Report #21, Oct 30

Report 21 Thursday Oct. 30

We did not get up too swiftly this morning, even though we expected Vadym
between 8:30 and 9am as we were going a long way to an orphanage new to us.
To our utter amazement, Vadym arrived at 8:25 and we weren't ready. Shame on
us!!

We were on our way by 8:40 and what a trip. Right in to the Carpathian
Mountains, past ski resorts and through little villages perched on hill tops
and in valleys. As we got closer to our destination we began to see some of
the devastation the floods of last July had caused. Mile after mile of road
repair; where the side of the road had been washed away. Some of the most
modern equipment we have ever seen in Ukraine was being used to replace
large bridges that had been washed away.

We eventually arrived at Verkhovina and found the school. We found it was
more than an orphanage; it was also a boarding school for children who lived
too far into the mountains to go to school daily so boarded here. We met
with the Administrator, Oxana. She told that she had orphans and half
orphans as well as children from "normal" families that were far from
normal, some with large numbers of children who were not looked after at all
well. There were 405 or so children in the school. The school was 50 years
old and the building in very bad need of repair. It was massive but was
heated by wood boilers as the gas had never been brought in, even though it
was just over the hill not far away. The children were all away for mid term
break so we didn't meet any of them but left what bibles we had with Oxana.

The military were using one of the dormitories and the grounds as they were
helping with the repairs to the roads and infrastructure in the area. They
had two big tents on the grounds with a portable wood fired kitchen, for
cooking food. All the latest technology!!

We were given a tour of the dormitories as well, and these were in a state
of repair but the beds and bedding were terrible. The mattresses were
stained and thin on old sagging beds, 25-30 in a room. We are going to send
them sheets but there is a great need for beds and mattresses and we should
really help with this when we can. Howard and I were so impressed with the
area and the number of schools that we passed on the way up, that we would
like to spend some time up in that area if we ever come back. Oxana was
particularly interested in us coming back again. We returned a different way
and came through even more devastation from the raging river.

We arrived in time for meeting and had a full house again. After the meeting
we had a little lunch for everyone as a going away party, even though they
want another meeting tomorrow evening. We felt the day was well spent in
spite of the long trip and no children, the contact was profitable. All for
now.
God bless. Malcolm and Howard.