Joe Ragan

I usually don’t complain on my website. This site is here to let people back in the US know how to pray for me and those I come in contact with. It is also just to let you know a little what life is like in a “foreign country.”
Being in a different country [...]

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I arrived in Astana on Monday morning. I waited for the bus to take me to the train/bus station. I spoke to several people while waiting on the bus.
I got on the bus along with about 10 others at the airport. We were told to get our suitcases, etc in [...]

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Weddings are huge events in Ukraine (and all across the former SU). My friends, Max and Olga, who got married on Saturday was no different.
First, they asked everyone to be there at 1:45 p.m. since they know that Ukrainians are typically late and they wanted to start at 2 p.m. Guess who [...]

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The old adage is “Time flies.” I think this adage is probably in most languages. Russians and Ukrainians use it, and we most definitely use it in American speech.
It was just a few weeks ago, that my apartment still had the chill from a long winter lingering in it. Then I went [...]

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I woke up late this a.m. since I stayed up visiting friends from the US who were returning to Washington state. I had a great visit with them even though it was only 3 1/2 hours.
This morning, the sun was bright when I woke up. I went to wash my face and discovered [...]

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Max and Olga are getting married Saturday, May 27 in Kyiv. They are members of Grace Church where I attend.

I became acquainted with Max last summer. Olga is Pasha’s sister and Pasha is one of my good friends in Kyiv.
I went to the beach (on the Dniper River in Kyiv) with some brothers [...]

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Saturday was a spectacular day. I woke up later than usual. After getting some things done around the apartment, I went and washed my car. The weather forecast said it was supposed to begin raining yesterday evening but thus far no rain!
Later I went to the books/music/video market. Most everything there [...]

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My sister sent me a story that American Family Association (AFA) sent to its followers. Here is the link. The quote from the student editor is quite astonishing.
Reading this story and reading the editor’s thoughts reminds me of a song that Ray Boltz sang a number of years ago called “I Pledge Allegiance [...]

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The countdown to a busy summer is on and of course, it isn’t without a few bumps in the road!
I will travel to a city in Ukraine on Sunday night, return to Kyiv on Monday night and then prepare to fly to Kstan on Sunday evening, May 28, arriving there early Monday morning. There [...]

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These students will be leaving on May 30 for Kstan. They will spend 3 1/2 days on the train to reach Astana. Please remember to pray for them as they travel, and for their ministry opportunities while there.

We have set up a website for them to report on their activities. You can access [...]

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