Communicating
with family and friend back home, I often casually refer to the
“UEC,” the Ukrainian Education
Center, without realizing
how little information this reference truly contains. Because it is the literal “center” of my life
and work here in Kyiv, I regard its presence and function in the
same way most people consider breathing as a part of life.
I realize that my casual references leave my family members,
friends, and supporters with a vague image outlined in confusion. Therefore, I wanted to take this opportunity
to share a little about the UEC – what it is, its mission, and why
it is so vital to my work.
The
UEC’s mission, as stated on its website,
serves three main areas. Firstly, the UEC “serves students by providing
them a place of refuge from their often difficult living conditions,
a place to study and relax, a place to
build friendships, a place to meet Christians, and a place to come
to know Jesus Christ and His church.” Secondly, the Center “serves
the community by offering a number of English-oriented educational
venues including…instruction and practice in English as a foreign
language, and access to a large Resource
Center.” Thirdly, the
UEC “serves the church by providing advanced theological education
and by developing a comprehensive, multi-language theological library.”
The
UEC is composed of two apartments remodeled into an extremely modern,
and comfortable facility. Within
this facility, life overflows from every corner in a swelling harmony
of study, laughter, instruction, and muted tones of serious conversation. Encompassing a growing library along with four
rooms of varying size and a complete, modern kitchen, the UEC serves
countless people each day. During
the day, numerous students come to the Center in their “windows”
of time between classes to study, have lunch or tea, listen to music,
or socialize with friends. As
the hour grows later, more working adults come to use the library’s
resources, and students sit at the four computers busily typing
their next day’s assignment. The four rooms of the Center – the expansive
“hall” (complete with two couches, a TV and a VCR), the guest room,
the study room, and the “small” room – serve an untold number of
purposes as well. Able to be reserved by any patron, these rooms
remain in high demand throughout the day. This semester most of
the inaugural classes of the Nivky
Church’s new Christian
“Study Center”
meet at the center. Furthermore, two of the local Churches of Christ
are composed of several “cell” groups that meet once weekly for
worship, teaching, dinner, fellowship, and prayer.
Many of these groups would have no place to meet or prepare
their meal without the UEC.
Although
I spend many hours at the UEC teaching English and religious subjects,
I also spend much of my week voluntarily working on various “menial”
tasks in the library, like printing bar codes or processing new
materials. I have often written
home about having purpose in my work, and I find just as much purpose
in these “menial” tasks as I do in teaching and relating to people. Improving the facility and the library is a
means to improving numerous lives, by providing service, education,
and, most importantly, a place that emanates Christian values and
thrives with Christian activity.
The
number of people that use and visit the UEC is constantly growing,
and we are trying to improve it and serve people as best we can.
The UEC, however, operates on donations and contributions
alone, so its growth depends on its support.
I am coordinating a project this fall called the “Harvest
of Books.” We have asked people across the USA
who are familiar with the service and mission of the UEC to lead
their local communities in collecting and shipping books to us. At Otter Creek, Scott Owings has volunteered
to collect books and Christian, classical, or other CD’s and lug
them to Kyiv when he and Lisa visit in early December.
I
say all of the above to explain the “mythical” UEC, and to convey
the powerful ministry and service of this extraordinary place.
In so few words, it is so difficult for me to explain its
meaning to the people here, as well as its vital importance for
my own work in spreading God’s word and love. My time in Kyiv so far has been an unbelievable
experience of growth, learning, beauty, and immersion into a living,
thriving mission of faith. Without
Otter Creek and my supporters at home, this would never be possible. Without the UEC in Kyiv, my experience so far
would also have been impossible.
see
www.uecenter.org for more
information