Ukraine Report #7 Nov 15th

Ukraine Report #7 for Tuesday Nov 15^th

Well Tuesday arrived with no melting of the snow on the trees or streets. The number of trees broken off is so sad, literally 100’s in town I’m sure.

We had found a man who would help the Russian lady a Petriliv who had no heat in her cottage except two weak fan heaters. The storm had cut off the electric power to the village and she was desperate as she had 4 children and no way to cook any food on the two ring hotplate. The man agreed to reline the chimney and make the heater into an oven and hotplate as well. This meant she can cook and heat by the same wood stove. Most of the older cottages heat like this only most have gas and don’t need wood. This cottage is not hooked to gas. We took him the money and he will do most of the work on Monday.

We had forgotten that we were invited for lunch at Dema’s home at 1pm so hurried over to be there. Natalia, his mother, put on a feast with borscht followed by a meat patty and mashed potatoes, plus open face sandwiches and cookies. She is so appreciative for what God has done in her life in saving Dema and also what the Christians did for her when she lost her nose to cancer and we paid for her to have it rebuilt with plastic surgery. We believe she has got saved since her surgery.

We had forgotten that people were coming up from Lviv to help in our meeting  and so met them at a restaurant for 4oclock tea. We could not eat a bite but we had a good visit with Ruslan, Gilles and Helene Plourde from Canada and Heather Anderson from the USA who wants to spend time here. The ride was still not good on the highway, so they said. There were a few less for meeting, I think owing to the awful roads in town for walking.

 Gilles spoke and I followed but the room was without heat and uncomfortable but at least no one slept.

Wednesday.

We found that most of the schools were back in after the storm. I remembered a school that we visited several times, probably 8 or 9 years ago, but had never gone back to. We had had a very good reception to the school and for the first time, I remembered speaking in English class in English. We phoned and got the assistant Director who welcomed us to come that day. As soon as we got there it was the same man I knew and he remembered me. Well great hugs and then a tour of the lovely facility built by the Czechs. as thanks for allowing their gas pipeline to pass through Ukraine. It has, among other things a beautiful gym and a swimming pool. They have over 400 student and all wear uniform. We spoke to a grade 11 class and they listened to the whole thing in English.

We are welcomed back to speak again before we leave.

I don’t know where some of the money is coming from in Ukraine but is amazing what is being built. There is a hardware store called the Epicentre. The original is larger by far than anything I have seen in Canada. Now they have added an extension that is far larger than the original. The work going on to build everything in the new and move product from the old is mind boggling. Hundreds of people moving, dismantling and re building is amazing. There is onlt one problem though at the moment. We went to buy a single inside door for the  fire ravaged apartment. We found a door in the new part but the sales people were in the old part. We went back and forth until I said that was enough so we came without the door and will go and try again tomorrow. The store is going to need shuttles to move people around, the expanse is so great.

Thursday.

We decided to go to the big school in Holovesco with the 2000 children, so phoned the lady we had met before and she said they would be ready when they arrived. She asked how many classes we would like to speak to and we said 3 she said why not 4 being as you are here! So to 4 full classes we spoke. Two of the were double classes with kids squashed in their desks. Most were older but one class were younger. All were very respectful and the younger class wanted to take selfi’s of us before we left.

The road was very rough with packed ridges of hard snow to try to miss. We went and got the door later with no problem this time.

Home in time to set up for meeting in the apartment. 11 people all together with good attention as we spent time in Acts 2 and what the first assembly practiced. This was very new to some and attracted good questions. After a meal of pizza and cake and cookies, some brought by the visitors we continued for a time and then Valodia ferried them all home.

I humorous thing we enjoyed was when Wade went to the store to buy some cookies. He picked up a box and all the girls in the store were laughing. He found out why when he got to the apartment. He had bought a whole box of cookies that they just dip into and sell in small bags. They must have thought he was joking, or really enjoyed those type of cookies, anyway we sure had plenty of them.

And so to bed after another good day.

Keep praying please, as our time will soon be done here.

Malcolm and Wade.