Back in Canada...Again

I got back to Canada a week ago.  The travel went very smoothly, except with extremely poor wi-fi service in Zurich and Newark as well as a customs issue in Kyiv.  I guess the Ukraine government is really being picky about things since the revolution got worse.  I hope that things will be settled and that I will be able get back into Ukraine in the summer.

I haven't been able to do a whole lot yet since I've been here as I've been spending quite a bit of time at the medical centre.  My sharp eyed niece spotted something wrong with my arm that had surgery.  For a while there was a concern it might be septic arthritis but it turned out to be a skin infection.  They think a screw worked loose in my elbow causing it.  That would coordinate with me struggling to carry my luggage through airports last week.  I did feel a twinge at one point.  So I've been going for an antibiotic iv everyday and that has led to some appointments with the orthopaedic department to see what the next plan of action is and whether or not I need yet another surgery.   So that threw the job hunting out the window...sigh.  But then it's not like I can get many jobs now any ways with limited use of one arm, a slight limp and not being very computer savvy.  I also have some transportation issues.  Don't get me started on the world's worst public transport system in Halifax (not an exaggeration) or I won't get stopped.

So at this point I don't have a plan of action for myself.  My future seems even more uncertain and I feel like a fish out of water here.  I really want to get back to life on the road and I need a lot of help to do that.  Before I left Krivoy Rog there was a bunch of kids in the orphanages who asked when I'll be coming back.  It kills me not being able to give an answer to those wonderful kids who have had so much of let down in their lives.  To me it also highlights the huge need for good male role models to be involved in their lives.  There are many women but very few men who come to visit regularly or who work in the homes.  I don't say that to diminish the great work of the women.  It's just that kids also need good men in their lives.

But not everything has been gloom and doom in my life lately.  I've been enjoying being with my great nephew and niece and reconnecting with my Canadian friends.  I've also been enjoying tasting maple syrup, fish and chips and A&W.  Now, to keep from getting fat again - oy!

While I'm in Canada I'll be in the Halifax area and I would be happy to come to your church or community group, or to come have coffee with you and your friends to share my experiences of life on the road.  Just drop me a line at blairslife1@gmail.com if you're interested.

If you would like to help me with fundraising ideas so that I can resume life on the road I would greatly appreciate that.  Or, if you feel led to contribute you can send a gift on line to LinK 127 by using the donations link at the right side of this blog or mail a gift to the address below.  You can also send an e-transfer to my email mentioned above.  Donations from Canada are tax deductible (but not those by e-transfer) and every dollar counts to making a difference in those who need to see love in action.  Please remember to specify that your gift is for me and mention how you might want me to use it.  Thank you so much for your consideration.

 LinK 127

833 Canaan Mountain Road

Kentville, NS

Canada B4N 4K1

Please continue to keep me in your prayers and please continue to pray for Ukraine.  Till next time...я люблю вас!!

The Revolution in Kyiv

I arrived on the early morning train in Kyiv and had a few hours to kill before I had to be at the airport.  Since I was only a few metro stops away from Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square) I wanted to go check out things with the revolution.  Yes...many Ukrainians are using the revolution word to describe the protests here since people were killed.  

It was still dark when I left the Khreschatyk metro station at 6 AM and I was immediately hit with the smell of the many wood fires from the tent city...as well as a very strong wind in my face at minus 21C.  I was struck at how peaceful and yet how eerie this scene was before me.  It looked exactly like what we saw from the M*A*S*H 4077th on TV, the same kind of tents and everything.  I headed down the street towards the square.  My face and hands quickly got numb and I wanted to get out of the cold for a few minutes but nothing was open yet.  Since it was too dark to get good photos any ways I decided to head back to the train station where there is a 24 hour McDonald's to get a hot coffee and wait for daylight. 

 At McDonald's I met a young man who was also killing time.  He was waiting for his train to the Carpathians for a ski trip.  It turned out that he was from Krivoy Rog and we have a mutual friend, so we got to talking and comparing notes while I waited for the sun to come up.  When it was time to go back to the square he wanted to come along too and off we went. 

This time at the square the wind had now died down but it was still very cold.  It was surreal to walk through this very different world...right in the middle of downtown Kyiv.  I will try to let the photos speak for themselves.

Khreschatyk Street

As it was still early the stage was quiet.  The display on the stage is Orthodox religious pictures.

A sign accusing the Berkut police forces and Yanukovich.

One of the barricades

Since it was very quiet today and despite our friends' warnings we decided to go check out Hrushevskova Street where the worst fighting was and where people were killed.

The Maidan is a different world in downtown Kyiv, but this is yet a different kind of world - just a couple of blocks away.

A view of Ukraine House from Hrushevskova Street

Some of the recovered shrapnel from police weapons.  Former Prime Minister Azarov claimed the police were not using live ammo against the protestors.