First Bell at the New School #16

Little Masha ringing the First Bell of the new school year

Joshua and Dominic dressed for their first day of school with flowers for their teachers

Today was First Bell for Dominic and Joshua, their first day of school. It was also the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new School #16. The school is the first school in Bila Tserkva to be built in independent Ukraine. All the other schools had been built during Soviet times. The school is not yet completed, but the first four grades will be attending while the rest continue at the old school until next year. So for now, the boys will be going to separate schools. It looks like the boys will both have morning or first session classes instead of afternoon classes like last year.

Dominic with his classmates

Joshua in his new classroom

It's still strange to think about how different American schools are compared to Ukrainian. All the children wear nice clothes and bring their teachers flowers on the first day. Everyone takes so much pride in celebrating the Ukrainian culture even in the school. I noticed that on the chalkboard in Joshua's classroom, in bold letters, was a prayer to God asking for His blessing of the class and the new school year. Try that in public schools in California.

My Friendly Epistle

Taras Shevchenko
Viunishcha, December 14, 1845

To the Dead, the Living, and to Those Yet Unborn, My Countrymen all Who Live in Ukraine and Outside Ukraine,

If a man say, I Love God, and
hate his brother, he is a liar,
1 John iv. 20

Day dawns, then comes the twilight grey, The limit of the live-long day; For weary people sleep seems best And all God's creatures go to rest. I, only, grieve like one accursed, Through all the hours both last and first, Sad at the crossroads, day and night, With no one there to see my plight; No one can see me, no one knows me; All men are deaf, no ears disclose me; Men stand and trade their mutual chains And barter truth for filthy gains, Committing shame against the Lord By harnessing for black reward People in yokes and sowing evil In fields commissioned by the Devil... And what will sprout? You soon will see What kind of harvest there will be! Come to your senses, ruthless ones, O stupid children, Folly's sons! And bring that peaceftil paradise, Your own Ukraine, before your eyes; Then let your heart, in love sincere, Embrace her mighty ruin here! Break then your chains, in love unite, Nor seek in foreign lands the sight Of things not even found above, Still less in lands that strangers love... Then in your own house you will see True justice, strength, and liberty! Gain knowledge, brothers! Think and read, And to your neighbours' gifts pay heed, -- Yet do not thus neglect your own: For he who is forgetful shown Of his own mother, graceless elf, Is punished by our God Himself. Strangers will turn from such as he And grudge him hospitality -- Nay, his own children grow estranged; Though one so evil may have ranged The whole wide earth, he shall not find A home to give him peace of mind. Sadly I weep when I recall The unforgotten deeds of all Our ancestors: their toilsome deeds! Could I forget their pangs and needs, I, as my price, would than suppress Half of my own life's happiness... Such is our glory, sad and plain, The glory of our own Ukraine! I would advise you so to read That you may see, in very deed, No dream but all the wrongs of old That burial mounds might here unfold Before your eyes in martyred hosts, That you might ask those grisly ghosts: Who were the tortured ones, in fact, And why, and when, were they so racked?... Then 0 my brothers, as a start, Come, clasp your brothers to your heart, -- So let your mother smile with joy And dry her tears without annoy. Blest be your children in these lands By touch of your toil-hardened hands, And, duly washed, kissed let them be With lips that speak of liberty! Then all the shame of days of old, Forgotten, shall no more be told; Then shall our day of hope arrive, Ukrainian glory shall revive, No twilight but the dawn shall render And break forth into novel splendour.... Brother, embrace! Your hopes possess, I beg you in all eagerness!

Translated by C. H. Andrusyshen & W. Kirkconnell

Outreach to Flood Victims in Western Ukraine (Part 1)

Last night we returned from our trip to western Ukraine to help the people who are still recovering from the floods that devastated that region. (You can see pictures of the floods and read about it by checking out Olya's blog. She's the one who was on the phone making all the contacts and finding out exactly how we could help.) We were blessed to be able to serve in any way we could even if it was just to talk to someone and tell them that God loves them so much that He sent His only Son, Jesus, to die for them on the Cross. Dominic and I made the trip down to the Chernivtsi Oblast near the Romanian and Moldovan border, along with nine other people from the Chernihiv (Chernigov) church, early Thursday morning. (Interestingly, most of the people we met were ethnically Romanian although Ukrainian citizens. Their preferred language was Romanian. We learned that the region we were in had actually been part of Romania before WW II.)

What we saw was heartbreaking, but yet encouraging when we would hear that people were placing their Hope in Christ to bring them through their present trials. We met several people as we handed out aide who had literally lost everything that they owned in this world and yet would decline extra food and supplies telling us to give it to someone who was in greater need. There is so much to tell about this trip that I can't do it in just one post. I'll have to share this experience with several posts and links to the four other people on the trip who will be blogging about it as well. I can honestly say that it made our Joy complete to spend ourselves in service to our brothers and sisters in western Ukraine. No one on the trip felt that it was ever a sacrifice, but rather our blessing to see Christ glorified in tragedy and suffering and to be able to witness the Sovereignty of God even in disaster.

With most of the older homes built from mud bricks, the floods reduced them to piles of mud and timbers

Most if not all of the furniture and appliances in homes were water logged and ruined

The team putting together food, water, and clothing to give out in the village (from left to right: Marina, Olya, Valya, Dominic, Conor, Jake, Mira, and Andriy with Vlada and Anya in the background)

All sources of drinking water are polluted and travel is difficult for the elderly, so it is vital that someone takes them food and water

As I get more time to sort through all the pictures I'll do my best to recount all that we saw and experienced in future posts. My hope is that, along with the others who will post blogs about our experience, we will encourage people to spend their lives for Christ finding their pleasure in Him.

Dominic giving a bag of food and water to a woman from the village

Thankful

A Visit from Will and Ira

On Monday, our friends Will and Ira came to visit us for a few days. Will and Ira are missionaries from Nizhyn. We had not seen them since Christmas time, so it was really nice to see them again. It was good to relax and fellowship with friends. We spent our time visiting Oleksandria Park, the amusement park at the town center, and of course cooking and eating in the kitchen. Ira showed me how to cook a new meal that turned out quite delicious. I am determined to make it myself now.

Thank you Will and Ira for coming out to spend time with us. It was really encouraging to have you guys here. We look forward to having you here again!


(Dominic, Will, Edna, and Ira) At the amusement park, deciding which ride to go on next

Early this morning, Greg and Dominic headed out to western Ukraine with a group from Chernihiv to assist the flood victims in the Chernivtsi oblast. A large part of western ukraine was devastated by flooding. Many people have lost everything. There is a huge need there to repair and rebuild. Please pray for their safe travels and for God to lead and direct them. Also, pray for opportunities for them to share about our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Thanks!

- Edna

Happy Independence Day Ukraine! (З Днем Незалежності!)

Celebrating 17 years of Independence

I love this billboard that reads, "Ukraine - My favorite style"

Old School / New School

New School No. 16

We recently found out that a new School No. 16 would be opening its doors for First Bell on September 1st. It will specialize in natural sciences and mathematics. The school isn't yet completed so only a few of the grades, including Joshua's, will be making the move. Dominic will still attend the old School No. 16 until next year. The new school is bigger and even a little closer to where we live than the older one. Joshua is excited about school now and so are we after seeing how nice it is. Today, we slipped in among the construction to get a sneak peek.

The new School No. 16 under construction in April of 2007

The difference between the two schools is amazing. The old school has the look and feel of a Soviet institution complete with the bust of a Soviet Army soldier, M. O. Kyrylenko, who was killed nearby while defending Bila Tserkva against the "fascist German aggressors" (the new school also bears his name). The floors are made from warped planks of wood and the layers of paint covering everything are nearly immeasurable. The school is still well maintained and clean, but very out dated.

Notice the Soviet decor of the old school

The new school is beautiful and is a reflection of an Independent Ukraine we should be proud of.

The Ukrainian National Anthem and another plaque still have protective plastic over them in the new school

Going Green

Dominic and Maxime making the world a little greener

We decided to go green today after Maxime's dad said it was OK to paint the new and improved fence. Red was Maxime's first choice but the store was out of red (along with all the other colors except green) so trusty green it was. All three boys helped me paint so they all had a part in making the fence look like new.

I just kept thinking, "Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer".

Maxime's dad, Andriy, was working on removing their old heating system so he asked me to help him. Again, God seems to be opening up doors with Maxime's parents. As we struggled to remove the old furnace from the kitchen, Andriy told me a little about his time in the Army. He went into the Soviet Army, but ended up in the Ukrainian Army as the Soviet Union dissolved. He also said that he was a dog handler. I hope these opportunities to work together keep coming up as they are an answer to prayer.

Vera, Maxime, and Joshua

Maxime's mom, Vera, was very grateful for the work we did on the fence and was really surprised at how nice it came out. It's amazing what a little paint can do and how a little bit of kindness can change hearts.

Before and After

Mending Fences

Maxime trying to fix his fence

Maxime's dog went into heat yesterday and by night fall she had caught the attention of every male dog in the neighborhood. At one point we counted eleven dogs in Maxime's yard. Maxime tried to chase them off, but his actions were thwarted by their broken fence. There was just no way of keeping the dogs out.

Joshua looking at a dog that just got through the fence

This morning I discovered Maxime making a valiant effort to repair the fence and chase away the lingering dogs. I decided that this would be a good opportunity to show his parents that we care about them as well as Maxime. It proved to be a greater blessing than I had anticipated. It wasn't long before Maxime's mother, Vera, came out and asked if Edna and I would like to have tea with her.

Where the dogs get in

Edna and I were invited into Maxime's home for the first time today. We saw first hand just how bad the conditions inside really are. I won't get into any of the details, but I have to say that of all the homes I've visited in the villages, this was the worst I've seen. We were just thankful that Vera felt comfortable enough to have us come in. She sat us down in the small room where they sleep and showed us all of their photos. We were especially touched to see that they had put together a photo album of all the photos we had printed out for them over the last year of us with Maxime.

Me and Andriy working on the fence

While Edna and Vera sat outside to have tea and talk, I began working to repair the fence with the help of the boys. After I rebuilt the frame that had rotted away, Maxime's father, Andriy, cut planks of wood and helped me put them in place. It was the first time that we had really spent any time together and I'm glad that we had the chance to work side by side to achieve something. Hopefully this is only the start of a relationship that will lead Maxime's parents to someday know Christ.

I'm hoping that we can paint the fence to put the finishing touch on this project

Edna's thoughts,

"Yesterday was our neighbor Olya's 61st birthday. We were invited to her place last night to have a big birthday dinner with her and her family and friends. By now, we are familiar with everyone and they were so kind to us. They fed us until we couldn't eat anymore. Later, after everyone left we went back over to sit and talk to Olya and eat some fresh watermelon. She said Maxime's whole family is "sick in the head" and to just leave them all alone. What was hard for me, since I don't know enough of the language, was not being able to explain that as Christians we can't just turn our backs on people who are like that. I know for her it may seem a little odd that we remain a part of Maxime's life and continue to help them, but that is what we feel God wants us to do, regardless of what people in the neighborhood think about it. We have to worry about what God thinks of our actions, not our neighbors. We pray in time, they will see our intentions and understand why we care about those who are rejected from this society."

- Edna

To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. - 1 Corinthians 9:22

Happy Birthday Olya!

Olya with the juicer her daughters got her for her birthday

Yesterday we celebrated our neighbor Olya's 61st birthday with her and her family. As usual, she didn't let us leave before stuffing us full of food.

Bake at 95 Degrees for Sixteen Hours or Until Done

95 (35) degrees and the window on the train won't open

We returned late last night on the train from Southern Ukraine where we had spent some time with a couple from our church, Tanya and Kolya. We had fun getting to know them a little better and look forward to spending more time with them. What we aren't looking forward to is another train ride like the one yesterday.

We knew the ride home wasn't going to be very pleasant when we realized the window in the little section with our four sleeping "shelves", was nailed shut. Not a good sign since the window was also our emergency exit, although we were more concerned with the lack of air flow.

Aside from the fact that we simmered in sweat and I was made painfully aware that our sleeping berths were not designed for anyone over 5'5" (165cm)(Edna and the boys had no problems), it was an interesting trip. If the train stopped for more than a few minutes, we could get off and buy water and homemade foods from people selling them along the tracks. I even ventured out to buy a bag of "rah-kee" (craw fish) at one stop. They were good, but they could have been better with some Tabasco sauce. This wasn't our first time on a train in Ukraine, but it definitely was the hottest.

The train we were on was set up with four sleeping "shelves" to one side and two to the other, two berths high. Our carriage was full and there is little room between berths so you really get to know your neighbors. This isn't such a bad thing because people will often share their food with you. It was a good experience in Ukrainian train culture for all of us. The only thing I can really complain about is that for the $14 that my ticket cost, I expected my window to open.

So what do you do when it's 95 degrees Fahrenheit on your train and the window is nailed shut?

You make some friends and...

play cards.
(Vika, Stas, and Joshua)

Please Pray for Our Neighbor, Georgia (Грузія)

Damaged apartment buildings and their displaced tenants

Advancing Russian Troops

Please pray for an end to this conflict and for the safety of the Georgian people!

The women in this photo with Joshua and our neighbor Olya, live in Georgia. Please keep them in your prayers as well.

One Way

I came across this video clip of Oprah the other day and I wanted to post it for those that haven't seen it. I can't help but feel that it is an insult to Christian missionaries all over the world. If you listen to what she says, she seems to be saying that there is no need for anyone to hear about Jesus because there are many ways to get to heaven. Missionaries, like most Christians, have made the mistake of believing that the world needs to hear about Jesus, according to Oprah's thinking. This clip is not only wrong and insulting, but undermines efforts of Christian evangelism since it is translated and broadcast around the world, including here in Ukraine.



Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have command you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." - Matthew 28:18-20

These are children in an orphanage that had not heard about Jesus.

Hearing about Jesus mattered to them!

I'm just amazed that society tolerates such an incredibly influential person like Oprah who denies Christ. That's exactly what she has done with some of her Web class programs geared toward "seekers and students" as she calls them. Oprah not only insults the name of Jesus with her teachings and programs, but she also denies the Biblical truth of what He accomplished on the cross.

Here's a quote from John the Apostle:

"Who is the Liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist - he denies the Father and the Son." - 1 John 2:22

Here's another video clip that shows exactly what Oprah thinks about God and Jesus. I think it's pretty disturbing knowing how many people watch and follow Oprah.



Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. - Philippians 2:9-11

(Славутич) Slavutych, the Newest City in the Soviet Union

On Tuesday we decided to take a drive out to the city of Slavutych with Jake and Anya Knotts. What makes Slavutych so interesting is that it was a planned Soviet city built to house the workers of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station after the city of Prypyat had to be abandoned. Prypyat had formerly been the newest city in the Soviet Union when it was constructed in 1970. Its 50,000 residents were evacuated 36 hours after reactor No. 4 of the Chernobyl Plant suffered a meltdown on April 26th, 1986. With the aide of 1,200 buses, the residents were removed from the city, minus their belongings. They were told it was temporary, but no one was ever allowed to return.

In October of 1986, construction began on the city of Slavutych, the old slavic name for the Dnipro River. The first residents began moving into the city in October of 1988. The city was literally carved out of the forest and this was very obvious when we drove into the city. The city has a population of about 25,000, but it feels more spread out for a Ukrainian city of that size. The first thing we noticed were all the homes that resembled American track homes all built alike and in straight rows.

The layout of the city and even the style of some of the buildings reminded me of several U.S. Army Posts I've been on in the past like Fort Benning or Fort Lewis. It just seemed to have a very deliberate and planned feel to the whole place. The city was also unusually flat compared to other Ukrainian cities we've seen. I learned later that this was because the land had been leveled so that two meters (six feet) of uncontaminated soil could be brought in to build on.

Slavutych is architecturally unique as a city. It was built with eight different distinct sections. Each section was built with workers and architects from the Soviet Republics of the Armenian SSR, Azerbaijan SSR, Estonian SSR, Georgian SSR, Latvian SSR, Lithuanian SSR, Russian SFSR and Ukrainian SSR.

Slavutych is located 45 Km (28 miles) from the ghost town of Prypyat and 50 Km (31 miles) from the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station. Although the plant was shut down in 2000, about 3,000 (down from the original 9,000) workers still work there to monitor and maintain the spent fuel stored there. A train travels from Slavutych crossing the border of Belarus twice to transport the workers to Chernobyl. The city of Prypyat is located in the Kyiv Oblast and while Slavutych is considered part of the Kyiv Oblast, it is completely surrounded by the Chernihiv Oblast. The best comparison I can think of would be if Los Angeles was considered to be part of the State of Arizona although it is located in the State of California. Interesting.

Each of the eight kindergartens, like the one above, have their own indoor swimming pools. The quality of life in Slavutych is much better than most cities in Ukraine and it has a significantly high birth rate and a low mortality rate. We didn't notice any wells for water like we're use to seeing in other cities, with good reason, but it left me wondering where their water does come from.

It was just really strange to see so many straight, well maintained roads and sidewalks. It's just not something you normally see in Ukraine. About 20% of the people live in one to two family style homes and most of those had green lawns complete with sprinklers rather than the usual vegetable gardens. Some of the homes looked similar to ones we might have come across back in our home town of San Luis Obispo, California. It was definitely strange to see some of these neighborhoods in Ukraine. It was even stranger to know that all of it was built by the Soviet government a mere twenty years ago.

There were no trees planted earlier than twenty years ago in Slavutych except for the pine trees that they left when they cleared the forest. This gives the city a strange look as you survey the neighborhoods and town square. Jake said it reminded him of the movie The Truman Show where the main character unknowingly lived on a movie set. That's exactly what it felt like.

Near the town square is a memorial to the victims of the Chernobyl accident with pictures of those that died immediately following the accident. The murals on either side of the memorial had an eerie, "Soviet denial" feel to them especially since they were in English.

We all enjoyed the time we spent in Slavutych especially since the overcast skies gave it an even creepier feel than normal. I was fascinated by the whole concept of a planned city and the determination of the Soviet Union to build its Utopia despite the devastation of the first. Slavutych was the Soviet Unions newest city and also a symbol of its downfall and global embarrassment. I can't think of anywhere I've ever traveled that comes close to the mystique of Slavutych. The next city I want to visit is Prypyat, where guided tours are available.

"We value calmness, security, and comfort in Slavutych!"

Just don't pick the mushrooms or berries in the surrounding forest because they still contain high levels of radiation.