Hello from Chernivtsi/Chernovtsy/however you want to transliterate it, about 8 hours from Kyiv, Ukraine! We have been here for most of this week, having arrived by train on Wednesday morning.
Our week began with a visit to Vinnitsya (sp?), where we toured the House of James (children’s home) and men’s and women’s rehab centers. At House of James, you could see that the children were loved and cared for, and at the rehab centers, the leaders were helping others to escape a lifestyle of addiction and enter into a new life with Christ. It reminded me of the following verses from 2 Corinthians: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them.” God is at work here, through the love and guidance of people. (PS The men’s rehab center we visited was featured in the NMI reading book, “Eight Steps from the Edge of Hell”.)
When we arrived in Chernivtsi, we met with Vera, who has been leading children’s clubs for folks with disabilities. She actually recently spent some time in the hospital, due to something stress-related, so keep her in your prayers as she tries to do a lot for these kids. “Compassion is my lifestyle,” and is not just about feeling sorry for someone—it involves taking action—she said as she told us her story, and she is passionate about helping children and families of children with special needs. She would love to be able to visit with each family, but she can only do so much.
We visited Katya, an 18 year old with cerebral palsy, and her mom on Thursday and Friday. We went outside for a little while and played catch and blew bubbles together, and also were able to have tea together. Nadine and I also “sang” a song with our puppets, to a song for kids from Hillsong. Katya’s mom said that life has been difficult, because society is unfamiliar with those with special needs and does not always provide support. She really enjoyed just being able to talk to someone—she is thankful for Vera’s presence in her life as well. I pray that they were encouraged by our presence, and that God will continue to work in their lives. When we visited Sveta (who has Down syndrome), we taught her how to tie shoes, and practiced with her. We also played catch, and gave her a pink hairbrush of her very own, so that she would begin to do some more things on her own. Please keep these families in your prayers, as well as the Ukraine society as a whole, so that these individuals will one day become integrated into society.
Last night we went to a local children’s camp, and watched their final evening service, with skits and songs performed by various groups. It was good to meet some of the kids (despite the language barrier) and youth, and we also did our puppet song again.
Our traveling companions have been Victoria and Tiffany, and it has been great having them along. Victoria, 15, is our translator, and Tiffany is a volunteer at the Vapnyarka Children’s Center. We have done a lot of walking during our time here, and also visited the Chernovtsy university.
Next week (Sunday evening) we will be traveling by train and then bus to Tulchin, and we will be working with Victor and Olga (we’re likely to be working with children). Pray for our safety while traveling, and for the families and church in Tulchin. I’ve appreciated your prayers and emails so far—keep them coming! :)
In Christ,
Jessica
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