Spring 2013 - Report #8

Ukraine report # 8
Tuesday.16th
We spent the day in town, visiting different places and people. Firstly we went to get a sister some prescription glasses. Luba has a hard life but has a constant smile and sign of Christian joy about her. The optometrist tested her eyes and we then ordered her bi-focal glasses.
We then visited Maria who is quite ill with sugar diabetes, but will not have us visit unless she makes a full scale dinner. We had a good dinner and a good conversation about spiritual things. She is God fearing but I’m not sure if she is saved.
From there we went to the Half Way House to deliver 3 boxes of clothes and some bags of potatoes and some pickles, sent from Halia in the village. Everyone seems to help everyone else when they know they are in need. The administrator told us how they are re-vamping the whole place and will have need for more staff and she would welcome someone to help in certain areas. We may have some ideas how we can help.
We had bought Russian and Ukrainian Bibles for the Rehabilitation home for men, so we delivered them and had a chat about Healers and Healing. I think we gave them something to think about.
At 6pm we had our meeting with a good number out and several who we had contacted again this trip. This was my last meeting here as I will go to Lviv and stay there next Sunday.
We were invited to Ruslan and Anne, our new friends, for supper and then home for a good night’s sleep.
Wednesday.
It looks as if Spring has Sprung over here. Wild flowers in the woods and bulbs shooting up in the gardens. Because the Orthodox Easter at the end of the month, the whole of Ukraine goes into “Clean-up” mode. Kids are out of class cleaning school yards. People are painting their fences and workers are cleaning up the winter junk out of the gutters. A hive of activity. We are also glad to see some work filling in some of the potholes on the roads but most roads are still a disaster.
Well we got under way to the Sanatorium for children in Yasin. We have been there many times now and always are made very welcome. Most of these children are anything but sick, but have been and need to recuperate in the country setting. There were about 80 or more plus teachers and they packed into the auditorium. They listened very well and gave good answers. We gave out New Testaments and picture Bibles to the younger ones, as well as laminated verses to hang up and John 3:16’s.
We got something to eat in a “Village restaurant”. The place was big enough for 30 people but we were the only ones in there. We had to ask the girl to put some lights on. There were no menus and the tables were sticky and carved up with initials. No doubt some of the rich and famous who had dined there before?? She had to go to the store to get a loaf of bread and some tomatoes for the salad! We asked for a bag of chips and she said they were much cheaper at the store, so that’s where we bought them.
We were told some boxes were being delivered and so Howard stayed at the apartment while I got a brake sensor fixed on the van. I got back and they still had not been delivered, but 14 of them came soon after. We started to open some and get boxes ready for tomorrow. Some good stuff from  Pugwash Jct. NS.
And so to bed with not too many days left.
Thursday 18th
A lovely warm day for a trip into the country, but we had to see about some boxes stuck at the post office. They were sent with the name of a brother who is not here right now and they won’t release them. We hope they will be released when the right info is faxed.
Well the little village we went to is called Grusha or Pear Place. It seems quite run down but we were made very welcome. We came to speak to the children but the Mayor wanted us in for tea first and kept us so long the children had gone home. This has never happened before, we were all very embarrassed but were able to book for tomorrow morning, on our way to another school in the afternoon.
Our time was not completely wasted, as we went to visit a family just outside the town in a little village. They are saved Pentecostal people. He was saved while in prison. They were visited last year by Dan and Louis and had many questions about eternal security. We talked again as we ate a light lunch meal. They have a dilemma at present as they live in the mother in law’s house and she wants them to move. They now have 3 children and she wants to be quiet. Uri has purchased a piece of property in another village and wants to remodel??? the house on it. We can’t imagine it happening but he is going to Poland to work for a while to raise the money.
So much for another day with God’s help and protection on the roads.
Your Brothers in The Best of Lord’s service.   Malcolm & Howard