Thanksgiving for those in the United States was very recent. By the grace of God I also got to celebrate Thanksgiving here in Ukraine. It was a beautiful moment as I haven’t had the opportunity to celebrate Thanksgiving in the proper way for the past 4 or 5 years. A few years I was working and one year I wasn’t able to celebrate in any way as I was by myself at home and didn’t have anywhere to go and anyone to celebrate Thanksgiving with. So it was a very special moment having Thanksgiving in Ukraine with new friends and new family.
The day started with cleaning and some breakfast. Which then followed by ministry. We ended up doing some manual labor which was great before eating Thanksgiving lunch with Americans, a Canadian and some Ukrainians. The scenery was very beautiful I almost cried. I eventually did after we prayed and started to eat. As soon as I took a bite out of my deviled egg I ended up crying on that first bite, reminded me of home a bit and I haven’t had deviled eggs in awhile. Even though it was prepared the night before and I was expecting it, it still got to me.
Thanksgiving food here in Ukraine included chicken, deviled eggs, salad, cranberry sauce, bread, mashed potatoes, apple crumble, jello, and puff pastries filled with some cream, along with coca-cola to drink. The deviled eggs, jello, apple crumble and cranberries was all prepared from my team the Americans and the Canadian. The rest of the food; the chicken, mashed potatoes, salad, bread, puff pastries and soda were both bought and prepared from our Ukrainian hosts. After we ate, we went around sharing one thing we are grateful for. I ended up saying that I was grateful for this moment with everyone there and for the food, that I also ended up crying while eating the food it was so good and unexpected. Unexpected in the sense as I wasn’t prepared for how Thanksgiving would happen and go in Ukraine let alone did I think it was a possibility.
After we said one thing we were grateful for, we cleaned up and got back to doing some manual labor for ministry. It was all in all a very blessed and eventful day, so much so that I wish I could go back in time and do it all over again.
That’s awesome Mikey!
I had Thanksgiving by myself this year, so I know that feeling. Or well God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit were with me seeing how I worshipped most of the day!
Hopefully one day we get the gang (our family) all back together for a Thanksgiving! That’ll be something haha!
Enjoy the rest of your time in Ukraine and be safe!
Sounds like you were very thankful for Thanksgiving! What a blessing to spend Thanksgiving in Ukraine and be able to celebrate with your team and some awesome hosts. So glad it was a meaningful time for you and that you were blessed.