Ukraine report For October 31 2016 #2
Well the weekend is over and now we need to get busy with our visiting. Still having a problem sleeping as well as
Wade, but hope to be over it soon.
We wanted to visit our friends in Petriliv and so headed off to visit this little school. Only 27 students but well run by a dedicated staff with Anna as the administrator. As with all these country schools, there are always some problems that the authorities are unwilling to fix. The first one was that the drains that run from the kitchen, run into a tank that must be emptied by sucking out and there was no pump to empty it. They needed an electric pump and pipe. We went to town and found a new one in the market with 2 year warranty and bought it with 50 meters of pipe for $62.00. Our dollars go a long way over here.
Because Wade was new there we were shown around the school before speaking to the children. I noticed one classroom had a new wooden floor. Anna said she laid it! She got a man to cut the wood and she laid and screwed it down, what a woman. We talked to the children and then talked to the computer teacher. There were about 12 or more computers in the room but none had enough memory them to download the programs needed for the children. We took one of the newest computers, 10 years old to see if we could get them upgraded. We found we could and will get to upgraded.
We were given dinner in the cold dining room. No heat yet as it had been off all of last week for holidays.
We were then told about a Russian woman who had 4 children and was living in a terrible home with no heat. As it was on our way home we visited her. The house was clean but the brick chimney of the wood heater had fallen into the chimney. We looked it over and decided to try and find a bricklayer to repair it. We visited 4 bricklayers homes before finding one who would go and look at it on Thursday.
Tuesday, not a good night but up anyway to another rainy dull morning. Had porridge for breakfast and toast and peanut butter. Had fruit as well, just like home!!
We went to the computer shop to see what he could do with the computers. Two were good enough to upgrade to new strength and will last for years. We also were able to buy a new one with a monitor and key board for $277.00US, an amazing price really. This should fix them up for a long time.
Anna was expecting inspectors on Wednesday and the whole school was being cleaned and new plants put in vases and pots. These people are cruel. They threaten and blame for whatever they want to. If she is out of the office and doesn’t answer the phone they ask her why she wasn’t working and she could get fired.
We came home and got ready for meeting. Edmund and Agnes and Lawrence and Margaret McHugh came for supper before meeting. There were a good number out, some we haven’t seen for years. Wade gave his testimony and Laurence spoke. Altogether a good day.
Wednesday Nov 2, Went to see a dear lady Natalia who is bedridden with MS. We have watched her get weaker and weaker over the years, she cannot sit up at all now but has lost none of her joy and faith in Christ. Her mother looks after her very well and is retired from teaching now. We left funds for her expensive pain pills. Went to see if Andre was at his office. That is the place we were first invited to in Ivano, it is called Solidarity. He was there and we spent about 15 minutes with him. He has done something unique in the basement of the building, he has made it into a “salt mine”, yes that’s right. The whole room has been converted into salt walls and floor. I heard of a salt mine where people can go to stay underground to be healed of breathing ailments such as asthma. People now come for daily sessions in “Andre’s Salt Mine”, and get help from their ailments.
We did some shopping and then went to see a lady, Luba who is a Christian and has come to meetings since we first came here. She has raised 3 grown children alone as her husband left her 30 years ago. We had a lovely visit and plan to help a little with rent and utility costs she has owing. What is so crooked with the authorities is that it depends on how many live in the apartment as to whether the owner gets a discount on the rates. Her husband who left 30 years ago is still listed as a resident as are the two children who are now on their own. She has to foot the complete amount with no discount as they recon all these people are paying to live there.
Well a good day but tired so will close off for now.
Thank you for praying for wisdom in who we visit and what we say.
Malcolm and Wade.
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