I RE-DISCOVERED SOME THINGS ON THIS COLLEGE UKRAINE TEAM

#1 I’M NOT 23 YEARS OLD...I’M 55.

#2 I USED TO THINK OF MYSELF AS HIP....NOW I WONDER HOW LONG BEFORE HIP RELACEMENT SURGERY.

#3 RIDING THE KIEV-TO-MARIOPOL TRAIN WITH COLLEGE STUDENTS IS HILARIOUS.

#4 OUR UKRAINIAN PARTNERS FROM ‘NEW LIFE CHURCH’ AND ‘CHURCH OF GOOD CHANGES’ ARE THE MOST THOUGHTFUL AND SERVANT-HEARTED PEOPLE.

#5 INDIGENOUS, CHURCH-BASED PARTNERSHIP IS THE ONLY WAY TO GO IN LONG RUN MISSIONS.

#6 UKRAINE IS A POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC FORCE TO BE RECONNED WITH.

#7 THE BLACK SEA, IN JULY, IS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACES ON EARTH.

#8 I AM 10 YEARS BEHIND IN CONTEMPORARY MUSIC AND THOUGHT.

#9 I WILL NEVER CATCH UP...AND THAT’S OK WITH ME.

#10 I’VE ALREADY GOT NEXT SUMMER IN CRIMEA CIRCLED ON MY CALENDER...CAMP FOR 100 DRUG ADDICTED STREET KIDS ANYONE???

The CRAVE TEAM in Ukraine

I’ve been at Saddleback for 27 years and I’m embarrassed to say I have NO IDEA what ‘CRAVE’ stands for...
The fact that the name is capitalized MUST mean that in true Warrenesque fashion... it stands for something...but I can’t tell you what.
Rick’s love for acrostics has spawned a whole Saddleback world of words like SHAPE and PEACE and CRAVE

But in old school language...it’s the ‘college group’...
An awesome college group.

What a blast it was ministering with them in Kiev and Mariopol and Crimea.
Addressing the issues of poverty and homelessness and drug abuse.
And seeing, first hand, the biggest challenge of the Worldwide Church....men and women, boys and girls , facing eternity WITHOUT knowing the Good News of Jesus Christ.

With our friend, Vlad, with us...our Crave team shared their stories of their own faith journeys and their loving concern at orphanages...drop-in centers...group homes and rehab centers.


SO EVEN THOUGH I MAY NEVER KNOW WHAT ‘CRAVE’ STANDS FOR ...I KNOW WHAT THESE KIDS COLLEGE KIDS STAND FOR...CHANGED LIVES.

Me and TENTS

OK .... Camping is cool....fresh air...the sounds of birds and the wind and rain...
But at 55 years old I think I may need to get a little bigger tent...
One night in Crimea there was more rain and water INSIDE this tent than outside it.
I spent most of the long downpour night wondering what exactly getting struck by lightning actually does to you.