River of Joy base from the road
Picnic Patio goes to work
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
EVERYONE NEEDS A ROOF
PUBLISHED 8-8-12 Yesterday I was in Simferopol walking in extreme heat from the tax office where I got my Ukraine ID renewed (WHEW!) to central market with Sasha Zuyev, my new ambassador to the bureaucracy. It helps that he is a deputy minister in the Sel Soviet in Zelenogorsk, the controlling agricultural land office in the micro-region where River of Joy project is and where I live. Sasha is a member of the session. In addition to doing the bureaucratic interface work he will lobby for our interests before the next session which will determine our lease cost, hopefully obtaining a lower cost lease for us based on our non-profit charity work. That is as it should be, but it does no harm to have a man known for his integrity take your case. We were walking and talking for about a mile on burning sidewalks of broken blacktop because Sasha is a fitness freak. I like him in spite of that.
We were talking about the SBU (Internal Affairs, like KGB but new internal Ukraine police) He had a meeting with one of their officers scheduled. They were asking his advice on another land issue. That triggered a memory for me. I told him about one time we had a humantarian aid container waiting for custom's clearance. It was one of 22 we have received from NIICCA in Northern Ireland. It had some pretty cool stuff in it, including used notebook computers and hospital supplies. We met with the commissioner of Hum Aid in Simferopol. He was also the local Director of Aid distribution for the Red Cross and incorrigibly corrupt. He asked for something from our container, (which he would sell and pocket the proceeds). We told him flatly, "NO!" He said, "Then I will hold up your customs clearance."
What this man didn't know is that the previous container we had distributed came with an old used G.E. CAT Scan unit in it. None of the children's hospitals or regional hospitals we helped wanted the enormous contraption. But the Military Hospital received it even though it was over 10 years old, not working and G.E. was not supporting it with parts. They needed it for P.R. so it seems. We let them have it, grateful to get it off our hands..
Immediately the SBU took us under their wing! We were supposed to help them fight terrorism. That seemed good so long as it did not take much effort or hurt the help we were providing sick children. They asked for three used notebooks from the container from NIICCA. We agreed. So even though the Director of humanitarian Aid didn't sign off on it for lack of a bribe, our container was quickly released from customs! He was one dumbfounded big shot. "Who is your roof?" he asked. "SBU!" Surprise is not a strong enough word to describe the look on his face.
That was eleven years ago. Now we are working on more fundamental cultural problems like how to put hurting children in God's care with loving parents rather than a governmental orphanage.
EVERYONE NEEDS A ROOF
Speaking of roofs, the old farmhouse we warehouse hum aid in prior to distribution and things like toys and costumes for use in our children's camps has sprung several leaks! We had water damage problems last winter/spring. This is how it looked when I came back the first of June.
Local contractors asked firstly $10.000 then over $8500 to do the reconstruction...rafters and all. In America it would be a bargain but here at least half of it will go to the contractor and it won't get done right.
I waited a little nervously until Sasha Zhitkov, who helped me do our other roofs was finished with his other work in Simferopol. He and his brother are doing this work now and I am self contracting. At first it put a huge load on yours truly. Up to day before yesterday I was buyiing groceries, preparing all the meals for the guys who are from Simferopol but camp out here all week. I am buying building materials, dealing with local authorities on land issues and drawing our builders pictures of how I want the roof bracing done. Now we have a cook.
SO I am taking an hour or two to do this newsletter in hopes we can get a little more money help. So far we have gone through $3800 including my Social Security money. Another $2500 should finish the project...HELP PLEASE.
We were talking about the SBU (Internal Affairs, like KGB but new internal Ukraine police) He had a meeting with one of their officers scheduled. They were asking his advice on another land issue. That triggered a memory for me. I told him about one time we had a humantarian aid container waiting for custom's clearance. It was one of 22 we have received from NIICCA in Northern Ireland. It had some pretty cool stuff in it, including used notebook computers and hospital supplies. We met with the commissioner of Hum Aid in Simferopol. He was also the local Director of Aid distribution for the Red Cross and incorrigibly corrupt. He asked for something from our container, (which he would sell and pocket the proceeds). We told him flatly, "NO!" He said, "Then I will hold up your customs clearance."
What this man didn't know is that the previous container we had distributed came with an old used G.E. CAT Scan unit in it. None of the children's hospitals or regional hospitals we helped wanted the enormous contraption. But the Military Hospital received it even though it was over 10 years old, not working and G.E. was not supporting it with parts. They needed it for P.R. so it seems. We let them have it, grateful to get it off our hands..
Immediately the SBU took us under their wing! We were supposed to help them fight terrorism. That seemed good so long as it did not take much effort or hurt the help we were providing sick children. They asked for three used notebooks from the container from NIICCA. We agreed. So even though the Director of humanitarian Aid didn't sign off on it for lack of a bribe, our container was quickly released from customs! He was one dumbfounded big shot. "Who is your roof?" he asked. "SBU!" Surprise is not a strong enough word to describe the look on his face.
That was eleven years ago. Now we are working on more fundamental cultural problems like how to put hurting children in God's care with loving parents rather than a governmental orphanage.
EVERYONE NEEDS A ROOF
Speaking of roofs, the old farmhouse we warehouse hum aid in prior to distribution and things like toys and costumes for use in our children's camps has sprung several leaks! We had water damage problems last winter/spring. This is how it looked when I came back the first of June.
ANCIENT ROTTEN RAFTERS NEED REPLACING
SAGGING CEILINGS HOLDING UP CLAY AND STRAW INSULATION
Local contractors asked firstly $10.000 then over $8500 to do the reconstruction...rafters and all. In America it would be a bargain but here at least half of it will go to the contractor and it won't get done right.
I waited a little nervously until Sasha Zhitkov, who helped me do our other roofs was finished with his other work in Simferopol. He and his brother are doing this work now and I am self contracting. At first it put a huge load on yours truly. Up to day before yesterday I was buyiing groceries, preparing all the meals for the guys who are from Simferopol but camp out here all week. I am buying building materials, dealing with local authorities on land issues and drawing our builders pictures of how I want the roof bracing done. Now we have a cook.
ELECTRIFYING!
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
River of Joy Camp 2012 ~ God and children connected.
One secret of the success of this year's River of Joy Camp was the weather! We had rain the first two days and part of the third. Maybe it wasn't exactly an act of faith but I bought some "Plonka" (plastic sheeting) to wrap our leaky old tents in so the children could sleep dry.
Realizing we need good weather for ROJ tent camp, we called pastor and prayer warrior friends and did some serious praying ourselves. "Lord please stop the rain and give us a blessed and healthy camp."
This year camp was on the theme, "Taking the Lord's Ship Around the World." I liked its blatantly Pauline missionary nature. The staff of 22 liked it because it got them thinking creatively about costumes. and unusual things like Indian praise and worship songs. I changed a Texas Motor Speedway baseball cap into an Admiral's cap and told the children my story that compares the metamorphosis of butterflies with the New Birth, The children had fun and really connected. It took us all out of our local religious box and into the huge and expansive ideas that God must have as He confronts a wide variety of cultures and demonic opposition around the globe.
We had children from a variety of cultures involved too. We had family children from smokestack towns in Eastern Ukraine, town and country kids from Crimea. We had poor local village kids and as usual some messed up children from extremely dysfunctional families or orphanages who could not help at all with camp expenses. While those who pay get camp cheaply from us, the extremely poor kids are the main reason why we ask for donation help to do camp.
Some of the children were second or third timers who just can't wait for camp to come around. We even had a child from a local Muslim Crimean Tatar family. She met the Lord here then joyously danced to gospel songs. Her alcoholic uncle later identified himself to me at our bus stop by causing me to recall her attendance. He was impressed
with the change in her to say the least.
He answered.
We had clear weather until the end of camp.
This year camp was on the theme, "Taking the Lord's Ship Around the World." I liked its blatantly Pauline missionary nature. The staff of 22 liked it because it got them thinking creatively about costumes. and unusual things like Indian praise and worship songs. I changed a Texas Motor Speedway baseball cap into an Admiral's cap and told the children my story that compares the metamorphosis of butterflies with the New Birth, The children had fun and really connected. It took us all out of our local religious box and into the huge and expansive ideas that God must have as He confronts a wide variety of cultures and demonic opposition around the globe.
We had children from a variety of cultures involved too. We had family children from smokestack towns in Eastern Ukraine, town and country kids from Crimea. We had poor local village kids and as usual some messed up children from extremely dysfunctional families or orphanages who could not help at all with camp expenses. While those who pay get camp cheaply from us, the extremely poor kids are the main reason why we ask for donation help to do camp.
Some of the children were second or third timers who just can't wait for camp to come around. We even had a child from a local Muslim Crimean Tatar family. She met the Lord here then joyously danced to gospel songs. Her alcoholic uncle later identified himself to me at our bus stop by causing me to recall her attendance. He was impressed
with the change in her to say the least.
On day five of our ten day camp, I spent all day in Belogorsk and Zelenogorsk ~ visited five offices on land issues. We are trying to get a long term land lease going so we can build a children's home and chapel here at River of Joy.
I was still bushed when the tent meeting started after supper, finally deciding not to attend. Alina Navitsky showed up on the way to the meeting wearing a blonde wig! She announced the day's theme was India! Failing to see any connection between a blonde wig and India, I congratulated myself for staying back.
Meeting noises floated down the hill. The kids were unusually loud and boisterous. Then they went still. Vitally sang and played, "How Great is our God" (in Russian). Everything got really quiet. I dozed and chilled out contentedly. It must have been just then God took charge
of that meeting. I did not find it all out until later on.
This photo is actually the next day as the revival continued. That night Alina stood up in her blonde wig and took the children to task for their casual and noisy approach to worship. The kids got the message as the Holy Spirit moved on them. There was a sound of children weeping, repenting. They started falling on their faces in the grass or kneeling. Many began to speak in tongues. 12 of the 35 children we had in camp were baptized in the Holy Spirit without human prompting that very night. It was a, "God Thing." Our preacher was dumbfounded. Nobody but the Lord was in charge. I remember years and years of pastor's prayer meetings where we prayed for revival habitually. Then the Lord showed up big time and I missed the event.
I am wearing a bracelet that reads, "EESUS MOYA SKALA," means, "JESUS IS MY ROCK." That seems to be the joyful message on this camper's face as he enjoys the River of Joy trampoline.
Thanks to everyone who gave to help us do camp again this year, especially my dear mother. Thanks to all of your gifts we fed 57 people for ten days and a bit longer for the set up and take down crews and were able to bless the camp director and hard working kitchen crew with monetary gifts. We also bought and strung lots of electric wire for tent village lights and got a combi portable PA system, and guitar amp that was just right for tent services.
There were a lot of inspiring stories connected with camp this year. One I can photo illustrate is Sergei, a victim of multiple sclerosis who volunteered to help in the kitchen. He could barely walk but his attitude of joy and helpfulness are a blessing participants at River of Joy Camp this year will long remember. Every morning when I asked him, "How are you?"His rejoinder was always, "Best of all!"
Thanks to Cass from U.K., over here connecting with orphans, and Dr.Wilson Turner, both of whom made brief appearances at ROJ camp. Cass brought lots of useful anti-bug items and a football (or soccer ball). The football became a grand prize for our talent show. Wil has been putting our electricity in order. Welcome back again both of you. Thanks to our hard working and dedicated crew as well.
The old Soviet Army tent in which we have been doing services desperately needs replacing.
Please pray we get that done at least before next summer.
Stay tuned for our next blog entitled,
"Everyone needs a covering!"
Love and Blessings from your friend David Gerry Hallowell in Crimea
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Welcome Visitors
This Spring/Summer perhaps the biggest project we finished was the
Beit Shalom (House of Peace) Guest Cabin. This cute little cabin is outfitted
as if it were a fine, howbeit small, hotel room to sleep one or two people.
The name came from a small "Shalom" plaque my friend Dr. Yuliya Vyaltseva brought us from Jerusalem. We have mounted it above the entry door. Our hope is that everyone who stays with us has a peaceful and joyful stay. "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful." John 14:27
~~~~~~~
Rich had done his share of yacht racing and was a successful real estate
broker with Sherrel's able assistance when God called them to Ukraine 14
years ago. They have now held dozens of children's camps and created many
other evangelistic events as, "The Least of These."
Their Mission statement is as follows:
Teaching children to associate unconditional love with Jesus Christ, so they will seek Him the rest of their lives.
In the beginning The Least of These ministry focused on orphaned children in Ukraine. About six years ago God called The Least of These to minister to the Tatar people in the Belogorsk Region in addition to the orphan children in Crimea. Through evangelistic children's programs and camps we are reaching the lost and forgotten children for Christ. We have successfully partnered with local churches, seminaries, and Bible schools enabling nationals to minister to nationals.
It seems fitting that the first children's camp other than our own River of Joy camp to be held at River of Joy in Crimea were the first to use Beit Shalom.
The Richmond's used the cabin for leadership huddles and morning prayer.
Perhaps the peace surrounding the cabin inspired them. The camp was successful
and the Richmond's gave the cabin a five star rating.
~~~~~~~
River of Joy Camp followed TLOT camp. It saw the arrival of Christine and Julia Reed. You might say they were acting as advance scouts for a huge family that we believe will be relocating from Beaumont California to Ukraine to serve with us at River of Joy Crimea. Of course Christine and Julia stayed at Beit Shalom.
http://www.pe.com/localnews/stories/PE_News_Local_D_reeds08.3f6b2c8.html
After bringing in some nice gifts, playing with Sasha, the 18 year old orphan from Donetsk I plan to write about in my next post...who is here with me still, many questions, visits around the neighborhood and a quick visit to the coast, Christine and Julia had to leave us. We are looking forward with joy to future vsits and to meeting more of their awesome family.
Visit their Blog by clicking here: http://smilesandtrials.blogspot.com/
~~~~~~~
The Beit Shalom guest cabin has a calling both to be a blessing and to bring people who are themselves a blessing in for a visit. We felt what I can only say was a tug on our heart from the Lord to invite a special lady of joy from Kherson. Natalia Safonova was to be our next Beit Shalom visitor though she didn't know it yet.
Natalia had called us several times.. She was always so up, so joyful she seemed to be a river of joy herself. We had just been through some personality struggles here and if God was calling her in to reverse that curse the timing was perfect.
Before I called her I spoke with a mutual friend and found out she could not even
afford train or bus fare. We got her agreement and sent ticket money North.
When Natalia walked into Beit Shalom she said she had found heaven. By the time she left ten days later her ministry to our local female believers had renewed our house church and the spiritual life of our group had made giant strides.
Natalia's own story holds the secret of her infectious joy. After the former Soviet Union fell the economy followed it down. Natalia's big apartment house was one of the victims. It got to be so run down it was to be torn down. Everyone was given another place to live except somehow Natalia was forgotten in the relocation. She became a street person. During her homelessness she was touched by the plight of the homeless. She got her documents in order finally and though she still does not have a real place to live, she has a shell of a room. When she meets other homeless people she had come to know she takes them in. Now her apartment shell is a home of the homeless. She sleeps five people in a tiny two room flat, two of them in her own room with her. Of course her food is almost constantly borscht or porridge and bread but she has a powerful ministry to the homeless. She has learned to know their spiritual, psychological and emotional needs first hand. God has given her extraordinary joy. During my week-long stay in the hospital she was my first to reply helper. I was not easy as I am not at all used to pain or sickness. She was ready to give it up several times but she hung in on God's instructions. She says God REALLY loves me. As I write this she is in the village visiting the ladies from our home church. She is back for her second stay at Beit Shalom. Soon she will leave to go back to Kharkov where she will go to court to get new living quarters
no doubt for her AND her homeless guests.
PLEASE PRAY NOW AND FOR AT LEAST A WEEK LONGER THAT NATALIA WILL HAVE A LIVING PLACE ASSIGNED HER.
Sasha is a remarkable young man. He was raised almost entirely in a Schola Internat. That is a Ukraine state-run orphan school. Children who graduate from such schools have the equivalent of a 6th grade education. Sasha and his younger brother and sister were born to alcoholic parents. They used to send the children begging for drinking money. Sasha became the care-giver to his two younger siblings early on. Eventually their parents got so abusive the three children ran away from home. Sasha remembers spending that winter in a zemlinika. That is an underground dugout shelter hiding place the children made to keep warm. They scrounged firewood and used a hollow log for a chimney. Later they all were admitted into a Schola Internat. Sasha developed a dislike for the worldly lifestyle.
He went to church at a young lady's invitation. There he repented and learned more about our Savior's love. He is still a babe in Christ but he is enthusiastic and seems to be sincerely committed to the Lord.
And the runoff was handled. Sasha got it done in record time in the rain. Now we have an underground drain pipe that takes runoff rain water down to the garden. during his time with us Sasha improved the path between buildings, built a cabinet for a propane tank, built a pretty cool dog house and ran many errands. In general he made himself useful.
Sasha also had a good time with Julia playing water games in the heat, swam in Burulcha creek, visited the top of our cliff, went to town and helped me shop for building material, in the process thoroughly enjoying himself, and visited Sudak with Christine and Julia and I...his first seaside visit. He began to chat with Rachel Reed on Skype, using Google translator (and my notebook). He bought an English learning course book and plans to concentrate on learning English now.
After the trip to Sudak Sasha wanted to go back to the sea.
I don't know how strong Sasha's prayer life is but we were soon on our way to the sea again just as he wished.
Lena from Donetsk region (where Sasha hails from) called saying her church was doing a youth conference at Orgenikidza, a small beach town near Theodocia here in Crimea. She invited me and made it sound so attractive I thought it may even have something useful for me. I decided to go and take Sasha.
Beit Shalom (House of Peace) Guest Cabin. This cute little cabin is outfitted
as if it were a fine, howbeit small, hotel room to sleep one or two people.
The name came from a small "Shalom" plaque my friend Dr. Yuliya Vyaltseva brought us from Jerusalem. We have mounted it above the entry door. Our hope is that everyone who stays with us has a peaceful and joyful stay. "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful." John 14:27
Before (when it was a woodshed)
Our first visitors at Beit Shalom were
Rich and Sherrel Richmond of Newport Oregon
Rich had done his share of yacht racing and was a successful real estate
years ago. They have now held dozens of children's camps and created many
other evangelistic events as, "The Least of These."
Their Mission statement is as follows:
Teaching children to associate unconditional love with Jesus Christ, so they will seek Him the rest of their lives.
In the beginning The Least of These ministry focused on orphaned children in Ukraine. About six years ago God called The Least of These to minister to the Tatar people in the Belogorsk Region in addition to the orphan children in Crimea. Through evangelistic children's programs and camps we are reaching the lost and forgotten children for Christ. We have successfully partnered with local churches, seminaries, and Bible schools enabling nationals to minister to nationals.
It seems fitting that the first children's camp other than our own River of Joy camp to be held at River of Joy in Crimea were the first to use Beit Shalom.
The Least of These was also the first camp to make use of
our new picnic area on the west side of River Road 6.
The Richmond's used the cabin for leadership huddles and morning prayer.
Perhaps the peace surrounding the cabin inspired them. The camp was successful
and the Richmond's gave the cabin a five star rating.
~~~~~~~
River of Joy Camp followed TLOT camp. It saw the arrival of Christine and Julia Reed. You might say they were acting as advance scouts for a huge family that we believe will be relocating from Beaumont California to Ukraine to serve with us at River of Joy Crimea. Of course Christine and Julia stayed at Beit Shalom.
Christine and John Reed were mother and father to six children
when they began adopting orphan children from Russia and Ukraine.
Now they have 15 children! To read more about the Reeds
visit this article in their home town newspaper.
http://www.pe.com/localnews/stories/PE_News_Local_D_reeds08.3f6b2c8.html
After bringing in some nice gifts, playing with Sasha, the 18 year old orphan from Donetsk I plan to write about in my next post...who is here with me still, many questions, visits around the neighborhood and a quick visit to the coast, Christine and Julia had to leave us. We are looking forward with joy to future vsits and to meeting more of their awesome family.
Visit their Blog by clicking here: http://smilesandtrials.blogspot.com/
Christine, Julia and Alexander (Sasha)
The Reed family
~~~~~~~
The Beit Shalom guest cabin has a calling both to be a blessing and to bring people who are themselves a blessing in for a visit. We felt what I can only say was a tug on our heart from the Lord to invite a special lady of joy from Kherson. Natalia Safonova was to be our next Beit Shalom visitor though she didn't know it yet.
Natalia had called us several times.. She was always so up, so joyful she seemed to be a river of joy herself. We had just been through some personality struggles here and if God was calling her in to reverse that curse the timing was perfect.
Before I called her I spoke with a mutual friend and found out she could not even
afford train or bus fare. We got her agreement and sent ticket money North.
When Natalia walked into Beit Shalom she said she had found heaven. By the time she left ten days later her ministry to our local female believers had renewed our house church and the spiritual life of our group had made giant strides.
Natalia's own story holds the secret of her infectious joy. After the former Soviet Union fell the economy followed it down. Natalia's big apartment house was one of the victims. It got to be so run down it was to be torn down. Everyone was given another place to live except somehow Natalia was forgotten in the relocation. She became a street person. During her homelessness she was touched by the plight of the homeless. She got her documents in order finally and though she still does not have a real place to live, she has a shell of a room. When she meets other homeless people she had come to know she takes them in. Now her apartment shell is a home of the homeless. She sleeps five people in a tiny two room flat, two of them in her own room with her. Of course her food is almost constantly borscht or porridge and bread but she has a powerful ministry to the homeless. She has learned to know their spiritual, psychological and emotional needs first hand. God has given her extraordinary joy. During my week-long stay in the hospital she was my first to reply helper. I was not easy as I am not at all used to pain or sickness. She was ready to give it up several times but she hung in on God's instructions. She says God REALLY loves me. As I write this she is in the village visiting the ladies from our home church. She is back for her second stay at Beit Shalom. Soon she will leave to go back to Kharkov where she will go to court to get new living quarters
no doubt for her AND her homeless guests.
PLEASE PRAY NOW AND FOR AT LEAST A WEEK LONGER THAT NATALIA WILL HAVE A LIVING PLACE ASSIGNED HER.
An amazing symbol of renewal came when we were having home church.
Galya, a sister who had repented during a series of lessons in the
very room I now call home 8 years ago said she wanted to be
baptized. She had come in from a far away town,
not really knowing why.
Suddenly we all knew why.
It is late in the season. Burulcha is running low
but clear. Galya has been obedient. Baptism is
a symbol of Christ's death, burial and resurrection.
More than that it is a matter of obedience.
"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,'
will enter the kingdom of heaven;
but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven."
Mathew 7:21 NASB
~~~~~~
Our next visitor at Beit Shalom was Dr. Wilson Turner.
Wil is a former YWAM professor at School of the Nations
in Hawaii. He graduated MIT and worked for Hewlett Packard as
an electrical engineer before that. Prior to coming to Ukraine
he lived in the wilds of Oregon. He is nearly 80 years old,
the son of a pioneer family and is serving the Lord in Ukraine
as an apologetic specialist lecturer in the scientific community.
That basically means he shows the scientific reasons
why evolution is not a reasonable explanation
for our existence, but God is.
Wil was here looking at our problem with the well pump in the top well.
His thought that the underwater well valve was stuck turned out to be right.
I am happy to say that I enjoyed a nice shower this morning
thanks to that diagnosis and to Sasha, the agile
18 year old who went down the well to press the
button that unstuck it.
~~~~~~~
Our next Beit Shalom resident was that 18 year old
who climbed down the well,
Alexander (Sasha) Romanchenko.
Sasha is a remarkable young man. He was raised almost entirely in a Schola Internat. That is a Ukraine state-run orphan school. Children who graduate from such schools have the equivalent of a 6th grade education. Sasha and his younger brother and sister were born to alcoholic parents. They used to send the children begging for drinking money. Sasha became the care-giver to his two younger siblings early on. Eventually their parents got so abusive the three children ran away from home. Sasha remembers spending that winter in a zemlinika. That is an underground dugout shelter hiding place the children made to keep warm. They scrounged firewood and used a hollow log for a chimney. Later they all were admitted into a Schola Internat. Sasha developed a dislike for the worldly lifestyle.
He went to church at a young lady's invitation. There he repented and learned more about our Savior's love. He is still a babe in Christ but he is enthusiastic and seems to be sincerely committed to the Lord.
During the first month of his stay at River of Joy
Beit Shalom guest cabin was busy.
Sasha slept in one of our simple tents.
He slept well there.
Julia Reed pitched in from the beginning of her stay with us.
Some old pipes we had laying around
helped Sasha to build a horizontal bar for his workout.
He is quite an athlete. He can do tricks on the horizontal bar
that I didn't know existed. Later, on a mission to buy a part
for our well pump, he rode a bike to Belogorsk,
20 hard kilometers from here, in just 40 minutes!
One very rainy Sunday Sasha decided to help
control the runoff. He used my jacket
as he worked...hard. He worked like an American!
I have never seen anyone else here work so fast.
Sasha also had a good time with Julia playing water games in the heat, swam in Burulcha creek, visited the top of our cliff, went to town and helped me shop for building material, in the process thoroughly enjoying himself, and visited Sudak with Christine and Julia and I...his first seaside visit. He began to chat with Rachel Reed on Skype, using Google translator (and my notebook). He bought an English learning course book and plans to concentrate on learning English now.
After the trip to Sudak Sasha wanted to go back to the sea.
Sasha checks out a Theodocia bas relief commemorating over 2500 years as
a Crimean port city. The Lord used this city to teach me how to be an effective missionary back in 1994...long story.
I don't know how strong Sasha's prayer life is but we were soon on our way to the sea again just as he wished.
Lena from Donetsk region (where Sasha hails from) called saying her church was doing a youth conference at Orgenikidza, a small beach town near Theodocia here in Crimea. She invited me and made it sound so attractive I thought it may even have something useful for me. I decided to go and take Sasha.
Sasha had a ball. He bought lots of souvenirs, went swimming in the sea every day. After a swim he brought me a medusa (jelly fish) to feel....yuk! He was touched by the skits, messages and music at the youth conference. We stayed three days and two nights at a school being rented out for sleeping rooms. Of course that was too little time for Sasha but I had more than used up any money I had allocated to the excursion and was eager to get back home to a more comfortable bed.
Then Sasha moved to the Beit Shalom guest cabin. He was honored.
Sasha has gone back to Donetsk on the train. Tomorrow he starts his second year at
cabinet makers technical school.
~~~~~~~
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
River of Joy Camp ~ July 8 - 17, 2011 NEW EDIT
This year we followed the TLOT camp at ROJ. We had only a few days to get our
camp ready, but some of the tents we just left in place. The grounds were left clean
thanks to a attentive TLOT staff.
Our ROJ camp has focused on young school age children. This formula works well for
the Christian workers from Brilliance and Dnieperderzhinks who have come in to help
us for the past three years. .
camp ready, but some of the tents we just left in place. The grounds were left clean
thanks to a attentive TLOT staff.
Our ROJ camp has focused on young school age children. This formula works well for
the Christian workers from Brilliance and Dnieperderzhinks who have come in to help
us for the past three years. .
Chief among our ROJ Camping staffers from up-country
is camp Diretor Olga. She has a great sense of humor but takes the
camping ministry seriously. She learns new methods every year
and our camps keep getting better and better.
The theme this year was, "City of Light." On the first night
the staff dressed up and took on the roll of city officials.
We had 30 children at ROJ Camp this year.
We had planned on 33 but...
The evening meeting is a time of presentations, skits, praise and worship and testimonies.
The weather has been hot during the first few days of the camp, but the cooler evening air
invigorates the meeting. It is popular with ROJ campers.
Avenir leads worship. Avinir is a Bulgarian who lives in Southern Moldova.
His family became refugees in Moldova during the second Balkan War
in 1913 when Turkey took much of the Bulgarian territory and
and the lives of Christians there were endangered.
At River of Joy camp life long friendships are established.
River of Joy is a place of peace where children of all ages can get alone with
their maker, all the while enjoying God's beautiful creation. Vlada here is actually
the niece of our camp director. She had behavior problems in the first camp this year
but she repented during the ROJ camp and she has changed considerably.
Her aggressiveness has softened in the Savior's presence.
The children learn new things, like how much God loves them and
how to smile for a photo, something unusual for a Russian child.
The boys got a full taste of God's love for them too. Smiles
got more frequent and friendships flourished.
We learned God's Word together and worked to
learn it better than the other team did. Learning together
and working together made it work in and for us.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Memories of our beginnings here.
Back when we bought this property, thanks to money sent us by Northern Ireland International Children's Charity appeal, the look of the grounds was quite different. Over the years, step-by-step we have been cleaning the place up. Malone College students helped us by removing
that messy barn in the foreground of this photo.
As we find more memories we will continue to edit this post, so stop back in
to see what else we had before we upgraded.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
back in the USSR!
I just got back from an adventuresome trip to Predniestrovia, the Moldovan break-off Republic
between Ukraine and the Dniester river. I visited my friend Marik Fashevsky where I enjoyed
the fellowship with his father Roman and the food preparations of his mother, Ludmila.
The whole trip was mostly about renewing my welcome n Ukraine, which wears out more frequently
now that Internal affairs has determined not to register the K (cultural) visa. Now I must leave Ukraine
every three months if I am to stay legal. Legal is a status my heavenly father wants for me so I gather
from the pages of Holy Writ (Titus 3:1,2). So as I told Roman and Marik I will be seeing them more frequently now. Perhaps the Lord will show me a way for this quarterly break to bear fruit for His kingdom.
I was nervous about this trip because it was my first with an unregistered K visa and since customs and border police are part of Internal Affairs it could be that the same people that refused to register the visa in the first place might find some reason not to let me pass through the border control.
I was also having to leave between the end of the The Least of These children's camp and the River of Joy children's camp, using money for the trip I would rather use to serve the Lord as a servant of healing to Ukrainian children and their families. The ROJ camp begins on the 8th, just two days after my return from this whirlwind trip.
So on the last day of the TLOT camp I left for Simferopol. I had some nice fellowship with the COJCFG church family Sunday Morning in town, ate lunch with Mitaxia and Dr. Laura near church and caught the train to Odecca that afternoon with the help of Oleg Loboda. The next morning at 8:30 when I disembarked I asked the Dovidka (Information desk) when and where I could catch a bus to Tiraspol Predniestrovia. She said the soonest I could catch one would be at the central Bus Station at 1:35. I had to catch city bus 84 at the train station first though. I waited awhile to catch that bus, found central Bus station and went
in to buy a ticket.
The ticket agent told me I could catch the 9 AM bus! I looked at my watch. It was 8:55 AM! I bought a ticket, her last one for that bus, and got on just before the bus took off....AND BOY DID IT EVER TAKE OFF! The bus driver had a lead foot and his smaller bus had a stiff suspension. On the little chuck-hole ridden highway it was like a bucking bronco training session. I was in the far back center of the bus trying to keep my rear end on the seat. My attempt was far from successful. Maybe I should have awaited a later bus.
We filled out some standard Arrival / Departure cards on the bus. That can be a real challenge as you bounce off your seat at high speed.
On the Border
They did as they always have done at that border and called out the "Grazhdan America" (me) for special attention after our baggage had been scanned. I had to get off the bus and go into a tiny office and tell an older uniformed border guard what I was up to and why I was leaving Ukraine. I told him and he blessed me! I left feeling as though the prayers that have been offered for me about this trip are being well answered.
between Ukraine and the Dniester river. I visited my friend Marik Fashevsky where I enjoyed
the fellowship with his father Roman and the food preparations of his mother, Ludmila.
The whole trip was mostly about renewing my welcome n Ukraine, which wears out more frequently
now that Internal affairs has determined not to register the K (cultural) visa. Now I must leave Ukraine
every three months if I am to stay legal. Legal is a status my heavenly father wants for me so I gather
from the pages of Holy Writ (Titus 3:1,2). So as I told Roman and Marik I will be seeing them more frequently now. Perhaps the Lord will show me a way for this quarterly break to bear fruit for His kingdom.
I was nervous about this trip because it was my first with an unregistered K visa and since customs and border police are part of Internal Affairs it could be that the same people that refused to register the visa in the first place might find some reason not to let me pass through the border control.
I was also having to leave between the end of the The Least of These children's camp and the River of Joy children's camp, using money for the trip I would rather use to serve the Lord as a servant of healing to Ukrainian children and their families. The ROJ camp begins on the 8th, just two days after my return from this whirlwind trip.
So on the last day of the TLOT camp I left for Simferopol. I had some nice fellowship with the COJCFG church family Sunday Morning in town, ate lunch with Mitaxia and Dr. Laura near church and caught the train to Odecca that afternoon with the help of Oleg Loboda. The next morning at 8:30 when I disembarked I asked the Dovidka (Information desk) when and where I could catch a bus to Tiraspol Predniestrovia. She said the soonest I could catch one would be at the central Bus Station at 1:35. I had to catch city bus 84 at the train station first though. I waited awhile to catch that bus, found central Bus station and went
in to buy a ticket.
The ticket agent told me I could catch the 9 AM bus! I looked at my watch. It was 8:55 AM! I bought a ticket, her last one for that bus, and got on just before the bus took off....AND BOY DID IT EVER TAKE OFF! The bus driver had a lead foot and his smaller bus had a stiff suspension. On the little chuck-hole ridden highway it was like a bucking bronco training session. I was in the far back center of the bus trying to keep my rear end on the seat. My attempt was far from successful. Maybe I should have awaited a later bus.
We filled out some standard Arrival / Departure cards on the bus. That can be a real challenge as you bounce off your seat at high speed.
On the Border
They did as they always have done at that border and called out the "Grazhdan America" (me) for special attention after our baggage had been scanned. I had to get off the bus and go into a tiny office and tell an older uniformed border guard what I was up to and why I was leaving Ukraine. I told him and he blessed me! I left feeling as though the prayers that have been offered for me about this trip are being well answered.
The Predniestrovia flag
features the hammer and sickle symbol on a red field
with a green stripe across the middle. Christian ministries
are seemingly undisturbed there so what the symbol
really means remains a mystery to me.
One thing I enjoyed about Predestrovia the first time I visited her
villages is the way people decorate the gables
on their otherwise unassuming houses..
The owner of this house must have gotten a new scroll saw with his load of lumber
So the evening of July 4th I met Nikolai. He was interested in a spiritual
conversation. We talked about such matters until Midnight. I had a nice rest
and the morning of the fifth Marik took me to the Tiraspol bus station.
It was good to have him along as my grevna were no good for the fare.
he told me to assure my friends that he would be able to
receive them any time after July 26th when his
current guests will have left.
At the Border Again
As we approached the border I had my departure paper all ready to go
and saved back my Ukrainian Arrival/Departure slips for the Ukraine side.
I was called out and went to see what the Moldovan customss wanted. They told me there
was a problem because my Moldovan entry visa had not been registered. I told them
that Marik had assured me that if I did not stay in the country 24 hours I did not
need to get registered. They tried to frighten me. Told me that the 24 hours
"Sutki" starts and stops at 12 midnight. I asked them, "What should I do?" One said.
"go back!" I said. "That does not work for me as I have a train ticket bought
from Odecca to Simferopol. If I go back I could miss the train. I said Marik
had lots of experience bringing in people. I wanted to register my visa but
he said it is not necessary. I asked if the 12 o'clock change is something new.
They asked me my business in Predniestrovia. I told them of my work
with Ukrainian kids and of Mariks similar work. They said, "It is a good thing you
are doing. just leave a little gift for coffee for our boss and you can go." I laid down
200 grevna. Later I texted Marik and he was saddened by this.
On the Ukrainian side there was no call out! My visa was processed with the rest.
They did throw me a curve of sorts however. They stamped my departure slip rather
than my passport with the visa stamp.
Anyway, I am now good for another 3 months.
...and the work goes on.
Love & Blessings,
David
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