Malcolm's Report # 3

Malcolm's report # 3 Nov 4^th

Monday arose with bright sun and mild temperatures. It make it so much more joy than dull rainy days.

Ruslan arrived for us with Edmund, ready to go to one of our favourite little orphanages at Yosopowichi, about an hour away. Agnes was in need of a rest after the conference weekend, so stayed home.

There are presently 17 cute little children in the home. We sang choruses with them and Howard gave a little message.

Sasha, a plumber came with us and put a new set of taps on the tub, while we spoke. We also brought a new door to have installed in one of the rooms. We are going to look into a steel table they need to prepare food on.

After having a nice lunch of borscht and a fish plate, we bade farewell and headed to the doctor's home in Strii. He is the man who carves wood items. He is unable to do that now as he has a frozen shoulder, or something like it, and can't use his arm. Some may remember that their living accommodation is one of the worst we ever visit. We had hoped to help them get into and attached empty apartment, but it looks as if this will not happen as two sisters own it and can't agree how much they each need. Maria, Michaelo's wife is going to start looking for an apartment that they can afford.

Sadly, their oldest son was conscripted into the army and is now in hospital with shell shock and is mentally damaged.

We headed home to Agnes where she had prepared a lovely supper. We visited for a long time afterwards and them headed to out apartment less than 10 minutes walk away.

I have never been more frustrated with internet as with this one in our apartment. It is one thing to have something that does not work at all, but another thing to have something that only works when it feels like it. UGGGH! So to bed.

Tuesday. Not a very early start because of supplies we had to pick up from the supermarket. We were going to the Carpathian Mountains to visit Natalia, a school teacher who got saved while interpreting for us 10 or 12 years ago. She is now married with 2 lovely daughters. She is invaluable in knowing who are those in need in the mountain villages, so we head up steep rough roads and stop beside the road. The people seem to come from everywhere or nowhere. They must see the van, but some were in their gardens digging potatoes others maybe at home.

Before we distribute the produce, we have a little gospel meeting and they all listen very attentively.

I spoke on the harvest being over, the summer being ended and they are not saved. Edmund taught the little children a verse.

Natalia had wanted us to go to her house first and have lunch, which we did. She lives in a beautiful house her father built and her husband has now added on to. He works in construction in Russia so was not there. They have added several bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms and hope to attract renters who come to ski in the area. Very smart.

We finished up at her sister Ira's home for the final distribution. Iira is also a teacher as well as raising a family of 15 children. Her husband works on the railway in Russia. Several people arrived and the gospel was preached again. One lady was there who lost here husband with cancer less than a year ago. She is left with 4 children.

It had turned quite cold before we left and we had a hard job to get warm on the way home. On the way up to the mountains, we stopped to changed seats in the van. We found out later that Howard's coat had fallen out when we stopped and we were too far to go back. He was quite upset as he had had it for 10 years and it was a used one at that!! Thankfully he didn't have anything in his pocket of value a he wasn't really upset, more annoyed at himself.

Home at last, very tired and cold, must have got chilled standing in the villages.

We had a good night's sleep. Keep praying. Malcolm and Howard.