Report #1 from Ivano

Report #1 from Ivano Frankivsk Friday 27th of March 2009

I was awakened in Lviv by a call for help from Flo. She had leaned over the
tank and the toilet to pick something from behind and a bolt broke holding
the tank on and emptied the tank of water on the floor. There was water
every where but we got it mopped up and got a new bolt to fix it for her.
Well we spent the rest of the morning in Lviv visiting a lady named Lesia,
who is in a wheelchair with MS. She is a dear Christian lady with a large
family. She told us that her husband has been reduced to 3 days a week of
work and now gets 400 Rhivney a month. Her rent and heat last month was
800R.! How does she feed her family? She said it would be bread for today
and something to put on it tomorrow. We were able to help her with some
produce and funds for other needs.

We loaded up for the van at 1 o'clock and grabbed a chicken sandwich before
heading for Ivano Frankivsk an hour and a half away. We were expected for a
meeting in the Meeting Room at 4 pm. We arrived to a find the room packed.
There were the usual hugs and kisses that are so much a way in Ukraine and
we tried to start but people kept coming until every seat was filled with
one standing.. That meant there were 31 plus us four from Lviv. This was
very encouraging.

I opened with a welcome and then let Louis speak, we had brought Misha with
us as he is very interested in the work here and is the brother who has
continues with bible studies in Lviv when Flo is away, and we let him speak.
They say he did very well and the people listened very well. I closed and
gave challenge to them all to memorize the books of the New Testament. I
said we would give prize to all those who will do it. We will wait and see.
We asked how many meetings they want to have and the said 3 a week starting
on Sunday at 3 PM.

We left the room and went to our lodgings and unloaded our bags and then
went for supper and bought groceries.

We are very comfortable in the same basement suite as last fall.

Our man Vadym has had some set backs in the last months, with the financial
crisis hitting his automotive business hard. So much so that he has had to
leave his newly rented apartment and return to his in-laws apartment. His
rent was paid inUS dollars and his business paid only in Rhivnry. The
exchange has jumped so much that is not worth keeping the apartment. He is
very confident that things are changing and has got 3 big jobs his men are
working on now.

I think he is going to keep us busy visiting in the next two weeks.

All for now. Louis has gone to bed as I write this epistle.

Malcolm and Louis.