I've only actually known Hunter for about a month now, ever since I was traded for a smaller pair of the same type of sandals at a conference Hunter went to in June. But I feel that we have grown very attached over this last month and I think he would probably be very sad to lose me. If he feels the way I do, it would be very sad for him to be away for even one week, and I think that's why he brought me with him to Ukraine.
Hunter returned that night beaming with joy and newfound strength. I had some time to ponder that day why I was left behind, and had begun to think myself unfit for the kind of service Hunter used his tennis shoes for, but I quickly lost these thoughts as he grabbed me and walked across the hall for the team meeting. Every one of the American team members had a great story of God's work to share that night and Hunter told about how he and his partner had found a 12 year old boy and invited him to play hacky-sack. (At this point I realized the whole scheme of why I wasn't needed on the evangelism outing--Hunter would not have had very good balance playing hacky-sack if he were wearing me). They made friends with the boy and began playing with his other friends as they started arriving. Before long Hunter and his friend were sharing the Gospel with roughly 20 boys and girls and then continuing to play with them and carry on conversations. Hunter had a joy I had not seen before on this trip as he recounted the day's events. It seemed like an awesome experience, and Hunter wanted all the glory to be given to God for the work that had been done because he couldn't have orchestrated everything the way God did.
Travelling by air to Kiev wasn't too bad, even though we left late on Sunday evening and arrived to our destination (which is 10 hours ahead) around 1:30am (Kiev time). Does anyone else think it's crazy that people just allow themselves and their shoes to be hurled across countries and oceans in the air at 500 mph worrying about nothing more than how much leg-room they'll have the entire way. Personally I have to work very hard not to get freaked out when I feel the slightest turbulence, because I'm always wondering if this is the one where the pilots are up there in the cockpit going "oh no, oh no! We're losing control!"---but sorry to digress onto my personal feelings. I know you probably came here to read about Hunter's experience on the mission trip, not to listen to the opinions of some lowly footwear---nobody ever listens to the footwear.
On our way to Kiev we had an 8 hour layover in Frankfurt Germany, so we got to ride the train into town to do some touring. We climbed up a very old cathedral and took pictures of the beautiful German city and savored the European atmosphere. Hunter was happy to be able to walk around and I was grateful to receive the methodical presses of warm feet as we took a break from sitting on a plane, but it was quite tiring ascending the spiral staircase to the top of the catholic church.
Afterwards we ate at German McDonalds which is much nicer than McDonalds in America and extremely crowded. We finished everything off with a half-hour at German Starbucks and then made our way back on the train to the airport.
We got on the plane to Kiev at around 10:00pm. There was some sort of Ukranian basketball team (maybe the olympic squad?). We had a safe and enjoyable flight all the way to Kiev and Hunter kept on talking to his friend about lightning he could see in the distance as he looked out his window. By the time we arrived at the Ukrainian airport time seemed like something that had been lost forever when we flew away from Los Angeles. The clock said 1:30am, but my body did not have a feeling assigned to the numbers. All my body had to work with was dark, humid, and exhausted from travelling for 30 hours. After a 45 minute taxi ride we arrived at our lodging for the night, an apartment on the 11th floor looking over the heart of downtown Kiev. This was a beautiful sight to see, I imagine, because I never actually got up to the window to peer out on the nighttime scene, but I could hear sounds of a foreign land and feel the weight of pressure increase as Hunter relaxed to the hypnotizing effects of the stir below. I was flipped directly from Hunter's feet to my bed for the night and I quickly fell asleep as Hunter began unpacking his things.
The next morning Hunter left me behind when he went with his team and their guide to tour the city. He did this I'm sure because he thought I needed some rest after travelling. He's always thinking of me and how I feel. But I would have rather been with him. My day in the apartment was hot and stuffy because they forgot to leave the AC on. Hunter came home a few hours after he left and he looked tired and sweaty from walking around in the muggy air. He actually fell asleep during the team meeting that happened several minutes later, from which I picked up that they had one more day in the city before they would leave for the camp on evangelism. The second day was the same as the first, I got left behind again in favor of tennis shoes. Hunter was probably preparing me for some big excursion.
The third day in Ukraine we woke up early and Hunter tossed me into his suitcase along with his other belongings. I heard what sounded like the noises of trains and buses outside and noticed it was several degrees cooler when we got out of one of our transports. When Hunter finally opened his suitcase I realized we were staying in a dormitory in the middle of the beautiful Ukrainian forest. I spent the day in our dorm just dwelling on the tranquility of being outside the city in such a serene place. Hunter returned to the room late that night and appeared more tired than I'd seen him on the trip to this point. He fell quickly to sleep and awoke the next morning to beams of light shining through the trees. This would be the day of action for me.
Hunter was trying to avoid using his tennis shoes as much as possible because he had a toenail that decided to ingrow itself right as the trip was starting up. And his foot also developed an irritation from wearing his laces too tight all the day before. I finally got to walk around a bit and see what was going on. Breakfast was a refreshing time of eating and getting to know Ukranians and practicing speaking Russian. But when it finished we had lots of work ahead of us. We walked to a large meeting room and just sat there for several hours listening to speakers tell us about methods and attitudes for evangelism. It was powerful stuff. I could tell that the people sitting there were being equipped well for sharing the good news of their faith. I and my fellow servicemen were also preparing ourselves, because from the sound of things, we would be well worn by the time the day was over. Everyone in the room was preparing to travel that very day into the city to find people and practice sharing the Gospel. I was building my hopes up to see the power of God at work in these people, but as the commotion of preparations to leave the camp began I felt myself tossed to the side in Hunter's room. I was abandoned for the tennis shoes.
Hunter returned that night beaming with joy and newfound strength. I had some time to ponder that day why I was left behind, and had begun to think myself unfit for the kind of service Hunter used his tennis shoes for, but I quickly lost these thoughts as he grabbed me and walked across the hall for the team meeting. Every one of the American team members had a great story of God's work to share that night and Hunter told about how he and his partner had found a 12 year old boy and invited him to play hacky-sack. (At this point I realized the whole scheme of why I wasn't needed on the evangelism outing--Hunter would not have had very good balance playing hacky-sack if he were wearing me). They made friends with the boy and began playing with his other friends as they started arriving. Before long Hunter and his friend were sharing the Gospel with roughly 20 boys and girls and then continuing to play with them and carry on conversations. Hunter had a joy I had not seen before on this trip as he recounted the day's events. It seemed like an awesome experience, and Hunter wanted all the glory to be given to God for the work that had been done because he couldn't have orchestrated everything the way God did.The next day I was called into service during the evangelism outing. I guess Hunter's foot was too irritated for him to use the tennis shoes. Hunter and his friend had some very challenging conversations with random people in the city and I could sense near the end of the day that Hunter was getting very tired. That day was the last day of camp, and after the evangelism time we drove back to our apartment in Kiev. After a refreshing meal, Hunter and his friend went out again to try and evangelize some more. They went to the heart of the city, this time at night, and I heard later that Hunter was praying the whole time that God would give them someone to share the Gospel with. They started playing hacky sack in the middle of the square as crowds passed by them on the busy Saturday evening. It took nearly 45 minutes of lousy, tired hacky-sacking before they asked someone sitting with his friend and a guitar to join them. The student, who appeared to be about their age agreed to play with them. Hunter was pleased to be able to make a new friend and to have the opportunity to share the truth of the Gospel once again. After about 15 minutes it began to rain, and we were afraid the young man might decide to leave. Also, a couple drunk men came and started bothering the young man's friend playing the guitar. They were friendly drunks though. Just overly friendly and suspicious. Hunter and the young man and their friends decided to go underground to the metro station and listen to a few guitar songs. After getting to know each other and having some connection through music, Hunter began sharing the Gospel with these young men. Hunter was happy to be able to share the good news because he figured he had made a good friend that night and wanted to let him know about the greatest gift the can ever be received. After a long conversation it was very late and everyone decided to say goodbye. Hunter asked for the young man's email address so he would be able to continue this friendship from long-distance. That night was a fast and long walk through the rain to the apartment. I didn't hear everything he was saying because I kept on getting plunged under a couple inches of water, but it sounded like Hunter and his evangelism partner were talking about their confidence in God's ability to change people's hearts.
The next morning we went to church. It was simply a marvelous day, a day fit for celebrating God and admiring His power. Perhaps 30-40% of the people at church were new-comers, and two of the kids Hunter and his friend had evangelized showed up. The preacher spent an hour and a half preaching the Gospel and afterwards Hunter gave his facebook information to his two friends who came. When church was over, the team headed back for one last tour of the city because they would be leaving very early in the morning the next day to go home. The entire team was visibly exhausted from both the affects of travel and the toll of ministry. But they all felt they had been productive, used graciously by God.
Hours flew by as we sped back into our comfortable time-zone. A few delays prolonged the lay-overs on our journey home, but we made it, eventually. The team was exhausted, and Hunter seemed to be worn out like an old shoe, but he would soon regain his strength through the recovery of sleep. I lay there in my familiar living-room, reflecting on all that had transpired in the last week. The feet that used me to make footprints on the other side of the globe were now given rest. They themselves had been used to carry out the work that's been going on since before time began.
