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.

 

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

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 15^th 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)

A Great Weekend – But More Help is Needed

This past weekend I got to go camping for the 1^st time in a lot of years.  This was actual camping – with tents only, no running water, no electricity, no flush toilets, no internet, just the basics.  It was a blast!!  However this was a camping trip with a purpose.  On Friday night we went to the camp site to set things up for the following day to host a picnic for some of the men from the disabled home at Boorie Ooglie.  The site is situated on a beautiful spot in the forest and on the river.

The men (and a lady) arrived on Saturday morning and spent the entire day swimming, eating and just hanging out in this beautiful setting.  They had a great time, although, I don’t actually know if they had more fun or if we did.  The ladies who were cooking said that the temperature reached 40 degrees Celsius in the shade and 50 in the sun.  The river came in REALLY handy, but it didn’t (quite) feel that hot.  After supper some very happy people went home and we stayed over another night to tear things down the next day.  We hope to have more picnics for more disabled people this summer.  This is the 1^st request for help.

These picnics cost $300 to put on and if we can get more sponsored more people will be able to get out of these 1950’s style institutions for an amazing day, a day when they are given some dignity as well as some fun, good food and fellowship.

The 2^nd request for help involves one of our workers here named Ira.  Those of you who have come to Krivoy Rog will have met her as she coordinates many things including team visits, the daily goings on here and much more.  She gives so much of her time and of herself in this work.  Ira is one of the “mothers” I have mentioned in previous blogs who worry if I’m doing okay and have enough to eat.  Recently she was hospitalized and had gall bladder surgery, but is on the mend and is doing well.  Her surgery cost $900 and Ira cannot afford this expense.  Where she has given so much of herself (she is still coordinating things by cell phone from the hospital) it would be great to give something back to this marvellous woman. 

As I mentioned in my previous blog I would also like to take the Rehab Centre kids to McDonald’s.  That will cost $250 (I have $220 to go) but I’ll talk more about that next time.   

Every dollar will make a difference in making these needs and dreams come true.  Will you help?

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 need or 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. 

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

This is Ira

Summer Activities – Request for Help

Things have been rolling along here in Krivoy Rog with summer activities in full swing.  Last week we finished the deliveries of Natalie’s fruit and juice treats to the children’s invalid home to some very happy kids.  Church has been busy with some special speakers coming in and with gearing up for a conference this coming week.  I have also been busy with room mates and I now have a whole new appreciation of any parent who has teenagers.  Oy vey! 

This week I went along with Ira K. and some of the gang to a nearby town called Apolostova where there are some outlet stores.  We were shopping for bedding and other necessities for 15 kids who are graduating out of Sunshine Orphanage to start life on their own.  This is going to be a huge and scary step for them.  I was also VERY happy to find trucks on the roadside there selling samsa and lipioshki.  Samsa is, I guess you could say, the Uzbek version of a pizza pocket (but is a thousand times better) and lipioshki is the “frisbee” bread I mentioned in previous blogs.  Both of these are sold everywhere in Kyrgyzstan and this is the 1^st time I saw them in Ukraine.  They were sooo good.  We also bought and delivered some laundry soap to Boorie Ooglie, the disabled men’s home.

Lena T. and I also went to the kids rehab centre to spend time with the kids.  The rehab centre is for kids who are recovering from addictions and is kind of like Teen Challenge.  It was so hot that we all ended up going for ice cream.  (Our temperatures have been in the 30’s and 40’s Celsius.)  Then we spent the rest of the morning visiting and getting to know each other.  We hope to get in one more visit before the kids go to camp this coming week for 3 weeks.  When they come back I would love to be able to sponsor them on an outing to McDonald’s, as well as for craft supplies for our visits.  This is where the request for help comes in. 

Going to McDonald’s is a HUGE deal for the kids here as they just don’t have the means or the opportunity to go there very often and McJoyful Christmas is still a ways off.  Would you please consider helping me to arrange Happy Meals and transportation for 35 to 40 kids (as well as for some craft supplies)?  Your help would be appreciated soooo much.

To donate 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.  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.  If you wish you can also donate to any of our programmes at LinK 127 or for my ongoing support. 

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

Ira K. and Yura

A happy director

I wonder if they'll consider driving a few of these trucks to Krivoy Rog?

Another happy director

Back In Ukraine

I’ve been back in my other home in Ukraine for two weeks now and have finally thought of writing a blog entry.  I arrived in Kyiv on June 24^th and had the fastest trip through customs ever – less than 15 minutes including the line up.  They streamlined the process at the airport because of the Euro 2012 games and it’s a very efficient procedure now.  There’s also a lot more English signage in Kyiv now and many more people in the service industries have learned to speak English.  This has made Kyiv MUCH more tourist friendly – although it was pretty tourist friendly before.  We went straight from the airport to church where the kid’s lesson was, of all things, about Kyrgyzstan…go figure.  The next morning Julia, Vova and I took the train to Krivoy Rog where I’ll be staying for the summer.

It turns out that I’m staying at the same apartment that I stayed in this past winter.  It also turned out that Pastor Ted and Gloria (from my church in Canada) were staying at the apartment as they were in town with Pastor Bill Wozney and his wife Cindy to speak at a Pastor’s conference at our church here.  It was so nice to have them here, to be able to spend time with them and to have them meet all of the people that have come to mean so much to me in Krivoy Rog.  The conference was amazing and just what I needed to help me recharge and refocus on things, and yes…Pastor Ted stood on a table again while delivering his message.

After the conference was over and everyone left some new house guests came in for the summer - Natalie from Seattle who will be working a lot at the children’s invalid home and translator Alina.  Natalie sponsored the kids at the invalid home to get raspberries as a treat.  Like so many orphanages here and in Kyrgyzstan getting fresh fruit is only a once in a while treat as budgets are strained to the breaking point.  So this past week we’ve been busy delivering the berries to some very happy kids.  This coming week we’ll be taking bananas to a couple of groups who aren’t able to chew raspberries because of the seeds or some dietary thing. 

So things are getting busy here for the summer and I’m looking forward to everything.  However, I’m also looking forward to returning to Kyrgyzstan.  I haven’t made any definite plans yet but I will soon once I make up my mind and start making arrangements.  Please keep me in your prayers.

If you wish to help with my ongoing support or any of our programmes (or maybe help me to sponsor some activities for the kids at the orphanages this summer) 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 for on line donations.)

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

I took a wrong turn when I left the Metro station in Kyiv and found this.

The floral clock in Independence Square, Kyiv dressed up with the mascots for Euro 2012

Pastor Ted encouraging the workers here in Krivoy Rog.

One of several raspberry deliveries.

The Last Day…For Now

Today is my last day in Kyrgyzstan for this trip.  I’ve got everything packed and the cleaning done.  Now I just have to kill time to go to the airport.  Needless to say I’m not in a jumping for joy mood at the thought of leaving this place again but I know I’ll be back sooner than later this time.  I am, however, looking forward to what might be going on in Ukraine this summer.  By the time most of you read this I’ll have already landed in Kyiv.

My last week here was busier.  On Tuesday it was the warmest day here so far this year - 94 degrees in the shade – which made it a great day to go to Hawaii beach.  Hawaii is a restaurant and park on a lake just outside of Tokmok.  They are also building a small zoo and have public swimming with a nice sandy beach.  I was also able to get to the baby orphanage to check up on Almaz and got to Orlovka Orphanage to spend some time with the kids this week.

Yesterday we took the kids from Orlovka to the beach at Issyk-Kul.  What a fun day that was.  The weather had cooled to around 80 degrees in the shade and, where it’s still the off season for a few more days, we had almost the entire beach to ourselves to spread out.  I’ll let some of the photos speak for themselves. 

So as I start another part of my journey I ask for your continued support and kind thoughts.  Thank you for seeing my heart.  

 Till next time…Я люблю тебя!

Hawaii Beach

It was so hot the squirrel just lay on his wheel.

Beach supplies