I'm still in my first week here in L'viv - but at the moment everything is going great.

I'll be interning with David and Shannon Goran, GBGM missionaries, and will help keep tasks on schedule while they are back in the states in May having their first baby.

My other piece of luggage arrived - against all expectations - after only one day and we managed to retrieve it with only minimal gnashing of teeth. Everything in Ukraine seems to be a process. Even paying bills can take a long time and visits to several offices - which, it seems to me, is funny because wouldn't someone WANT to take your money? It's and even lengthier process for other things.

My general knowledge of Russian will serve me well here. Russian and Ukrainian are "mutually understandable" languages. My first day I understood about a 10th of what was said, but I'm up to about a quarter. I think after a few weeks it will be possible to understand everything that corresponds between the two languages and to start learning new vocabulary. I'm a little scared that I won't be able to keep the two separated in my mind and that I'll come out of this sounding strange to everyone.

The student center is a basic hang out zone with a number of fun activities, a thriving weekly ministry, and an emerging general-population church all wrapped into one. I met with the leadership team and am looking forward to get to know each member - they are all highly competent, natural leaders. The Gorans will be featured in an upcoming GBGM video about the four areas of focus in the United Methodist church. Their ministry represents Leadership Development and they do a fantastic job with that.

Last night they introduced me to "Cooking with Jesus." People gathered at their house, cooked a big meal together, shared in a Bible Study, and then ate together. It was a lot of fun, and I look forward to leading that event next week.

I'm trying to learn new names and faces, plan out a few sermons, and begin preparations for English classes starting in April. I shouldn't have any problem staying busy here!