“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” Luke 19:38, echoing Psalm 118:26 (Photos: Along Palm Sunday Road, and the Mount of Olives from Jerusalem’s Old City) Jesus, the King of Kings, entered Jerusalem humbly, riding on a donkey. Today, we can follow his path, starting on the Mount of Olives with its many graves. An enterprising man stands nearby with a white donkey on a halter, for photos. We start…
Are you curious about how Ukrainians celebrate Easter in their culture? You will find some practices similar to ours, and others quite different. Let’s start in the USA, then head out for a Ukrainian experience today. A mixture of American dyed eggs and traditional Ukrainian designs–dipped in egg wraps from Kyiv. The author painted this ceramic plate, which says “Christ is risen,” in Russian. Our family started making an“Empty Tomb” cake like this, years ago,…
An Unexpected Adventure: Alaska in January? What could a broken ankle, newlywed couple, retired Ukrainian doctor, rhubarb pie, and yurt homestead with sled dogs possibly have in common? We couldn’t imagine either, until we got a call from Gary’s sister Patty. She had broken her ankle and needed our help in Anchorage. What a surprising way to start 2024, the very time we were geared up to transition to a different mission agency! By…
Friends are asking us to recommend avenues of giving, to help relieve the suffering of the people of Ukraine. Here are four we know and trust well, because we have worked side-by-side. They are listed by the length of time we have partnered together, not by which may be our favorite. We love them all! May you find a wise way to show God’s love to Ukrainian people, whether it’s from this group, or other…
You and I thread our way through the crowded souks of Jerusalem’s Old City, our feet occasionally stumbling on the ups and downs of the ancient white-limestone walkways. We dodge carts of supplies and the clever shopkeepers trying everything to draw us into their stalls. Signs high overhead in Roman numerals indicate the “stations of the cross,” charting our route (and more importantly, our Savior’s) along the Via Dolorosa. We round the corner where Jesus…
