Report #20, Oct 29

Report 20 Wednesday 29 Oct.

We were greeted by another sunny morning and quite a bit warmer when we went
outside. One of the things we have seen several times through our window is
the garbage truck, or should I say tractor and cart!! That right, complete
with a lady in the wagon treading the bags of garbage down. By the time it
reaches our house it is piled high on the wagon. There are no garbage bins
on this street so the garbage is just thrown on the curb.

Well we wanted to start earlier this morning but got out of town about 9:30
-10am We had a long trip to a new "orphanage" so we thought. After reaching
the mountains with most spectacular views, we started on this terrible road
to find this "orphanage". We should have walked the last part of the road,
as it had obviously been washed out by the raging water that caused all the
floods this summer. What we found was a gorgeous building sitting on the
edge of the forest and absolutely no one home?? Vadym phoned the man who was
the contact person and he was in the village below and said he would get
someone to bring him up. After about 15 minutes this poor old car brought
him and his wife up the hill. The man, whose name we have forgotten, was a
delightful man who was the manager of what we found to be, a camp for
underprivileged children that runs all summer and for week ends in the fall
and winter. We were given a tour of what could well rate as a 5 star resort
building. It had been a Pioneer Camp in Communist times and had then been
left to decay. When the present group took it over it did not even have a
roof. It is now 3 stories with a full basement. Everything is made of wood
and is perfect, not one thing not finished or of good quality. We found out
that it has been a joint venture of many organizations and sponsors. We
quizzed him as to the religious affiliation and it is not meant to promote
any particular religion. Groups of children are brought to camp by their own
staff and can engage in whatever is for the good of the children in their
care. The reason we had been asked to visit is the problem they are facing
with their gas stoves. They have got two but have been told that the law
says that an institution cannot have gas stoves, they must use electric
ones. There are coming any day to plug the gas line to the stoves. Well we
could not see buying a commercial cooker but told him that we did have
someone who we were buying a gas stove for and may be we could have one of
his (one was brand new) and get him an electric one. He felt it would be
good but had to get the permission of the Administration, so we will see. He
was thrilled to receive a bundle of John 3:16's as well as some bundles of
New Testaments. He said we would be welcome any time to come and speak or
even spend time there. We will have to see.

We got home in time to pick up two ladies and go to see the boy who was
burned and is in hospital. We were very impressed with the hospital, built
for Ukraine by Germany and very modern. We found the 15 year old with burns
to all his chest and two arms and one hand. He was burning trash at the
service station where he works part time and had spilt gasoline on the front
of his sweater, some time earlier and it ignited, sticking his muscle shirt
to his body. Thankfully, none of his face was burned. He seemed quite
depressed. He has no money, his father is mentally unable to provide since
returning from the war in Afghanistan and his mother cannot provide, We were
able to speak a word in the gospel and we left him reading the tracts and we
also left help for his medical costs.

We took a break with Vadym while he changed the fuel pump on his car and we
can now run on petrol as well as propane. We went home for a nap before
going out for a visit and supper and Oleg and Ola's, our old friends from
Solidarity. We had a good visit and came home ready for bed.

Good night and God bless.

Malcolm and Howard.