A team of eight travellers from Grace Lutheran Church have returned from an incredible eye-opening journey to the Ukraine.
While they travelled to Eastern Europe with a mission of giving, they came back more than they expected with an experience to last a lifetime.
inSide Drumheller, in its April 8 edition, brought readers the story of a collection of diverse members of Grace Lutheran Church that undertook what they dubbed ”Returning the Gift,” an international mission to the Ukraine to help rebuild the faith community that was decimated through the years of communism. They chose the Ukraine because the heritage of the congregation can trace its roots to the small country.
“The eight of us just loved it and felt we had such a great opportunity to go to a place where they are so eager to know about Christianity when it is so new to them,” said Lynn Hemming who went on the trip. “They are so desperate to learn so much about faith because it has been denied to them for so long.”
The group departed on August 3 for an 18-day mission and arrived in Dnepropetrovsk. From there, they attended a Christian Camp on the Sea of Azov, and volunteered delivering programs,participated in coffee houses, bible studies and worship services. They returned to Dnepropetrovsk and visited orphanages in the city and in Odessa. They also attended more bible events and visited a seniors home.
“We visited one seniors home which was saddest of all because under communism they were to be taken care of, and no one planned for retirement because that was the communist belief, it was the cradle to grave care,” said Hemming. “After communism fell, all these people who worked all their lives had no pension or money saved. The condition of this senior home was grim. When we phoned to ask if we could come to the old folks home, they asked if we could bring a bag of flour or sugar.”
They also visited some rural villages that were in severe poverty. Many of the people struggle just to live.
“It was very humbling to see people that were thankful to have running water, these are things we take for granted,” said Hemming. “Life is tough and there is limited opportunities for employment.”
Along the way, they distributed bibles as much as possible.
Before they embarked on the tour, they undertook a major fundraising effort to bring funds to help the communities. They exceeded their goals, through the generosity of the congregation and the community at large. It came in handy, as prices were about one-third of what they are in Canada. With that, they were able to support different people and groups along the way. A $200 investment went a long way in feeding residents of the seniors home.
“It was powerful to realize how lucky we are to have so much,” said Hemming
The trip may inspire future relationships with the communities they visited.
“We certainly have a desire to want to keep in contact with these orphanages and agencies,” said Hemming adding that they have also made secure contacts, especially important in the light of the rampant corruption in the former soviet country.
“Once we saw these orphanages and these senior homes and we know some of the needs that are there, we think we can help with some of the ongoing relationships. That is our hope,” said Hemming.
“Our slogan was “Returning the Gift,” because 100 years ago many people from the Ukraine had come to Canada and brought their faith and religion with them, and we hoped to go back and return the gift. We felt however being there for 18 days, they showered us with gifts, gift of their affection … they were in humble homes but he would just go out of their way to be generous gracious hosts.”
