Ukraine Spring Report #7 & 8

Reports #7 and #8

We had to be up in good time as Nick and I were going alone to Holovetsko in the Carpathian Mountains. Flo was going to stay home to prepare the meal for the people who would be coming for the baptism on Saturday.

Before going we had to shop for food items to give away to some of the very poor families who live in the village. There are some large families in the area, one lady we visit has 14 children.

It takes a good 2 ½ hours to get to the village over the most dreadful roads for the last third of the trip. The weather was bright and warm until we got into the mountains when it turned dull and rainy at times. We met our “guide and interpreter” Natalia, on the road, she was walking home from another village. I met her the first time I went to the mountains, several years ago. She is a teacher of English in two schools and had to walk from one to the other each day. When I was here with Dr. David Brandt, we bought her a bicycle which she still has and uses.

She was single when we first met her but is now married with two lovely little girls. She got saved, so she says, when she was interpreting for us and I was using the “2-roads Chart”. We trust it is so . She is so useful to us as she knows each family and their needs and we travel around and let the people sort out some of the used clothing and we give out the food items. At each stop, I gave a word in the gospel, they always listed well.

It rained quite hard several times but this did not hinder the people coming. It is very interesting seeing people coming down the hills and across the stream, just to get some used clothes and some food supplies.

We went to Natalia’s sister, the lady with 14 children, and she gave us a good lunch before we headed home.

It was not only a rewarding day but also very interesting for Nick and John to see the “mountain people” and there way of eking out a living.

Saturday.

A beautiful day but a cold wind. News of the cancelled flights began to filter in as all the airports in Ukraine are closed because of the ash from the Volcano eruption. Louis and Dan are set to go home next Tuesday, so there is some concern but we hear things may be returning to normal by Sunday. We’ll see.

We had to get things ready for the baptism that was going to be held at 11am in the large Baptist church. People would be coming from Lutsk, the only Assembly in Ukraine as well as all the people who meet in this apartment. Flo and some of the other sisters prepare a meal for everyone back at the apartment.

We arrived at the church at 11 and the folks were all there from Lutsk plus our own people.

Anatoly is an interpreter from Lutsk and led the “service” with hymns and prayer, then Nick gave a good word on baptism. Timothy Sloan and his wife Rhoda were here and he was very glad to have Nick speak as he spoke at the last baptism.

I then baptized two brethren, Andrei and then Oleh. Andrei got saved when I was here last Fall when we were visiting and Flo was speaking to him. He is very bright and his mother is saved and in fellowship.

Oleh is the husband of Ola and the step father of Voladia who are both in fellowship. Ola’s first husband dies of cancer many years ago and she married Oleh within the last 5 years or so.

Everything went very well, UNTIL we went to change and found that the tank must have had an overflow and spilled over onto my dry clothes down stairs. Not very pleasant having to put wet clothes on. Anyway , we had a great time of fellowship and dinner back at the apartment.

We are going to Lutsk tomorrow so have to be up early as we leave at 7am to get there by 10am, a long trip.

God bless you all and thank you for praying for us.

Malcolm and our Crew.