Saturday March 21

We decided to go visit the gypsies again with some more clothing and food.

Malcolm and Louis were with us and we thought it would be a good opportunity to bring the message of the gospel to these people again.

We arrived and the people were quick to spot us parked on the highway and soon some of the men and women as well as children came out to greet us.

We walked up to and over the railroad tracks, thru the ditch and thru the little trail to get to their tent village.

There were about eight shelters there, so probably eight families live in this specific place. They have to be the poorest of the poor. Their shelters consist of plastic sheeting with branches acting as framework. They have a little stove of some sort in there to keep warm and to cook. There was laundry hanging on the lines but no water in sight. And judging by the cleanliness of the people, specifically the children, there can’t be too much water around. The kids range between infants and 10 year olds and a few closer to teen years. We were there with our winter coats, hats, gloves and still not specially warm. Many of these children were outside with nothing other than a sweater. Some with an adult size sweater dragging on the ground and in the dirty puddles, no coat, no pants, only the sweater.

One little girl in particular comes to mind. When we got there she was playing on the grass, rolling around. We cold not get her attention and we were told she was deaf and mute. Finally when she saw us going to their homes, she came near me and took my hand and stayed with me while Malcolm and Louis were speaking. This little one was shivering from the cold. Some of the kids came up to me and made signs indicating that she was deaf or that she was not like them. It was obvious that this little one is challenged and will have a very difficult life.

We had brought some oranges and bananas with us. The children were ecstatic at this and ate them with great delight. I think we all had the same thought in our mind, whether these kids had ever even tasted a banana.

The gospel was sounded out one more time and everyone listened quite well. We left the clothes with them to distribute amongst themselves and returned to Lviv to get ready for company for supper.

Lutsk tomorrow so it was an early night.

- Helene