Report #9

Saturday Sept 22

After stopping by at the grocery store to pick up some groceries to help out, and after loading a box of clothing picked out from the boxes in the apartment, we headed out to Lisnevitchy.  This is another village we have been visiting since 1995 on that first visit because this is where Flora’s brother and sister in law live.  Ivan, Stefka’s husband passed away quite a few years ago, but we still go visit Stefka.  She lives with her son Orst and daughter in law Ola.  Two years ago we were visiting and we could converse with Stefka.  But this year we found that she has been suffering from dementia and does not remember us at all.  She does remember Flora though!  

Gilles and I went to see the old couple who live next door.  Back in 2001 Gilles had helped him (Volodia) harvest his corn.  On another occasion Volodia took Gilles with him when he went to get his horses which were out in the pasture.  Every year we have stopped in to chat with them, as they live next door to Stefka.  This year we approached him and he didn’t remember Gilles at all, however the door suddenly opened and we were both wrapped up in this warm embrace from his wife because she remembered us.  She was very happy to see us.  Gilles was able to converse with her a bit and understand a bit of what she was saying.

She very explained to us how things have changed so much.  There are no more cows anywhere, the younger generation is all working in the city and life has changed very much for them.  And again there is the ever present problem of poverty for the elderly.  She was very sad as she explained to us that everything is going up in price but their pension is not sufficient to cover everything anymore. 

However she lit up as she told us that God is good.  All those years ago she heard the gospel preached at Stefka’s house and accepted that Jesus had in fact given His life for her, seeing him as the answer to her spiritual need.

After we left, we drove back to Lviv and picked up the food bags we had prepared to bring to the homeless shelter.  It only opens at 8 pm and Saturday is the only day they have no supper served to the ones sleeping there.  So after everyone had come in they came upstairs where Gilles and Ruslan and myself were waiting.  Gilles spoke about the love of Jesus being all inclusive and Ruslan translated and had a few things to say himself.  Everyone was very respectful and listened very well.  There were about twenty people sitting and listening.  We then distributed the food bags we had prepared.  It was more like a lunch, with a sausage and cheese sandwich, banana, coffee packets, sugar and juice box and a gospel tract in each bag.  Gilles mentioned to them how we can supply a small lunch to satisfy an immediate hunger, but only Jesus can fill the spiritual hunger we have.  It can’t be filled with anything else, though often we try with different things.  We all left there very happy with our visit and happy to have met these individuals and especially having been able to tell them of the One who loves them!