Joe Ragan

I have always enjoy watching it on TV.  I have even gotten up in the middle of the night to watch it. While living in Kiev in 2005, I got to watch my favorite team win the Championship game.

I think the first mention of the other “it” came in 1985 when I moved to Wichita Falls to attend Midwestern State.  I was interested in journalism and loved sports and in the fall of 1986  MSU hosted the NAIA championships.  Our journalism office was next to the stadium and so the national media in Wichita Falls to cover the tournament used our offices as their headquarters.

It was during that tournament that I learned more about the game and began a deeper appreciation for the game.  My love for the game began in 1986 and continues to this day.

Living in Europe I get many opportunities to watch it.  Donetsk has one of the best teams in Ukraine and has played in the Champions League for the last two seasons.  I have been to a number of the games at Donbass Arena and traveled to Kiev to watch Donetsk play their biggest rivals.

What is “it?”  Football, whether it is the American or European game, I enjoy them all.  I just finished watching the end of the Arizona State and Missouri game and less than 12 hours ago, I watched Shakhtar Donetsk beat Volyn Lutsk in European football on TV.  I have already watched a couple of Shakhtar games on TV.  I guess that would qualify me as a fan!

Later today I will get to watch some American college games.  I love IT!!!

In less than a week, America will observe an event that it wished never had happened and maybe for many, who are still struggling with why it happened.

I remember where I was on September 11, 2001.  I was living in Fort Worth, TX.  I was home that morning.  I worked at Catholic Charities and had to go in at noon, so I was actually watching NBC’s Today Show when they started talking about a plane that had hit one of the World Trade Centers.  I believe the anchors were watching from a deck or something when I witnessed the second plane hit the other building.

At first I couldn’t believe what I had just seen.  I remember the anchors being taken aback.  They were still trying to figure out what was going on.  Here is what I saw that morning on NBC Today Show, 9/11 I remember sitting on my couch for the next few hours.  I called my mother, my boss and others.  None of us could believe it.

Later that morning, I went to work, but continued to watch coverage all day.  That evening I had to meet with a group of refugee guys from Sudan.  We met in one of their apartments and watched some of the coverage.  We discussed what had taken place that morning and how it might affect each of us.

It’s hard to believe that 10 years have already passed.  In some ways, that event seems like yesterday and I am sure those who were personally affected live with it every day.

I visited “Ground Zero” in December 2009.  I walked by the fire station located across the street and looked at the list of names of all the firefighters from that station who died on 9/11.  Next to it was a Christmas tree with memorials covering it.

As we approach Sunday and all the memorials and remembrances, we will be again reminded that evilness truly is every where, no matter where you live. Evil desires to crush hope.

My hope is not found in a government, a president or political party.  My hope is found in Jesus Christ.  He brings hope for each and every day that I live on this earth.  Because of Him, I want to share this hope with others that I come in contact with.

Today is July 29.  It seems like just yesterday that I was still in the planning stage for the Russellville, Arkansas team at the end of May.  Now 2 months have passed and I wonder where the time went…?

It has been a great summer.  The Russellville team did a super job with a sports camp that they partnered with Gethsemane church in Donetsk.  While the weather didn’t necessarily cooperate, we still ended the week with good crowds for the children and youth sports camps.

After Russellville left, I had one week to prepare for a team of 11 from New Albany, Indiana.  They came to lead an English project at a school near my apartment.  While the numbers weren’t what I expected, we had a good turnout and I have lots of prospects to follow up with.

The New Albany team left on Friday night and on Monday I was the Bible study leader at a children’s VBS in a nearby town.  It was very interesting to try to be relevant to children ranging in age from 3 years old to almost 17.  There were over 20 youth who attended.  It was a great week and I really enjoyed my time in Yenakievo.

I preached at Yenakievo on Sunday and then drove to Kiev on Monday (almost 11 hours).  I went to Kiev to see my friends and colleagues, Charles and Bonnie, who are returning to the US after serving 8 years in Kiev.  The amazing thing is that Charles is well into his retirement, but sensed God’s calling for him and his wife to Ukraine.  Eight years is a long time for anyone, but to be his age and still willing to serve is very commendable.  I will definitely miss them.

I am now preparing to fly to Budapest on Saturday, via Warsaw, Poland and an 11 hour layover.  My Ukrainian visa expires soon and I must leave to get a new one.  So, I will be in Budapest for a week.  I enjoy Budapest so I am looking forward to being there (and there is a pretty decent Mexican food place!).

Hopefully it won’t be as hot in Budapest as it has been in Donetsk.  We are definitely in our hot season now.  I better remember this heat come January when it will be cold, but I’m sure that it will be a distant memory.  By the time I arrive home from Budapest, summer will just about be over and thoughts will turn to fall and new possibilities.

On Tuesday, July 12, I will celebrate one year in Donetsk, and what a year it has been!

In my almost eight years with IMB, I have had the privilege to travel and live in some great places.  In September 2003, I moved to Kiev.  Sixteen months later I was asked to go to K’stan for a brief stint.  Returning to Kiev, I spent the next year and a half, traveling back and forth to K’stan while living in Kiev.

After my first furlough, I moved to K’stan and spent some time there before moving to Tbilisi after the Russian war with Georgia.  Both of those places are great places to live.  I enjoyed the extreme winters in K’stan and the mountainous beauty of Georgia.

After my second furlough it was decided for me to move to Donetsk.  Each place I have lived has been special to me but, honestly, I feel so at home in Donetsk.  The beauty of the city is a site to behold.  The parks and boulevards are immaculate and colorful.  The apartment where I live is in the heart of the city and I can walk most places.

The list could go on and on.  I really have grown fond of Donetsk.  I have met some great people and continue to develop some meaningful friendships, one cup of coffee at a time.

Thanks Donetsk for becoming my home.  It is great to be here!

Several months ago, I received an email from a university in FL about an interest in bringing a team to UA.  I shared the idea with the team here and we immediately mapped out a plan for them.  A few days later they wrote and said the flight to UA was too much and they wouldn’t be coming.

While I was somewhat dejected, I still had faith.

The day I flew to Antalya, Turkey in March, I received an email about a team whose plans had changed due to the Japanese earthquake.  They were looking for somewhere to plug in.  I immediately wrote the necessary people to let them know my interest.  They asked for a plan, which I already had because our team had already put together a plan together the month before.

They decided to come join us and I knew that it was going to be difficult to get everything in place, but it happened.  We had seven weeks from the time I returned from Turkey to their arrival.  God has a way of putting things into place.  I didn’t have all the universities lined up until the day the team arrived!

The team did an outstanding job.  They spoke in 10 time periods at one university, 6 in another, 3 in another and 1 in a fourth university.  The students at the main university across the street were pleading with their professors the last day to sit in one more session!  The last two sessions had over 75 students in each session!

Sunday afternoon we had a photo scavenger hunt planned.  Almost 40 people showed up.  After the hunt, we invited them back to my apartment for pizza and games.  Some of them stayed at my apartment until 8:30 that evening!

This group did an outstanding job, never tired and were willing to do whatever they could to help.  I appreciate their hard work and their efforts made an impact in Donetsk!

I’m sorry it has been so long since posting anything.  I went to Antalya, Turkey for a singles retreat and had a really good time.  It was good to see some old friends and meet some new ones.  After the retreat, I went to Istanbul for a couple of days.  I have been formulating some ideas and thoughts on Turkey.

It is a beautiful country with some wonderful people.

Since returning, I have been extremely busy and it isn’t going to slow down any time soon.  I will catch up later…

“I didn’t know if I was worthy.”  Those words were spoken by one of the brothers in our small group tonight in context as to whether or not he should be a part of our new group.  I sat there spellbound listening to him, as you see, I was thinking those some thoughts earlier in the day in a different situation.

I wonder how often Christians feel unworthy?  As I sat and listened to my brother share his heart, he explained the steps he went through and how the Lord took him to the point where he understood that he was to be a leader in the group.  It was great to hear him explain the vision God has laid on his heart for a group in Donetsk.

Hearing his words also solidified in my heart what I knew I needed to do as well.

Tonight was a pivotal night in the formation of our group.  Several of our guys are students at Kiev Seminary and have been gone for a two week session and so tonight was the first time we have met in a couple of weeks.  One of the guys challenged us with some things he learned during the session and I think it was crucial for everyone to hear his words.

I am really the only “outsider” in the group.  The rest of the group is from one church and have grown up together in the church.  But, tonight, I sensed that we grew and molded into a group that I haven’t seen in the past.  It was neat to see everyone visiting after the meeting.

Some of them live as much as 45 minutes from my apartment, but it didn’t seem like anyone was in a hurry to go home.  That is a great sign.  Please pray for us as we seek God’s vision for building His church in Donetsk.  To Him goes all that is worthy!

Dr Hyde became my dentist in 1993.  I needed some dental work done and since I was moving to Ukraine soon, he agreed to take on my case.  I had not been to a dentist in years due to an extremely traumatic event in Daingerfield, TX while in high school.

Dr Hyde showed me that dentists could deal with their patients with lots of patience and love and care.  Whenever I am in the US, I always see Dr Hyde and his wonderful staff.  The dental hygienists have worked for him for years!

Being a missionary means that I live in different places and from time to time I have to see a dentist in the country where I live.  I remember the first dentist I visited in Kiev in 2004.  After the cleaning I promised myself I wouldn’t return.  They did some type of sandblast stuff on my mouth and my teeth were sore for weeks.

While living in Kazakhstan, I had an incredible painful episode and had to see a dentist.  Fortunately, Dr Hyde was able to consult with me via email and phone and helped guide me to the right decision.  And, I must say, the dentist and his staff were wonderful and took very good care of me in Karaganda.

Now, I found myself living in Donetsk and it is time to find a dentist.  I am truly dreading it.  I need to have my teeth cleaned and I have one tooth that seems to be getting more and more sensitive and I need to have it checked.  I have known this for months and still haven’t taken the effort to try to find a dentist.

Several other Americans living in Donetsk have told me who their dentists are and I am sure they are great people.  Yet, I don’t know that anyone can beat Dr Hyde.  If I was facing major work, I would probably take vacation and fly all the way home to Wichita Falls just so that he and his staff could take care of me.  I just wish Dr Hyde would make house visits!

Since returning to Donetsk on January 5, it was been freezing or below with snow on the ground.  I think it has been a little strange as we have more snow and it is colder in Donetsk than the capital city, Kiev,  which is more north.

The last few days have seen the temperatures drop considerably at night.  The daytime temps are cool as well.  Just today, I was out trying to pay bills and noticed the cold.  However, I remember the long winter in Kazakhstan with temps dropping to -35.  I have become a wimp as the temp was in the 20′s today and I thought it was cold.

The forecast calls for the temps to moderate some in the coming days.  I have heard that February is the month with the coldest temps and most snow.  Last February saw lots of snow according to locals.  So, we still have much to look forward to!

This past Monday, a young brother commented how disappointed he was in the lack of snow here.  We have some snow and have gotten a couple of more inches this week, yet he was wanting more.

It’s funny how songs get stuck in your head… a couple of years ago I purchased a Christmas CD with lots of classics.  One such classic is “Babe, it’s cold outside.”  Well, now, whenever I go outside and its cold, that song hits me and I start singing.  All I’m missing is the fireplace…

Then he (Elijah) was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.  But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”   (1 Kings 19:3-4 ESV)

Last evening was a very momentous occasion for me.  A group of eight people came together with one desire: to see Jesus’ Name proclaimed in the heart of Donetsk.  I was on “Cloud Nine”.  I have been a part of several new church starts, but never from the very beginning.  So, for me, last evening was a mountain top experience, much like Elijah must have felt after defeating the prophets of Baal.  (Please know that I am not equating myself to Elijah, just his feelings…)

Immediately after Elijah had his great victory and he heard that Jezebel wanted his neck, he forgot the glorious victory God gave him and he fled.  I have often wondered how Elijah could have done just that!  He fled?!

Last evening, a great thing happened in my apartment.  Yet, this afternoon, while underneath my kitchen sink trying to repair a leak, a moment of weakness came over me and I wanted to run and hide!  Much like Elijah…

Immediately, I got out from underneath my sink and began to pray to Almighty God, seeking forgiveness for my weakness.  It was as if the Lord said to me, like he asked Elijah, “What are you doing , Joe?” (paraphrase from 19:9)

God wasn’t finished with Elijah at the time and I know He isn’t finished with me either.  Even though I have been a Christ follower for more than 35 years, I still am a child.  I will always be a student.  So, yes, I guess I sort of know how Elijah felt at that moment of despair.

And I decided I am not the plumber my Uncle Lewis was and I got out from underneath the sink and called a true plumber.