Report #73 from Dan Perez

Report #73 from Dan Perez Thursday the 21st on November Went early in the morning to Lviv and met with Edmond and Paul. Paul brings in cargo vans from Europe and revamps them to passenger vans and sells them in Ukraine. New laws will make this harder to do and more expensive and it looks like Paul will have to close his shop. There we exchanged vans and I left with a newer one that handles these Ukrainian roads better. On my way back I was waived by the traffic police to stop and I did, there is another new law that you must have your lights on at all times. I did have my parking lights on which meets the new law’s requirement but the officer said I had no lights on, he kept my documents for a while before giving them back and letting me go. This being a revamped van there could be problems so I was glad that all the documents were there and correct. Made it back in time for our meeting, this is the first time on a Thursday that no one but me and Sasha was there. Though at first it didn’t look good but my time with Sasha couldn’t have been better and I saw God using this time as He has the other meetings, Praise God!! Friday) Paid the rent for the room where we have our meeting then headed up to Rasen. In Rasen there is a sanatorium and is about a two hour drive from Ivano and some parts of the road looked and felt like a war zone but the Vito (the van) handled well! There we went to see the director but he was still in the hospital and has been for weeks or months but the second in command had no problems in allowing us to speak to the kids. There were about 90 to 100 kids plus the staff, I can tell that the staff really likes when we come and the kids seem to enjoy this time too! They all listened well, interacted well and asked questions. They all received New Testaments, a calendar with bible verse on them for next year, some candies and left a few boxes there. On the way back I stopped by one of the schools near to Rasen and talked with the vice principal and asked if we can speak to the kids the next time we are in the area. She took us to her office and was delighted to have a foreigner at the school of 450 students and welcomed us to come back to speak to the students. When we got back to Ivano I received a phone call from one of the ladies that comes to the meeting. She was in the hospital and wanted me to visit her. I bought her some prescriptions that she needed and she told me that she did not like this hospital because it is where her husband died and is afraid that she might too. We then had a good talk about God’s plan of salvation! Saturday/Sunday) Spent the weekend in Lviv with the saints there, Edmond invited some of us from Ivano for a time of fellowship. Saturday we had a time for questions and games both with biblical topics and throughout the evening we had good talks, good food and a good time and was glad that Sasha was able to make it too! Sunday morning we met to remember our great God and His great works through His righteous Servant the Lord Jesus! Made it back to Ivano in good timing and before the meeting Sasha and I went through some passages and words to remember. Yaroslav and I spoke and all listened well! Monday) Boxes were delivered today from Meest and sorted them throughout the day. It was a cold and rainy day that later turned into snow, the first snow fall of the season. As I left the apartment for some fresh air (the dust on the boxes causes me to sneeze) and was walking down the street I was hearing loud chanting’s from a crowd coming from somewhere. On my way back to the apartment I came a different way and saw hundreds of people protesting in front of the government building that they call The White House. Police officers were barricading the doors to keep the protester out. The protesters were mostly students that were responding to their President’s decision to stop or suspend all talks about joining the EU (European Union). Most of these students see joining the EU as their future and the only way out of poverty but now they see no future. I then got a call from one lady that works at the school in Petrilliv, a town we visit often. We met and I gave her the meat grinder that was bought while Malcolm and Jean were here. The school there was still using a hand operated one and asked if we could help with getting an electric one, she was very thankful! Tuesday) Went to visit Anolina again at the hospital and helped her with more prescriptions that she needed to give to the nurse to do the injections. Then met with the director of a mentally ill home for men, a place we visit regularly. He was in Ivano for a meeting and asked in our last visit there with Malcolm and Jean for some strips that are used in a blood sugar monitor for the patients. I was able to find them here in Ivano and gave them to him before he left town. We then had our evening meeting, Yaroslav has been sick for the past couple of days so I was the only one that spoke. Continue to pray for the Lord’s work here in Ukraine, laws are constantly changing and could have a direct effect on what we do here and for unity among His own that come to help with the Lord's work here! Thank You!! In Christ our Lord Dan