June in Ukraine, by Dan.
The end of the month has come
very quickly. I was hoping to start some children’s meetings in the park
somewhere in town but instead we were invited to go to a summer camp in
Verhovena at the school/ orphanage that we frequently visit. It is always in need
of help since the government gives barely enough funding for food. The repairs
and updates would have to be paid out of the staffs own pocket or find some
outside help. They will get fined by the
government if these things our not taken care of, even though it is the
government who should be the one taking care of these things, very unfair! They
have a present need in finishing two rooms for the students, the one would be
teaching girls home economics and the other room would be teaching wood working
for the boys. I can see how important these classes would be. Many of these
kids are from the mountains and come from broken homes, some are not even
wanted back home. If they do not get this type of teaching at the school most
likely they will not get it anywhere else!
Some have left some funds and
work has started on some of the windows in one room and cementing the floor in
the other room but they will still need more funds if they are to have it in
some kind of operational form for next year, which they are hoping to do if at
all possible. The need is definitely there I am trusting it will be met.
I decided to go for three days
but saw the need to stay for two more day since we were told by the director
that it actually went until the end of the week. Both the workers and the kids
were also encouraging us to stay to the end. I caved in and ended up staying there for
eight full days Which was not in my plans but was sure worth the stay!
I focused on the kids and we
played game together but I can soon tell that they were not used to playing by
the rules. In each game they wanted to play it their way, which was wrong and
this caused some conflict but, once they saw I was not going to play by their
rules they began to listen.
We played together went on
hikes together and ate together. It is too bad that most of the teacher did not
pay any attention to these kids most of the time, it was just left up me and
Sasha with the kids who were starving for attention. There were not many things
organized for the kids to do, so I tried each day to have a time for memorizing
verses or learning a hymn or giving a bible story. Each day and time was
different and if any of the kids wanted to come then we would have a meeting,
they came voluntarily. All in all I had a great time with them and though it
was sad to leave I was glad to be back in Ivano-Frankivsk!
The Sunday before the camp trip
we went to Lviv to remember our Lord.
Some from the Lutsk assembly were there which double the attendance.
After the meeting we were heading back to Ivano where I got a flat tire on
these lovely roads, could you imagine that? As I got ready to jack up the van I
realized we were missing the wrench for the jack and rim nuts so there was
nothing I could do but to wave down another driver to ask if I could use their
wrench. One driver did stop and as I was using his wrench it broke, he
complained so I paid for it. Another driver stopped and his tool also broke I
offer to pay for it but he said NO it is drivers courtesy to help other drivers
out, that was nice of him to view it that way. We ended up going to some house
where two men took total responsibility and were able to fix the flat. One of
the men was wearing a shirt that had in big letters CHICAGO, that was cool! I
offered to pay them for their help but they gave me a dirty look and thought it
and insult so I thank them instead. As we finally got back to Ivano three of
the ladies said they were not going to come to our evening meeting. They did
not say why but think they were too tired from the trip plus the flat that they
just wanted to be home, can’t blame them I was also very tired!
I have been taking Ukrainian
lesson once a week and would like to do more but do not find time to study much
Ukrainian. It is still very difficult for me, I need God’s help to learn this
language! The teacher who is trying to teach me Ukrainian works in a university
in town, she teaches Ukrainian to foreign students and also teaches German,
this is good but there is a small problem, she know very little English. Since
the focus is to learn Ukrainian I am hoping this can help me more by leaning
Ukrainian in Ukraine, might work with the help of God!!
Trust you will pray for the
needs of the school/orphanage and their two rooms needed for school start this
September. Also that they themselves would look to the one that can fulfill
their needs even our Lord Jesus Christ!
In Christ our Lord!
Dan
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