Lucy's sister, Colleen and her husband are Missioniaries who have lived the last 17 years in the Ukraine helping poor and former Soviet countries build churches where there are none. The church is a place for families to get help, where people can come together. The villages where they help build churches are so poor, the average family income is less than $400/month. These people do not have a mindset for humanitarian care.
In 1994, after the Soviet Union separated, they and their two young daughters moved to a small village in the Krimea (a peninsula of the Ukraine which was owned by Russia). It was a barebones existence, with bare shelves at the grocery stores, long cold winters--they spent days in the kitchen (a separate building) which was the only room in the home that was heated. They also were at a deficit because they did not speak the language.
Before moving to Ukraine, she was a realtor in OK, her husband Jeff was an engineer. They decided to change their lives after Jeff went on a short term mission to Ukraine; he was a Russian linguist in the military.
They eventually moved to Kiev, to be near an airport. The perception of Russians of Americans is not positive, there is alot of antimosity to us. Today she teachers "Summertime Ar Classses", she learned art in college. The themes are teaching ladies to create prayer scapbooks to strengthen their faith.
Twice a year she tours the US visiting churches to share their story of Missionary work with others, and to raise money to continue their works around the world.
