First report from Ukraine in April 2014 from Malcolm and Howard.

 

First Report from Malcolm and Howard for April 15^th to 16^th.

Thankfully, Howard Pratt and I had a safe and uneventful trip back to Lviv, leaving on the 14^th and arriving on the 15^th. We have only had slight jet-lag so far, so hope flying on the new “Dreamliner” has done what they claimed and reduced effects of Jet-lag. The plane was lovely but the seats far from comfortable, narrower and less leg room.

We have planned to stay in Lviv until Sunday and return to Ivano Frankivsk on Sunday afternoon in time to start our week of Gospel Meetings on Sunday night.

It has been some time since we visited some of the original contacts we first made with Flo Kancir in the Lviv area and so started yesterday with visiting the orphanage in Yosopowichi.

 This is an orphanage for children from 2 years old to 8years old or thereabout. They have a new lady administrator who was very excited to meet us. We have spent a lot of time and funds on this orphanage in the past that has been so neglected by the government and the village they live in. She was excited to meet some of those who have contributed time to visit this place. While drinking tea with her, she asked how we celebrated “Paska” or Easter in Canada. We had one of the best opportunities to explain what we appreciate of Christ, not just at Paska but all year round. We then spoke to the staff along the same line.

On our way home, we visited our friends in the city of Ctri, or Stri. This is where the  ex Doctor, Misha, and his wife and family live. The apartment is two rooms with no door between them, no running water except that which runs down one wall from a faulty roof. There is a pump outside and an outside toilet. His lovely wife Maria has had open heart surgery a year ago and has still not regained her strength. She was there but was having a problem with breathing, as much, we think from the mold and humidity on the inside walls. Misha ekes out a living carving most intricate wood carvings that he sells in the market. Their situation is almost hopeless. He owns the apartment which would hardly sell, the condition it is in. They would like to get a house in the village nearby but how and with what, we don’t know. They have 5 children, 3 still at home and the eldest one mentally and physically handicapped. Please pray for Misha and Maria and family.

The weather is rainy and cold but is supposed to warm up for the weekend.

 All for now, please keep praying for Ukraine, things are serious.

Malcolm and Howard.

Maria and Misha the ex-doctor with Howard.