Wednesday March 24th

Wednesday March 24

Bookva, the orphanage for handicapped girls ages 1 to 30 was our destination today.
The day started with an attempt to get up one of the cobblestone roads. It was slippery enough that we had to back up to the bottom of the hill and try another road. The cobblestone turns very slippery when it is wet, so when it is snow and slush it becomes almost an impossible thing to go up some of these hills.
We were picking up Flo & Malcolm and Louis at ten o’clock.
We had a deadline of looming in front of us today because one of the leaf springs needed to be changed. The appointment at the garage was set for four or four thirty. Bookva is 1.5 hours from Lviv… It would be tight but Ruslan was sure we could do it. But first we had to do a “quick” (nothing is quick here) stop at the warehouse to pick up the regular lightbulbs, soap etc etc….supplies we always bring to these homes. The cost of these has gone up 50% from last year. Finally with supplies in the van as well as boxes of clothing we received and the products we purchased yesterday, we headed off. Ohh…. Another stop to a car parts dealer. We picked up a new leaf for the work that needed to be done on the van, Ruslan dealing with the salesman, Malcolm getting sniffed out by the resident Rottweiller guard dog. Friendly puppy…..really!!
Off we go with the part needed. Ohh One more stop at the gas station and then we really were on the road. It was now 11:45.
An hour and a half later we arrived at our destination. It took a bit more time to get there because the roads are so full of pot holes in some places that it is impossible to miss them. And Bookva is well hidden down a very bad road, through the edge of a forest on a mud path.
The director’s secretary met us as we arrived. We brought the items inside and went around to see the girls there and to give them some candies. They were all happy to see us as they have come to know us from many previous visits. With about five or six members of the staff in the room and many others standing outside in the hallway, Malcolm gave a very short word about the gospel. He talked about the staff’s love for these kids and how that is very honorable but it is not what can get a person into heaven. He then told of the love of Jesus for these kids and how they will all be in heaven one day as they are unable to understand their needs as sinners. But we know we (Flo, Malcolm Louis and me) will be in heaven because we have the word of God that tells us of the sacrifice of Christ and we have believed what it said. Would we meet any of them in heaven? It was a short message and very to the point.
Afterwards we were invited for tea with the director. Tea and cake. He told us to call next time and he would have some fish prepared for us. That would have to be next time because today we had to rush out, and we did and arrived in Lviv at 4:15. We drove through a blinding snow storm, very poor visibility, high winds. Louis and Malcolm had their seat belts on even! It was not good driving.
We arrived at Flo’s and she prepared the tastiest pork chops along with mashed potatoes and a Howard Pratt salad (onion, tomatoes and cucumbers). Malcolm rated Flo’s Diner at a 5.5!!! After the fresh raisin bread and donuts she made for him yesterday!! After much talk about weight loss (or was it weight gain?) Ruslan was back from the garage and picked me up to bring me back to my apartment.