Family, Life & Ministry, and Future – all represented here in these 3 cups
Story #1: Family Adventures
When we were preparing to leave for Ukraine in 1997, a number of times people asked us “how can you take your children away from their grandparents?” “Will it be safe for your kids?”. When we left in December, Lanae was 3 years old and Alicia was 8 months old. Of course it was hard taking the kids from their extended family, and it wasn’t always safe. But looking back, we wouldn’t have changed it at all.
So the Iceland cup – it represents our family adventures.
Adventures like:
- In 1999 Leanne, Lanae & Alicia & another missionary mom and her two kids leaving Budapest on a train heading for Ukraine leaving both the other missionary dad and myself standing on the platform, holding tickets, passports, pizza and food for the trip. How we caught them was quite the story. (I share the story here)
- In 2006 the five of us getting on a train in Germany, finding people sitting in our seats and after chatting with the conductor, finding out that we were hurtling along at 200 km/hr on the wrong train. Seeing the concerned look on my face, the conductor laughed and said, “but you are in luck – this train actually goes to the same destination, and you will arrive 30 minutes earlier. On the downside, you don’t have seats” So we piled our luggage in an open area and sat down and enjoyed the view.
- Driving home from Kyiv to Sumy in our van – 5 people, luggage and a dog – and being flagged down by a policeman on our way thru a city about an hours drive from Sumy. “Dad, were you speeding?” (which was a legitimate question). “No, not this time!”. The policeman comes to my window and asks “are you going to Sumy?” “Yes, we are.” “Can you give my colleague a ride?” “Of course.” That was the longest 60 minutes ever!
- Every summer having to leave Ukraine to renew our visas. So we would travel on the train for 24 hours to Hungary. Every year had stories to tell. Time on the beach, castles, knights, trains and sunsets……
- Going out to village churches and taking part in their services, and having potluck afterwards
- Spending the summers out at Grace Camp, watching our kids grow up involved in all kinds of ways.
- Opportunities to visit historical places in Ukraine and the surrounding countries….amazing!
- Taking the kids to bible school: Lanae to Germany in 2013; Alicia to Germany in 2015 via Iceland; Daniel was to go to Germany in 2020…..well Covid shut that down this fall so Daniel and I drove to Vancouver and spent a week just wandering around and enjoying our time together.
- and the list could go on and on and on.
Leanne and I worked hard at living life as a family – keeping our communication lines open, working through the challenges together, making decisions with everyone in mind. We took the kids on trains, planes and automobiles, survived food that we didn’t recognize and some that we did. We made sure that we spent time together, doing things together regularly that didn’t cost a lot, just some time but it all made a difference.Did we get it right all the time? Definitely not! When we messed up, we humbled ourselves and said we were sorry. And we forgave each other – alot. We are just thankful to God for His many blessings and for all of the memories – and for the adventures to come
