A New Summer Starts

It's hard to believe that 2 weeks have flown by already.  My travel to Kryvyy Rih went smoothly overall, except that Air Canada put me on an earlier flight out of Halifax and didn't tell me.  Fortunately I just happened to look at my boarding pass, saw the change and was able to barely get to the airport in time.  Once I got to Kyiv I caught the new fast train which got me into Kryvyy Rih when I could get to bed at a good time and voila, no jet lag.

These past 2 weeks in Kryvyy Rih have mostly involved getting reconnected with everyone, getting supplies and settling in.  Now that the May holidays are over things should get into a routine this week.  So far I have been back to English Club at Shelter Plus, I also tagged along with some friends to spend quality time with the kids at a TB hospital and a Family Day outing at a park for the kids from a boarding school.  School will be finished for the summer here on May 26th and after that we will start the camps.

So another summer has started here and it looks like it's going to be a great one.  Stay tuned for updates.  If you would like to help me to provide blessings for those who have little please click the "donate now" button at the right side of the blog.  You can also click the "ways to donate" tab at the top of the page for other giving options.  Every little bit helps and goes a long way in making someone's life better and is appreciated so much.  Please consider helping out.

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

At a TB hospital

Family Day games in a park with boarding school kids

Some of the people that I get to work with this summer.

Going Again

Tomorrow (Monday) I'm headed for Ukraine again for the summer.  If everything goes well I'll be in Krivoy Rog late Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning Ukraine time.

Please keep me in your prayers that my travel will go well and that I will be able to get a lot done over the summer.  Stay tuned for updates of my goings on.

Thank you for seeing my heart...я люблю вас!!

To see the photos below better just click on each photo to make them larger.

Many people ask me where it is in Ukraine that I go.  On the map it's labeled Kryvyy Rih which is Ukrainian for Krivoy Rog.  Others ask if there's radiation from the nuclear disaster there.  As you can see Chornobyl is on the opposite end of the country so I don't have to worry about that.  Others ask if it's safe with the war from russia in Luhans'k and Donets'k and the annexation of Crimea.  Right now it is but please keep praying for Ukraine.

Where Ukraine is on the world map.

Another Summer is Getting Closer

Wow, time has been flying by again.  With the winter weather summer seems so far away right now but in just a month I'll be back in Ukraine for another summer.  I'm not sure yet what's in store for this trip but I know whatever it is it'll be amazing.  I'm looking forward to spending quality time with the kids.

While I'm in Ukraine I would like to be able to sponsor some outings and treats for the kids and the folks in the disabled homes.  I would love to be able to sponsor an outing for the kids in Kyrgyzstan as well.  Right now my resources are very limited but I'm trusting that everything will fall into place.

If you would like to help and to be a blessing for those who have little you can click the "donate now" button on the right side of this page.  You can also click the "ways to donate" tab at the top of the page for other giving options.  There are so many that will appreciate it so much.

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

Children in orphanages don't get to go on outings without the kindness of others...

...or get to go to McDonald's.

The kids in the TB hospital can't get anywhere but we can take treats to them.

The same with the folks in the disabled home.

Blessings For Those Who Have Little

Today is the Family Day holiday in most of Canada where families spend quality time together.  My mind is on those who are in the institutions in Ukraine that have no family of their own to treat them or to take them anywhere.  In just over 2 months I will be going back to Ukraine for the summer to spend quality time with those who need it.  Right now my trip is mostly paid for but I would like to be able to do more for those who are considered to be the least of these.  Being a volunteer I don't receive a salary for my work and blessings, like a picnic or some treats, can add up quickly on a tight budget.

Would you please consider helping me to be a blessing.  To help out you can click the "donate now" button on the side of the blog page to give an on line gift.  You can also click the "ways to donate" tab at the top of the page for other giving options.  Every dollar helps and would be appreciated by so many.  Thank you so much.

Bananas and candy are a huge treat for those who don't get them very often

Spending time with and treating the kids from the boarding school to a couple of hours outside of the institution as well as some burgers.  (Boarding schools in Ukraine are for the disadvantaged kids, not like the private boarding schools in Canada.)

The same for those in the Boorie Ooglie disabled home

Spending time with and bringing treats to the kids in the TB hospital

Packed Again

Well my time in Ukraine is finishing yet again.  The suitcase is packed, everything else is stored and I'm just waiting to head for the train to Kyiv and then my flight to Canada.  If all goes well I'll be in Halifax in the middle of the night Monday/Tuesday morning. I'll be back home again in May for the summer.  I can't wait.  :)

After an all night New Year's Eve party at Church of Truth I have kept pretty busy this past week with McJoyful, which we took on the road to a couple of hospitals and the kids disabled home.  I also made a Christmas Eve treat delivery to the guys at the Boorie Ooglie disabled home and managed a couple of trips to Shelter Plus Community Centre to help out at English Club and to drop off donations for their Paket Dobra (Good Package) programme.  Paket Dobra is kind of like the Samaritan's Purse shoebox programme.  People fill up a bag with gifts for Christmas presents for kids in the orphanages or they donate money for someone to buy the gifts.

So the Christmas season is over, today being the Canadian equivalent to Boxing Day.  We had a white Christmas (January 7th) here with the snow blowing in on Christmas Eve.  I guess I'm being acclimatized to the Halifax weather before I leave.

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

New Year's Eve at Church of Truth.  On New Year's Eve in Ukraine people dress up in costume like we do for Halloween.

At the children's hospital for orphans.  Orphans don't go to a "regular" hospital here when they're sick.

At a children's TB hospital

Christmas Eve delivery of bananas and candy to Boorie Ooglie (Brown Coals) men's disabled home.

When you donate to the Paket Dobra programme they take your picture.  On the wall behind me is "fill it!" in Ukrainian.

Another New Year

At the end of 2016 I'm thankful for the year behind us.  It was an amazing year, the best part of which I was able to get back to my work in Ukraine.  I'm not going to do a year end review of my activities.  All of that is already posted on previous blog entries.  I'm looking forward to 2017.  We have a few days off for the holiday then it's back at it again until the Christmas holiday.  We have been having a lot of fun with the kids at McJoyful giving them a Christmas celebration they might not get otherwise and they are loving it.

I'm disappointed that I'll miss the last week of McJoyful (it runs until January 15th) as I have to head back to Canada, leaving Krivoy Rog on the 8th.  I'm praying that in 2017 that I'll be able to get back to my work here long term.  I'm hoping to get a residence permit so that I can do that.  It's going to take some miracles to make everything happen.  I ask for your prayers that it will happen this year.

If you would like to help out my work in a tangible way I (and many others) would appreciate it so much.  I don't receive any salary for my work.  It is all volunteer using my own funding.  To give on line you can click the "donate now" button on the right side of the blog or you can click the "ways to donate" tab at the top of the page for other giving options.  Thank you so much.

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

с новым годом!!  Happy New Year!!

Kids often have that wide eyed look of wonder at McJoyful.

A couple more people I get to work with.  Karina in the middle grew up in an orphanage and came to McJoyful as a kid.  Now she's helping to host it.

This is one of my "sons."  With the look on his face I can't help but wonder what he's up to.

There's No Place Like Home For Christmas(es)

I've been in Ukraine for almost 2 weeks now and it's almost 2 more weeks before I head back to Canada.  The time is flying by but I'm enjoying every minute of it.  Christmas season in Ukraine is an amazing time to be here...as well as any other time of the year.  :)  The 1st week I was just settling in, catching up and getting the jet lag over with which seemed to hit me harder on this trip.  I think it was due to the lack of sleep on the Toronto to Warsaw flight.  We are pretty busy right now and having a lot of fun at McJoyful Christmas which started this week.

So for the next 2 weeks until it's time to leave I'll be at McJoyful almost every day.  Please keep me in your prayers.  Thank you for seeing my heart.  Till next time...я люблю вас!!

Have a very Merry Christmas and may God richly bless you all in the new year.

Some of the team I get to work with this time.  It's such a blessing and honour to work with them.

The TV and newspaper came to interview my friend about McJoyful and then asked why I came to Ukraine.

Headed "Home" for Christmas(es)

Last summer when I booked my ticket to go back to Ukraine for the Christmas season it seemed like forever away.  That day is finally here as I head out again today.

If everything goes right I'll be in Krivoy Rog on Thursday.  Please keep me in your prayers for my travel and that I'll be able to get a lot done over the next month.  Stay tuned to the blog for updates of my goings on.

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

It's Not Too Late...

In just 2 weeks I'll be on my way back to Ukraine for a month over the Christmas season.  While I'm there I would like to take some Christmas blessing to those who have so little.  It's not too late if you would like to help me to do that.  I don't receive a salary for my work.  It's all volunteer and I have limited resources to do it on my own.

On Giving Tuesday would you please consider giving a gift that would help me to bring joy to those who have little to smile about?  To give a gift on line you can click the "donate now" button on the right side of this page.  To see other giving options please click the "ways to donate" tab at the top of the page.  Donations from Canada are tax receipted and every dollar helps.  Thank you so much.

Please keep me and Ukraine in your thoughts and prayers.  Thank you for seeing my heart.  я люблю вас!!

Bananas are a huge treat at the disabled home.  They don't get fruit very often.

Something as simple as a few mouse pads and some headphones can make a big difference in a computer class.

The kids love doing crafts and craft supplies are always in demand.

School supplies are also always in demand.

Would You Be Able to Help Out?

In just 6 weeks I'll be headed back to Ukraine for Christmases (both new and old Christmases).  Wow the time is creeping up.  The preparations are coming along but not as well as I hoped. I'm not stressing though as I know Who's in control.

My friends in Ukraine have given me a wish list of things they would like to have and I would love to be able to take some extra blessings with me when I go.  The thing is that I can't do this on my own with my limited resources.

Would you please consider helping out so that I can do this?  To help me give some Christmas blessings you can click the "donate now" button on the right side of the blog page to give on line.  You can also click the "ways to donate" tab at the top of the page to see other giving options.  Every dollar counts and will be appreciated by so many.  Donations from Canada are tax deductible.  Thank you so  much.

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

These are just a few of the kids that will receive some blessings.