Joe Ragan

Why is it so hard sometimes to be content? I am reminded often of Paul’s words in Phil. 4:11-12: “And I am not saying this because I feel neglected, for I have learned to be satisfied with what I have. I know what it is to be in need and what [...]

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I have begun reading an interesting book called “Gulag” by Anne Applebaum. The book is quite large, almost 600 pages, and the subject may not be one of the best to study. But ever since going to Karaganda I have heard much more about Gulags (which literally means, Main Camp Administration). However, [...]

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I went bowling Tuesday morning! It is something I have wanted to do for sometime in Ukraine and Kazakhstan, but have never taken the time to do so. One of the mission families that live near me was going with their boys, who are on fall break, and they were taking their boy’s [...]

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Since I am not going to Kazakhstan for the foreseeable future, I needed to purchase some winter boots as most of my winter things, including my boots, are in Karaganda.
I have a friend, Pasha, whose parents sell shoes at a bazaar here in Kiev. I had spoken to them earlier in the [...]

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Since arriving back in Kiev, one of my focuses has been to recruit Ukrainians to serve as missionaries in Kazakhstan. The very first recruit kind of fell in my lap as a contact from one of the Baptist Union vice presidents. That, of course, was Ivan.
Over the last couple of months, I have [...]

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I love coffee. I love the smell when you first open the package, I love to grind the coffee, and I love to drink it!
While I was in the US, some friends, Jimmy and Sharon in Wichita Falls, introduced me to a new flavor (at least it was new to me!)…Caramel Truffle. The [...]

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Our first Ukraine missionary leaves today for Kazakhstan! I am very excited! When Mick asked me to consider coming home to recruit Ukrainians for mission service, I wasn’t too sure how it would go.
Well, the Lord kind of dropped this first one in my lap and it has been fun and exciting to [...]

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I subscribe to the Dallas Morning News internet headlines. Each morning I scan the headlines to see what’s happening in Texas and the US. This morning there was a story about a young man with Downs Syndrome scoring a touchdown during a football game last Friday.
It seems the young man is the coach’s [...]

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I love to drive outside Kiev during the fall. The colors are typically beautiful! We have had such little rain that I was worried we wouldn’t have all the spectacular colors that we usually have.
Anyway, I had a preaching engagement in a village about 1 hour from Kiev on Sunday. I got [...]

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October 15 is usually the big day in homes across the former Soviet Union. It is the day that most people have the heat turned on their apartments.
In most homes, apartments are heated by a central plant that heats water and then it is distributed to homes via water pipes. Then [...]

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