Another Summer Has Started

I've been in Kryvyy Rih about a week and a half now and things are going great. My travel to Ukraine went really well except for a boarding pass issue in Halifax with Air Canada which was resolved by Turkish Airlines in Montreal. It seemed a fast flight across the Atlantic and on arriving in Kyiv I was able to get to the train station in time to get the night train to Kryvyy Rih. I was totally not expecting that since my flight was arriving in the evening and I had previously read an article saying about road construction delays between the airport and the city that never materialised. I had expected to spend the next day in Kyiv. There was not only no construction but also no traffic. The bus made it to the train station 10 minutes early and the train was leaving in 35 minutes.

So I'm running into the train station to get a ticket, then a fast run to the other end of the station (which is over a block long) to get to the bank machine for Ukrainian money and to top up my phone. Then it was a run down to the train, all of this while dragging my luggage. I made it with 10 minutes to spare. When on the train I called my friends to tell them I was on the way I was still panting. Since I didn't need to spend the night in Kyiv I was able to get home 18 hours earlier than I had originally expected.

Since I arrived it's been nice to have some summer weather. Ukraine has been having an unusually warm spring this year. Temperatures have been in the high 20's although the last few days it's gotten down to a bone chilling 10 to 15 degrees at night. ;) I've been pretty busy with settling in, getting supplies and tagging along with some of the Loads of Love team visiting Svitanok boarding school, the children's rehab centre and the social dorms. It's been great to reconnect with some of the kids I met last year as well as my friends.

Now I'm in the process of trying to get some plans in place for the summer. I hope to get some projects underway to bless those who need to be blessed. So far it's a no frills budget and I'm still praying for miracles to happen.

If you would like to be part of a miracle to bless others with some happiness and some dignity please click the "donate now" button to give an on line gift. (Please remember to click Blair Haverstock / Blair's Life in the drop down menu.) For other giving options you can click the "ways to donate" tab at the top of the page. Every dollar helps and so many will appreciate it. Thanks so much.

Thank you for seeing my heart. Till next time...я люблю вас!!

Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms and the Moms at heart out there.

Games at the social dorms, Ukraine's version of public housing

At Svitanok (Sunrise) Boarding School.  Boarding schools here are for kids from the outlying villages that have no school who are often also from disadvantaged families.

At the children's rehab centre.  This is the 1st stop for kids who are taken from their families by the state if it sees that home life is not fit for them.