Beyond the Gates

“Valerie (4) sat down too, and fixed her eyes on him, the first Auca man she had ever seen. I had told her plainly that her father had died, that he was now “in Jesus’ house,” but I had said very little to her about how it happened. I had wanted to save it until she could comprehend it more fully. Somehow, however, her mind has associated Auca with her father. I watched her study Kimu’s face. Finally she spoke.
“He looks like a daddy. Is that my my daddy?”

So those who had spelled “death” to me were to Valerie human beings, her own. She identified herself with them and was ready to accept as her own father the man who had helped kill her father. There was nothing strange to her about the Aucas.”

From The Savage, My Kinsman Elisabeth Elliot

This quote that really grabbed my attention as I was reading this book last week. I suppose in part it's related to the struggles I've been having "identifying and accepting as my own" the people and culture where I'm living. This is a temporary feeling I'm sure--it's been a rough few weeks. I'm "at home" here and have felt very much a part of Ukraine in the past. But this week has been hard and I anticipate the next two months may be a bit of a challenge as well. The weather is cold, the days are short, and the holidays are coming up. As much as people complain about the commercialization of Christmas, I really do miss going into a grocery store and hearing holiday music and having people around me sharing in similar traditions and anticipations.

Yet, I love it here and this is home. While reading about Elisabeth Eliot and her daughter among the Aucas/Waodoni, I was even more thankful for ways I've been spared--I don't have to eat monkey brains and I appreciate having our family's privacy in our own flat.

Recently released is the new documentary Beyond the Gates. The movie traces the involvement of the missionary families with the Waodani--from the murder of the five men who initially made contact to present day with the Saint family who now live among them. Marsupial Mom and TRW have a summary and reviews of this movie.

To find out whether Gates of Splendor is at a theater near you, check out the zipcode movie finder.

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Our church supports a missionary family in Ukraine, the Taylors, John and Jacky. I seem to remember her saying something similar during her first little while in Ukraine. I'll be praying for you during the holidays; it must be hard to be away from extended family.
Posted by: Kim in ON at November 14, 2004 05:54 PM

Hi, sorry for an off-topic.. but I couldn't find anybody I could e-mail to with this problem.. :(
I have registered on gentlemothering.com and have sent an e-mail with all the required answers back. And I still can't log in :( How long can it take? Or what did I do wrong and who can I contact about it? Dummy me, I have deleted that e-mail :(
Also, where can I find out more about your ministry in Ukraine? Is there a seperate page about it? I am from Ukraine myself and live in Florida.. and always thinking about how one day I will go back there with some sort of a ministry.
Sorry for off-topic again. Delete this if you want :)
God bless, Tanya (was trying to register as TanyaT).
Posted by: Tanya at November 14, 2004 09:17 PM

Thank you for your prayers, Kim!

Hi, Tanya!

*grin* I'll pass along your note to the ladies who activate the new members. Jeri (the site owner of GCM) just had a baby, so online things sometimes don't get addressed right away. Thanks for being so patient!

We work with a church-planting team with MTW, and a very out-of-date webpage is here:
http://www.angelfire.com/on4/bushfamily .

What part of Ukraine are you from? Have you been following the elections? Where do you live in Florida? (We're from the Sarasota area. *grin*)

It's great meeting you, Tanya!
Posted by: TulipGirl at November 14, 2004 11:12 PM

NO WAY!!!! We live in Sarasota :) corner of Lockwood Ridge and 17th :)
Thank you for passing my note along :) Now I feel bad about being so impatient. I have sent my answers in only yesterday :) I have my reasons though :) I am due so soon and there are just so many things I want to know before the labor!
That's why I haven't been following the Ukrainian presidential elections much - I am just too preocupied with reading all these books on natural childbirth and tandem nursing... SOOO much information, so little time! :)
I am from Zaporozhye originaly. Козачка. :) You can read it, right? :)
Thanks again and God bless,
I'll go check out your out-of-date site :)
Posted by: Tanya at November 15, 2004 03:34 AM

*grin* Sarasota is wonderful. Hubby's family is all there--his folks just sold their house and bought some land out Fruitville Road. Our oldest, J8, was born there. (Care through the birth center, transferred to Sarasota Memorial.) If you don't have a pediatrician lined up yet, I really like Dr. Phyllis Yonkers.

Congrats! When are you due?!

I know where you are from on a map, but I haven't been there yet. We live in Kyiv, and honestly, don't get out of the city much.

How long have you been in the States?

And I totallllly understand "current events" taking a backseat to the Current Event going on in your family. *grin* How exciting!

Posted by: TulipGirl at November 15, 2004 07:32 AM

I can't log in to GCM anymore either. Would you mind helping me, too?

Hope you're doing okay today. I think you are one brave and devoted wife, mother, and Christian.
Posted by: Carol at November 16, 2004 08:17 PM

you know i was thinking of you the other day (in the random way i think of people, not in a stalker way) and i was wondering how a florida girl ends up in the Ukraine?
Have you shared that before, or would you like to??
also, it may be too late by this point(postal service and all), but is there something i can send you that would make your holidays more festive?? It's an honest offer, so think about it. I don't always comment, but i read here everyday, and i hate the thought of you feeling down this season!
Posted by: Dana at November 17, 2004 01:50 PM

Dana, you are so sweet!

I do need to share the "How we got Here from There" story soon. I don't think I have done that on this blog.

Hmmmm. . . Seasonal things we can't get here. . .

Candy canes
Celestial Seasoning Tension Tamer Tea

*grin*

Our address is. . . Well, I'll e-mail you.

And, the thought means so much to me. (I understand the way random people come up throughout the day.) If you don't get anything in the mail, well that's just fine. I have warm fuzzies just knowing you thought of us.

Posted by: TulipGirl at November 17, 2004 07:33 PM

it's me again :) You probably know already, I am registered and able to read and post and all :) So excited! Thank you!
I always feel weird because people in church don't understand me ... not leaving my child to scream in the nursery or b-feeding my 2y.o. especially through pregnancy... And I definatelly don't belong with people who worship some nonexistant mother nature...

To answer your questions. I am due Dec 7, so soooooon!!! :) Lived in the States for 4 years and dying to go back to U to visit my family and show off my little blessings. When we do, I will make sure I bring you some chocolate chips and brown sugar :))
Great idea with a movie night!!! Do you get a lot of non-christians to come? What kind of movies do you pick?
Posted by: Tanya at November 18, 2004 05:53 AM

*grin*

Tanya, Hubby was reading over my shoulder and said, "What are the odds?!" when I told him where you are from and where you now live. We think we'll be in Fl in July--we'd love to meet you then. (Unless you get here first. *g*)

Wow--due so soon! How excting!
Posted by: TulipGirl at November 18, 2004 08:29 PM

really, what are the odds :))))
I don't know when we will be able to go, it all depends primarily on our money situation. Ideally I would like to go in late spring. The next pick would be early fall.
Now I will dream about home again tonight.. Happens every time I talk about this :(

Yes, yes, would love to meet you, guys! Do you speak Russian? :)

You know my e-mail, right? :)
Posted by: Tanya at November 23, 2004 02:12 AM

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