Thursday 30 August 2012

A Fun Week So Far

Even though it rained a lot this week we still had fun.  On Tuesday the birthday picnic for the younger girls at Sunshine Orphanage was moved inside but they still had a great time.  It turns out that some of the girls had never had roasted chicken before - the kind you buy already roasted at the store.  I’ll let some of the photos speak for themselves.  Please excuse the blurriness.

On Wednesday it rained again.  Lena postponed the picnic for the older girls for another time and we took the rehab centre kids to McDonald’s instead.  The manager of the multiplex, where one of the McDonald’s is located, gives the rehab centre kids free movie tickets.  So we combined things and had a movie and McDonald’s day.  It was a perfect activity to get out of the house on a rainy day, or in this case the rehab centre.

The movie was in 3D and called от винта! (ot vinta) which translates as the propeller - it also means get out of the way.  It was like the movie Cars but with airplanes.  Afterwards we went downstairs to McDonald’s for games and Happy Meals.  It was also great to have Ira drop by the restaurant to visit.  If you remember from previous blogs Ira is one our main workers here in Krivoy Rog and recently had gall bladder surgery.  She is on the mend and is doing well.

Again, thank you sooo much to those whose donated and helped to make this day happen.  The kids (and us) had a blast.  I’ll let those pictures speak for themselves as well.

Thank you for your continued support, your prayers and for seeing my heart.  Till next time…Я люблю тебя!


Balloon relay








Playing the blind object game



I have never seen him smile (likely because he came from a rough family situation like all of these kids) but he was ALL smiles today.
 

Sunday 26 August 2012

Finally! – An Update


It’s a long weekend here for Independence Day and since it’s been a few weeks I am FINALLY sitting down to write an update.  We had house guests with a visit of a team from Sarnia, Ont. for a couple of nights and as soon as they left another team from Abbotsford, BC arrived.  On top of ensuring our guests were taken care of I have been busy.  While the rehab centre kids were at camp I did some exploring around Krivoy Rog.  I now know where certain places are and more about the trolley routes to get to them.  I also helped to paint one day at rehab centre.  By the way, I have received enough to take the kids to McDonald’s.  Thanks so much to those who donated.  We are still making the arrangements and I’ll post pictures in a future blog after it takes place. 

Last week I helped out at a picnic for some of the folks from the disabled home at Boorie Ooglie.  (I have no idea how to spell it right.)  It was a great day with lots of fun, food and, of course, swimming.  I also managed to get a couple of visits in to see some of the kids at Sunshine Orphanage now that they are back from camp. 

I’m still trying to figure out craft ideas with just coloured paper, markers and glue.  Any ideas you can share would be really appreciated.  I searched all over town during my exploring and someone finally said that craft supplies are not available in Krivoy Rog.  In my searching the different markets all I found were paint sets and modelling clay…and 2 tombstone sellers.

This coming week will also be another busy one as it is the last week before school starts.  Lena T and I will be doing birthday picnics for a couple of the girl’s groups at Sunshine Orphanage and hopefully we’ll get the rehab centre kids to McDonald’s this week.  Lena has also been helping me to learn Russian.  We’re working on verbs and their tenses.  I was never very good at them in English and now I’m also not very good at them in Russian.

Thank you for your continued support and for your prayers.  If you wish to help with my ongoing support or any of our programmes (or help me sponsor more activities) 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 with my name in it for on line donations.)

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

Some of my painting.  It was like painting an upside down picket fence.

At the picnic for the Boorie Ooglie folks

One of the sights around Krivoy Rog.  The sign over the clock has Krivoy Rog in Ukrainian (not Russian).


There are many monuments around town to the Great Patriotic War (WW II) as well as more and more Orthodox churches.

30th Anniversary of Victory Square and 200th Anniversary of Krivoy Rog Avenue

Sunday 5 August 2012

Dare to Dream


Recently when Lena and I visited the kids rehab centre we asked the kids to draw a picture representing their dreams or something that they like a lot.  It didn’t take them long to get down to it and put them on paper.  We collected the pictures and told the kids that we would pray for their dreams.  These kids have basically nothing but yet they still dream.  The following photos are some of these dreams.  Please feel free to pray for them also.

The kids are at camp now until August the 15th and I have a dream to take them to McDonald’s when they come back before the school year starts in September.  As I mentioned in a previous blog these kids don’t have the means to get to McDonald’s and McJoyful Christmas is still a few months away.  I’d also like to get some craft supplies for our visits.  Right now I only need to raise another $100.  Would anyone like to help make this dream come true?

Another dream forwarded to me is one to take more people from the handicapped homes on picnics.  The people who live in these 1950’s style institutions don’t get the best of food or many treats.  (I’m not sure if this is a budget thing or a not caring about the disabled thing.)  Each of these picnics costs $300 to put on.  It’s a day where they can get out of the institution to enjoy a beautiful park, to get some good food and to get some dignity.  Please see my previous blog for pictures of one picnic last weekend.

We are also hoping to help out Ira, one of our workers here in Krivoy Rog, who cannot afford her recent gall bladder surgery (also mentioned in the previous blog) which cost $900.

If you can help with anything towards making these dreams come true it would be so amazing and soooo appreciated.  Every dollar counts. 

To help you can click the donations link for LinK 127 at the right side of this blog to donate on line.  You can designate the donation to me by clicking my name in the drop down box.  Please also specify in the memo box which dream you wish to help with.  If you prefer to send a cheque you can find the mailing address under the “Details and Contact info” tab.  When mailing a donation please include a note to specify where you may like your gift to be directed to. 

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

These are the kids I'd like to take to McDonald's

A dream to have football (soccer) gloves

A dream to own a car

A dream to own a Mercedes

A dream to own a good motorbike

Likes the computer, music and a telephone

Likes computer and music

A dream to play football

A dream to have a bicycle (to the left of the tree)