Life...interupted....

If I haven't told you how much I appreciate you being a part of my life...I will tell you now. You are a godsend...a blessing...a friend...my interpreter.
The look in your eyes today as we were eating dinner told me an awful lot about you. You were attempting to smile, and continue to carry on a decent conversation. Your eyelids being at half-mast told the true story. You are exhausted! As well you should be! Most people don't appreciate the life an interpreter leads here in Ukraine. I will attempt to tell your side of the equation. For however many days your charge is in the country, you are responsible for them. (in our case it was 18 days)You meet them early in the morning, how early depends on what is going on for them that day, and you get to go home late at night. That also depends on what is going on with your charge. In our case it meant days starting as early as 9:00 a.m. and ending around 10:30 or 11:00 p.m. some days. Oh...did I mention that YOUR time didn't start at 9:00 a.m. ... that is when you got to our flat or wherever you were meeting us. YOUR day started much earlier because you had to find appropriate transportation to get to us first. Which could mean leaving your house anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour and a half earlier than the meeting time in order to get to our flat on time. This doesn't count the time before we get "in country" that you spend planning for us to arrive. Making schedules, finding host families or flats to rent, arranging meetings with hospitals, orphanages, baby houses, etc. with the proper authorities who might or might not cooperate with your agenda. This does not include the time spent worrying about every little detail...from how much money we need exchanged (at the best rate possible), do we have enough drinking water, do we have towels/sheets/enough cooking utensils, is there enough food to eat, how is our health, do we need medical attention/medicine/over the counter drugs, are we cool enough, how did we sleep, how do we feel, are we finding everything to our satisfaction, are we having enough entertainment, too much entertainment, too tired, too hot, too windy, too cool, can we find our way home on transportation, is our water working, how about wi-fi, is the cable television working, and so on and so on and so on... It seems frightfully overwhelming to be "cared for" like this when you are not used to it. I can not even imagine how overwhelming it must be to carry this burden of meeting my every need. You have an impossible task...it can not be done...there is no way to completely be every thing to every body...but I must say...you DO give it the best effort I have ever witnessed in my life. So now I will tell you thank you...even though it is not nearly enough to explain how much gratitude I feel for you! Thank you...for planning for my trip for weeks (sometimes months) in advance. Thank you...for picking me up at the airport. Thank you...for your sweet smile(s) to be the first thing we see as we pass thru customs and security at DNK airport. Thank you...for finding us FABULOUS places to stay during our visit (European is highly overrated by the way) Thank you...for finding us delicious foods to eat new Ukrainian style or American-ish. Thank you...for going to all the trouble to exchange our money for us, it's a pain! Thank you...for staying with us ALL the time we are here from morning to night. Thank you...that your families are SO understanding about you being gone for 18 days straight to take care of other people. Thank you...for helping us understand your customs and how things work here, it can be strange and frightening to be in a foreign country with language barriers and no friend in sight. Thank you...introducing us to interesting people and places. Thank you...for laughing, crying, and sharing your inner most self with us. Thank you...for sharing taxi's, vans, trams, trolley busses, and by foot with us. Thank you...for going to the far off orphanage with a BAD headache. Thank you...for eating "baby parrots" and "missing beans" with us. Thank you...for trying your best to understand Texas idioms. Thank you...for "and the matter is" it "is necessary"! Thank you...for loving me and always asking about my family. Thank you...for giving me a place to call home that I feel like I AM home! Thank you...for loving the orphans and widows. Thank you...for living Jesus! We love you. We hope there are many more years to come! till the next adventure begins...

Kate...

The first time I saw Kate she was around four years old. There were probably 20 to 30 children gathered in the play yard shelter to see "the Americans". I wasn't sure if she was a girl or a boy. Her hair looked like a girls, but she had her shirt off much like the boys. She was bright eyed, and had the inquisitive look of a bird, hunting for that first morsel of food among many brightly colored stones. We had many McDonald's Happy Meal toys, some Hot Wheels cars and trucks, and a variety of small dolls. Being the traditionalist that I am, the boys got cars (machines) and the girls got dolls (I don't remember the Russian word for that). Kate was complaining, and began to cry after the toys were distributed to all of the children. The teachers were trying desparately to "shush" her. I finally got an answer to my question of "why is that child upset?". It seems that Kate did not want a "stupid, useless doll" she wanted one of the cool "machine's" that all of the boys got to play in the dirt with. I told them to give her what she wanted, we had plenty, what difference did it make? I like playing in the dirt when I was her age...make her happy. I wish you could have seen her face. I know she was not trying to be ungrateful, but it is very hard for a four year old to mask their true feelings when it comes to important stuff, like toys! She had thrown down the stupid doll and was happily playing with the "machine" (pronounced 'mah-cheen'). She doesn't remember the incident, but I may never forget it. Several years later, I met Kate again as a young teenager and thought that she looked SO familiar to me. When I returned home and looked thru pictures, there she was, the little girl who didn't want a stupid doll! Her face hasn't changed much, but she has grown into a very lovely young lady. I have enjoyed watching her grow, and develope into such a funny and creative and strong young woman. Kate is going to make it! She has the determination and strong will to go the distance. Over the years I have watched her live in that shell that protects her from the harm the world has done to her. Refusing to let any one get close. Pretending it didn't matter when it hurt so deeply. Not letting any one see her tears. She has done a good job of not needing anything from anyone...until lately. You see, Kate is one of the very reasons I come to Ukraine. I want to make a difference somewhere...I want someone to be better off because they see Jesus in me...I know this sounds so selfish, it isn't about me, it's about Him and them...but I guess this is my Gideon fleece. I CAN live with never seeing the seed sprout...I guess I just WANTED to know it was growing. Many people have asked me about baptisms here. I only know of three that I have a first person relationship with (Dima, Larissa, and Masha). There are some that are sprouts from people I have contact with. But, to me, it's not about the number of people you get wet and never see again. It's about the people you have a relationship with who come to know Jesus and then have a relationship with Him. That takes more than an hour or two study and a trip to the church baptistry (or the Dneper river in this case). Kate is one of those people I have a long term relationship with. She knows me, she trusts me, I believe she loves me. This year, I saw evidence of that. The way she greeted me (and Sharon and Bennett) was different. Perhaps it is because this is her last few months at the Dawn. She is a "graduater". (a child who has graduated from school AND the Dawn orphanage) She will go to technical school or college in September and live in the "hostels" (very much like dorm life in the States). Her life is going to be forever changed. She will not longer be able to depend upon the teachers at the Dawn to make decisions for her. She will not longer have the close knit "family" of girls and boys that live on this campus. She will be on her own. That tends to make you reevaluate your situation, and start asking the big questions: where do I go from here; who am I; what is the purpose in my life; who is this God I've been hearing about? She has. I am seeing a softer side to Kate. For the first time as a teenager, I saw her cry. Kate has an extroidinary artist ability. Her painting is truly beautiful. She is the young lady that made me several "Ukrainian" note cards a couple of years ago, she also painted two stemmed glasses for me last year. This year, Sharon and I purchased several of her hand painted pieces. This may have been one of the first times someone actually validated her talent that wasn't one of her peers or her teachers. I think she was surprised by that. Sharon was so moved that Kate let us "in" that she was teary eyed. THAT is when I saw Kate. The little girl wanting someone to tell her she was worth something. SHE was talented...SHE was good at something...and NOT because we HAD to! Kate was moved to tears, and she didn't really know what to do with that! She quickly went to her room to wipe her face, and came out and let us take pictures of her and the goods that she had painted. She gave us each a placque with a hand painted rooster on it, and we purchased several items from her as well. Everyone was very happy with the deal. This is to you Fayrene. Every year you donate bracelets to the girls. If you ever wonder if they make a difference or not...don't. The first think Kate showed me this year was the bracelet she received from you two years ago, carefully stored in the package. She wanted Rita to translate what it said on it for her today. It was a portion of the Sermon on the Mount. She came back with her small Russian New Testament and showed Rita that she had found the verse in the Bible. She is reading God's word. She is asking questions. Jesus has touched this young ladies heart. Thru much prayer...a "machine"...some bracelets...God's people obeying the command to take care of widows and orphans. She asked Rita what she thought about "icons" (the pictures of saints that the Russian Orthodox church worship and pray to). Rita told her that they were nice drawings, but not something she believed in bowing down to or praying to. Kate told her she had heard of other people saying the same thing. And that she had visited a church that didn't have them either. This young lady CAN be reached. She is being touched by the Master's Hand...thank you all for helping me be a very small part in her journey to Jesus. And thank you Fayrene for being a HUGE part of my walk in faith, and for loving me and "my girls" enough to not stop giving when it would be easier to let someone else do it! till another adventure begins

And now you know...

One of the first families I stayed with in Dnepropetrovsk was Dima and Larissa's. I have come to love them as my own family. Dima is like the brother I never had, and Larissa would fit right in to my family of four sisters. When you have four girls already...what is one more? I met Larissa and Dima in 1997 while teaching in a school building very close to their house. I had decided to take my class ourside because it was very hot inside the school building. Larissa was walking past the school and heard English being spoken and was very curious. Her daughter was taking English classes in school, and they tried to use every opportunity for Masha to practice her skills and learn even more English. As it happened, Rita, one of the interpreters, had been Dima's English teacher in school so that was another "in" for them to come to us. Masha began taking my classes after that. She was a delightful blonde bundle of energy and charisma. An only child, she was doted on by two parents who obviously loved her dearly. I came to know her parents better, and they became acquainted with members of the church I attended while here in Ukraine. Larissa studied with them and became a Christian later that year. The next year I stayed at their place and REALLY got to know their family very well and REALLY fell in love with them. Dima became a Christian after I went back to the States. It was another couple of years before Mashe decided to follow in her parents footsteps. I got the privilege and joy to stay with them again, and began to feel like Dima was the big brother I had always wanted to have. He is very dear to me, and I can not imagine not knowing this wonderful family! Every year when I get the chance to return to Dneper, they make it a point to invite me to come over and fellowship with them and share a meal together. This year was only different in that I had two of my dear friends from Texas with me. Their philosophy is the more the merrier, so we all came over to their place. I have spoken often and lovingly of what this family means to me, so Sharon has heard a lot about them over the years. I was so excited to share them up close and personal. She now fully understands why I love them so much. Dima met us several blocks from their home. Our interpreter, Jane, wasn't sure of the exact location of their home, so Dima volunteered to meet us at the cross roads. I was fairly certain I could find it, but didn't want to take a chance on getting us all lost. (I should have trusted my gut!) When Jane told him I thought I knew where I was going he let me lead the way. I think he was surprised that I was right on target and turned exactly where I needed to. (a couple of years ago, a different group of friends chose to wander around rather than let me tell them where to turn...oh well...)As I walked up their block, sweet memories came flooding back to me...Dima sleeping outside in their chicken shed so that I would have a bed to myself and have to share with their daughter...my little fan blowing out the entire blocks electricity...Larissa getting the life altering washing machine...the trip into the forest...the night cruise on the Dneper...I could go on and on!! Sitting at their table, looking at what Larissa had so carefully prepared for us to eat...it so reminded me of sitting at my Grandmother Martin's table. There were several options of what to eat, all carefully and lovingly cooked for our pleasure. We were treated to buckwheat (prepared properly, I might add), along with chicken with mushroom gravy, ground chicken cutlets, Greek salad, tasty breads, fresh fruit and juice or water. For dessert a homemade treat that looked and tasted much like soppapia's or the fried batter with powdered sugar on top that you eat at the fair! A feast fit for a king...and yet it was just a few friends from Texas that they worked so hard to feed! Sitting with them, sharing good food and better conversation, was such a refreshment to our souls. It felt like... home...that is what it felt like. It felt like it does when Rick and I get together with the Andersen family for our "Andersen fix". Love and laughter shared around a common table transcends time and place...Ukraine or Texas....it feels the same. And to get to share that with Sharon and Bennet and have them feel it as well...it doesn't get much better than this. Dima gave us a ride home in the little green hornet. (sometimes I call it the booger car because it reminds me of a car I once owned that had that moniker) Believe me, it was a tight squeeze with Bennet in the front and Sharon, Jane and me in the back! The tires rubbed every time it moved, even with us sitting up as close to the front seat as we could. Dima assured us it was because of some heavy items in the trunk...I know what you are thinking so knock it off...we leaned up in spsite of his disclaimer! Sharon leaned over to me (after Jane was dropped at her flat) and told me she understood why I loved this family so much. It felt good that someone besides me was feeling just how I did. I so wanted Sharon and Bennett to see Ukraine in the same way that I do...to love them just like I do...to "get it" and understand WHY I keep coming back year after year! I believe that they do...and they may even be "hooked" like I am! till the next adventure begins...

Elena...

As I mentioned earlier...today was a hard day for me. We were with the orphan babies at Hospital #5. Some visits don't get to me as much...it didn't help that I am exhausted, with my emotions on the very edge of all we are doing! I wanted to introduce you to a sweetheart! Her name is Elena (please forgive me if that spelling is not officially Ukrainian enough). She turned one years old...in the hospital...no balloons...not petting zoo...no clowns or magicians. Just Tamara and the nursing staff to celebrate her first year of life. They have come to know her quite well...she's been here three months now. Yes...I said three months! Three months of being in a crib...three months of no playing outside...three months of stimulation deficits...three months of lack of family interaction! If you have or have had a one year old, think back to those first 12 months of life. What was it like for YOUR child for their first twelve months? Warm, nightly baths...lots of hugging, kissing, and cuddling...night time routines with books and "lovies" to sleep with? Family and friends who can hardly wait to get their hands on that new baby, to welcome them to the family with laughter and tons of pictures? Elena was about nine months old when she was brought to the hospital and left there...by two strangers...men her mother acosted out side of a bar. She asked these two men that she didn't know if they would mind watching her baby because the employees of the bar refused to let her take the baby in to buy beer. She would be right back she explained...when she didn't return, the men didn't have anything they could do but take her to a hospital and drop her off. They gave all the information they had about her and left her. In the States she would be on America's Most Wanted, not trying to find HER, but trying to locate her mother. It made quite a stir on the local news channels. Tamara was interviewed and everything. They did receive information on her name and birth date, but up to this point, no information on her mother or father. She is beautiful! Her hair looks a lot like mine did as a child...not much there!! She has big eyes...they brim with "oldness". The "oldness" of someone who has seen way too much, way too young. It takes a bit to get her to smile. But when she does...it lights up the room. You can feel her lack of trust in "the big people" in her life. She is slow to react to kindness, slow to smile, slow to play with the couple of toys tossed in her crib. She didn't try to verbalize or chatter with us. She WAS fascinated with our camera's, like all babies are. I'm not sure she knew it was HER in the camera, I don't know if anyone has ever put her in front of a mirror or not. When I put her down, she initially started to protest...but quickly stopped...it was almost like it was too much work, and with no certainty of success...why bother? As we were leaving those little ones in that stifling hot room, I was unexpectedly overwhelmed with sorrow. What will happen to Elena? What prognosis do the two little boys with disabilities have? What will happen to the little twin that was abandoned by his mother, while his brother was kept? Will he ever know his story? Will it make a difference to him later? What if there was no Tamara in their lives? I just couldn't bear the thought! till another adventure...

Just a touch...

This is a story that needs to be told...but it is one that is very difficult to tell. Being in this country is such a blessing, I LOVE Ukraine. But it breaks my heart over and over again, each and every day. Sometimes I have to stop and LOOK for the blessings that God has thrown out there for me to find in times of grief and sorrow. This is one of those days... As I have said before, we often visit Hospital #5 on the Left Bank of the Dneper river in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine. I have seen SO many changes and improvements over the years. They have come about with much love and support of believers in the States hand in hand with Ukrainians who want better for the smallest, and most helpless, of their nation. This is one small part of our mission, but one that keeps me coming back year after year. I KNOW how much our presence is encouraging and helping the Tamara's in hospital's and orphanages's all over Ukraine. I weep because there is not more being done. Today, I must first admit how exhausted I am, I had a moment of deep sorrow. We were allowed in to the baby room with the orphan babies. There are only four orphans currently staying there. I know this is a HUGE blessing from God. I know...in my head...but please...someone...tell my heart! I want to take you into this room. It is not a small room, there is plenty of room for the give cribs they have in there. (one child went home to his parents earlier so that crib is empty) To the right of the door as you enter the room, is a "high-chair-table" feeding station. It is designed to sit two children in so that they can both be fed at the same time. To the left of the door is an ingenius device thought up by Tamara and the staff there. It is actually the floor to a corner shower enclosure that has been mounted on the wall and attached to a sink. It is being used to bath the babies and give the staff a large sink to wash their hands and empty the bottles, etc. I believe the shower floor was paid for by Bentonville church of Christ, I'm not positive. The crib immediately to the right is one of the older, much smaller cribs in the room. Elena is in that one. She just turned one years old. Across from her is a little boy, a twin, whose brother was taken home with his parents. He will not be going home. Next to him is a little gypsy boy who came from the Baby House and will probably never go home with his parents either. Next to Elena is another little boy who came from the Baby House, and it is unlikely that he will ever go home. The two little boys from the Baby House are precious. The HUGE brown eyes of one would make any girl jealous of their lashes! Revlon cannot compete with his lashes I don't care what they try to sell you! He is almost skeletal looking, and has to have an NG tube to be fed because he cannot swallow. His counterpart on the other side of the room is in even worse shape than he is. He reminds me of pictures I've seen in books and on television of little children starving in far away nations. They are neither one very responsive to things going on around them. The very young baby twin, less than two months old I believe, is wrapped up so tightly in his blanket he looks like a cocooned caterpiller trying to break free. His breathing is rapid and shallow...they say his diagnosis is pneumonia and respiratory distress. That baby is HOT! Did I mention that the windows are not open and their is no air conditioning. It has been raining today and they don't want the babies to get chilled...like THAT is going to happen! We cannot be left in the room without Tamara so she asks us to go out with her because the room is very warm. Too warm for us...but let's leave the babies in there?? (in Tamara's defense, it is a very cultural thing) Sharon wanted to unwrap him so bad she could taste it! She did manage to get his feet unwrapped a little more and start to touch them and talk to him. He immediately responded to his feet being free...and being touched! It is difficult to walk away from that! Sharon's "other" baby really touched her heart as well. He has huge expressive brown eyes with the longest lashes I've seen in awhile...a lot like my grandson Juan. But...he is not very responsive to people. That is until Sharon came along. [You have to know that the staff is not uncaring...they are just used to the "old" way of doing things. Handicapped children are not very useful to society, so why waste a lot of time or effort or money on them? I know that sound harsh...it is what it is...but they don't have the resources or the skill set (yet) to deal with this massive disability. As far as I can tell, evidenced by the years of coming to this hospital, the staff sits in the hall ways until it is necessary for them to perform a function. I rarely see interaction with the children (until they observe us interacting with them) and by the response of the children it is obvious that they don't get much attention.] I had talked to her baby, and even touched his arms and legs and his eyes did not move. He only moved his little foot just a bit... Sharon was at his bedside crooning to him and touching him and getting very close to him. He actually moved his eyes to follow her...when she rubbed his arms he even smiled at her. And he even moved his head to the side to see her before we had to go. Isn't it amazing what simple touch will do... I'm not sure what his brain function is...it doesn't matter...he was touched, and he responded to it. Just like me...just like you...thank you for touching our babies with your help in sending this team to Ukraine. I hope that in some small way, these touches will make a difference to him...I know they have to Sharon, Bennett, and to me! till the next adventure...

Tamara...a pittbull in lipstick...

I know that the saying "pittbull in lipstick" is not particularly a "nice" thing to say about someone. In this case, I mean it in the nicest way possible. We travel across the river to the Left Bank to visit Hospital #5. I call it Tamara's hospital. Tamara is a nurse of unusual strength and qualities. I have known her for several years and have come to admire her a great deal! She weeps when weeping works...she fights when fighting works...she demands when demanding works...she puts on a guilt trip like every mother would be proud to see! She is my pittbull in lipstick! She is the one who cares for my babies when no one else does. She is the one who stands toe to toe with the hospital and government officials and weeps and demands what those babies need and deserve to have! Where would they be without Tamara? I hate to even think about it. Over the years she has cajoled, whined, yelled, begged, and wept to get the babies in Hospital #5 basic, and I do mean BASIC, necessities. Windows that don't leak cold air in the rooms, a place to bath the babies, hot water heater, utensils to sterilize the pacifiers and nipples from the bottles, diapers, baby wipes, baby clothes, basic aspirin for reduction of fevers, (they had to tie them to marble topped tables to reduce fevers when nothing was available), antibiotics for infections, and basic I.V. moniters (they only have one) designed for the little ones. She is amazing! Much like Radar and Max Klinger on M.A.S.H. at getting the supplies that she needs! I want to thank everyone of you, where ever you live, for your contributions to help this lady help the babies. From Mesquite, TX and surrounding areas (Meadow View) to Bentonville, AR to congregations in Kentucky and Alabama. Thank you. I SEE the difference your love and support is making! Keep praying for the work here...we are here for such a short time...and please pray for Tamara and people like her who live at ground zero. The ones who do this every day...you can not imagine the toll this takes on your heart! Pray that this good, kind lady will find a walk in faith to go along with her huge heart. She is doing a work that Christians every where are commanded to do. Take care of widows and orpans! For she is the pitt bull who takes care of the babies that others would throw away...those abandoned and unloved by biological parents...those whose needs are so great that their parents can not care for them...those little ones lost in the system...the ones that no one knows what to do with. Tamara...thank you for loving and caring for my babies...may God keep you in His care as you care for those who can not care for themselves. till another adventure begins...

It's a small world after all...

Although I have a VERY good reason for not liking that particular Disney tune, it did come to mind today at the McDonald's at the train station. We were on our way back from a visit to the Hospital (more about that later)when we decided, by "nose goes" (ask Bennett), to eat at McDonald's. On our way out of the restaraunt, I noticed to very tall young men one of which was carrying a yellow and blue backpack (the colors of the Ukrainian flag) with the words "Ukraine" written in long streaming sentences. It was very unusual and I decided to stop and ask about it. Anyone who knows me very well knows that I do that alot with people I don't know. I told him how much I liked the way his backpack looked and I asked him where he got it. He said he played on a team and it came with the uniform. The basketball on his shirt should have been my first...actually second clue since he was very tall...I asked him what he played? Of course bb was his answer...duh! I then resorted to an old trick of mine. I asked him to look over in the distance, which he did, and I told him that NOW I would quietly take his bag and perhaps he wouldn't even notice! He laughed and said 'nyet', (no), that he would definately notice and that HE needed it. I snapped my fingers (as in "oh...foiled again") and we laughed. I told him about my youngest son playing bb for years and how much he enjoyed it. We laughed and went our separate ways. As we got on van 101, I believe it was Sharon who pointed out our friends from the McDonald's. We laughed at being together again and I paid for their ride. I explained I HAD to since they were so good about me teasing them about the backpack. As we rode together, 101 is quite a long route, they asked questions about America, professional sports, go Mavericks, (their favorites being Oklahoma and Golden State)and general family things. I asked Rita to invite them to the bb camp that will happen next summer in Dneper. Here is where the "small world" part comes in. They had not only heard about the basketball camps, they had attended the one four years ago. They remembered Steve Carter, from Bentonville, AR, and the pizza party he threw the whole camp one afternoon. I told them I would let Steve know that they remembered the camp. Maxim, the tallest of the two, said he would love to give me his bag but he had no way of replacing it. I, of course, told him I admired the bag, but could not possibly take it even if he could give it to me. He was so quiet and unassuming. I liked him immediately! Igor was his friend, and not one to say much. His bag was plain black, and I told him "neh...not interesting enough" he laughed and said it was because he didn't play on the team yet. They were both very quiet and polite, they gave up their seats to some old grannies...I mean...two very pretty girls who got on the van. (it is STILL very polite to be willing to give up your seat on a long van route like 101) As we were nearing our destination, METRO (much like a Sam's or Costco's), Maxim pulled out a plastic card that looked almost like a debit card. He told Rita it was an actual free pass to one of his clubs games, and that he wanted me to have it as a souveneer. (I am so sure I spelled that word correctly!) It was just sweet of him to offer an old lady he didn't even know, and will probably never see again, something of value! We got off the bus and I told them I hoped they won a lot of games and wished them the best. They said something like "have a good life", and waved us off. A random meeting in a McDonald's brings together people that crossed paths four years ago and didn't even know it. Isn't God amazing? And it is a small world after all...especially when you are trying to impact someone for God! Possibly...next summer...Maxim and Igor will return to basketball camp and be reached by the Gospel story told there among the playing time! till another adventure begins...

Leaving on that midnight train to...

Leaving on that 10 p.m. train to Kiev. I was actually looking forward to Sharon and Bennett getting to experience the infamous "night train" to Kiev. I have been sharing for years about what an experience that it! I knew that finally they would get a true Ukrainian experience like I had been talking about for YEARS! NOT!!! I had Sharon take her camera when we first got on the train so she could take a picture of "the bull". Now, any of you who have had the privilage to ride on the JOY Bus Express on Youth Mission trips during the 80's and 90's KNOW what "riding the bull" was like. Imagine...you are on a train...swaying on the tracks...moving fairly quickly...a watery substance is all over the floor...the smell is...well maybe you don't want to imagine the smell...no toilet paper (or the Ukrainian version of sandpaper might be available) ... a water faucet like none you have ever been around (at least there is water)...not a paper towel in sight...when you lift the lid from the stainless steel toilet seat you can see moving tracks going by under the train...the place is dark at best and very dreary looking in the black and brown color palette chosen for this train...and to top it off it isn't very clear how to LOCK the door (as was my experience at 3 in the morning when I was busy hanging on for dear life while using the facility as the door popped open)! I was clapping my hands in glee with the anticipation of showing someone else the notorius night train. I could feel the accolades coming as the badge of honor for surviving such a plight were rained down on me! So what to my inquiring eyes does appear...no...not 8 tiny reindeer! But what did appear was a REAL bathroom. With a shiny clean floor...clean commode...pristine conditions....(still the same water faucet)...NO smell...NO messy floor...NO filthy black/brown color on every surface???? What's up with this? I couldn't believe my eyes!! Sharon's eyes were saying to me "So...another thing that wasn't like it was last year...huh? All I can say is "That isn't fair!!!" Not only did the bathroom not look ANYTHING like it did last time...they had AIR CONDITIONING! And WI/FI in the train station!!! What is this world coming to!! The beds were comfortable (in a 'campy' sort of way)...and the bottom bunk had enough head room to sit up comfortably EVEN when the top bunk was DOWN!! WHAT???? Un.be.leive.able!! My hopes of glorious kuddos were dashed on the rocks of "Euro 12" soccor mania which has greatly improved the standars in Ukarine. The night was uneventful, the room temp was good, the sheets were included in the payment for the room. What a difference a year makes? Oh pashaw...what a differenc a MINUTE makes!!! Untill another adventre starts!

The 'far away orphanage'...

Today is...Thursday. I had to think for just a minute about what day of the week this is. I can not believe it is already more than a week since we left home. Again...today we went to the 'far away orphanage' in a village an hour and a half away. I have been there before and taught in their school room. That school room is now being used to house some of the boys who live there. Any of you who know me well, know that I have a soft spot in my heart for boys. We have two sons, 4 grand sons (1 special grandaughter), and have fostered two boys over the years. I loved raising boys and have had a houseful of boys share our lives over the school years of our sons... All of this said to let you know this orphanage has a special place in my heart. They only cater, if you can call it that, to boys. There is a wide age span since all of the boys there are mentally challenged to varying degrees. The youngest we saw this time were about 5 - 6 years old, the oldest were grown men older than I am. The range in physical age is large, the range in mental age not so much. Early this morning Rita came up to our flat and helped us gather all the goodies that we would be taking with us. Sasha, a driver, was downstairs waiting on us. The weather was windy and cool. I finished hanging my laundry on the balcony, and Sharon threw in a load of her own. We had all the nectarines put back in the bags, and the IKEA bag was stuffed full of waffle cookies of multi flavors. I guess we were ready for our day. We drove the hour and a half out to a rather large village, like a small West Texas town. Maybe a couple of thousand residents, I am not sure. The town is on the banks of the beautiful Dneper River. As we drove into the town it reminded me of a much smaller version of Odessa, TX from my childhood memories. Quiet, people walking on the streets, not too busy, not too quiet. We turned down a lane and began to see smaller houses with bigger areas of land (for gardens) and lots of trees. As we approached the Home, we could see a long, white fence made of stucco like material. There was a large open gate to the entrance. As we approached we could see shirtless boys walking on the grounds picking fruit from trees on the property. Their faces lit up as they recognized a car was turning in to their home. Rita says that when they recognize Luba, the lady who goes to see them all the time, they yell out "Believers are coming, believers are coming". What a joy to know that they know about believers. As we got out of the car they recognized Sasha, our driver, and Rita. They came running from all over their campus. They were so excited to see visitors. Rita brought pictures from the last visit with Steve Carter, from Bentonville, AR. I wish you could have seen their faces to see pitures of themselves! They ran over and almost knocked her down to find themselves! The ones that had not had pictures taken were SO disappointed not to find a picture of them. Being young men with such disabilities, there was a range of different reactions to us being there. From ear to ear grins to their hands and arms flapping in excitement! You could tell they were happy to see us. When we pulled out camera's...well the paparazzi from Hollywood have never been sought out like we were. You would have thought it was the red carpet at the Oscars! "Me-ah" (me) and point to the camera. There were so many picture combinations I hope we can keep up with who gets what picture! - I have to tell you...Miss Jackie was not the hit of the day. In fact not many of them wanted to have a picture with me...or Miss Sharon...or Rita! You guessed it...Bennett was the man of the hour!! They all wanted a picture with him. In groups of two or three, or all by themselves! In fact some of them wanted multiple pictures of him. They flocked around him and wanted to be near him...some of them wanted to hold his hand and walk by him. He was a trooper...he smiled thru 'millions' of pictures and let them almost walk on top of him without a trace of complaint! It was NOT in his comfort zone at all, but he didn't let it bother him at all. We got the grand tour of the facility. They have a large garden with two greenhouses. One they grow food in, the other is a drying facility. The apple trees surrounding the building provide lots of fruit that needs to be dried for winter. They also have one dog and one cat which they all share. We brought nectarines and packages of cookies which we had to disperse to all of them. We made the rounds of the different sleeping areas where they were asked to come and sit and get their cookie. The fruit was long gone by now! We brought packages enough for 70 kids...there are 133 boys there. We were able to split the cookies up so every one got at least one cookie. We did decide that next week we will bring enough for all 133 kids! As we were taking pictures, the boys pressed in hard surrounding us...speaking as fast as they could in Russian. Sharing one interpreter between us, it was difficult to get everything translated. But one word we heard over and over was "Mama". They called us Mama and wanted us to come with them. "Mama, dees-ooh-dah", mama come over here! They began to explain to us about their mama's, and how they talk to them on the phone, and how they visit them, etc. Rita explained most of that was just wishful thinking on their part. It broke our hearts to hear them and see their little faces. One little one said 'mama' and mimiced a kiss. I bent down and he gave me the gentlest kiss...I wished for just a moment that I WAS his mama. After all the food was given away, and the soft toy that one young wanted was given to him, it was time to leave. We had to take last minute pictures with the kids in front of Sasha's car, and then we were off for the return 'home'. Sharon had held it together the whole time, much like Karye Withrow did in 1998 when she went with me. When we got in the car, it just got to her...the sad situation, the condition the boys lived in, the ones that called us mama...and she cried in the car. Not in front of them...she sucked it up Karye, just like YOU did so long ago. It gave me reason to pause. I asked her if she thought I was hard hearted because I didn't cry. She said that she did not, because I couldn't keep coming and have such sorrow overcome me. Then Rita brought up the fact that the boys were truly HAPPY to see us, they were not aware of the bad situation they were in, and we gave them joy when we came to see them... It made me feel a little bit better, although it was a VERY little bit. The faces of those boys...the appreciation the staff showed us...THAT is why we come to Ukraine and bear such sorrow. Jesus said 'let the little children come to me'...he didn't mention anything about only those with no disabilities...so we also say...'let the little children come to us, and see Jesus thru us. Thank you to every one who donated money and items for us to give away. YOU made/make a difference every time!!

Fly the friendly skies...

Getting thru security wasn't a big deal, but I did finally realize we were REALLY on our way! What a relief that was. Finding the gate...no problem...restroom...same...coffee...no big deal! We did realize that we were on a smaller than I expected airplane and would have to gate check our bags, but as long as it was FREE I don't care. Finally we are in the plane and ready to go. I have to tell you I dread Dulles airport more than most I have been thru. It seems that try their best to find the most sullen, lazy people available to drive those horrible contraptions called "people movers". It doesn't make it easy to transition from national to international terminals at all. So I, once again, prepared the Anderssen family to expect a miserable experience. Since we are rarely on time into Dulles, I wasn't sure we would have time to grab a meal there either...so.... We landed...on time...no problem...got off at a completely different gate than I expected...then made a few twists and turns to get into the terminal. I was looking for the signs to the people movers when I realized all of the signs were saying to go a certain way to get to the gate that we needed. I quickly told them this was entirely new for me as well, so all we could do was learn together. I have rarely been so pleased at an unexpected turn of events in my life. [I will put in here...THANK YOU ALL FOR THE PRAYERS...they are working] Not only were we NOT going to have to suffer thru the people movers, but the long awaited, boon-doggle expected, new tram/train system was up and moving well! I just had my mouth open in shock and surprise (not enough for shock and awe). I kept telling Sharon "WOW", "I can't believe this", etc. It was a very fast, smooth, and on time ride. Dulles Airport, you are no longer on my "groan...I've got to fly thru Dulles" list. It was fabulous. And because we were actually a few minutes early, we DID have time to grab something to eat after all. Our Austrian Air gate was beautiful, it was in a different area, and we just happened to find a Chipotle to grab something worth while to eat! It seemed like everything was coming up roses...and most of the time the roses are coming up is because of the fertilizer used on them...so we did run into a little mess while we were there. It seems that Austrian Air made the size of the box to fit your "carry on" luggage in just a little bit smaller than it used to be. (at least that is what I overheard the person at the desk explain as to how the gentlmens suitcase 'suddenly' didn't fit) I KNEW that mine was not going to fit either, sure enough it didn't. As we were standing in line we got to overhear a whole other group of people traveling together's woes. Their luggage was not in the computer, due to a glitch by airline staff, it was not checked thru to their final destination, and it would have to be picked up in Vienna if it did not make it thru. The big problem was that the people would already be in Spain by then and could not pick it up in Vienna. It was a difficult situation, but I thought the lady handling it could probably teach the United staff some lessons in customer service! Back to OUR story...Sharon and Bennett did not have boarding passes so we were going to have to get them some so waiting in line was unavoidable. Finally another person walked up and was able to help us get our things all taken care of. It ended up that she was able to get us all three in the same row, I've NEVER had that happen in all of the years of me going. She got us all together on all legs of our journey...I was thrilled! We did end up moving stuff around so that they could check our carry on bags thru to Dneper...for FREE...which was a great thing! Poor Bennett got to carry some of our stuff and some of his was stuffed in our check bags. Since ALL of my clothes were in that bag, I did grab a pair of unmentionables so if necessary I would have SOMETHING clean to change into! Then we just waited...It really wasn't long before we were boarding and getting settled. Because of your prayers the family with 5 rowdy children were at the back of the plane many, many rows from us, and we actually got a steward with a sense of humor that took care of us. The plane ride wasn't THAT long...but then again I am not over 6 feet and trying to stuff my legs into an area a 5 foot tall person would have trouble using. Thank you for not complaining! I guess we will talk to you on the Vienna end of this trip...till the next adventure.

What a difference a year makes...

What a difference a year makes...especially this year in Ukraine. I have been carefully preparing Sharon and Bennett for all the possibilities of what to expect on their trip this year...well...it seems like this year has made a huge difference! Starting with the ticketing kiosk at DFW Airport. I have never HAD to use the kiosk before. There has always been several agents and a few kiosks to use...not this year. We had maybe one agent and five or six kiosks. Now some of you may be thinking..."what's the big deal, I use them all the time?" How well do you know me? Have you ever seen me and a computer interact? I didn't think so! If you had, you would have suggested right away that I move over and let Sharon handle it... but of course...I didn't do that! Surely after ALL these years I can handle ONE little kiosk??? Not so much! I finally punched in the reservation number, with help from the agent, then I got down to some other questions/necessary information for the form field. After inputting the information, it read "Airline personel must assist you please wait". So I did...wait...and wait... That should have been my clue to STEP BACK FROM THE COMPUTER SCREEN... After a year long wait, or possibly only a few minutes, an airline employee walked up (very irritated, I might add) and asked me what I was doing. I told him I was waiting on instructions from one of them. He said, not so nicely, just read the screen in front of you. I informed him that I HAD read the screen and it told me I had to wait on assistance from airline personel...he leaned over and rather sarcastically began to read the screen...until it came to the part to wait for assistance...I just gave him my teacher eye and waited for instructions. He did what it was he was supposed to do and I got my three boarding passes. THEN...it came time to weigh the bags...which I had already done and knew that one of them had to be moved around a bit. So then he said you need to weigh your bags, I told him I had and was waiting for instructions on what to do. Well, he informed me that they had a weight limit of 50 lbs, I told him I had weighed them at home and they were all under 50 lbs. His reply...they have to be weighed on OUR scales, I know, I'm just waiting for you to get here and tag them. I think he was a little disappointed that they were all 49.5 lbs and under! (not under by much) I am very glad that he didn't see us have to move stuff to a different bag!! (I know Karen we weighed them several times, I don't know what happened) After the bags were tagged and gone, Sharon realized that they didn't have but one boarding pass, we were going to have to get them at the next gate...I wasn't going to ask Mr. Congeniality to help us with something that might tax his customer service skills beyond what he could handle! Step one down...I don't know how many more to go! Till another adventure starts!

Another year for Adventure

Well, it starts again. Another year to return to the country that I love second to my own. This will definately be a different year for me. Two fellow adventurers will be joining me in 2012. Sharon and her son Bennett will take on the adventure with me. I can not tell you how excited I am to have company this year. Unfortunately we had to leave some of the family at home taking care of home and hearth...but they are with us in spirit. Rita, Jane and the whole gang are excited about the trip this year, as is Team Ukraine. It will be different but so rewarding, I can hardly wait. We will leave next week, and be there for a long time. Just ask the "newbies" if it isn't a long time when we finally land at home! They will have had a blast, but most certainly be ready for home! Only time will tell if they want to continue the adventure for years to come. I fell in love with Ukraine in 1997, and have not looked back! Onward HO! Let the new adventure begin.