We're back with a special, three-part, mini-series of Ordinary Story about life in Ukraine in a time of war.

In March 2023, Kate and David Schmidgall traveled to Ukraine to meet Rudy and Vadim, the pastors of Family of Christ Church, a small congregation that has mobilized over the past year to evacuate vulnerable people from frontline areas, distribute humanitarian aid wherever it’s needed, and create home for thousands of internally displaced people. Every week for the past decade they have been visiting orphans, the elderly, and the sick. We spent many hours with these extraordinary people and we want to share those conversations with you. 

In the first part of this final episode, we talk to Erick Grechka about his experiences volunteering as a driver, evacuating people from frontline areas delivering humanitarian aid to cities in the throes of active shelling. In the second half, we talk with Pastor Yuriy on the steps of the pentecostal church he serves about how God has been leading him and the congregation through the havoc and chaos of recent months.    

If you’ve enjoyed this mini-series, there is also a full story on Family of Christ, titled "Ya Tam (I am there)", which includes some stunning photography by my husband, David. 

If you want to put faces to these names and voices as well as the places we talk about, definitely check that out at bittersweetmonthly.com/stories .

If you are able to support the work of Rudy, Katya, Ira, Erik, and the entire Family of Christ team, you can give online at their website: familyofchristua.com

Credits:
This podcast was produced by Kate Schmidgall, alongside Robert Winship and in collaboration with the BitterSweet Monthly team. Special thanks to our family in Ukraine. 

Thank you for listening. Until next time, take care!

We're back with a special, three-part, mini-series of Ordinary Story about life in Ukraine in a time of war.

In March 2023, Kate and David Schmidgall traveled to Ukraine to meet Rudy and Vadim, the pastors of Family of Christ Church, a small congregation that has mobilized over the past year to evacuate vulnerable people from frontline areas, distribute humanitarian aid wherever it’s needed, and create home for thousands of internally displaced people. Every week for the past decade they have been visiting orphans, the elderly, and the sick. We spent many hours with these extraordinary people and we want to share those conversations with you. 

In this second episode, we talk to Katya Balazhinec and Ira Popova about their experiences caring for orphans and navigating the wartime chaos with young kids.  Ira’s husband, Vova, sings with Katya in the worship band at church. The Popovas fled their home in Irpin, on the western edge of Kyiv, just a couple of days into the war. 

Life for young families in Ukraine has only grown more complex over the past 15 months--sharing their stories is a rare moment for deep reflection and conversation for Ira and Katya.

If you want to put faces to these names and voices as well as the places we talk about, definitely check that out at BitterSweetMonthly.com/Ukraine.

Credits:
This podcast was produced by Kate Schmidgall, alongside Robert Winship and in collaboration with the BitterSweet Monthly team. Special thanks to our family in Ukraine. 

Thank you for listening. Until next time, take care!

We're back with a special, three-part, mini-series of Ordinary Story about life in Ukraine in a time of war.

In March 2023, Kate and David Schmidgall traveled to Ukraine to meet Rudy and Vadim, the pastors of Family of Christ Church, a small congregation that has mobilized over the past year to evacuate vulnerable people from frontline areas, distribute humanitarian aid wherever it’s needed, and create home for thousands of internally displaced people. Every week for the past decade they have been visiting orphans, the elderly, and the sick. We spent many hours with these extraordinary people and we want to share those conversations with you. 

In this first episode, we sit with Rudolf Balazhinec, “Rudy”. Rudy is intrepid and winsome and says everything with a smile. In the past fifteen months since Russia invaded Ukraine, 700 tons of humanitarian aid have flowed through this warehouse. Rudy leads a team of 60 volunteers to organize and distribute these goods.

If you want to put faces to these names and voices as well as the places we talk about, definitely check that out at BitterSweetMonthly.com/Ukraine.

Credits:
This podcast was produced by Kate Schmidgall, alongside Robert Winship and in collaboration with the BitterSweet Monthly team. Special thanks to our family in Ukraine. 

Thank you for listening. Until next time, take care!

We made it! Season One of Ordinary Story is in the books and we couldn't be more excited. So to wrap our first season we decided we'd share stories from the people who made this season possible - you, our listeners. This is a slow radio style meditation on the monumentally Ordinary lives of other people. Listen in part, or in one sitting - just listen. Till next season, and as always, take good care.

This a little longer than usual. But oh so good! In this ordinary story we meet Beth and Kip Dooley, a mother son duo who prioritize time set apart to cook together - even virtually - and have invited hundreds of others to do the same. We talk to Tailor Coble about how food scarcity is as much a result of access as it is one of education. And finally we meet Missy Herendeen a recent home gardener who, despite once describing herself as having a black thump, has discovered both solace and sustenance in her own back yard.

On this episode we hear a couple of Ordinary Stories about food. How it brings us together, and, in the case of food scarcity and inequitable access, it too often draws us apart. 

This is an episode, about us - our Ordinary Story team. In honor of our first time being able to record in person and much of our team meeting IRL for the first time, we took a break from our regular story slate to talk a bit about who we are, how we came to be a team and why we do this work. 

This is an ordinary story about pursuing a better understanding. It's a story about people choosing to unlearn and learn anew. Why? Because of a belief, a deep conviction that the world needs it, that unity (true unity) requires it of us.