Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Report #15 from Ivano

Cloudy again today but a cold wind blowing, not very nice for those who are putting in gardens.

Things did not get going until noon today as Vadym’s baby Amelia has an infection of some sort in her mouth and Sveta her mother, had a dentist appointment and so Vadym had to take Amelia to the doctor. “Won’t be long, the doctor is waiting!” I don’t know what he was waiting for but they were away an hour and a half or more. Nothing goes easily here. The doctor prescribed some medication that is bright blue and stains everything. Amelia looks as if she has been “beaten blue and blue”, she obviously fights when they paint her mouth.

Well we headed out at about 1PM, as we had some last minute calls to make and some shopping to do for the test strips for Louis’ blood sugar tester he was to give away. After numerous visits to Aptieka’s (Drug Stores) there were none to be found in Ivano. We are hoping there may be some in Lviv or else off the internet.

We returned some items and bought others and then were feeling a little hungry at about 2:30 so went for pizza before going to visit in the hospital.

The man we went to visit had fallen down his apartment stairs and had a concussion and a badly injured ear. Well the old hospital was something to behold once again. The ward reminded me of the one I was in 1944 in England, except mine did not have plaster falling off the walls and I think the beds were not too bad. I wonder how people ever get better with such depressing conditions.

Any way, excuse the diversion but it is so depressing to see. The young man (we can’t remember his name) is the husband of Lesia a young lady who is saved and has come to the meetings since we first came to Ivano. She has a speech impediment and walks with a limp. If I am correct, I believe she was either dropped of was thrown down when only a little girl. She married the young man we were visiting who was raised in an orphanage as I believe she was too. He is not educated and so does not have regular work and was out of work before his accident. They now have a lovely baby boy of about a year old or less. Things are so tough for these types of people with no trade and no help from government available. We helped as much as we can with any medication he may need and some financial help for daily living. Just to put things in perspective, Lesia was at most of our meetings, either with the baby or alone. We saw her standing outside after one of the meetings and asked if she had the fare to get home she didn’t have any money and had walked to the meeting. The fare is at least 2 Rhivney. There are 6 R to the Canadian Dollar! Poverty or not?

We left there and headed home to settle up our finances etc. before leaving for Lviv in the morning, hoping to be there for 12 noon and the meeting.

This will be all from Ivano Frankivsk at this time. I will keep you informed of happenings in Lviv.

Good night and God bless.

Malcolm and Louis.

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