The summer fire-spitting air was changed by the autumn chilly weather so fast. It seems like summer was left behind with all the incredible activities, different guests, cool entertainment and stuffy rooms. This year the ministry of the Rowland family, Mindy and Kayla reminded us of a lightning, so quick and bright. The next moment after they came to Ukraine they had to leave. In order to extend the feeling of their presence in Poltava we publish this short interview, that was made a day before their departure from Ukraine.

- Robby, нow did you realize that God was calling you to Ukraine to develop your ministry here?

- I’ve been interested in the Soviet Union since my childhood. I always wanted to sneak into something unknown and mysterious that was hiding from the whole world behind the iron wall. At that age I would even never dream that one day I would serve as a missionary in Ukraine. God let me have my first trip to Ukraine was in September of 2004. I came with a short term volunteer team to Odessa region. One night, about the third night I was here on the first trip, we were doing a ministry in an old theater in a village; we were showing a Christian evangelism film. I can’t really explain it but I understood that God was calling me here. I didn’t know in what capacity, but I knew God was calling me to Ukraine. I can specifically remember some things that happened that night, like when he was calling me to salvation, I knew he was calling me here. From that point on, it really has never left me. We went to Malaysia on a mission trip but I didn’t feel the same call there that I felt in Ukraine. I realized that God called me to serve Him here just like Paul was called to sereve in Macedonia.

-What did you know about Ukraine before you came here the first time?

-I knew very little information. I knew that Ukraine was a former Soviet Union country and that most people spoke Russian there. I knew the few churches that were there had had a lot of persecution during Communist times. When I was growing up we didn’t get a lot of news about Ukraine.

- When you were going to come with your whole family the first time, what was your biggest fear and what did you expect?

- My biggest fear as a Dad and as a husband was having my family here with me. I didn’t know how I will provide for my family in a different country; how I will protect them and be sure for their safety. In fact there is always fear in my heart when there is something unknown for me. We didn’t have any training, we just came, we didn’t know how to shop, the bus systems, etc. I knew that we wouldn’t be killed for our faith in Poltava but still we expected the intense spiritual battle.

- When you came here for the first time, who was the person that got adjusted the fastest and the slowest?

- I adjusted the fastest because I had been here 2 times previously. Page got adjusted fast as well. I guess it didn’t take Tuesdae too long either. Right after we arrived Page and I went outside in the playground to look around. A little bit later we started playing Frisbee and other games. The kids from the playground joined us. This way we started running sports regularly at the nearest stadium to our apartment building. It was more difficult for Felesha to adjust just due to the fear of the unknown, providing food for our family, grocery shopping in Russian, etc, not being about to communicate with anyone.

- Why do you serve mainly youth and children?

- Right now, the way God is working in our lives, mainly students want to learn English so that is why that is our main outreach. Adults are usually working and taking care of their families and do not have as much time to study English. Because of time, we have not found a bridge to them. The younger people are more interested in English. It also seems that overall, excluding Believers, that the younger generation is more open to Americans. We also have kids their age which makes it easier for us to connect with them.

- I think that everyone would agree with me if I say that God blesses your ministry in Ukraine. We see that a lot of kids come and play sports with you and a lot of young people attend English club every week. What is the secret that every year you have people coming and joining you?

- It is just God’s spirit, we can explain it. We just try to love people. People can tell if you really care about them whether you can speak their language or not. We also pray for every person regularly.

- What is the most effective ministry you have participated here in Ukraine?

- Any type of English ministry in general, not just English club. The people who come to sports or girls night, etc. they are basically coming to practice English, be around Americans. That is ok. That is why we come. We understood that before we came. We are fishing for men and English is good bait. Just like Jesus would feed people, or heal people, he allowed us to be born as English speakers and we want to use it to bring the Gospel to people. It is not that we are better than anyone else, we just want to use what God has given us.

- It’s been already five years since you started coming to Ukraine with your family. Every year you devote to Poltava two months of your lives. You have an opportunity to watch Ukraine from the outside. In what ways can you see that Ukraine has changed in the 5 years you have been coming?

- We have noticed that there are more vehicles on the road. It is pleasant to see more Christian symbols on cars. It seems like the number of Christians is increasing in Ukraine. It makes us happy to see more new people at the church. It seems like the schools are more open to Christians coming in to classes to practice English. Mike Ray says it is not like that in other cities, that Christians are not openly allowed into classes. There are more modern stores in Poltava, they grow like mushrooms after the rain. A lot of new apartment buildings are going up. The public transportation is much more convenient. Besides marshrutka (a mini-bus) there are more yellow buses. Probably you will never notice it because you live here every day, but after a year break it is so obvious for us.

-What do you sacrifice in order to come here every summer?

- A sacrifice is not a sacrifice anymore when the main motivation is love. When we receive something we would surely lose something at the same time. When we go to Ukraine we have to leave our k=jobs and ministries. That is why we have to prepare things in advance with our jobs. We save money all throughout the year to come. Our coworkers have to take up many of our responsibilities. The girls miss going to church camp and all the things their friends participate in during the summer. But to us it is not a sacrifice, it is a blessing. We don’t make the girls to go with us, it is their own choices. Thye love Ukraine and they want to serve here. We do all of this with a greta joy expecting the moment of meeting you all and serving the Poltavited with you.

- What does your congregation think of your mission work here in Ukraine?

- Our home church is our biggest supporters, financially and spiritually. Our church leadership is behind us coming. Our pastor is very supportive. He was the first person who connected with the man who was responsible for the missions and introduced us to him.

- The last question is going to be about your future. What are your future plans connected with Ukraine?

- I don’t know for sure. I would like to come and stay longer, I don’t know if that is God’s plan. I would like to spend a school year here and just see what God does. We are really here during the off season for English and God blesses our results but we have never been here for a full school year. When we get here the schools are trying to finish up the year, finish exams, get out. We would have more opportunities during the school year. I ask you to pray about our dream. And if God’s willing, He will let it come true. In my family each person could serve and get along with different people of different age. I think we could be effective in the ministry to God in Ukraine.

- We also believe so, Robby! Thank you for this interesting conversation and for your sincere answers!

- Thank you! It was a pleasure for me!

Tatiana Varyanitsya