Running the Race

In Ukraine, students everywhere are preparing for and taking exams to finish the current year of study.  How can the Word of God be applied to this situation?  In 1Co9:24-25, the Apostle Paul writes, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize?  Run in such a way as to get the prize.  Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.”(NIV translation)

First, we see there are many who want to claim the prize, but what exactly is the prize.  The prize is not only completion of the course of study and graduating to the next year of study.  The prize is how we may bring the most glory and honor to God in the process.  This is also our testimony as believers to a watching world.

Second, how should we run the race God has prepared for us?  We are required to run with integrity.  The world may lie, cheat, steal or bribe in order to get what it desires, but in the end this will not benefit the doctor or the patient.  The patient’s trust will be destroyed.  The doctor’s influence will be greatly diminished.  The healing, both physical and spiritual will be suppressed.  The cause of Christ will not be advanced.

Third, what does being in the competition require of us?  All who participate must be in strict training.  This training requires both time and effort.  One cannot acquire a semester’s worth of knowledge in a couple of weeks of study.  It is the persistent and vigorous pursuit of knowledge that enables one to not only pass the exam but retain the knowledge for use after the exam.

Finally, everyday whether still in school or graduated we are tested.  God provides us with gifts and talents to be used in His service and the means to with stand any test we must face. Therefore, be encouraged to fight the good fight and hold on to faith and a good conscience (1 Tim 1:18-19).  May God bless all students during this time of intense study.

Surprised by Suffering

When we watch the news are we numb to the seemingly ever increasing amounts of suffering taking place in the world.  As a missionary in Kiev, Ukraine when we have visitors we enjoy showing them the historical sites of this city dating back to 482AD.  We currently have a guest who is a retired US Air Force physician, served on the mission board of the Evangelical Free Church and now travels extensively assisting the Christian Medical Dental Association ministry for International Medical Education.

Over the past several days in between appointments we visited the Golden Gate of Kyiv where many died when the Mongols attacked and captured Kyiv in 1240 AD.  Then we went to the World War II museum where we reviewed the history of Nazi Germany’s invasion of Ukraine and subsequent explusion.  The concentration camps, the weapons, the instruments of torture as well as the personal letters of some of the heroes who fought in these battles.  Then the hall of remembrance at the top of the base of the Motherland Statue, where all the names of officers who died are written on the walls.

Perhaps the most sobering of all was the visit to Babi Yar.  Three days after the capture of Kyiv in WW II,  Jews were told to report to this location which is a ravine and simply shot for no other reason than their Jewish heritage.  Walking on this ground, knowing the remains of over 33,000 who were murdered in just three days are intered, is quite an emotional experience.

Now for the past two weeks we have witnessed the rumbling of tanks, armored troop carriers and missles down our street.  They are not preparing for war, we pray, but practicing for the parade to take place on August 24th to celebrate the 17th anniversary of Ukrainian independence from the Soviet Union.

What is so striking in all of this is the seemingly unending number of ways man has learned to kill his fellow man over the years and in increasingly greater numbers.  More people have died in battles during the past 100 years  than the rest of human history combined.   Why we ask?  The answer lies in our own hearts.  James 4:2 states, “You want something but don’t get it.  You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want.  You quarrel and fight.”

But for those who believe in Christ, we have hope.  He died so that we may live.  His death was not in vain.  It was a purposeful act required by a Holy God that we may be reconciled to Him.  Therefore, in this you may greatly rejoice, though now for  a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.  These have come so that your faith-of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by-may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed (1Peter 1:6,7).

Will I be able to withstand the test of suffering?  Will may faith remain strong?  I am thankful God who enabled me to believe will also enable me hold up under such circumstances.  So do not be surprised by suffering, but be filled with the inexpressible and glorious joy for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your soul (1 Peter 1:8,9).

So You Want to Go Swimming!

As physicians, we generally encourage our patients to participate in regular physical activity.  But, when does such activity become unhealthy for both body and soul?

We often take for granted the transparency of life in America.  While this is true, we do have corruption, but just better at hiding it.  Adapting to life in a foreign country provides many interesting situations to learn about the true nature and thought process of the nationals with whom we live and work.

One such situation arose when my assistant decided to find a place to exercise and swim.  During the Soviet times many sports halls were constructed with swimming pools.  Like many other things during that era admittance to these halls was free.  Now, with independence, there is a fee, nothing is free.

In the past, as well as now, in order to use the pool a person needed to provide a “Spravka” or certificate of health.  Obtaining this certificate, required a visit to the local polyclinic where you are registered to live.  You were examined by a dermatologist, gynecologist and an internist.  You stood in line for an hour typically for each of the doctors.  When you were finally seen, you were not examined, just asked to pay a small amount and the doctor would sign and stamp your spravka. 

This was very frustrating because you wasted a day of work or more for a piece of paper that really does not mean anything.

To make matters worse, if you are registered to live in another city, you must obtain a medical record book before obtaining the spravka.  This involves much the same process, but you must see 10 or 11 subspecialists.  Then and only then you return to the gynecologist and dermatologist you just saw to obtain permission to go swimming.  You now take your spravka and visit the internist who can then conclude whether you are healthy or not to go swimming.

Now you could avoid this process by paying an “expediting fee.”  You can easily see how quickly corruption can take a foothold.

Imagine how you would feel if you decide to go through the process legally, then go to the pool and realize the majority of people where not examined and just paid for the spravka to be signed.  Maybe it is healthier not to go swimming!

Spiritual Warfare?

What is spiritual warfare?  Is it when you have a bunch of important deadlines and your Internet suddenly stops despite the fact you pay your bills?  Is it when you set an appointment to have the service man come to your home in the morning of a particular day and you change your plans to be home but no one comes?  Later you find out the service man came and only checked the outside but left because he thought there was no problem but did not tell you?  Which means you did not have to cancel or reschedule your previous activities.  Or maybe you call the service center back and say they only checked the outside, but it will cost you 20 grieven and a 24 hour wait before they return.  Or while you are celebrating your wife’s birthday in a restaurant you receive a call that the cable guy wants to come now instead of the time they arranged.  Or when they arrive for the second time they say the problem is not in your flat but outside and by the way your neighbors are also having a problem.  They say they will be back tomorrow but they never show up.  Is this spiritual warfare?

We can’t control the circumstances but we can control how we respond to them. And now the rest of the story.  Our Internet is back.  Oorah!  Turns out our neighbors tapped into our Internet cable.  For the past year I have wondered why our Internet traffic was so high.  Our son kept saying his usage was very little compared to ours downloading TV shows from the states even.  

Now I understand.  I kept accusing my family and complaining about guests using the Internet without paying.  The accuser made me think it was my own family that was out to get me so to speak instead of placing the blame correctly and dealing with it.  That guy with the pitch fork is sly!

Lessons in Driving

I had always heard from various people that Bostonians were notoriously the worse drivers in America.  However, they cannot truly compete with the drivers of Kyiv.  It is not uncommon to observe one lane of traffic suddenly turn into three or four lanes all going in the same direction taking up all the space in both directions.  If you need to travel in the opposite direction what do you do?  Drivers then move to the sidewalks, the fifth lane.

How do you learn such driving tactics?  A friend of mine is taking driving lessons.  He is nearing the completion of the course.  Each lesson is supposed to last approximately two hours.  Typically the first 45 to 60 minutes are spent drinking tea and talking.  With only 1 or 2 lessons remaining his instructor informed him he has not had enough driving experience to pass the driving test without providing an additional $6o to the examiner.  The best driver’s license money can buy. 

Like Father, Like Son

This morning all of Kyiv woke up to see a blanket of clean white snow covering the city.  Being Sunday morning there were not many people on the street as Marianna and I began our journey to attend church.  As we walked down the street towards our Metro stop, we began to see more and more people, several with small children in tow dressed in snowsuits, hats, scarves, and boots.  One could barely see the small round faces of these children.

Just a few short years ago it was rare to see children and strollers.  The kindergartens were being closed and some of the buildings were sold.  A combination of fear from the Chernobyl nuclear accident, instability in the government, poor economy and uncertainty about the future led to a situation were the death rate exceeded the birth rate.  But this has changed dramatically in the past 12 to 18 months.  Maybe due to the increase in hopefullness during the Orange Revolution or because the government began paying couples $1500 if they gave birth to a child, but Ukraine is experiencing a noticeable population explosion.

So as we approached the Metro a father with his son in hand stamped his feet to remove the snow from his boots.  The son followed suit stamping his feet even before the father had time to tell him what to do.  What a simple reminder that our children are watching everything we do and ready to duplicate what they observe.  Yes indeed, more is caught than taught.  Like father, like son we learn so much from our parents.  May we look to our heavenly Father and learn from Him.