My Story: Nine Months in Ukraine

Imagine waking up in a city where you know no one. You don’t speak the primary language. You are living with complete strangers and don’t know your way around.

This was life for Faith member Sophia Fleck, who left her Carmel, Indiana home in August, 2008 to spend nine months in Lutsk, Ukraine as a SEND International missionary.

In the interview below, Sophia shares about her trip full of joys and great sorrow.

Q:  What led you to go on this trip?
A: In 2006, I traveled to India to visit family friends. While there, I became acquainted with two short-term missionaries. The girls had spent their first year out of high school serving the Lord overseas. It was such a powerful testimony that I quickly determined I was going to spend my senior year of high school on the mission field.

Q: What was a typical day like for you in Ukraine?
A: I lived in a city called Lutsk. It has a quaint village feel. There are two markets for the whole city. Buses, taxis and the trolley are the main modes of transportation (and of course the two legs God gave us).

A typical day consisted of waking up around 7 a.m., having breakfast and Bible study time with my host family, also SEND missionaries. Afterwards I would go to my language class and then sometimes have lunch with a fellow missionary.

Three days each week I visited an orphanage. There I spent time with 11 precious orphans, ranging in age from four to thirteen. It was such a blessing to spend time with them—playing games, doing crafts and practicing my Ukrainian. It was a great chance for me to show patience, grace and most importantly love.

Q: What were some of the cultural differences you experienced?
A: Because of the Soviet influence, Ukraine shares many cultural aspects with Russia. People can seem rude or harsh with one other if they aren’t well acquainted. But if you have developed a friendship with a Ukrainian, it’s probably for good.

Veggies, bread and meat are extremely fresh. Tea, cookies, and chocolate, as well as cabbage, potatoes and liver are staples for a typical Ukrainian home. And fresh flowers are always available at the center of town, often given to loved ones or as a thank you.  



Q: What were some highlights of your time in Ukraine?
A: Celebrating holidays with Ukrainians was among the most enjoyable times. As strong traditions, holidays are very important, and therefore called for much celebration. I was able to witness a wide variety of holidays and other occasions including Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year, Veterans’ Day, Men’s Day, Women’s Day, Easter, a wedding, funeral and the fifth anniversary of a new Ukrainian church.

Q: What were some challenges you faced?
A: The most difficult time was in February when Andrew, one of my host family’s sons, died of pneumonia. It was very shocking and extremely difficult to lose a great friend and watch this precious family deal with the sudden loss.

Although it was a hard blow to us all, I will never regret being there during that time. I will always look up to my host family for how they handed the situation. Since returning home, I talked to Andrew’s mother and she expressed that her son lived the number of years that God had intended him to live. What faith they have! I was blessed to be there during this time to serve.

Q: How did you see God at work during your trip?
A: One of the biggest ways I have seen God work in me is in my humility. Being placed in a country where I couldn’t read or understand anything was definitely a great lesson to learn.

I often wasn’t able to communicate to anyone for three to four hours at a time. The songs I heard were usually in a different language. But God’s faithfulness prevailed. He gave me peace during these times, causing my heart to be content with His thoughts for hours at a time.

I also found my music to be a language in itself when I couldn’t communicate verbally with those around me. I played violin to help usher people in at the Ukrainian church I attended. I discovered that through music I could express God’s love to others.

Q: What are some of the best memories from your trip?
A: Sunday afternoons were a time I looked forward to every week! Our Ukrainian church hosted a children’s club for neighborhood kids. We sang praise songs, memorized scripture and shared Bible stories. Of course we had other fun activities like ping-pong, soccer and crafts. It was a great time for me to practice my Ukrainian and build friendships with the children.

Q: What advice do you have for people considering mission work?
A: Know that it is God’s will for your life, pray and seek His counsel for the right mission organization for you, and put your best foot forward for He will lead you.

Also know that it can be difficult to be spiritually fed on the mission field. You have to proactive about it. I tried to find quiet time for prayer and reflection, downloaded sermons from church at home and listened to familiar praise music.

Q: What’s next for you?
A: I’ll be attending Moody Bible Institute in Chicago this fall. I plan to study Elementary Education and am leaning towards working with international students in some capacity.

Check out Sophia’s blog to learn more about her Ukrainian adventure or email her.