Impossible or Possible?

Luke 18:27 says, "What is impossible for people is POSSIBLE with God." There have been many things in my life that have seemed like impossible situations. With people in charge, these situations were impossible, but with God, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE!

If you had asked me a year ago if my dad would go on my mom's annual Ukraine mission trip, I would have said that is impossible. My dad loves the Lord, and I believe that he respected and admired mine and my mother's passion for overseas missions. No matter the reason (money, time, circumstances, etc...), it just never worked out for him to go. Well, like I said, with God, all things are possible. My parents left Kharkov this morning, and I cannot even begin to explain what a pleasure and honor it was to serve the Lord alongside both of my parents. We have been on mission trips together before but never one to this magnitude. It brought joy and happiness to my heart having them both here.


If you had told me a year ago that I would be able to count to twenty and say nearly 15 words in Russian, I would have looked at you like you were crazy. I can actually identify some words that people are using. I have been so blessed to have several people take the time to teach me some important phrases and conversational skills. By myself, I could never
have learned as much as I have. It is only through God.
"Sto nevazmoshna dle lude to vazmoshna bogo." Luke 18:27 (in Russian) I can say a verse in Russian! This seemed so impossible to me just a few weeks ago!

I never expected to experience such joy and excitement as I have these past two weeks! I have seen God move in miraculous ways! The Mississippi team comes to provide a medical clinic and to plant seeds, but year after year of consistent seed planting brought such an amazing blessing upon this team. We were able to see 10 (yes, that is TEN) people make a profession of faith this week. SLAVABOHU! (Praise the Lord)

I could have never gotten to Ukraine on my own. God provided every step of the way. It was such a humbling feeling to be walking through a Ukrainian village inviting the people to a FREE medical clinic. They were so shocked that Americans had come to their small village to tell them about Jesus and give them something at no cost to them.

My Aunt Diann and Karen Connerly gave out reading glasses all week. Each patient would sit down at their table and be given a pair of glasses to try on. They were asked to read John 3:16 until they tried on the perfect pair of glasses. This one man on Thursday found a pair that he liked, and he asked how much they cost. My aunt and Karen were able to say that the glasses are a free gift just like God's gift of salvation is free to all people! Tears welled up in my eyes as I watched this scene taking place.

We as humans so quickly forget what an awesome God we serve. We look at a mountain and think it could never be moved, but God says that absolutely NOTHING is impossible with Him. Our God can heal the sick, make the lame to walk, and give sight to the blind! Our God has no boundaries or limits! He is sovereign, and He is almighty!

Until the whole world hears,
Jenna
"Look around at the nations; look and be amazed! For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn't believe even if someone told you about it."
Habakkuk 1:5 NLT

Salvation Is Here!

How do you write a blog entry when words cannot be found?

My job this week is to be a floater. A floater can take on any role in the clinic or improvise as the need arises. My newest role gave me a story that I will share for the rest of my life. The clinic was running smoothly with numerous patients, but we were concerned the people would dwindle soon. For this reason, Keith Heartsil(the team leader for the Mississippi Team), Alex (a translator), and I headed out to the streets surrounding Rogan(a village) to try and gather more people to come to the clinic. We did not make it far before we came upon three older ladies sitting on a bench outside their homes. We approached the ladies in order to invite them to the clinic, but only one of the women even seemed slightly interested in what we were offering. Halfway through our conversation, Vera(pictured above) asked another lady if she would help her get to clinic. Our immediate response was to offer our assistance as well. We soon found out that Vera's right arm and leg were paralyzed leaving her with very limited mobility of her body. Before I knew it I was running down the road back to the church to find a wheelchair to get Vera to the clinic. Alex, Keith, and I got her situated on the "armless" wheelchair and took off on our perilous journey down the bumpy country road. Although Vera was having to death grip the wheelchair with no arm or foot rests, we got her safely to the church doors. Each clinic station met Vera at the door, and so did God. In front of God's house, Keith was able to share the gospel with her, and with tears streaming down her face, Vera prayed to receive Jesus as her personal Lord and Savior.

If you had seen her face before she came to know the Lord and gained the assurance of Heaven, you would have seen a face full of disappointment, hurt, and sadness. Salvation is here. You can see it in Vera's face. I love watching God work in lives and use ordinary people like us to change the world.

Broken World

"The Power of Your Name" --Lincoln Brewster

Surely nations were not made for war
Or the broken meant to be ignored
Surely this just can't be what You saw
Let Your Kingdom come
Here in my heart

I will live
To carry Your compassion
To love a world that's broken
To be Your hands and feet
I will give
With the life that I've been given
And go beyond religion
To see the world be changed
By the power of Your name

Surely life wasn't made to regret
And the lost were not made to forget
Surely faith without action is dead
Let Your Kingdom come
Lord break this heart

I heard this song in the car on the way to the airport. I think I had heard it before then, but clearly, it stuck in my mind and in my heart as I walked through the airport. I was humming it through check-in and security, and I cannot stop thinking about this song! I can't help but be reminded that this is the reason I am here. I am nothing without God, and I can do NOTHING without God. I want to carry His compassion, love a world that's broken, be His hands and feet, go beyond religion, and see the world be changed. Tonight, Wendy and I were in Target (no, this is not the same thing as our Target), and as I was waiting on Wendy at one point, there were some ladies cleaning. I smiled at them as I do with everybody, everywhere, and she decided to start talking to me in Russian. I had no idea what she was saying, but when Wendy returned, the lady asked where I was from. She said she knew I was from US, because I smiled at her! I pray that people not see me as an American when I smile but as a follower of Christ. It also really hit me how broken and depressed this country is. Most of them don't have a reason to smile, but once again, this song reminds me that by the power of Jesus' name, I can bring hope, love, joy, and ..... a simple smile.

Until the whole world hears,
Jenna

"Then He said to them, 'The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few, therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.'"
Luke 10:2

3:30 A.M. WAKE UP CALL

I pride myself on having control of everything in my life. Whether it is true or not, I liked to think I am in control, but we all know, as humans, this is not the case. I know God has control of everything, yet time and time again I try to take everything on myself. Well, this summer is all about being aware of what God is trying to teach me, and boy, did He get his point across this morning.

Jet lag is something that I have experienced on a few occasions but not very often. After I returned from my first trip to China, I couldn't sleep at night, but I was back to normal sleeping patterns after a very short time. Well, this time I have experienced quite the opposite. This morning my internal alarm clock woke me up at 3:30, and let's just say I was wide awake. I attempted to fall back asleep for almost thirty minutes before I realized this was a hopeless cause. Keep in mind, the sun has not even risen at this point, so what do you do when you wake up before practically the entire country? Well, I got to spend some time just talking to God and proceeded to read almost an entire book. If you know me well, you know that I am NOT a morning person, but it was kind of nice to just spend time relaxing even if it was 3:30 in the morning.

I have no control over jet lag same as I don't really have control over my life. I like to play tug-of-war with God over control, but ultimately, my life is in His hands. That is how I want it to be! I am praying that God will continue to teach me many things each day, and you better believe I am enjoying this time to actively search out daily lessons God has for me! What a blessing!!

Until the whole world hears,
Jenna

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

Transportation is something that is always fun in small doses. Everybody gets excited about short flights, short train rides, and short drives, but you don't typically see people get excited about 10 hour flights, 6 hour train rides, and 4 total driving hours. As most of you know, I was a little anxious about traveling alone, and I was especially concerned about going through customs at the airport by myself. God placed people in my path throughout the entire trip to comfort me, guide me, and just make me laugh. In New York, I got to chat with this couple coming home from a trip to Ireland. They reminded me of my grandparents, and they were so encouraging. They even watched my stuff for me, so I could check on my flight. Also, when you are about to be on a plane for more than 2 hours, the person you will be sitting next to for the entirety of the trip becomes a little important. Luckily, I sat my a man who was around my dad's age from Georgia. He was on his way to a small city in Ukraine for business. He was so kind to me and kept me laughing most of the trip. He was even somewhat protective of me and helped me getting on and off the plane. He even hung back from the crowd to make sure I made it to the line for customs. God definitely put him in my path for a reason. One of my concerns was that I wouldn't know how to get down to customs, and once again, throughout the entire trip, God was reminding me that I could trust Him. He was constantly reminding me that He will never leave my side. No matter how many modes of transportation it took to get me here, I am now settled into my new home for the summer in Kharkov, Ukraine, and I am so excited about what God is going to show me and use me to do.
This week, I will mostly be getting used to my surroundings and doing some preparation for the rest of my summer. Today, I have been recooperating from my traveling, and I will be going shopping for some essentials and eating dinner with a couple missionaries that I will be working with this summer. Throughout the rest of the week, I will be doing a wide array of things. I will be helping Wendy(the missionary I am staying with) with a ladies' international small group focused on relationships. I will also be meeting with my translator who will be helping me all summer. She will be translating for me at the kids backyard Bible clubs that I will be leading each week, and she will also be giving me some Russian language lessons. I hope she doesn't get put out with me, because I have never had to seriously learn another language.
Thank you all for your prayers as I traveled. I can honestly tell you that I could feel your prayers, and God was guiding me and protecting me every step of the way! I love and miss you all very much, and I am so excited for my parents, aunt, and the rest of the MS team to join me here in just a few days!
Until the whole world hears,
Jenna
"For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them was raised again."
2 Corinthians 5:14-15

Summer in Ukraine

Take a walk with me down a Ukrainian road. This road is just a path winding down a hill through one flat after another. These apartment buildings are tall and plain with little colorful playgrounds dispersed between them. On these playgrounds are Ukrainian children spending their summer playing on the dilapidated equipment. Between this one particular building on this one particular playground stood a little girl with a deep olive complexion, sandy brown hair, and steely eyes that could stop a train. Upon my first meeting with this beautiful Ukrainian girl, a smile seemed impossible for her, yet as my journey down this path winded between each flat, the same little girl appeared around every corner. Each time brought a light to the child’s eyes and lifted the corners of her lips just a little more.

On May 15, 2010, I will begin my third journey to Ukraine. Only this time, I will be boarding the plane alone. Through my past connections with the missionaries Keith and Wendy Wofford in Kharkov, Ukraine, God made it evidently clear to me where He wanted me to spend my summer. For two months, I will be serving alongside Keith, Wendy, and the rest of Team Kharkov to share the love of Jesus with the Ukrainian people. I am going with very little language skills and very little experience, but I am also going with faith in a God who moves mountains. Some people are called to stay, and some are called to go. I have been called to go, and I would like to partner with you in prayer to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to the people of Ukraine. Matthew 28:19-20 says, “Go, ye therefore into all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, teaching them to obey all my commands, and lo, I am with you always even unto the very end of the age” (NIV). You may be called to your hometown, to your work, or even to your next-door neighbor, so I am asking you to take part in my calling to share the love of God in Ukraine by praying for the hearts of the people I will meet and minister to. My trip will end on July 15, but the message that will be spread while I am there will never stop.

By the end of my first trip in Kharkov, Ukraine, this precious little girl named Liza had her arms around my neck in a farewell hug. Little did I know that the face of Liza would stay engrained in my mind for the next three years. The same smile that enveloped Liza’s face every time she came running to our Backyard Bible Club overtakes mine when I think of her. The face of Ukraine will be forever sketched in my memory as a little girl with a light so bright in her eyes.