Harding Business Missions Center

COBA Business Missions Trip 2006
Setting Out! For the first time we were able to fly directly from the United States to Donetsk on a Western air carrier. This made our scheduling, transfers, and check in procedures considerably easier. Departing Harding University in the morning via van, we arrived at the Little Rock airport, all set for our trip to the Ukraine. We traveled from Little Rock, Arkansas to Charlotte, North Carolina where we connected with Lufthansa for our overseas flight to Munich, Germany.
	After a short and pleasant layover in Munich we immediately flew on to Donetsk via a second Lufthansa flight arriving about 3:00pm in the afternoon. After checking through customs easily (in contrast to our encounter with obstinate bureaucrats last year!), we were met by a contingent of members of the Church of Christ consisting of Natasha, Lisa, Angela, Nickolai and several others.
We had time to scramble into vans and quickly head to our living quarters for the week, the Sanatorium Vdokhnoveniye. Our visit this year was in the midst of one of the heaviest snowfalls that Donetsk had in the past 35 years. The countryside was beautiful and cold! As you can see, in the picture to the left, our �hotel� was surrounded by white! And the skies were an azure blue! It was a beautiful site!
	After checking into our living quarters, our limousine driver took us to a restaurant for dinner (in the van pictured above). The city changed considerably in one year! We were able to visit a new shopping center with numerous fast food outlets surrounding the mezzanine on the second floor overlooking the atrium of the shopping center. So, we could grab a quick bite to eat and shop at the same time.
This allowed our team to fill up and let off steam after being cooped up in airplanes and airport terminals for the past 30 hours! At the end of the day we returned to our quarters to unpack rest and prepare for a trip to Slavianogorsk to visit a historical monastery of national importance, a road trip of about two and a half hours north of Donetsk.
Our Team In addition to six international business students from Harding University, the team consisted of three business majors from Oklahoma Christian University as well. We also had a Christian business woman traveling with us. Here are the names and place of residence of the team:
Nick Allen (OCU) California Lauren Price (OCU) Texas Jacqueline Castro (Harding) Guatemala Jaime Castro (Harding) El Salvador Joel Chavez (Harding) El Salvador Elisa Garcia (Harding) Honduras Budd H. Hebert Arkansas Sandra Hernandez (Harding) Honduras Rollin Perrigo (OCU) Oklahoma Julie Prendergast Washington Susana Veliz (Harding) Panama
Each dedicated themselves to being an active participant in the seminar as well as being prepared to share the Gospel with students from Donetsk who participated in the seminar. Each of the young men led a daily morning Bible devotional at breakfast, prior to the team�s heading out for the daily activities.
	In addition, we hired two local translators for the seminar: Angela Ananyeva who was from Kramatorsk, about a two hour drive north of Donetsk (in the white coat), and Lisa Leonenko who was from Donetsk (in the red coat).
Both young ladies were members of the Church of Christ; Angela worked for the Bear Valley Bible Missions in Kramatorsk and Lisa, linguistics major at the Open University of Donetsk, worshiped as a member at the church where we attended while we were in Donetsk. Our Road Trip By mid morning we were off to Kramatorsk then on to Slavianogorsk to visit the Svyato-Uspenski Monastery.
The team traveled to Kramatorsk for a lunch at an ethnic restaurant by the name of �The Cossack.� And what a lunch it was, arranged by Angela, who joined us! We lost track of the number of courses served! The food was indigenous to the area and to the culture of the area. You can see a sampling of the interior of the restaurant and some of the food we ate in the picture to the left. This provided an opportunity for not only good food but also excellent fellowship among the team members prior to getting into the work of the week.
After an extensive lunch we traveled on to Slavianogorsk. Angela had made arrangements for us to stay in a sanatorium for the night (Friday). These facilities, located throughout the Ukraine provide simple, clean facilities at a reasonable price. In addition to the rooms they provide both physical and mental health programs to Ukrainians. Using the dormitory like facilities as a hotel is quite common in the area. Our accommodations were quite comfortable. Before taking to our beds, we found a local restaurant for the group to have another ethnic dinner!
After a breakfast on Saturday morning we drove across the river to visit the monastery. Visiting the monastery gave each of us a better understanding of the major religion in the Ukraine, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. This particular monastery has significant historical importance for the Orthodox Church in the country.
	Originally build on the top of a bluff overlooking a peaceful river valley, the monastery became famous for its myriad of catacombs carved underneath the monastery in the chalk bluff. It served as a sanctuary during the invasion of this area by the Mongols and the Turks. During the ensuing centuries the main activities of the monastery were relocated to the bottom of the bluff. The original monastery, however, is still located on the top. Today the Church is on the banks of the river together with living facilities for the Monks that live and work here. In addition, the monastery has built a hotel for pilgrims that visit the site during the summer months. Local residents participate in worship each evening. Our team was able to attend evening services on Friday.
After touring the monastery on Saturday morning we drove east to the small village of Soledar where we visited the largest commercial salt mine in Eastern Europe. Most of the miners reside in the surrounding villages which are very typical of rural life in the Ukraine and across Eastern Europe.
The villages consist mainly of small detached houses concentrated on a village center with small plots of farmland radiating outward. These plots are farmed very intensively during the summer months, for the produce provides both goods for trade as well as foodstuffs for the households. Driving through the village one notes the lack of any large commercial buildings. Most shopping is done either in a small shops�usually part of the residence within which a family resides�or short trips in public buses are made into larger communities in order to purchase staples.
After plunging down about 1900 feet into the ground in an open elevator our team was conducted on a tour of an area of the mine that is now used only for visitors. Mining techniques were presented by the mine operators and we were invited to walk through a complex set of tunnels and large open spaces that were mined in the past. In the afternoon we headed back to Donetsk, first to have something to eat then to head to the sanatorium for a night�s rest. Worship On Sunday morning we all gathered for worship with the �Cup of Life� Church of Christ which meets in downtown Donetsk. Thanks to a member of the congregation, the church has a renovated apartment in which they are able to meet. The body has about 40 members, many of whom are students at the Institute. Igor Kozlovsky was one of the founding members here and continues to worship with and guide this congregation. Dr. Hebert presented a short study from the Scriptures followed by a lesson from one of the young men in the congregation. The singing was heartfelt and resonated throughout the facilities. The Lord�s Supper was truly a union of Christians standing before the Lord, communing with him and with one another. The aroma of Christ vibrated through the small body and, although the thoughts at the table were expressed in Ukrainian, there was no doubt about the intimacy with Christ, with God and with one another in the room! It was delightful!
After the formal services, several within the body started singing spiritual songs and Ukrainian songs that spoke to a national spirit. Within a short period of time everyone was invited to sing a song from their own country, in which we all joined after a few jumpy starts! Guitars and a violin were brought out to support the singing. Solos were sung. Group singing was done. And conversation was lively, with everyone staying for a Ukrainian lunch that was being prepared in the kitchen by women of the congregation. We spent considerable time eating native food prepared with loving care and having a great time of Christian fellowship.

	In the afternoon, several of the young people from the church took us out to see some of the City of Donetsk. Most of the afternoon was spent in an open market mingling with locals and out of town people bartering for and purchasing goods. This would be the third year that we had visited this open market. The temperature was cold�in the 20�sF�but the sun was bright. And the vendors delighted in dealing with Americans! Many of them spoke sufficient English to do their own bargaining with us! And many of the students struck up extended, often broken, conversations with the vendors learning about their backgrounds and sharing their own experiences with them. After several hours, with many plastic bags filled with goods purchased, and severely cold feet, noses and hands, we all trudged back to our van to head out for dinner.
Back at the sanatorium we all shared personal experiences of the day, compared what we had purchased, and settled down for some rest in order to prepare for the morrow, when our ministry would begin! Breakfast Devotionals Our group was treated to breakfast each morning in the �conference� room at the sanatorium. The cooks have learned how to prepare a �western� style breakfast of eggs, ham, juice, �sweets,� bread (real bread!) and, of course, coffee!
	The meal is prepared in the kitchen and delivered to our �breakfast� room�a large conference table finely set out with table cloth and bowls of fruit set around the table. The young men in our group spend a few moments after breakfast leading us in devotional thoughts. We have had some very touching stories about the impact of God in lives of students who take time and money out of their busy schedules to become part of this ministry.
The focus upon God and upon His Word helps the team prepare themselves for the day�s activities, which normally extend into the evening when we return at 10:00pm. This also gives time for the members of the team to bond a bit before heading into a very busy day.
The Seminar This was the fourth annual seminar titled, �The Importance of Personal Character in Business,� to be conducted at the Donetsk State Institute of Artificial Intelligence. Once again the entire �Harding Team� (I have to put this in quotes this year, for three of our members are actually students from Oklahoma Christian University!) gathered in the office of Igor Kozlovsky. Igor has been the local mainstay of the seminar since he extended the first invitation to visit the Institute. His office�a rather formidable sized office�has served as our headquarters since the inception of the seminar. We have lunch here quite often. This is where we all store our personal belongings while in our seminar rooms. This is where all the materials that are handed out to seminar participants are brought from the printer�s office.
This is where our team is able to get online to send e-mails back home�to let parents know they made it and that all is well! This is where we shared more casual time with seminar students. This is where we meet with various officials from the Institute, from the business community, other universities, and governmental offices (we once met with the Bishop of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church here!).
For the first few moments of the opening day of the seminar we usually spend time getting to know one another and breaking into smaller discussion groups. Tables are rearranged in the classroom to accommodate small discussion groups. The conversation is quite animated, for breaking into small groups as a learning method is something new to most of these students. Many of the students know some amount of English�a requirement to be in the seminar. A majority can understand English and a few are conversant in the language. In the groups there is usually someone that can act as a group interpreter, facilitating discussions in the small groups. In addition, translators are used in presenting the materials to the entire seminar. Usually, two to three translators are required for the duration of the week.
Everyone in the seminar is provided with a complete set of seminar materials that have been translated into Russian. The materials have been translated by Eastern European Missions and printed locally. The four volume set is given to each of the students selected to participate in the seminar (a selection process that is made by both the Philosophy & Religion Faculty and by the Economics Faculty).
	The left flyleaf is in English and the right flyleaf is in Russian. Students use this as a means of learning English, which they all perceive as critical to their professional careers. Students at the Institute are attracted to the seminar for it is a means of building friendships with students who come from the United States, it is a means of studying their English skills, and it illustrates the practical use of good character values in their workplaces. We use the seminar as a means of building relationships that can form a starting point for introducing the Bible to young people who have not read it.
Volume 1: Character In the first chapter 1 of Volume I we spend time dedicated to defining the nature of character. We illustrate that character is founded in our thoughts. Our thoughts are based on how we live our lives and what we choose as important in our lives. Scripture is emphasized throughout this opening, as it is throughout the seminar. The opening Scripture is Proverbs 23:7, �As a man thinkth in his heart, so is he.� From this we emphasize the importance of our relationship to God as depicted in Matthew 22:37, �Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.� This discussion is wrapped up with a picture of three circles intersecting one another at a common center. Each represents our physical, spiritual, and intellectual selves. We are the combination of all three�none of the three aspects of our lives can be omitted. Picture graphs are used extensively throughout the presentations as a means of presenting concepts to the students. Visualization has proved a very strong tool in illustrating the concepts. In the second chapter we focus upon the students understanding something about their own inner nature. We discuss the attributes of both �being� and �doing,� the importance of knowing yourself in order to develop a purpose and vision to your life. The importance of your surroundings, the environment you choose to live in and the friends you choose to spend time with, the hardships and the opportunities each of us has presented to us daily are emphasized as forces that shape and mold our lives. Some we actively choose, some are a result of decisions made on our behalf. We choose! And adversity is an active part of God�s plan in this selection process. Our lives are shaped by how we react to the world around us and our character is formed by how we choose to react. In the final chapter of Volume I we take some time to look at the art of mentoring. Three historical mentors are suggested and briefly examined. Volume II: Importance of Character at Work In this portion of the seminar we illustrate why it is important to have strong personal character in the work place. It not only leads to better working relationships with co-workers, but this attitude of cooperation leads to better productivity in the work place. Better productivity on the part of employees means that the company can compete better in a very competitive global market place. Being able to compete effectively is not only good for the company for whom one works, but it ensures continued employment! So, being effective and efficient at work means a better workplace and longevity in the work place! Next some time is spent illustrating five of the largest business scandals that have occurred recently in the United States� economy and the effect these scandals had on employee jobs, communities, and the economy at large. A short historical overview is then made of the United States� economy to show the impact on greed on the historical growth of the national economy. Lack of strong personal character in the work place has tragic results. Volume III: Our Spiritual Lives at Work In this final volume time is spent looking at the role of purpose in our lives. We examine the fact that purpose can only be found through God, for He has created each of us as Spiritual beings, not merely flesh and blood. Since most of us will spend most of our lives at work it is important to see how work can influence and support our spiritual lives. We must see our �calling� in our work. And, we must understand that as spiritual beings our lives are only fulfilled in service to God and to others. Virtue: Four Traits of Personal Character In this small supplement to the seminar we take a look at four specific character traits that are important to all of us in our lives. These are: courage, forgiveness, truthfulness, and gratefulness. Each is discussed and illustrated through a story. Some suggestions are made as to how we might build each trait. And some examples are presented as to how each trait may be strengthened and used at work. The students are also asked to write their own story illustrating the application or observation of each trait in their own lives.
Graduation! Each of the students who has participated actively in the seminar, and who has faithfully attended each day and completed each day�s activities is eligible to receive a certificate of graduation from Harding University. In addition, certificates of appreciation are issued to those individuals who have made the seminar a success. Only this past year did we discover that the Economics students who receive a certificate of completion also receive university credit at the Institute. Each year we have a few graduates who come back to visit the seminar. This year was no exception. These visiting students remind us how important it is to teach these character traits, for the students to understand how their personal values are entwined in their careers, and how the work place influences and shapes personal character. And, they shared these thoughts with this year�s students. It is also a means of continuing relationships with our graduates. Returning Home It has been a good week! It has been an exhausting week! But, we are not yet done! Our return flight takes us through Munich where we will have a day of touring the city, lead by Timo Kerner, a former student at Harding now back home in Munich. Departure from the Donetsk airport, though tearful, was uneventful this year (last year we had numerous barriers to overcome even before getting into the waiting lounge!). Lufthansa expedited the handling of our baggage and processing of our tickets so that no delays were incurred.
We arrived at the new Munich airport early evening. Timo met us at the gate. After exchanging pleasantries, we stored our bags at the airport (except for overnight bags) and hiked through the new international airport to the subway for an hour�s trip to downtown Munich. By now it is getting dark and cold! Upon arrival downtown we immediately walked to the A O Youth Hostel and checked in: girls in one room, boys in another and Budd in a separate building! We then walked the few blocks to the very downtown area of Munich�in front of the clock tower! The city was filled with pedestrians and cars! After having something to eat and touring for a few hours we headed back to the hostel for bed�and hot showers!
The next morning Timo met us at the hostel, after we had breakfast. We then headed out into the city for a walking and public transit tour of this dynamic metropolis. At the moment time this was the economic heartbeat of Germany, attracting large numbers of young Germans to the job opportunities in the region. For the first few hours we walked in the cold, the wind and no sun! Timo gave us a fantastic insight into the culture and history of the city. We walked through an open market and then headed for lunch. We gathered in a Bavarian restaurant for haut cuisine! By this time the heat of the huge eatery outweighed the need for food. But the food and service were both great!
	After lunch we started riding the surface public transportation around the city. Though the downtown area is compact, the city itself is quite spread out! Traveling out the Isar River, we visited the English Gardens (Munich�s version of New York�s Central Park). After wandering though it in beaufiful sunshine for a few hours we ended up at Ludwig Maximilian�s Universitat (where Timo graduated) then we walked back to the downtown area of Munich. Everyone HAD to do some shopping, so we shopped and gawked for the afternoon. Budd had the opportunity to travel to the home of Timo and have tea with his Mom and Dad�delightful! That evening we had a special treat with dinner at a Yugoslavian restaurant! The food and fellowship was truly wonderful. We then proceeded back to the hostel where we collapsed into our beds!
Sunday�after having been given directions by Timo the previous day�we all boarded the trolley for a quick trip to church. This particular congregation is one that Harding students have been visiting each summer for the past several years as part of the university international missions program. So! Members already knew of us! The service was both in German and English!
In the afternoon we were joined by Timo�s sister and a friend for a beautiful sunny day touring the city. We started off with a great Italian lunch near the church building. After that we loaded up on the trolley system and headed off to visit the Nymphenburg Palace, summer home of Ludwig Maximilian. From there we headed out to the Olympic Park, where the 1972 international Olympics were held (this is where the Palestinians kidnapped the Israeli Olympic team�who were all killed). Near by BMW was completing their ultramodern manufacturing facility�a state of the art facility that has put BMW in the vanguard of automobile manufacturing technology. As the sun began to set, we headed back to the downtown area, shopping and gawking on the way! That evening we split up for the last night�s eating and fellowship.
The next morning, bright and early, we walked to the subway and boarded the train for our trip to �Flughafen Munchen.� ( the Munich airport!). We were met at the airport by Timo, where he works. We ransomed our excess baggage and immediately headed to the check-in counter. Within minutes a group of about 100 people trailed up behind us in the queue! The director fo the group demanded that they be placed in front of us, since they were, obviously, larger and more important than we!! (They were a traveling orchestra). Good ole� German rules kicked in! The travel agent gently, but firmly, informed the �painted� director that since we were in line first that we would be served first and that everyone would be taken care of in due, proper and speedy time! Which meant that we would ALL make it to the plane on time! The flight was a good flight and we arrived in Charlotte on schedule (I mean, what would you expect? This is a German company! Right?). At Little Rock we were greeted by Norm Southerland, who had picked up our van in Searcy. The moment the tires rolled EVERYONE was asleep in the back of the van. Hardy travelers they are!! A terrific trip for all of us!