Changes (November 2014 Update)
November in Ukrainian is Листопад meaning “leaves fall down.” It’s a great description of the beautiful forests with golden and red leaves 
now forming a carpet on the ground. It’s a scene I get to see every day from our new apartment and I get to walk through those leaves on my way to the bus stop every morning. So much has changed since our moving to the Right Bank of Kiev! My daily trip is about 1/3 of what it used to be and our opportunities for ministry have greatly increased (see below) now that we live over on this side of the river.
There are also many changes here in Ukraine this month. We elected a new Parliament and there is a “ceasefire” in the Russian-Ukrainian war right now. I put “ceasefire” in quotes because, although the government forces have ceased firing, the pro-Russian separatists have not. And Russia continues to send men and equipment across the border to reinforce the territories they captured.
But, in general, things are more peaceful – for now. Most believe that Putin is reconsidering his approach since so many Russian soldiers died in Ukraine and Russian mothers are asking how this happened if there are no Russian soldiers in Ukraine (the world has been asking this for months!). Also, many believe that Putin is shifting his strategy to a “Cold War” in which his withholding of gas supplies is the weapon. Russia has already reduced gas supplies for two countries that have sold gas to Ukraine and Putin has warned that he will shut off the gas from Russia if Europe (50% of Europe’s gas comes from Russia) sells gas to Ukraine!
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