilla met us, then took us to the shops. It was rainy, windy, and a bit chilly. I picked the wrong day to wear shorts!

But it felt really good, and by the time we were done shopping in the first store, the rain had pretty much stopped.

(Deb, Clark, Me, Brent)

We wound through a little market area, and then came out to a row of buildings that were covered but open front and back, with wooden floors like you’d find in a barn. There were racks and tables all over, and it was basically what you’d find in a goodwill or resale shop…but I liked it better. There were both ratty things and quite nice things! It was a big thrill for me to get to use my teeny bit of Russian and learn a bit about the culture..

Priscilla was really sweet and helpful. I’m so thankful for the godly examples I have in her and Deb. They really are women who love the Lord, and love their husbands and kids. I don’t know Priscilla well yet, but I can tell.

During the shopping time, I found a long brown sweater coat that was like new, a thin green scarf, and a brown purse for $16 altogether. I went ahead and bought them, and I was really glad not only to get the things, but to have the experience of getting them! In each section of the store, there was a clerk to help you out (you paid them right there) so there was no check out. I had a hard time communicating with the first guy in Russian, but then he laughed at me and switched to English, and I understood pretty well.

In the second section, I asked a few questions of the girl working there, but my Russian wasn’t getting us anywhere, and couldn’t speak English. Priscilla helped translate a little, but I mostly just smiled and laughed a lot…nervously. I wanted so badly to talk to her, but I just wasn’t sure how! Priscilla said, “When you try to speak their language to them, that’s a gesture of love.”

So I tried. I desperately wanted to. Then Clark suddenly had to go potty, so Priscilla took Deb to find the exciting potties…not my story to tell! So Brent and I wandered around that part of the store some more. But I didn’t really wanted to buy more, so I was just standing there. I noticed the girl wasn’t busy, and with fewer people around, I felt braver. So I went over to her and asked “What is your name?” in Russian. “Lana,” she replied. And then she asked my name, and we started talking. We stumbled and fumbled and I laughed and shrugged my shoulders a whole lot. But I was so excited I couldn’t keep my smile in. She was really nice, and looked a lot like my oldest cousin, Mattie (not my sister Mattie).

We managed to communicate (without any English!) that she was a student in Ukraine and her family lives here in Kiev, and that I’m not a student here, but I’m an American staying with friends and helping take care of their children, and I’ve been here five days. And we're both 19. She kept saying something about chai and coffee, and I think I told her I had had coffee with breakfast (who knows what I actually said or didn’t say! But finally I realized that she was asking if she could get me some coffee! I nodded vigorously…it was perfect coffee weather and the store was a little drafty. That sweater I bought was looking better and better.

She left to get the coffee and I turned away, grinning from ear to ear, suddenly flooded with a sense of being accepted. I’ve struggled with entering this country suspicious of people because I hear so much about the crime and lack of morals, but I want to look at them with eyes of love and understanding instead of fear and judgement. These kind clerks, (who weren’t even being pushy about buying things!) were reshaping my impressions.

Lana returned with two tiny plastic cups half full of steaming black coffee. Nothing wimpy about that coffee! She smiled and stirred and I smiled back and inhaled deeply, making “mmm” noises. Then brought it to my lips…and tasted…whoa!!! Coffee with an attitude!!! It was good, too. But I could see why they only serve it two ounces at a time! So now I know why I didn’t feel sleepy today…

We talked just a little more until our conversation sort of fizzled out. Priscilla and Deb came back. I wanted to get a picture with my new friend, but she had gone out of the room. So we went on to another store, my heart light and soaring.

I’ve been asking God what He has for me here as far as sharing the gospel goes. It could be easy to sort of hide away and occupy myself with the kids and not really attempt much else. I know Rzhishchiv will be different, but here in Kiev, how do you go about actually meeting people?

Deb and I were down at the beach (by the river) with the kids on Monday and saw lots and lots of people sprawled all over the beach, obviously in a pretty lost condition. I was there to play with the kids and have a refreshing swim, and that was good, but I was wondering, "God, how would You reach all these people?"

I know that there’s a place for street evangelism, or just walking up to people and talking with them, but I don’t know if that’s for everyone. What does He want for me? Not only do I want to practice Russian, I want to make friends, for my sake and theirs. And I want to share the Treasure I have.

So I was asking these questions, and then came today, and Lana…I know it was God’s way of nudging me and saying, “Here’s how…" And out shopping, no less!

I enjoyed being in those shops so much. Deb found some towels and a lot of English books (the stuff at those stores is apparently from humanitarian aid groups, some from Germany or the UK or wherever, so the stuff is marked down but there’s still a cost because of customs or something. Not sure how it works.) There were lots of beautiful skirts, especially. I got to use my “Izvinitye” (Excuse me) and “Skolka” (how much?” a lot.

I found myself just really enjoying it and feeling so at home, even when we got on the dingy old metro, feeling grimy from all the handling. At one point, I told Deb, “I’m just so content.” I’m so grateful that God has brought me here. He knows I have so many issues, but He brought me to this amazing place to deal with them instead of making me stay home until I was perfect :) haha, like that was going to happen! And maybe, in the process, I’ll get to bless the Crowes and show love to others.

It was long past lunch time when we passed McDonalds on the way from the metro to the bus, so Deb ran in and got some ice cream for us (after standing in line for what must have been twenty minutes.) But it was sunny by now, and breezy, and pretty much perfect weather for standing outside and not sweating. The little boys were so incredibly patient. Neither of them whined a lick. And I picked up a new Russian phrase while we stood there…McDonalds’ phrase, “I’m lov’in it,” off the umbrellas outside:

Ya Tse Lyublyu!

Seems to sum it up about right!