Fruit Picking

On the way home from Ulanivka, we picked a little fruit from public trees.

The wild apricots were a little sour!

Our bounty- mulberries, black and white, apricots, pears, and sunflowers.

How Worn is Your Bible?

Just a little over a week ago, I gave out Bibles to the village children in Ulanivka. Yesterday, Faith and I and a few teens went over there to have service. We had been at the house less than five minutes when two boys showed up. I asked the older one if he was planning on coming to youth camp. He said he really wants to, then he pulled out his little New Testament and said that he had already learned 17 verses. (They have to say 21 verses from John 3 as a requirement to come.) As I took his Bible to listen to his verses, I noticed it was already worn. Precise pencil marks have phrases underlined and verses circled. The pages are ruffled from use. This is the same boy whose father was drunk when we visited last week. I asked him if he had asked his father about coming to youth camp, and his father just said, "We'll see." Please pray for this boy and his little brother. The Word of God will not return to Him void!

Nova Odessa VBS

Last week we held VBS in Nova Odessa. We had a great turnout, averaging between 35-39 kids each night. The Lord helped us as we talked about creation and how God made us special.

Natasha, one of our teen helpers, with little Sasha.

Ruvim and Rusic made some cool stick villages at our picnic.

We culminated the week with a picnic in the forrest.

Our group

My Car Works!

I have been having car problems for the past several months. Two weeks ago, Jason, was kind enough to pull it to Mykolayiv, to the mechanic. I was finally able to pick it up on Friday. Thank God, it seems to be working fine.... for now....

Nastya

Danik

It has been an incredibly busy week, but, slava Bogu (praise God), we made it! Monday morning my week kicked into high gear. Jason & Joanna, the Appling and Duddek families from CO, and Stephan & Vita, translators, arrived to help with 3 VBSs in this area. We divided the 19 of us, and our 2 teen helpers, into 2 groups and did simultaneous VBSs in the villages of Mikhalovka and Ulanivka. Tuesday, Twila arrived, along with Diane, a friend from MO, and Faith, a friend from PA. Faith will be staying with me for several weeks. Twila & Diane will be returning home all too soon. ;~( My team and I went to Ulanivka every day,while Jason & Joanna's team went to Mikhalovka. We started our first day with 13 kids, and the second day had 6 new ones, and the third day had 3 more new ones!

Sasha

Yesterday, a little boy, Sasha, asked me for a Bible. Today, I passed out Gideon New Testaments, and he was reading his already before he left! The precious children of this village are hungry to hear the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ! Some of the teens would like to go to youth camp. However, in this village, the parents don't know us very well, so I don't know if they will be allowed to go.
Allona

Today, our culminating activity was a treasure hunt and picnic. Yesterday we visited parents to make sure it was okay for their kids to come. One father, quite drunk, was extolling his wonderful children and his amazing parenting skills. As I snuck a quick peek at the boys' faces, I saw shame, anger and fear. Both of these boys came to VBS every day, and brought others with them. They listened intently to everything that was said. Please pray that God will bless them and be their Father.

Congratulations!!

I attended my first Ukrainian graduation tonight. One of 'my kids,' Artyom graduated from high school. I'm really proud of him. He has faced a lot of trials this year, but he has succeeded!

Congratulations Artyom!

Artyom's family-brother, niece, sister, and mom

Some of the elaborate hairstyles intrigued me.

Hot Turtles in the City

Confused yet? This post is just a variety of thoughts and pictures from the past week. For 3 days this week, the temperature was a bit over the top. On Friday, though, we had beautiful storm with lots of thunder and lightening, and that cooled things off considerably.

A dry, tired, and I thought, almost dead, turtle was in the drive. Being the kindly soul that I am, I treated it to a small pool and some greens. As gratitude, the almost dead turtle laid an egg. You can barely see it in the water beside the brick. I'm still waiting to see what happens to it.

Eleven kids from Kid's Club earned enough points to do something special, so I took them to the city. We ate, then strolled down the walking street (literally a street where cars are not allowed), then we went to a park by the river. I really enjoyed the street musicians. It was a really nice evening.

Some of the kids: Mila, Me, Maria, Svieta, Olya, Petya, Yulia, & Rafael...quite the motley crew.

Another small storm passed through town this evening. I was picking people up for church when we saw this beautiful rainbow. It always reminds me to thank God for His promises!

Home in Nova Odessa

I want to thank you all for your prayers, emails, comments and concern. My father is doing better. He is still in the hospital, but out of ICU. Praise the Lord! It was really touch-and-go for a few days, and he's still not out of the woods, but he is gaining ground. (To one of my college professors...How is that for tired cliches?)On my bus ride from Kyiv to Nova Odessa, there were several beautiful fields of poppies.

I arrived home to find the house still intact, my internet WORKING, the kittens running all over (they are going to be given away at the bazaar this week!), the grass up to my knees, and my garden that was beautifully weeded 3 weeks ago...not so much. It was really great to see the kids today. They knew we would be having Kid's Club today, and a lot of them were waiting by the street when I arrived. It feels good to be back.

Life in General

I am so thankful for the generosity of dear friends. They asked me to do the photography for their wedding, and helped me with a ticket to come back. It meant so much to me that I was able to be a part of their special day. Thanks so much guys for the privilege!

Other thoughts, I’m supposed to return to Ukraine Wednesday. My father is in ICU and has been for several days. He doesn’t seem to be getting any better. My brother has to have a surgery in a week and my mom is not doing too well physically right now either. It is stressful. There you have it. Plain, simple, no frills. Please pray for all of us.

Time Passes...

Yes...I am alive and well. Life has just been busy to say the least. You know how in vaudeville they would carry a sign across the stage that said, "Time Passes"? I feel like I'm carrying that sign. More to come.

Gypsy Churches

I had the privilege of visiting three gypsy churches near the Ukrainian town of Mukachuva. The first was very poor, while the other two were well-off. In the first village trash was piled in heaps along the road and beside the tumbledown shacks that pass for homes for this tribe. The smell of garbage and rot surrounded us, and even the fading evening light could not hide the squalor from my eyes.

The gypsies (tsegani) Christians began to walk with us toward their small church as we walked through the village, gradually gathering people as we went. By the time we reached the church, we had enough people to fill it, and more straggled in as service started. The Holy Spirit was a sweet presence in that 3-hour service, and at the end, several gave their hearts to Jesus, the Hope for the hopeless. After we said our goodbyes, the children chased the van down the street, waving all the way.

Styopa listened intently and gave his heart to Jesus.

In the second gypsy church, in Pidvinogrado, the gypsies were much more well-to-do. One man told us that is 14-year old daughter is to be married in a few months. Their way of life is for parents to arrange a marriage and for it to take place when the bride and groom are young teens. The father of the groom is supposed to buy the bride an engagement/wedding dress that costs $4,000+. If the parents of the bride are satisfied with the dress, the date for the marriage is arranged. The tribe that lives in Pidvinogrado is an interesting paradox. You can see million-dollar homes beside one-room shacks, and children clad in expensive clothes playing on mounds of garbage. After service they served us a delicious meal, tribal style. Each soup bowl was to serve 5-6 people, and had one spoon. The salad, potatoes, eggs and meat were eaten by hand.

The third day we went to Koroleva, a village which houses the largest gypsy church in Eastern Europe. The tribe that lives in Koroleva is even better-off than the tribe at Pidvinogrado, but the paradox remains.





Women from the wealthier villages going to church.

"The" Fork