Family, Friends, Supporters;

This blog is marking my three years in Ukraine. This will also be the last State of Megan Address since the next time you read a formal address, it will be of the Roberts family!

Health Care

Physically

I am doing good. I donʼt think I was sick once this past year, praise God!!! I had a few days where my body just needed to sleep and rest, but if Iʼm able to give rest when my body wants it I can usually beat the cold.

Mentally/Emotionally
Great! This past year has been a whirlwind for me and doing new things. Becoming engaged has also been an added excitement. Lance and I are no longer individuals in our own ministries but we are one now in ministry. I think I was on an emotional roller coaster being so busy but also enjoying the engaged life. Lance and I look forward to this next year and discovering what it means to be a couple in ministry in missions.

Spiritually
In my personal devotions I have studied such topics as: more on the glory of God, Romans, Psalms, classic hymns, the Easter story, memorial stones and more. (Sadly, I left my devotional journal in Ukraine and canʼt remember what else I studied!)

Last year we started accountability groups and this has been great to spend time with someone and pray together. It really makes a difference to be able to pray with someone else.

Foreign Policy

I started out last year by going to Germany in September with my colleague Allison. We went to Berlin for a few days while she got her visa to Ukraine and then went down to Herrnhut where we visited with another YWAM base. This was a great experience to see how a larger base functions. We learned lots from our time there! I also went to Moldova for New Yearʼs to see Lance and to attend our friendʼs wedding. Besides the usual border runs to Moldova or Poland, I went to Romania this last summer to minister with a team from Washington that included my sisters and dad. It was such a huge blessing to be working with them in ministry! Now, I am in Oregon with Lanceʼs family. We have already put lots of miles on the car between Washington and Oregon. We hope to be making a few more trips between Idaho and Montana as well.

I have found it to also be important to encourage Ukrainians to love their country. It never ceases to amaze me how so many Ukrainians want to leave or easily see the negative things in their country. It is now my policy to make sure Ukrainians find good things and grow in a love for their country.

Education

This past year was not as full of teaching as the previous year but it did have some new opportunities. I taught English in our 3 month EFM school of course but I also got to teach in the Discipleship Training School. This was a fun new experience for me and I look forward to more teaching times in the DTS. I was also asked to be a part of teaching in a staff retreat for another organization. This was also new and was a blessing to be a part of. I was one of three that taught, we spent many hours praying and discussing what would be best for our audience. God was with us the whole time and everyone was blessed through the retreat! On top of these new opportunities, the English ministries team started a new school in the evenings for the community. This was an exciting new venture that was making a direct impact on churches in the community. I did not directly teach in this school but was a support to my staff who did run it.

Economy

In my 2012 address I said that I would be including my personal responsibilities under the Foreign Policy section but I reconsidered and thought it best to include it in economy.

Last summer, I became part of the leadership team at the base in Ternopil. This has led to an assortment of other responsibilities. I take notes, send reminders, do some research and prepare for meetings in the form of supplies, notes, and food. I have also begun my work as the personnel director. This has unfortunately gotten forgotten when I my schedule gets full. I created new forms and helped set up a staff board. We started doing birthday cards for everyone and preparing birthday candy for the kids of the families who are staff with us. Besides this I am still running the English For Missions team. It has been a lot no doubt but good things are happening and I am thrilled to be a part of it all.

Last year, I started a new budget system. The new system has been helpful to save money and redirect money to other places. I have been faithful to give to other missionaries and to other people in need with in Ternopil or other places. I want to be sure to be a conduit of Godʼs money, not a dead end. It was a bit of a challenge this last year, having three different roommates and not being sure how rent will be divided, but God was faithful and everything worked out. Next year will be a new challenge since Lance and I will have our own apartment which means that costs will increase, the new apartment is a $200 increase. We are praying and believing that God will supply everything we need. It find it slightly ironic that as soon as I figured out a good budget system, I will have to redo it to accommodate married life. Next year will include many adjustments mot of which I will be happy to make with Lance. 🙂

There is my year in a contained post. I always love hearing from my friends and family, so please send me and email.

Many blessings to you all!