Last e-mail until I leave for Turkey

Hello. This is Drew.

Well we're leaving. I'm pretty excited! I'm already packed and ready to go! Everyone is scrambling around and getting things done. Despite the lack of information about what we are doing when we get there, I feel very prepared. I don't have very much to do this weekend, so I am hoping to get plenty of rest.

So say HELLO and MERRY CHRISTMAS to everyone. I miss you guys. I look forward to seeing all of you in March. Today we talked about the cultures that we are going to and some people shared stories from past outreaches. I'm hoping to have a few stories to tell you when I get back (I've already got some good ones. Different cultures are fun!) I'll have to tell you all about culture shock when I get home. Turkish and Armenian culture are completely different from Ukrainian and American culture. It's funny, but I am really going to miss Ukraine. Even when I go home, there are some things that I just love here. It's so different, but yet really cool.

I'm gonna have to tell you-all about what I've learned later. Even if I sat here and wrote a twenty page e-mail I still wouldn't be able to explain exactly what God has done and is doing .I have a feeling that even when I get home I won't be able to explain it all. I have been keeping a journal of my thoughts and things I've learned.) Sorry about that.

I'm leaving about half of the stuff that I brought with me here in Kyiv. It's interesting what things I found useful and what things I didn't (and also what I wish I'd brought.) I've learned what to pack for next time. Wet wipes for sure (I need to just keep them in my backpack.) Í also think I'll bring a smaller suitcase.

I'm in charge of transportation, the team journal, meditation time, and medical supplies for our team.

I'm not sure why they put me in charge of transportation, since I still get lost. I couldn't find my friend Lance's apartment the other night (we watched Constantine and drank hot chocolate. Good times.) I wandered around and even got to the right building, but didn't realize that it was the right building because I couldn't remember the apartment number. I kept trying different numbers at different buildings trying to find it. I woke up this one guy and he was so upset about it that he started to throw things at me from his 7th story apartment (can't really blame him, it was 11:00 at night.) Eventually Lance and Daniel walked out and found me. My team is doomed.

It's ironic that I'm in charge of the team journal and just decided that journalism is what I want to major in and use as ministry. Funny how things work out sometimes.

I've already bought the medical supplies, but I have no idea what any of them are. So when a team member comes to me for something I'll be at a loss (hopefully one of the leaders can identify the various pills and other things.) I know what the Band-Aids are:)

It's sad to be leaving and makes me think about March when I will leave for home and probably never see most of these people again. David and Emily the German couple can't go on outreach with us (Emily couldn't get a Visa.) They are leaving on Saturday for Germany. They're going to join an outreach team from the YWAM base in Germany later on. It's really sad to see them go. They are incredible people. Also the base staff. Some of them won't be here when we get back in March, so this is goodbye to them too. Like Tim, the guy who taught me how to make biscuits and gravy. The Titus team is also gone, they are a team from Montana that thought us the Inductive Method. Anyway, it’s hard realizing that they are out of my life. That's what it's like to be a missionary I guess: Missing home and not wanting to leave, Hellos and goodbyes.

I love you guys a lot. I hope you don't worry about me. I'm in God's hands. God is so good. I know Him and yet I don't know Him. He is constantly surprising me. I have so much fun sharing life with Him. I just can't explain how much I love Him, and I can't comprehend how much He loves me.

Anyway, I love you Dad. Tell Mom, Nate, Grace, Grant, YaYa, Griffin, and Elizabeth that I love them. Tell everyone at church thank you for supporting me and caring about me. I love them too. I miss you guys a lot. I'm going to try and write to all my friends before Tuesday, but give a special I LOVE YOU to them, just in case. Tell Mike Stallion that I would not have survived without his sleeping bag and all the support he's giving me. There are so many other people I want to thank as well. This DTS has been awesome for me. Exactly what I needed to do.

Say MERRY CHRISTMAS to Maw-Maw and Paw-Paw. Tell the whole family that I love them. Eat lots of amazing food and think of me. My Christmas feast will definitely be a whole lot less. You guys rock!


God Wins!-DREW

LEAVING SOON for OUTREACH

DREW'S TRAVEL ITINERARY Pt.2

I am going to try and skype you from my friend's computer on Saturday
I hope to see you then! This will be my last chance until after outreach.

We leave on the 22nd. We are flying to Turkey.

On Jan. 19 we will leave Istanbul and take a bus to Armenia.

We fly back to Kyiv on the 12 of March.

Be ready for a call or random e-mail. If I get a chance i'll send you one (I think there is internet cafes in Armenia.)

If you could just pray for our teams, that'd be swell.

I am doing great (other then being tired, I will probably be absolutely dead after outreach.)

God is really changing me. It's awesome.

I'm gonna miss the people here when we separate.
I've grown very fond of all of them.

Love you guys!
God Wins!
DREW

FA - LA - LA - LA - LA

I've only got three weeks left of the lecture phase (finally).

I am really excited about outreach. We just had another team meeting yesterday. It's gonna be so much fun! I am actually in charge of writing a daily journal for the entire trip. I'm happy about that. We haven't figured out much more about what we are going to do, but we do know for sure that it's Istanbul.

If we get enough money we might be able to go to Ephesus. That be really cool! We still have to raise a bunch of money before we go. The leaders are sending letters to churches in the area, and we are doing other random stuff to help us get the amount we need. God will provide. We're really counting on it.

As far as what God has been teaching me, I think I have got the general idea. He has really been showing me what it means to live out love and grace in practical and internal ways. That is pretty awesome! We watched the movie version of Les Miserables last week. Jean Val Jean is one of my Heroes. Next time you go to blockbuster rent that one and watch it then maybe you can get a glimpse of what I'm learning.

God is also teaching me about Israel. If you get a chance read Romans 9-11, also read Ephesians 2: 11-19, Jeremiah 31: 6,Isaiah 52:8-9,Isaiah62:6-7,Ezekiel 33. The idea of a "watchman" keeps coming up in random places. I've learned that the Modern Hebrew word of watchman is the same word that the Israelites use for Christians today. Interesting...

God really has changed me a lot.

I miss you guys. Thanksgiving just isn't the same here. Enjoy some pumpkin pie for me.

This week a team from Montana came and taught us how to study the Bible inductively. It would take a while to explain what that entails, but basically it's seeing what the Bible actually says instead of coming to it with a point to prove. I hope that makes sense...

God has also been focusing me more on Human Trafficking. The teacher next week has been involved in fighting human trafficking and will hopefully be able to give me lots of information and maybe even some contacts. look up Love146 when you get a chance.

So I think I'm gonna end up going to college (as much as I didn't want to). To get a TEASOL certification only takes about a month, but to actually get a job with it you need at least a bachelor's degree. Oh well. I'm actually looking forward to it...

I hope you have a great holiday season. Sing lot's of Christmas carols, because I can't sing them in public in Turkey. I do think I'll get a white Christmas though. Ha Ha Ha.

Somebody else wants to use the computer so I can't write much more.
Once I'm in Turkey, I think communication will be much less.

Love you guys a lot!

Fa la la la la- la la la la
God Wins! - DREW

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

HAPPY THANKGIVING!

God is amazing! He has answered my prayers in ways I couldn't have imagined.

I will have to write more later - before we go to Turkey.

Until then.

God Wins! - DREW

D.T.S. "Mug-Shots"

Here's the awesome international team Drew's hanging with these days!

CLICK on the PICS and get a closer look :)

Definitely Interesting

This is an E-Mail DREW sent - November 8th

Hello. This is Drew, again.

Today we went to a old eastern orthodox church. It was a pretty incredible building. Gold domes, painted ceilings, singing people. It was nice. Their actual beliefs and practices are rather strange, but the building is cool. The people kissed this coffin box thing to worship the saint inside it. They are seriously misguided. There was also a spiritual heaviness about he place as well. It was definitely interesting.

Apparently, there is a swine flu epidemic in eastern Ukraine, so everyone here is scared. People are wearing masks out in public. It is funny all the different ways that they deal with things here. I will have to tell you more about that later.

A lot has happened since I last e-mailed. God has been working on something in me this last week, but it is hard to explain. I don't think I have the full picture yet.

I miss you guys a lot, but I am also really excited about what God is doing in me here.

God wins!
DREW

Drew would love to hear from you. If you have FACEBOOK - give him a shout! CN

Significant God stuff - and less important things

This week has been a real drag so far. Not that I should complain, but the teaching has not been helpful for me at all. I hope some of the other students are getting more out of it than I am (and I'm sure they are - God wouldn't have these teachers come if there was no purpose.) It just seems like a wasted week to me.

I guess that is not totally true. On Monday my one-on-one took me, Lisa, and Tetania to T.G.I. Friday's for Dinner. It was Lisa's birthday on Friday (she turned 23). It was heaven. Me and Lisa split a Bacon Cheeseburger and a chicken finger BLT. It was as close to American as it gets over here. There was even ice in the drinks (mom would never survive over here.) That was a lot of fun.

There are so many things that happen (significant God stuff and less important things) that it is impossible for me to know what to write. I am glad to have the blog, so everyone can know what is going on (and I don't have to write the same thing in every e-mail that I send to others.)

God spoke to me very clearly yesterday. He reminded me of why I was half-way around the world and my original calling. I am very excited about what he is doing. I will have to explain that better later on.

I am glad that I got to talk to you on Saturday. I hope to be able to do that again.
I love you guys a lot.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
I will have to celebrate it alone somehow.

God Wins!
DREW

DREW's MAILING ADDRESS

.

.

HERE'S where YOU can SEND:

.. --> Letters of Encouragement

.. --> Care-packages (Treats from USA / Extra Socks...etc.)

.. --> Special Stuff (Pictures / Music / Books...)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

.

ANDREW NALL
BOX 120
Kyiv-1 01001
Ukraine

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

.

Drew won't be coming home for the holidays

He'll be w/the DTS team Thanksgiving & Christmas

(They depart Dec. 21st for their main OUTREACH)

.

I know he would LOVE

........ to hear from his FRIENDS & FAMILY!

.

SO...

.

.......Please Remember to

..........P R A Y - f o r - D R E W

then . . .

................ SEND him some stuff!

.

.

.

GOD HAS BEEN TALKING TO ME

E-Mail from DREW - Oct. 21st

Yesterday we visited a hospital for sick orphans. There was a little boy there named Olec. I got to hold this little boy for about two hours. We played together. He had the cutest giggle. Olec has pneumonia. His breathing was very constricted. There were lots of other children there. The children were put there either because they have some sort of disease or special need (like Downs Syndrome), a lot of kids had both. I was drawn to Olec because he was the only baby in his room. It was really hard for me to leave him all alone in that small room. We prayed for him. So maybe God will help him feel better, and then he can grow up big and strong. Maybe he will even be able to go outside (he really liked looking out the window.)

God has been talking to me.

Human slave and sex trafficking is something that I am going to fight. God has put this issue so deeply into my heart that I must do something about it. God is going to use me.

Israel has also been on my heart. I know that someday I will end up going there. Probably permanently, but that is most likely in the far future.

As far as personal lessons, God has been teaching me to believe that he can do miracles through me (like actual healing, and part-the-water Moses stuff.) That is a really hard thing for me to swallow.

I feel quite a bit closer to everyone here (especially the people that speak English. Which is kinda sad, but it's just so hard to get over the language barrier. I am working on that). They are going to tell us how they will split our team for the "Outreach" section of our DTS by the end of the week. All of the others are starting to get on each others nerves, but I am just growing more and more fond of everybody (which I guess isn't normal.)

I am learning however that life as a missionary is not an easy life to choose. I have missed America and American culture so much over the last week. I just want a bacon cheddar cheeseburger.

I was able to get on facebook on Sunday and gave everyone my E-mail address so I will be able to keep in touch with everyone that way, but I don't think I can answer any of the others until the weekend (Family is an exception.)

I love you guys a lot.
I want to hear what is going on with all of you.

Mom & Dad, hug Elizabeth for me, and tell her that I am glad she has us as a family and isn't stuck in a hospital like the one I went to.


DREW

Post #4: Spiritual Boot-Camp (E-mail Oct 8)

Hello. It is Drew again.

Skype is free. I don't have a video thing, so you couldn't see me, but we could talk. So if you send me your Skype name and address or whatever else I need we could talk through Skype and not just e-mail. We should try it sometime.

I still haven't got the address (...WE HAVE THE ADDRESS = Next Post :) ), but I got to say when I get it and you want to send me something, PEANUT BUTTER is at the top of my list (just a suggestion). and send enough for me to share American culture with the people here (they have figured out quickly that I cannot cook.)

The German couple finally got here (actually Emily is from Kenya and David is from Germany). I had dinner with them last night. It was awesome, for several reasons. First, they both speak English very well (that was nice). Second they are really cool people. It was cool to talk about our shared dreams of reaching people around the world with people that are so different. I also had South African tea, and it was the best tea in the world. I have gotten to know all of the people here much better (since I see them all day, everyday.) I'm actually the youngest one here. Everyone else is in there twenties (except Ida from Sweden, she's 19.) I will have to tell you about everyone more when I come back.

I am getting really tired of soup. We eat soup a lot (and bread too). I think when I'm done with this e-mail I think I will go to the bazaar and get a Sprite.
I like Sprite.

I have fallen in love with this city. It is the most beautiful city that I have ever seen. It is so hard to describe it. There are a lot of people, but it is very spread out. There are lots of trees also. There is a great mix of nature and tall buildings. I will have to send pictures when I get a chance (I can't send them until I can use a different computer.) On Saturday we went down town at night (We live in uptown which is not as fancy, but has lots of animals running around. Pigeons, cats and dogs mostly. So I see lots of feathers.) I have been downtown 4 times so far. At night they close the main roads so that people can walk on them. That night was a lot of fun. There was some band playing called Stalker, and so a lot of people were around. We went to a park and Rustam set up his portable radio, and we all danced for like an hour (really they danced and I sort of just swayed.) Rustam and Vito can break dance very well so that was cool. I'll have to tell you more about what else was there later.

God is teaching me more then I could possibly tell you. I have already grown closer with God and learned much more about his dream for my life in the last two weeks. I wish I could get on Facebook to talk to all my friends also, but Facebook isn't working for me. Oh well. [ Since this e-mail, Drew has been able to access Facebook - send him a message ] It's weird, but God isn't teaching me what I thought he would at all. I'll have to tell you about that when I get back in 6 months and have the full picture. Until then just know that this really is spiritual boot camp. On the same note, the classes are not hard as far as work goes (we actually have had a lot more free time then I thought we would), but these classes and quiet times have been hard in a spiritual and emotional kind of way.

Tell me everything you can about what is going on at home.
I Love you.
Drew

Post #3

E-MAIL FROM DREW:

"...Say hello to everyone for me

We found out that for outreach we will be going to either TURKEY or ARMENIA (or both if we can get through the border).

We have been learning a lot of introductory stuff. Intercession is a major theme so far and will continue through next week, because we are going to talk about hearing God's voice.
I am finally starting to get to know the people here. It takes a while.

On monday we might be getting a new student. The leader let us be a part of praying for her. That was pretty cool. We pray a lot here. And God speaks a lot too. I like it.

I'm still praying for all of you guys back home. I'll try to update you on the things going on, but i'll save some things until I get back. Keep me posted on what's going on there..."

DREW

VENEZIA (House Boat) - YWAM Kyiv

HEARD FROM DREW

Hey All...At first, we weren't sure how much communication we'd have with Drew so we said "at least (now and then) let us know that you're not DEAD!" :) Turns out he can e-mail anytime. Here are some excerpts from an e-mail Drew sent on Sept. 30th.

I am still alive. :)
I can't upload pictures yet but hopefully soon…

There are twelve students here and nine leaders. (Two of the students actually are not here yet, they are a couple from Germany). There are three other guys in my apartment. None of them speak English well. One of them is from Tisjecistan (TAJIKISTAN) or something like that (its right next to Afghanistan) His name is Rustam. He is really cool and the best at English. Yuri is another guy in my room, he is very acrobatic. The third guy's name is Vova (I think that's how you spell it).

It is very difficult to get to know people when you don't speak the same language.

There are only 4 guys here now (other than leaders) the rest are girls. Jenny is from the UK and has the most awesome accent ever. Liza is from Long Island, NY and also has a great accent. Ida is from Sweden and speaks English very well. Kathy is from California, I haven't gotten to know her much yet. Yulia is from here in Ukraine, she doesn't speak English at all. Parvena is also from the place near Afghanistan.

All of our leaders are very cool as well. Everyone here is very kind and they are all on fire for God in different ways. I have already learned a lot in the last 4 days. God is doing what he wants, and it's awesome.

Ukraine is very different. The weather is awesome, it was less than 60 all day today (ha ha ha). The food is really good but also very different. Last night we cooked something that was like tuna salad, but with no tuna. Instead it had another kind of fish (that we gutted and cleaned) and this meat that tasted like spam (but today we had spaghetti so don't worry). Mayonnaise and bread are very popular. We also drink tea, Lots of tea, and then we drink more tea! But there is no ice anywhere.

These people here are extremely courteous and fair. Everybody does something to help out and nobody does everything (ever!). There are so many different people in our group. It's really fun, I like it.

The actual "classes" have been mostly orientation and rules so far. We did have a really cool time of prayer and intercession this morning. YWAM is a pretty cool organization. It's not non-denominational it's multi-denominational – which means that we come from different church backgrounds as well as different countries.


I can't possibly tell you everything in one e-mail, so I won't. I just wanted you to know that I am, in fact, still alive. I love you all and want to hear about what is going on at home, so please e-mail me back. And I will try my best to call you…


God Wins!
DREW NALL
(they call me Andrew here, it translates better.)

The BASICS (Post #1)

DREW arrived safely in KIEV on Saturday, Sept. 26th and skyped us from the house-boat where his team meets. As you know, he's usually a man of few words, so all he said was that travelling went smoothly...and that He's fine.
-> Good enough for us!


Actually, Drew is excited to finally be on this adventure (instead of counting down to it).

Thanks for all the prayers in getting him there!

When we get an official - MAILING ADDRESS - for him, we'll post it here.

Thanks again to everyone for your support and encouragement.
Please continue to hold DREW up in prayer - and we'll keep you posted as we can.

CN