Ben and Kristy Blog

A Different Kind of Wedding Anniversary

Dear Ben,
I have loved our 6 years of marriage. It truly gets better every year. As I look back on some of the pics from our time in Chicago, I love seeing you continue to grow into the man that God calls you to be. I am so encouraged and inspired by you as you give of yourself for others, esp. for me. I love you. Thank you for understanding as we spent this anniversary apart, as it was the only night to spend time with our NJ small group kids before they returned for college. You are the best. Love always, KK

Ben and Kristy, Christmas Eve Tradition at Grandma Brooks’ - his first time in 7 yrs. having to be Santa

Ben Teaching Kristy’s Dad how to make iTunes Playlists

Ben at a restaurant with 14mo old nephew, Logan

Ben and Kristy’s Brother Luke playing Wii Tennis

Ben with Brother-in-Law Ben at Build-a-Bear

Ben with Men of the House - Dad and Tiger

Ben Playing 1980s Micromachines with Nephew Braedan

Happy New Year!

Wow, this is our 3rd New Year writing on this blog. It’s bittersweet, since we only have a few days left in Chicago before moving on to NJ and then back to Ukraine. We kept asking God to connect us with the people He had in mind. We asked that God would give us new supporters to join our financial team. We asked that God give us peace and appreciation for being away from Ukraine for so long. He is so faithful to answer these prayers and so many more. Here are group pics of our families. We calculated that we celebrated Christmas 6x in the past week with different sets of relatives. We feel so blessed. Great memories! Thanks!

Williams

Schneider

Williams

Ministering to Americans, too!

We are looking forward to our 3 weeks in New Jersey coming up, after the new year. We think about our friends and church there ALL THE TIME. As we prepare to meet up with supporters and friends, we are asking God to give us a really good time of connecting, as well as enough time to see everyone.

While we were serving at the JV Kids camp, my mind kept wandering to the high school girls who are now college sophomores and juniors from Fellowship Alliance Chapel in NJ. It was 2003, we’d just gotten married a few months before, and we felt God leading us to be youth leaders. I was handed a list of 10 names of freshman girls. Most were 14, just like Claire (photo above) will be soon. Ben later received a list of a handful of guys as well, most of whom were 14, like some of these guys (photo below). Now some are 18, just like Tyler. (last photo.) We really miss discipling moments with American students, and I can tell that God knows that. We continue to stay in contact with SO many of our NJ students from youth group. And then He calls us to a missionary kids’ camp, where we again have the chance to serve American youth who are in love with Jesus Christ. All of this strengthens us as we head back to L’viv and trust that God has discipling moments awaiting with our Ukrainian students as well. Thank you, Lord, for giving us amazing, impactful, relationships in both of our cultures.
Enjoy these pictures of JV Kids Camp!

What We are Watching & Reading

Time in the States is definitely a time to catch up on movies, mags, tv, books, etc. that we’ve missed. A stereotypical characteristic of a missionary is one who is very out of touch with fashion and media when returning to their country of origen. We don’t live in a cave, but it is really easy to become out of touch very quickly when living in a place where we pay per MEGABYTE for internet use; where our only English speaking channel on tv is BBC World; where all American movies at the cinema are dubbed in Ukr, not subtitled; you get the point.
Here is what we’ve been enjoying:
Books: The Kite Runner; A Thousand Splendid Suns; Prayer by Phillip Yancey; The Cold War by John Gaddis
Magazines: Mac World, People, Photography (thanks Dad & Karen)
Movies: Anything and everything (a special thanks to Karly, my sister, who lent us her extensive dvd collection), in particular we liked the Bob Dylan “I’m Not There”, Crash, 4 Christmases, the latest Bond
TV: The Unit, Survivor, Amazing Race, The Office

Family Time Home

Every day back in Chicago is filled with great moments of catching up with family. Here are some other highlights, although we have done so many different things, forgive me if I have forgotten something…

1. Ben took his mom to a Bulls game for some mother-son bonding; I spent 5+ hrs. with Annie, my high school best friend. We shopped and visited our old place of employment, Macaroni Grill. Bellinis.
2. Logan, our nephew, has been so close to taking his first steps, and we’ve been around to see it. Meanwhile, Braedan is being potty trained and often invites me or Ben to help. That is a new one for us both.
3. Grandparents. We have been able to spend really quality 1-on-1 time with each of them. We are blessed to still have so many of them living.
4. My brother Michael called on the sat phone from Afghanistan. What a highlight that was! Boy do we miss him this holiday. He continues to take things one day at a time. I wish he were here.
5. Dave and Karen presented me with my wedding rings that I’d left behind. I have missed them. (Both Ben’s dad and step-mom, as well as the rings!)
6. My sister has a fabulous apartment downtown Chicago at Lake Shore and Irving Park. She took us on a lovely tour of her neighborhood on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. We also drove through “Ukrainian Village” ~ I was expecting more. However, this is Chicago, not Lviv.
7. Ben’s sister and bro-in-law have graciously driven back and forth from Michigan to IL to spend extra time with us, as they are in a moving transition. We appreciate their sacrifice.
8. My dad is in concrete, and it has been a tough housing market these past few years. But he has been working 40 hr. weeks, which is a true miracle. We joke that it is a good thing he is…Mom and I have shopped til we’ve dropped on too many occasions but have loved every second of it!
9. Huge news: my baby brother Luke graduates this weekend from Northern IL! Way to go, Huskey!
10. We are greatly enjoying our week with Dave and Karen. The relaxation is much appreciated, as always.
I hope I am not forgetting anything big. We sure do value this time together, no matter what we are doing.

Wheaton Christian Grammar Visit

First, thanks for the prayers for me (Kristy) and my wisdom teeth removal on Monday morning. I just hate anything related to surgery, but it was something I had to do before the decay got bad. Our biggest prayer was for a quick healing so that we’d be able to speak at the Wheaton Christian Grammar School chapel and teacher’s meeting at 8am on Wed., less than 48 hrs. after the extraction. I was in pain several days after my 1st extraction in ‘06, but I really didn’t want to miss this chance to speak at the school I attended for 9 foundational years. So I asked people to pray for a fast healing, and God was so faithful to answer. I guess He didn’t want me to miss this chance, either.
To the teachers, we were asked to speak on Spiritual Formation of young people, related to our experience on the mission field, and my experience after 9 yrs. at the Grammar school.  To the 6-8 graders, we were interviewed about our missionary work and how we experience the peace of God through it all.

WCGS Jr. High Chapel

In front of the WCGS Alumni Map

Hometown Chicago

Coo Coo Ben

It has been great to spend time with my nephews. I am known as uncle Ben or coo coo Ben. I don’t know where they get the idea that I am crazy. I think my sister has been starting rumors. I have been babysitting a little bit. It has been such a blessing to spend thanksgiving with family and get to know these young guys. They are so fun.

Logan

Braedan

South Jersey Friends in Wheaton

Last night was a really great mixing of a few worlds for us. There are 4 Wheaton College students who were former members of our New Jersey youth group when we were leaders there. Mike was even in Ben’s small group Bible study for a few years. We thought it would be fun to show them some things in our IL world. So they all came up to my parents’ house for dinner. The fun things is that they are all connected to Josiah Venture through some means, whether they donate or went to Czech or Ukraine, for a few weeks, or even for a few summers! So we have IL, NJ, and Eastern Europe in common. And most of all, in them is a heart to serve Christ. It is awesome.

Top Ten from the First Few Days Here

Karly, Ben, Kristy, Luke

1. A young woman simply smiled at me at a coffee shop. For no reason.
2. I can wear sweatpants to run errands.
3. I am not stared at wearing sweatpants, or anything for that matter.
4. Driving! Not stick yet, unfortunately, but at least I was behind the wheel. Pray for this.
5. Choices! Where do I want to eat today? Chipotle, Wendys, Quiznos, Portillos
6. Seeing our siblings (see pic above w/ Kristy’s; not pic.: Sara, Ben, Michael, Margie)
7. Coffee to go! In big cups!
8. Playing with Braedan and Logan, our nephews
9. Christian Radio! I heard Dr. Tony Evans and saw James. McDonald. I love it.
10. Our Family, in general. They are sooo good to us.