Headed for Canada

Well camp season finished for me last week with the village of Krasnovka and this week I've been tying up the loose ends and getting things ready to go back to Canada. This is a hard week for me as I'm finding it harder and harder to leave Ukraine with every trip. Three months has passed by way too quickly. I'm praying I can get back again soon and to find a way to stay more permanently.

Tonight (Thursday) I'm on the train headed for Kyiv to catch my flight early Saturday morning to Canada arriving in Halifax Saturday evening. Once my jet lag is over with I'd be happy to come to your church or your group and share my experiences of my work in Ukraine with you. Just drop me a line.

Please continue to keep me and Ukraine in your prayers. Thank you for seeing my heart. Till next time...я люблю вас!!

Most of our team from the camp at Pastor Oksana's church that I mentioned in my previous blog entry.

Krasnovka camp

It takes a few groceries to run a camp.

I'm not always behind the camera.

Dima Z. and I with some of the kids from the Rehab Centre.

Ukraine Update and Kyrgyzstan Blessings

Things continue to be pretty busy here in Kryvyy Rih with the camps still going on in full swing. After the camp in зеленое поле (Green Field) finished we had a few days off. I took this opportunity to take a quick trip to visit a friend in Lviv since it's so cheap to travel in Ukraine and I had the time to squeeze it in. Then last Saturday we started a camp at Church of Praise in Sevgok, a region in Kryvyy Rih, for about 30 kids. (Many Canadian friends will know this as Pastor Oksana's church.) Tomorrow morning (Monday) I am on my way to yet another village called Krasnovka 2.5 hours outside of the city. This will be a camp for some of the kids from a disabled home. After that I will be tying up my loose ends to return to Canada in a couple of weeks. :( I don't even want to talk about that yet.

Before I left Canada in May I received some blessings that were complete surprises. One of those blessings in particular was enough for a huge blessing in Kyrgyzstan. Since I couldn't get to Kyrgyzstan on this trip I wanted to send the kids from the orphanage in Orlovka on a day trip to Lake Issyk'ul but wasn't able to until that blessing happened. Well, this went farther than I had even expected. Not only did the kids from Orlovka get to the beach this week with a great meal and a chartered boat ride, but there was enough to put towards a second trip taking some disadvantaged families to Issyk'ul.

Let me back up a bit for the benefit of newer readers. Lake Issyk'ul in Kyrgyzstan is the world's 2nd largest saltwater lake and it is surrounded by some of the world's finest beaches and the most amazing mountain scenery. There are lots of resorts there and orphans and needy families who don't live close just aren't able to get there without the generosity of others. In all, 60 people got to go to Issyk'ul this past week who will have some wonderful lifetime memories. I'll try to let the pictures speak for themselves.

Please keep me in your prayers. Thank you for seeing my heart. Till next time...я люблю вас!!

The best tasting tomatoes in the world are in Kyrgyzstan.

On the right is Sergey who arranged everything.  Спасибо большое Сергей!!

The 1st group from Orlovka Orphanage

The 2nd group of the disadvantaged families.