Ukraine Spring Report #18

Report #18 for Tuesday May 4^th.

Another lovely day with sunshine and no rain. We planned to go to a new town and institution today and so got ready early planning to leave by 8:30.

As the home we were going to in Sniatin was a mental home for boys, we got some boxes of clothing and some junior Pampers loaded as well as children’s picture stories of the life of Jesus.

We got there in good time through the most gorgeous countryside. Rolling hill and large fields already green with winter wheat. We saw a large farm in a valley with brand new John Deere tractors and new machinery and a fleet of grain trucks. Some Foreign Farming Companies have leased land , this must be one of them.

We greeted by some of the higher grade boys, waving us into the facility. It looked in fairly good condition though not new by any means. The director came to meet us and welcomed us into his office.

His name in Leonard in English and he gave us his history. He was born in Sniatin and after his military service, came home and was voted Mayor for a term. After his term he was asked to be the Director of this home. He had been there 25 years now.

He asked me to speak to the boys, they are from 4, I think to 18. They came together outside in an area with a long seat and I spoke to them. I didn’t preach this time as it was such a mixed multitude, I didn’t know what to say. (That’s a first for me!) I just told them why we came and then gave them all one of the picture bible books. I gave all the staff a New Testament, a Seed Sowers John 3:16 and a Calendar.

We then were taken on a tour of the facility and the different projects the boys work on.

Firstly we saw where they raise lovely guinea pigs that are sold to the hospital and University for research. So sad, why didn’t they raise rats, there not so cute. The area was spotlessly clean.

We then went to the shop where they make brooms. The ones here are like a witche’s broom, without the handle. Not only do they make the brooms, they plant the seed to grow the stalks to make the brooms. They have a contract to supply some large stores.

Then we went inside and down the hall from the Administrators office was a room full of cages of cockatiel “parrots” as they call them. Again, spotlessly clean with no smell. Nesting boxes with bald babies in them and a large cage with babies learning to fly and others growing. Simply amazing. Even all the wooded cages were made by the boys.

The walls were lined with artwork that the boys had made in every different material you could think of. The boys in the carpenters shop make all the frames and a lot of the furniture.

We didn’t get to see the pasta making room or the sewing room, but we did see pictures.

We had to say that we have never seen an institution that is training its inmates so well. I asked if they had any needs and his answers were shocking when he told us how much he gets per day to feed a hungry boy. Much of the profit from the sale of birds and animals goes to subsidize the food bill.

There is nothing left over for cleaning supplies, laundry powder, clothing or maintenance. He told us that they do all their own painting, he even paints.

We will help them with some cleaning supplies when we hope some of the other men go to visit.

We had a nice meeting at 5pm with about 12 or 13 present. One man rushed in from his Dachau and slept most of the meeting.

Altogether a profitable day as we try to fit in some visits before heading home from Lviv on Friday.

Thanks for your prayers.

Malcolm.