Back In Ukraine

I’ve been back in my other home in Ukraine for two weeks now and have finally thought of writing a blog entry.  I arrived in Kyiv on June 24^th and had the fastest trip through customs ever – less than 15 minutes including the line up.  They streamlined the process at the airport because of the Euro 2012 games and it’s a very efficient procedure now.  There’s also a lot more English signage in Kyiv now and many more people in the service industries have learned to speak English.  This has made Kyiv MUCH more tourist friendly – although it was pretty tourist friendly before.  We went straight from the airport to church where the kid’s lesson was, of all things, about Kyrgyzstan…go figure.  The next morning Julia, Vova and I took the train to Krivoy Rog where I’ll be staying for the summer.

It turns out that I’m staying at the same apartment that I stayed in this past winter.  It also turned out that Pastor Ted and Gloria (from my church in Canada) were staying at the apartment as they were in town with Pastor Bill Wozney and his wife Cindy to speak at a Pastor’s conference at our church here.  It was so nice to have them here, to be able to spend time with them and to have them meet all of the people that have come to mean so much to me in Krivoy Rog.  The conference was amazing and just what I needed to help me recharge and refocus on things, and yes…Pastor Ted stood on a table again while delivering his message.

After the conference was over and everyone left some new house guests came in for the summer - Natalie from Seattle who will be working a lot at the children’s invalid home and translator Alina.  Natalie sponsored the kids at the invalid home to get raspberries as a treat.  Like so many orphanages here and in Kyrgyzstan getting fresh fruit is only a once in a while treat as budgets are strained to the breaking point.  So this past week we’ve been busy delivering the berries to some very happy kids.  This coming week we’ll be taking bananas to a couple of groups who aren’t able to chew raspberries because of the seeds or some dietary thing. 

So things are getting busy here for the summer and I’m looking forward to everything.  However, I’m also looking forward to returning to Kyrgyzstan.  I haven’t made any definite plans yet but I will soon once I make up my mind and start making arrangements.  Please keep me in your prayers.

If you wish to help with my ongoing support or any of our programmes (or maybe help me to sponsor some activities for the kids at the orphanages this summer) just click the donation link for LinK 127 at the right side of this blog.  You can donate on line or find the mailing address under the “Details and Contact info” tab to send a cheque.  When sending a donation please include a note to specify where you may like your gift to be directed to.  (There’s a drop down box for on line donations.)

Thank you for seeing my heart.  Till next time…Я люблю тебя!

I took a wrong turn when I left the Metro station in Kyiv and found this.

The floral clock in Independence Square, Kyiv dressed up with the mascots for Euro 2012

Pastor Ted encouraging the workers here in Krivoy Rog.

One of several raspberry deliveries.