Happy McJoyful New Year!!

This past week has been a VERY busy week with the 1^st week of McJoyful Christmas and what a blast we’ve been having!! 

For the 3 people who don’t know what McJoyful Christmas is, this is where Loads of Love raises money take the kids from the orphanages, boarding schools, the kids’ rehab centre, as well as the disabled homes in Krivoy Rog to McDonald’s to have a birthday party for Jesus.  For most this will be the only celebration they’ll have for Christmas and it is a huge highlight of their year.  They are also supplied with a year's worth of vitamins.  At the end of the event we’ll have taken over 2000 kids to McDonald’s for Happy Meals, games and to be told the Christmas story.

During one of our groups this week the power went out at the restaurant as we were finishing up with one of the groups.  It just happened that the McDonald’s staff had JUST finished making the order for the next group which was the last group before our lunch break.  So we continued on in the dark and after lunch we resumed again at the other McDonald’s down the street. 

I just can’t say enough how amazing and how wonderful the staff at both McDonald’s in Krivoy Rog are.  I have been with different groups in both restaurants over this past year and they always make it so easy for us and treat us so well.   They are the best!!

We’re taking a 2 day break for New Year’s and resume again on January 2^nd and go till Christmas Eve (January 6^th).  We are all very tired but yet very happy to be a part of this amazing event.  I’ll let the sampling of photos speak for themselves.

Happy New Year!!!  С Новым годом!!!

Me in my wise man costume with gifts in gold boxes.

What's a birthday party without balloons...

...and party games?

This represents Jesus' birthday cake

One of the games is to put as many "candles" on the cake within a certain time and then be the fastest to eat them without using hands.

Playing games in the dark with some of our friends from Boorie Ooglie...

...and then after lunch at the other McDonald's

This is Going to be a GREAT Christmas!!

On Christmas Day last year I left Canada on the biggest step of faith I have ever taken and started my new life.  WOW!!…a year already…and it has been an amazing year in so many ways.  I’m not going to do a year end review of my entire goings on.  You can look at my previous blog entries to see everything.  Yes, I’ve had some dramatic lows this year but the higher than highs have more than made up for it.  I don’t want to trade this in for anything and God has not said to stop doing it yet - and He knows what it’ll take to convince me of anything.  His convincing is how I ended up here in the first place. 

This past week I have been busy experiencing some of the higher than highs.  Katya and I went to the baby hospital to visit the kids in the abandoned baby section.  It’s always so humbling to me that these babies get so much out of just being held and talked to and it’s always so heartbreaking when they start crying when it’s time for us to leave.  On this visit the head nurse led us into a different area than we were in when I visited last summer.  I knew the hospital had been doing some kind of renovations but when I walked into the new section I was shocked in a good way of how different everything was.  They literally went from floor to ceiling and wall to wall leaving nothing untouched.  There is new windows, new furniture, new lights and everything electrical replaced, new sinks and radiators, new wall and floor coverings, nice pictures on the walls, new toys, you name it, it was shiny new.  I was so amazed at how much better it is.

I also got a kick out the head nurse when I was holding one of the babies.  Now I’ll have to paint a picture here.  This lady is a tall lady, kind of broad shouldered and her mannerisms remind me of - well, a strict warden.  She has a big presence and seems to take her job very seriously.  Any ways, she walked past the door and looked at me holding the baby (probably to make sure I was doing things right) and very briefly gave one of those only a mother can give satisfaction smiles.  I just love it when this kind of crack shows in someone’s exterior appearance.

I also got to Boorie Ooglie disabled home for another visit this week.  I was able to sponsor a lunch which consisted of Anya P.’s home made Olivier salad (I call it potato salad) with pickles and bread, mandarin oranges, coffee, Anya’s home made pastries and, of course, candy.  The men really enjoyed this and it was great just to watch them enjoy it.  They usually don’t get a meal that’s this tasty…just don’t get me started on the menu there.

I also went with Katya and a few friends to Sunshine Orphanage for a pizza night…and candy.  The kids had a great time helping to make and eat the pizza.  It was so good to see them again as this was the first chance I’ve had to get there since I got back from Kyrgyzstan.  And then to end off the week I went with a new friend Igor to the kids programme at Shelter Plus Church.  I had no idea an amazing place like this was in Krivoy Rog.  Of all of the descriptions I have heard and the photos I’ve seen of Bill Wilson’s Metro Ministries in Brooklyn, New York this seemed very similar to it except it’s a smaller crowd and they don’t send out school buses to bring the kids in.  That would be awesome if they had the space and the budget to do that.  Then I’d be making sure that every orphanage and children’s home would be on the route.

That’s my goings on for this week.  On Monday we start McJoyful Christmas which runs until our Christmas Eve on January 6^th.  So your Christmas Day will find me in costume telling a story to the kids at McDonald’s and having a Big Mac combo (which is still the only thing I know how to order in Russian) instead of turkey.  Then the day will end at Sunshine Orphanage where they will be celebrating the anniversary of the orphanage.  It’s going to be one of the best Christmases EVER!!!  Then on New Year’s Eve I’ll be at church for celebrations there.

As I always say - thank you for seeing my heart.  Thank you also for your prayers and support.  As I have also said before, I just can’t do this without you.  I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and pray God's blessings on you in the New Year.  Till next time...я люьлю тебя!!

 

The new look at the baby hospital abandoned baby section

Anya (on the left) and Ira preparing the lunch at Boorie Ooglie

Ira always makes sure there's pictures of me when I visit - I now call her Paparazzi Mama

(a different) Igor sharing with one of the residents

Pizza night - Katya is on the right

This is James.  His couch was the 1st place I stayed in Krivoy Rog last year until the apartment was available.  He runs a programme at Sunshine providing a computer lab/activity room for the kids there.

My new friend Igor giving a lesson at Shelter Plus Church

James making balloon animals for the kids

Some of the programme at Shelter Plus

Getting Down To It

Well the settling in is over and this past week I started to get down to work.  On Wednesday we had a planning meeting for McJoyful Christmas which starts on Christmas Eve (the western world’s Christmas Eve that is – our Christmas Eve is January 6th).  I’m really looking forward to seeing a lot of the kids there that I haven’t seen in a while from the various homes.  It also seems that a last minute purchase in Kyrgyzstan of a Kyrgyz robe is going to be part of my costume as an Old Testament character telling a story.  Now THAT’S going to be interesting in the middle of McDonald’s for two weeks, it’s not like I’ll be blending into the crowd - lol.

I also got to go to the kid’s rehab centre this week with Katya F. to say hello.  When I left for Kyrgyzstan in late September there were about 22 kids there.  Now, sadly, in that short time there are 54 and I only recognized 2 kids there from the summer.  If you remember, the kid’s rehab centre is a place for kids who have one or both parents with alcohol or drug problems which create a horrible home life.  The kids are placed here for a 9 month programme where they are given a loving environment, counselling and support to help them overcome their home situations.  I guess it’s kind of like a larger version of Ala-Teen in Canada.

I was also able to get to Boorie Ooglie disabled home yesterday.  A bunch of us piled into a car armed with Anya P.'s home made pastries, coffee and (of course) candy.  We had a great time visiting with the residents who really like to have company and treats.  I’ll let the photos speak for themselves.

I also finally took stock of my battered finances this week and all I can say is that God is good!!  As I mentioned in my last blog my computer was repairable (cheap) – no replacement needed quite yet.  I’m praying that the machine isn’t on its last legs as it’s getting older.  At least it’s still functional for the moment.  I also found a good airline deal for my ticket to Canada in February.  I was originally looking at the prices of one way tickets and wasn’t sure I’d have enough money left over for, well, anything.  For some reason I started checking return tickets and found that the prices of those were literally half the price of just buying a one way.  (You would think I would have known that by now with all of the travelling I have done over the years.)  Needless to say that freed up some grocery money.  Now I just have to find resources to do some things here for Christmas and in the next few months and for when I come back to Ukraine in June. 

If anyone would like to help with any of this please click the donation link at the right side of the blog to donate on line or you can mail a donation to the (new) address below.  Please remember to specify that the donation is for me.  Also, when you donate please drop me a message to let me know.  Canadian donations are tax deductible and every dollar counts.

Please continue to keep me in your prayers.  Thank you for seeing my heart.  Till next time…Я люблю тебя!

LinK 127

34 Wynn Castle Dr.

Lower Sackville, NS

Canada  B4E 2H5

Craft time at the kid's rehab centre

Kids will be kids - lol

At Boorie Ooglie

Ira T. giving love and encouragement

I just don't get tired of handing out candies.  (Those who have known me for some years will know the significance behind this.)

Settling In and Catching Up

This week has been a week of GREAT relief.  I went to the airport in Bishkek for the second time early Monday morning to try and get to Ukraine again.  The customs guard had recognized me from the last attempt to leave.  I was relieved to see him stamp my passport so that I could board the plane.  The flights went great with no lost luggage and I got to Kyiv at the start of a big snowstorm.  Fortunately the bus got downtown before traffic got really snarled up.  I still had no winter clothes but had a nice warm train to Krivoy Rog.  Since I arrived in Krivoy Rog on Tuesday morning the weather has been fairly warm and I haven’t needed the winter clothes yet.  But that’ll change soon enough and I’m ready this time.

I was also VERY relieved to find that my computer could be fixed (at less than $40.00).  It has some new quirks and some features acting up but it’s at least useable for now.  So I have been working hard the last couple of days to get my paperwork and posting caught up.  Now that I’m back in Krivoy Rog, other than catching up on my computer stuff, I have just been settling in.  I’m still working out if I have ANY budget left for ministry.  Not having to replace the computer just yet is certainly a big relief.  I think I have just enough to pay my personal expenses for a while and an airline ticket to Canada in February.  This was a planned trip any ways as I have to get a new passport and get some things caught up there.  I'll talk more on that another time. 

I’m really looking forward to a busy season with McJoyful Christmas coming up and I’m anxious to get back to visiting the kids as well.  Other than that there’s not much news for now. 

If anyone would like to help with my support or my work here please click the donation link at the right side of the blog to donate on line or you can mail a donation to the address below.  Please remember to specify that the donation is for me.  Also, when you donate please drop me a message to let me know.  Canadian donations are tax deductible and every dollar counts.

Please keep me in your prayers.  Thank you for seeing my heart.  Till next time…Я люблю тебя!

LinK 127

34 Wynn Castle Dr.

Lower Sackville, NS

Canada B4E 2H5

Here are some photos of things mentioned in the previous blogs that I couldn’t post before.

5 tonnes of coal being delivered

Grocery delivery to Orlovka Orphanage

Around Tokmok

View from the "new" apartment

Ala Too Square in Bishkek

Monument to the revolution of 2010 in Bishkek

Putting up the Christmas tree in Kyiv