Jared and Amanda White are living in Sevastopol, Ukraine to empower and love orphans. Thanks for visiting our blog. We appreciate all your support and encouragement!
September in Sevastopol is proving itself to give Jared and I a continuing adventure here in Ukraine.The mass amounts of tourists and traffic found here in the summer is beginning to die down, and weekends at the sea are a little quieter.School has begun again, which means many of the kids we work with are under the restraints and requirements of a new schedule, new teachers, and in some cases, a new school altogether.Their new schedules have left Jared and I to jump at any open opportunity to visit with “our” orphans, not only in the Wednesday evening and Thursday afternoon format we had become accustomed to.
These last three weeks, we haven’t had more than two kids together at a time.A dramatic drop from our groups of 15, that can seem a little discouraging to an American numbers-driven mindset.After our kickoff BBQ at the sea, which had been a complication of schedules that only produced two kids at a time, I sat disheartened with my friend Julia.She promptly reminded me that it was the first week after a summer off and that we had two new girls come and visit us—surely they appreciated some rarely received one-on-one time!And as I sit here two weeks later, the Lord is reminding me that He knows what He is doing.
While we are being faithful with our Wednesday evening family nights, who are we to turn down orphans in need of love on another day of the week?? So, our apartment has turned into mentoring central.With one or two kids here at a time about 5 days a week, we are teaching English, playing cards, cooking dinners, and drinking a lot of tea.This season is definitely proving to be different—challenging in new ways, exciting in others.What we know for sure is that God is moving here in Sevastopol, and he has invited us to join Him in loving His people here—and one by one, that’s what we’re doing!
During our first week here, Jared and I have spent our days adjusting to the time change, catching up with friends & kids here, and praying for God's work in Sevastopol. Since we were here last, lots of exciting things have developed, the biggest of which is relationship with the orphanages. Yesterday, we had the opportunity to visit the orphanage for special needs kids, called "Internat." Today, we will be visiting the kids at another orphanage called "Dyetski Dome #2." And we're inviting them ALL to our BBQ on the beach tomorrow! We're praying that we'll not only have a good number of kids show up, but also that the kids who come would be open to the love of Jesus. We want to show them love and light, as well as let the kids know that we're available to talk with them, hang out with them, and that we want to spend time with them! We're also praying that God will help us communicate effectively and have a ton of fun! Please join us in prayer for tomorrow; we want to start this season off on the right foot and have an awesome impact on the orphans of Sevastopol!
After two days of traveling, we finally arrived at our home away from home in Sevastopol, Ukraine! Amanda and I were curious about exactly how long it would take us to get here with layovers and all, so we started the timer on our iPod as we left for the San Francisco Airport from my dad’s apartment in Santa Rosa. We crossed over the Golden Gate Bridge just after sunset and began our voyage. It was beautiful to see the city lights of San Francisco and the beautiful fog surrounding the steep glowing spires of the bridge, but everything after that (three flights, escalators, trams, taxis, conveyor belts, and metros) was mostly a blur until forty four hours later when we made it to our apartment in Sevastopol! Overall, we had a great trip though, and we are thankful for 21st century technology that allowed us to get here in hours rather than months!
But what would a voyage be without a few setbacks along the way? It wasn’t until an hour before we were about to take off from New York that we realized that I booked the flight out of Kiev to Simferopol a day early! I did everything I could to get a hold of the Ukrainian airline company but to no avail. Praise God our friend Julia in Ukraine. We were able to talk to her on the internet at the JFK airport, and she called the Ukrainian airline for us. They ended up rebooking the flight we already missed for only $30 dollars!
In Kiev we were so blessed to be met at the airport by a new friend named Alina. She is a local Ukrainian that served in the camp for orphans this summer with Andy and Jamiee. She helped us make our Ukrainian domestic flight connection to Simferopol, which can sometimes be a little tricky. We also had a long lay over there, so Alina took us downtown and we spent that day seeing some of the sights before flying to Simferopol at 9:30pm. By the time we boarded the plane for Simferopol, we were so exhausted that Amanda and I both fell asleep before the plane ever took off. In Simferopol our new friends and partners in ministry, Sasha and Anya, picked us up! Sasha and Anya moved from Kiev to Sevastopol just a few weeks ago to be part of the Operation Lazarus team, and let me tell you, they are a huge blessing! They are currently living with us until they find their own apartment, and we are having a great time together. It is going to be so great to have them here with us, as they are filled with the love of God and they can speak with the kids fluently in Russian. We believe God is going to use them to help the kids begin to grow a lot deeper in their spiritual walk!
We have our first get together with the kids this Saturday at the beach! After a successful outreach at the orphanage camp this summer, we believe there are going to be a lot of news kids meeting with us each week, hungry for love and truth. Please be praying for this Saturday, the kick off of our time with the kids this trip! We can definitely feel the effects of your prayers thus far. Also, thanks to all of those who have supported us financially. Your support is a great blessing to us, and we pray that it would be an even greater blessing to you! We will post regular updates on this blog, so stay tuned. Please send us an e-mail when you get a chance – we would love to hear from you! You can write us at: TheWhitesInUkraine@gmail.com If you would like to make a one time gift to support us financially, you can donate online by clicking on the Paypal link below. Gifts made through this link go directly to us. You are in our prayers. May His Kingdom come His will be done on earth as it is in heaven!
We hope you have all been enjoying the sunshine as much as we have!We have kept busy since our return from Ukraine at the end of May.Amanda spent the month of June helping with her best friend’s wedding and we have both been working part time jobs.Amanda quickly gained a job at a local coffee shop, and I have been working at a local organic farm.Just a few days ago God provided a car for us to use until we head back to Ukraine, but up until now we have had fun and saved money by riding our bikes to get around.Amanda’s parents have been a blessing by allowing us to stay with them in Lincoln, CA.
Fall is quickly approaching, and we are making preparations to return to Ukraine in the first week of September!We had an amazing time during the first trip to Ukraine, and we are excited to return for another three months.During the first trip we were able to develop great relationships with the local orphans and local believers; we became familiar with the city of Sevastopol and the local culture, and we made great progress with Russian!These things have prepared us to fill in the gap for Andy and Jaimee in Ukraine while they are the States for a few months having their baby!
When we return to Ukraine we will continue mentoring and loving the post orphanage youth by providing weekly family nights (which consists of making them a meal and spending time with them through games and other activities), giving English lessons, and staying connected with them throughout the week.We will also start doing some of the groundwork for starting a transitional housing center by contacting similar programs that exist in other parts of Ukraine.Another important part of filling in the gap in Ukraine is continuing relationships with the local believers there.One of Operation Lazarus’ main goals is to inspire local believers to take care of the orphans.
We want to thank all of you for the prayers and generous gifts you have offered in our support thus far!We are very grateful and so are the orphans in Ukraine! Below you will see pictures of some of the orphans that you have shared the love of Jesus with by supporting us in ministry!Please continue to pray for us, as we venture to Ukraine without Andy and Jaimee by our side.Pray that our relationships with the youth continue to grow and that they become firmly grafted into the family of God.Please also pray for continued progress in starting the transitional home.
If you aren’t already and are interested in supporting us financially, we are grateful for every gift, no matter the size.Our two biggest expenses are our plane tickets and rent while in Ukraine (we won’t be sharing an apartment with Andy and Jaimee this trip).You can write a check to Operation Lazarus, with Jared and Amanda in the memo, and mail it to:
Hidden With Christ Ministries
Attn: Operation Lazarus
P.O. Box 3267
Tustin, CA 92781
Or you can click on the link below to support us electronically!
Thanks again for all of your love and support.We have felt your love and the effects of your prayers.Your encouragement means so much to us!
The last three months have gone by incredibly quickly! The time spent in Ukraine with Andy, Jaimee, and some of the orphaned youth of Sevastopol has truly given us a deeper understanding of the Kingdom of God. The more time we have spent with the kids, the more we have fallen in love with them, and it is going to be difficult to say good bye. They have been a joy and a challenge to be with, so in need and yet so independent. God has definitely been teaching us about his Father’s heart for each of them, showing us how to love, pray for, and empower them. Throughout our trip, as we have given our hearts and our time, God has never ceased to demonstrate his impactful and faithful love.
We have enjoyed all of our efforts and have been blessed to develop meaningful relationships with the core group of post-orphanage youth. It has also been exciting to see many new faces showing up at our weekly family gatherings and other events. A young lady named Luda is one of the newest friends we’ve made, and since spending time with us, she has shown a great change in her demeanor and has made a positive connection with Amanda. Then there is teaching English, while it has had its challenges, has been productive for the students and a learning experience for us. Regarding our Russian communication skills, we are starting to understand more and more basic phrases and have become comfortable with finding our way around the city and the market on our own. In that respect, living with Andy and Jaimee has been a wonderful opportunity to learn the language and culture. We are truly thankful for the opportunity we’ve had to work and live with them. We have enjoyed many powerful times of prayer, worshipping, brainstorming, and planning together, and we can only hope that we have been a big of blessing to them as they have been to us!
While we are returning to the United States for part of the summer, we believe that God wants us to return to Ukraine this fall. Andy and Jaimee are having a child and we want to be in Ukraine, maintaining relationships, working towards the transitional home, and teaching English, while they are in the United States for several months with a newborn child. We cannot express how thankful we are to all of you who have activated you faith towards God and love for orphans by praying and supporting us in our ministry here! We will keep you updated on our plans and our activities this summer. Please pray that we will continue to progress in our Russian skills this summer and be effective for God’s kingdom with our activities. We love you all and look forward to talking to you in person to share the many details of our journey thus far!
Hello Family! We hope you’re enjoying your Easter and that you find yourself in good spirits and good company today! This has been a very busy and encouraging week for us here in Ukraine. First of all, a couple of weeks ago, Vanya had the idea to throw a party as a fun event to bring in some of the other orphan kids. So, we all sat down and came up with a theme, decorations, food, music, and the works; Vanya even made a flier to hand out! Subsequently, on Wednesday, our apartment was packed with kids ready for a luau! Our Hawaiian party was a hit—and a lot of work! Jaimee and I were in the kitchen all day making homemade Hawaiian bread, marinating chicken for kabobs, and cracking open coconuts to make coconut cream pie. We decorated with flowers and whimsical cut-outs of palm trees and surfboards that I had painted late into the night. The most exciting thing though, was the turnout! We had seven new kids from the orphanage and they all had a blast! We played limbo, Hawaiian charades, and the boys loved playing a game of American football. Towards the end of the night we sat down as a group and told them a little bit about why we had a Hawaiian party and why we invite orphans over to our house every week. We are SO excited to see how many of these kids return next week! Please keep them in your prayers and be praying that we can show them love in the ways that they need to see it. The rest of our week has been filled with more cooking lessons from Tanya (this week we made borsch!), teaching English, and fellowshipping with friends. On Monday I met with a 13 year old girl from church who had asked me to help her work on her English. She already speaks pretty well, but needs some help stepping out of her shy exterior. And our Thursday English lesson is becoming more and more fruitful as the kids continue to understand more and more and work really hard on their studies! Friday was a beautiful sunny day, so Andy, Jaimee, Jared and I took the afternoon to do a little bit of local sight-seeing… statue after statue. This city is full of them! We’re still enjoying our time here and look forward to what each day holds. Learning to live in community and live out Christ’s love is our continual joy and challenge. We’re confident that the kids we’re investing in will continue to grow, succeed, and one day turn around to invest in others. So thank you all so much for your prayers and support—you’re playing an integral part in the process too!
The last two weeks have been filled with daily language studies, teaching English lessons, family nights with the orphans, gardening, learning to get around on our own, playing with the neighborhood kids, community prayer and worship, a small neighborhood improvement project, and several key moments with some of the orphans Andy and Jaimee have been discipling.
Amanda and I notice our Russian skills improving from week to week, which is encouraging, but it hasn’t come without tremendous effort! Russian is a difficult language, with very few similarities to the English language. Thank you for your prayers in that regard, because they are truly helping. On the same hand, we are also improvising in our understanding of the English language as a result of teaching it. Don’t laugh but for example, this week I learned that the article “an” precedes nouns that start with a vowel, “an apple.” And “a” precedes nouns that start with a consonant, “a cup.” I always knew one sounded right, but I didn’t know why!
Last week, Amanda and I both ventured further into town by ourselves than we ever had before. I went to the market on my moped and bought minutes for my cell-phone and a rake (for a neighborhood project) using all Russian. I was able to communicate on my own and was only insulted one time (apparently I offended a Russian merchant because I didn’t buy his rake and he called me “coureetza,” which means “chicken”). Amanda went thrift store shopping with a couple new Ukrainian friends and rode the bus back on her own. It may not sound like that big of a deal, but we rarely used public transportation in suburban America, so it is a new experience for us, especially since we are still learning how to get around.
Probably the most exciting news revolves around progress with the youth-disciples. The other day, 18-year-old Vanya asked Jared if he had a job. Another boy, Andre replied back to him, “Vanya… he’s here.” Andre understood that they are our jobs; they’re why we’re in Ukraine! Shortly after that, Vanya had a great conversation with Andy and Jaimee, expressing his desire to start inviting orphans from the Dyetski Dom (Children’s House) to come to our Wednesday family night. He is finally starting to internalize the vision to see other orphans succeed in life, and he wants to be part of it! It’s so exciting to see the disciples start to desire to become leaders.
Also, we have been encouraging several of the youth to get jobs; without work, the kids have little to no money and we wonder where they get money to eat, and how often they do eat. Helping them find good jobs, and teaching them to be on time, save their money, and stick with it is the first step in helping them set goals for their lives. So, this week, they have been making significant progress! After a minimal amount of encouragement, Nastia had a job several days later. And with some more encouraging, Vanya made phone calls in our kitchen and was able to set-up four interviews for the next day. We’re also currently working on helping Andre make connections with some friends who own a restaurant, to see if he could work for them. He’s talented in that area and we would love to see him go to culinary school for a license to be a chef!
I have spent some of my spare time gardening and currently have two tomato plants, eight corn plants, and several heads of lettuce growing. I also began a small neighborhood improvement project. A small, fenced-in, soccer field in our apartment complex was overtaken by weeds and trash. In the last week I have pulled most of the weeds and picked up the trash. I hope to christen the field with a neighborhood game of “futbol,” and several of the neighbor kids have been already been asking me when we are going to play. “Kogda mwi siberayamsa egrat vfutbol?”
Amanda & Jaimee have been spending time figuring out how to cook everyday meals from scratch. Today they even had the opportunity to learn how to make a traditional Ukrainian dish from a friend, Tanya. She taught them how to make “bleenchicky,” a potato pancake-like food, which tastes excellent with sour cream. They also learned how to make a casserole with chicken (coureetza!), potatoes, dried apricots, prunes, onions, and an assortment of various spices.
We have been learning so much in the last couple of weeks and are really enjoying living here. Definitely one of the greatest blessings is having time to spend with our Father on a daily basis in community with Andy and Jaimee. Please let us know if you have any prayer requests. It is difficult to write all of you individually, but we sincerely do want to hear what has been going on in your life. You are not out of sight out of mind! We love you and can’t wait to hear from you!
Follower of Jesus, amateur barefoot runner, cyclist, baker, outdoorsman, married man, historian, coffee drinker, vegetarian... Its all for the love of it!
