This fall we will be following two back to back missions / humanitarian aid trips into central Asia. The first will be to re-visit projects in Central Asia that the started last year and the second will be into XXXXX to aid in the on going support of those that are working there.
Stay tuned for a running journal of those involved.
visiting the ORPHANS and the WIDOWS. .sunmasterjohn@aol.com
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
News From Amanda
Jambo!! (hello in Swahilli)Oh my goodness, I don't even know where to begin! I feel like there is so much to tell already, and it's only been a week. First off, I apologize if there are typing mistakes, but I'm just trying to get as much in this email as possible!Things are going great in Africa! I love it here! This is a dream come true for me! It's incredibly gorgeous and wonderful! The people are amazing! The flying part of getting here was a little long, but we all made it safe and sound. We had the chance to spend the afternoon in London, England on our way to Tanzania, so we were able to have a bit of a rest and explore London for a few hours. Incredible!We arrived in Tanzania and were hit with the heat! My goodness, you just sat there and were sweating! BUt we started to get used to it! We did our orientation in Tanzania from Friday until Sunday, and then 16 of us headed off to Malawi, where I am now.Malawi is much cooler -- this morning, we had sweaters on! But it warmed up through the day. Its their winter season here, but its still warmer then Canada! I always think that God blesses His children! When we were leaveing for Malawi, we didn't really know where we were going to be staying or anything. We just knew it was a place. But honestly,its the most beauitful place I have ever seen.Its in the foothills of the mountains, and the trees and flowers are incredible. God's creation is unbelieveable.I just stare in awe of what He as created. WOW! We feel so blessed by Him!!Today was our second day on campus at Chancellor College and things are going amazing! God is movning and using us in big ways, its awesome! Please continue to pray though, and there is still alot to get done!Our vision for being here, is to raise up leaders; to start a movement here on campus. The campus is full of students who say they are Christians but don't share their faith -- so we want to build into these students and start a movement on their campus. We want to win people to Christ, but then also build into them, so they can build into others. So please pray for these students, that leaders wuould be raised up here in Malawi and also back in Tanzania (where the rest of the team is right now). PLease also pray for my luggage, as it was lost somwehere between Tanzania and Malawi. So I am without a suitcase right now, but I luckily packed a good carry on, that is helping me get through. It's not a huge deal, but just something that can set you back and make you worry and distract you from what we are doing here!Also, please pray for Esela and Aisha, two girls that I have met here and have developed a friendship with. Aisha is muslim, and Esela we want to build into. So please pray for them, and also for all the other students we have connected with!Just yesterday,we had around 100 spiritual converstaions, and had around 5 people accept Christ! In one day! So please pray that we wouldn't burnout but that God would continue to use us here! So things are going great here in Malawi! I do miss home some days, but am so thankful for the experience of being here!There are so many stories that I could share, I feel I could write a novel! I can not wait to come and share more stories with you all!The internet access is very slim in Malawi, so I am not sure when i will be able to email again, but I will try my best to do so!Thank your for your prayers-- i know that you are praying, I can feel it!God is so good, and I am so excited about the amazing things He is going to do at Chancellor Collge and the University of Dar Es Salaam!The others are waiting for the internet, so I must go!Blessings from Malawi,
Amanda
Amanda
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Me and the Potato Man: 2/11/2006
This is a post from a friend of ours adapting to life on the mission field in Moscow. I thought it had some humer to it...
Dear friends,
Happy Valentine’s Day! God is love. Let us love one another.
Let me tell you just one story that might help you understand what daily life is like for us. This is the story of Me and the Potato Man.
The potato man, like many merchants here in Russia, sits on the street all day in freezing cold temperatures, selling his potatoes. He always looks a little bit dirty, kind of like the potatoes themselves. He is missing a few teeth and has replaced a few with gold (that’s really in style here). His fat fingers are brown and calloused and cracked up from the cold. Even in minus 20 degree weather, he can be found on the street selling his potatoes. Remember that the side streets were not designed for cars. They are walkways for pedestrians or horse and carriage that have been converted into narrow streets for vehicles and pedestrians. Many people walk and take public metro, instead of driving. It is likely that hundreds of people walk by the potato man every day. There is always a line-up of people waiting to buy his potatoes because his prices are good, and he has to have new large sacks brought in to him several times a day. His outdoor "store" consists of a scale (for weighing the potatoes in kilograms), a big bag full of plastic bags (to put the potatoes in), and a wooden crate to keep his bottom off the freezing cold pavement when it isn’t busy. His cash register is his pocket.
When I first arrived in Russia last fall I did not know the language or the currency or the customs. I found shopping in the market rather stressful since I needed to know how to ask for the groceries and I needed to know what I was buying. That’s why I chose instead to walk a little ways to the "western style" grocery store. After a few months of carrying potatoes on my back along with all the other groceries, I decided to try to buy potatoes from the potato man, since his little spot on the sidewalk is very close to our apartment. Well, my first attempt was a disaster. I knew the word for potato and I knew my numbers, but that was about it. I just happened to arrive when he was low on potatoes and was waiting for his next bag to come. He tried to tell me this, but I had no idea what he was saying. He snickered at my ignorance of his language, and finally, when he saw I was not going to leave without potatoes, he reached down to the bottom of his pail and got me some potatoes, but when I got home I realized what he had been trying to tell me. The potatoes weren’t in great shape. I ended up throwing out half of them.
That put me off the potato man for a while. But, since he sits on my path to the metro, I see him daily (and he sees me – and I’m sure he also talks to his buddies about "the foreign lady who tried to buy potatoes but didn’t know anything"). I noticed that he always seems to have a line-up of customers. So, his potatoes and his price must be good. After the horrible experience of being falsely accused of stealing a measly pack of gum at the "western style" grocery store, I decided I would give the potato man another try. Besides, I had learned some new words. I knew how to say, "Half a kilogram, please." So I plucked up my courage and went back and used my new Russian phrase… "Pole kilogram, pazhaloosta." But I wasn’t expecting him to talk back! I had no idea what he was saying. But he wasn’t giving me any potatoes. He spoke louder at me, trying to get me to understand his Russian. I had no idea. But he wasn’t giving me potatoes. So I left. On the walk home I mulled over his words and figured that he only sells potatoes in one or two (or more) kilograms – not half kilograms. It took a few more months of walking past the potato man every day to pluck up enough courage to try again. This time I looked up some phrases in my Russian handbook and wrote them down. I practiced saying them over and over before leaving the apartment. When I got to the potato man’s spot on the street, I stood for 5 minutes and watched people purchase potatoes from the potato man, listening to every word. People stared at me, wondering what on earth I was doing standing there watching them, but I wanted to make sure I knew how to do it right. I could see that the potato man was looking at me out of the corner of his eye. But he knew what I was doing. When I was certain I could do it, I got in line. When it was my turn, I stood before the potato man, with my head held high and said, "Daighetey mne dvah kilogram, pazhaloosta." The potato man looked at me, smirked, and weighed out my 2 kilograms of potatoes. Then I said, "Skolka stoit?" I already knew the answer, though, because I had been watching others buy 2 kilograms of potatoes and then hand him 30 rubles. So I already knew that he would say, "Tritsat rublie" – about 75 cents, and I had my roubles ready. On the way home, with my potatoes in my hand, I smiled at the babooshkas gathered in the park to walk their dogs and gossip with each other. I was so happy. What a feeling of success! I had bought potatoes, just like a Russian woman, no smile, no nonsense, chin up and head held high.
Dear friends,
Happy Valentine’s Day! God is love. Let us love one another.
Let me tell you just one story that might help you understand what daily life is like for us. This is the story of Me and the Potato Man.
The potato man, like many merchants here in Russia, sits on the street all day in freezing cold temperatures, selling his potatoes. He always looks a little bit dirty, kind of like the potatoes themselves. He is missing a few teeth and has replaced a few with gold (that’s really in style here). His fat fingers are brown and calloused and cracked up from the cold. Even in minus 20 degree weather, he can be found on the street selling his potatoes. Remember that the side streets were not designed for cars. They are walkways for pedestrians or horse and carriage that have been converted into narrow streets for vehicles and pedestrians. Many people walk and take public metro, instead of driving. It is likely that hundreds of people walk by the potato man every day. There is always a line-up of people waiting to buy his potatoes because his prices are good, and he has to have new large sacks brought in to him several times a day. His outdoor "store" consists of a scale (for weighing the potatoes in kilograms), a big bag full of plastic bags (to put the potatoes in), and a wooden crate to keep his bottom off the freezing cold pavement when it isn’t busy. His cash register is his pocket.
When I first arrived in Russia last fall I did not know the language or the currency or the customs. I found shopping in the market rather stressful since I needed to know how to ask for the groceries and I needed to know what I was buying. That’s why I chose instead to walk a little ways to the "western style" grocery store. After a few months of carrying potatoes on my back along with all the other groceries, I decided to try to buy potatoes from the potato man, since his little spot on the sidewalk is very close to our apartment. Well, my first attempt was a disaster. I knew the word for potato and I knew my numbers, but that was about it. I just happened to arrive when he was low on potatoes and was waiting for his next bag to come. He tried to tell me this, but I had no idea what he was saying. He snickered at my ignorance of his language, and finally, when he saw I was not going to leave without potatoes, he reached down to the bottom of his pail and got me some potatoes, but when I got home I realized what he had been trying to tell me. The potatoes weren’t in great shape. I ended up throwing out half of them.
That put me off the potato man for a while. But, since he sits on my path to the metro, I see him daily (and he sees me – and I’m sure he also talks to his buddies about "the foreign lady who tried to buy potatoes but didn’t know anything"). I noticed that he always seems to have a line-up of customers. So, his potatoes and his price must be good. After the horrible experience of being falsely accused of stealing a measly pack of gum at the "western style" grocery store, I decided I would give the potato man another try. Besides, I had learned some new words. I knew how to say, "Half a kilogram, please." So I plucked up my courage and went back and used my new Russian phrase… "Pole kilogram, pazhaloosta." But I wasn’t expecting him to talk back! I had no idea what he was saying. But he wasn’t giving me any potatoes. He spoke louder at me, trying to get me to understand his Russian. I had no idea. But he wasn’t giving me potatoes. So I left. On the walk home I mulled over his words and figured that he only sells potatoes in one or two (or more) kilograms – not half kilograms. It took a few more months of walking past the potato man every day to pluck up enough courage to try again. This time I looked up some phrases in my Russian handbook and wrote them down. I practiced saying them over and over before leaving the apartment. When I got to the potato man’s spot on the street, I stood for 5 minutes and watched people purchase potatoes from the potato man, listening to every word. People stared at me, wondering what on earth I was doing standing there watching them, but I wanted to make sure I knew how to do it right. I could see that the potato man was looking at me out of the corner of his eye. But he knew what I was doing. When I was certain I could do it, I got in line. When it was my turn, I stood before the potato man, with my head held high and said, "Daighetey mne dvah kilogram, pazhaloosta." The potato man looked at me, smirked, and weighed out my 2 kilograms of potatoes. Then I said, "Skolka stoit?" I already knew the answer, though, because I had been watching others buy 2 kilograms of potatoes and then hand him 30 rubles. So I already knew that he would say, "Tritsat rublie" – about 75 cents, and I had my roubles ready. On the way home, with my potatoes in my hand, I smiled at the babooshkas gathered in the park to walk their dogs and gossip with each other. I was so happy. What a feeling of success! I had bought potatoes, just like a Russian woman, no smile, no nonsense, chin up and head held high.
Saturday, February 11, 2006
Are you called NOT to go ?
Now for some exciting news. In Feb 2008, we (Julie, John, Emma, and Bekah) will be going to Central Asia for five months. The town is in a valley surrounded by the beautiful Himalayan mountain range. The people are so friendly and the area is rich with culture. In Central Asia we will be working with Ed Dickson and Loads of Love. http://www.loadsoflove.org/ and our goal is to be a host family for groups of people like yourselves that would like to come for a 3 week short-term mission, humanitarian aid trip, and make a difference. We will meet the teams or individuals at the airport and look after everything; food, lodging, transportation and translators. The itinerary and projects can be tailor made to your needs and abilities.
In Canada , we are working with Sam Welten of Possibilities International.
http://www.possibilitiesinternational.com/ With Sams’ help we will look after booking trip dates that work for you, flights, visa’s, and support for fundraisors and team meetings. If you are concerned about traveling, we can link you up with experienced travelers. With Possibilities International, nothing is impossible. Pastor Sam is a dynamic speaker and has a desire to support missions any way he can. The next blog will be a letter explaining what Possibilities International is all about. So now it is your turn.
If you or someone you know would be interested in this type of trip, if you would like to make a difference, if you would like to go and not just send, the possibilities are limitless. , email us @ mailto:julie_johnwright@yahoo.cav
In Canada , we are working with Sam Welten of Possibilities International.
http://www.possibilitiesinternational.com/ With Sams’ help we will look after booking trip dates that work for you, flights, visa’s, and support for fundraisors and team meetings. If you are concerned about traveling, we can link you up with experienced travelers. With Possibilities International, nothing is impossible. Pastor Sam is a dynamic speaker and has a desire to support missions any way he can. The next blog will be a letter explaining what Possibilities International is all about. So now it is your turn.
If you or someone you know would be interested in this type of trip, if you would like to make a difference, if you would like to go and not just send, the possibilities are limitless. , email us @ mailto:julie_johnwright@yahoo.cav
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
Should we go or just send Money?
Here is a letter I received from a young man that I got to know in Central Asia. He is not yet a Christian, but is very close. He has a soft heart. When people talk about just sending the money, and not the people, this is the type of letter I like to refer to.
Hi John!I was glad to get a message from you.I miss you and think about you as well.Glad to hear that I was a help to you during your time, and I'd love to be again. Glad that you are doing well and helping people there. Praise God that there are people like you who have a heart for people that need help. Your ministry here was incredible; you came here from there and worked, cleaned and served others instead of having fun. Before that I thought that foreigners just visited and were sponsors. I am looking forward to your coming. Hope that God will bring you here.
Hi John!I was glad to get a message from you.I miss you and think about you as well.Glad to hear that I was a help to you during your time, and I'd love to be again. Glad that you are doing well and helping people there. Praise God that there are people like you who have a heart for people that need help. Your ministry here was incredible; you came here from there and worked, cleaned and served others instead of having fun. Before that I thought that foreigners just visited and were sponsors. I am looking forward to your coming. Hope that God will bring you here.
Friday, December 09, 2005
THE TRUE COST OF VODKA
Today was a day when Sammy once again came to face to face with injustice and afresh pledged myself to make a difference. A difference not only that I can make with hands on myself but by using every bit of my passion and gifts to inspire others in Canada to "give and go" like never before.
I was in an orphanage today and watched the director and her assistant jump...actually jumo when we pulled up and pulled out some gifts. That was great but it was the story of one girl .....12 years old that as I said deepened my resolve(if it is possible to deepen) to give my life for the helpless and hopeless. The police when they got the report brought this sweet girl to the orphanage and asked the director if they could take her. It is well known that her mother traded her to a group of men for a bottle of vodka. You can only imagine the emotions that shot through my body...mind...and heart. C'mon!
It is time for the children of God to rise up...for the church to wake up...and for people to stand up! It is not a bottle of vodka that determines the worth of a child....it is Jesus coming to earth and dying that declares a childs worth.
You cannot in some ways blame the mother...she too is likely the victim of horrific abuse....we must...I must....stand in the face of the works of the enemy and declare that we care and will stand guard...we will protect...we will love...we will give...we will go. I looked at Ed Dickson and said...when I bring a team back here to town in October I want to do a project at this orphanage....oh baby!
I have so many stories like this one to tell....so many impacting moments...
I am on the homeward stretch....not coasting, but floating.....not angry but overwhelmed with God's call of mercy and grace. James 1:27 is my song....has been for years....the volume knob just got cranked a bit on this trip.
And I am not home yet! C'mon!Inspire...Connect...Encourage...helping orphans and the elderly in their distress.....sammyweltenpi
I was in an orphanage today and watched the director and her assistant jump...actually jumo when we pulled up and pulled out some gifts. That was great but it was the story of one girl .....12 years old that as I said deepened my resolve(if it is possible to deepen) to give my life for the helpless and hopeless. The police when they got the report brought this sweet girl to the orphanage and asked the director if they could take her. It is well known that her mother traded her to a group of men for a bottle of vodka. You can only imagine the emotions that shot through my body...mind...and heart. C'mon!
It is time for the children of God to rise up...for the church to wake up...and for people to stand up! It is not a bottle of vodka that determines the worth of a child....it is Jesus coming to earth and dying that declares a childs worth.
You cannot in some ways blame the mother...she too is likely the victim of horrific abuse....we must...I must....stand in the face of the works of the enemy and declare that we care and will stand guard...we will protect...we will love...we will give...we will go. I looked at Ed Dickson and said...when I bring a team back here to town in October I want to do a project at this orphanage....oh baby!
I have so many stories like this one to tell....so many impacting moments...
I am on the homeward stretch....not coasting, but floating.....not angry but overwhelmed with God's call of mercy and grace. James 1:27 is my song....has been for years....the volume knob just got cranked a bit on this trip.
And I am not home yet! C'mon!Inspire...Connect...Encourage...helping orphans and the elderly in their distress.....sammyweltenpi
Sunday, December 04, 2005
Mc Joyfull Christmas
MCJOYFUL CHRISTMAS
only $10 can take an orphan to McDonalds this Christmas, and provide them with a years supply ov vitamins . if you would like to help, go to www.loadsoflove.org ......and now the story
On a cold December day in 2001, Ed Dickson was working with the orphanages in Ukraine and wondering, "What am I going to do for Christmas". That is exactly when he got an idea that changed everything for the orphans idea of Christmas.
In the last few years, McDonalds has opened a number of flashy new restaurants in the former Soviet Union. In the city of Krivoy Rog, Ukraine, the McDonalds is the place where the "elite" folks eat! Poor folks and certainly the orphans in the city only dream of being able to enter the golden arches.
That cold December day, Ed Dickson thought, "Why not take as many orphans as I can to McDonalds for a Christmas party?" What a thrill that was! The first Christmas there were 46 orphans, who had, of course, never been to a McDonalds before, taken out for the time of their lives!
The kids were so excited they were shaking in their seats as they waited for their Happy Meals! After the kids finished eating they put their cups, straws and wrappers into their bags to take back to the orphanage with them. I watched in amazement as they even folded up the little paper placemats.
As I was busy getting the kids to the bus, Olya, one of our workers came to me saying, "Ed, these two little girls have something to say to you." I thought they were going to thank me for the special meal and I didn't want then to say that because I wanted the kids to know that this was all done because GOD loves them. Then the two little girls looked up at me shyly and said, "We just want you to know that we had been praying together that God would allow us, somehow, to go to McDonalds someday."
this year, we would like to take over 2000 kids!
only $10 can take an orphan to McDonalds this Christmas, and provide them with a years supply ov vitamins . if you would like to help, go to www.loadsoflove.org ......and now the story
On a cold December day in 2001, Ed Dickson was working with the orphanages in Ukraine and wondering, "What am I going to do for Christmas". That is exactly when he got an idea that changed everything for the orphans idea of Christmas.
In the last few years, McDonalds has opened a number of flashy new restaurants in the former Soviet Union. In the city of Krivoy Rog, Ukraine, the McDonalds is the place where the "elite" folks eat! Poor folks and certainly the orphans in the city only dream of being able to enter the golden arches.
That cold December day, Ed Dickson thought, "Why not take as many orphans as I can to McDonalds for a Christmas party?" What a thrill that was! The first Christmas there were 46 orphans, who had, of course, never been to a McDonalds before, taken out for the time of their lives!
The kids were so excited they were shaking in their seats as they waited for their Happy Meals! After the kids finished eating they put their cups, straws and wrappers into their bags to take back to the orphanage with them. I watched in amazement as they even folded up the little paper placemats.
As I was busy getting the kids to the bus, Olya, one of our workers came to me saying, "Ed, these two little girls have something to say to you." I thought they were going to thank me for the special meal and I didn't want then to say that because I wanted the kids to know that this was all done because GOD loves them. Then the two little girls looked up at me shyly and said, "We just want you to know that we had been praying together that God would allow us, somehow, to go to McDonalds someday."
this year, we would like to take over 2000 kids!
Monday, November 21, 2005
Central Asia update
THE REST OF THE STORY !
In my last newsletter, I mentioned an
orphanage in Central Asia where we
had helped to put running water into
the building, fix the heating system
and do some renovations.
This was not a Christian orphanage,
in fact, the leaders were Muslim.
The pastor of the small village church
actually invited us to the orphanage
because the director did not want
her doing 'church' stuff with the kids
and she said, "If we can help them
change this horrid place, they may,
little by little, open up to us."
I just received the news ... this week
... this amazing director and one of
her staff, went to a church cell group
meeting and received Jesus Christ!
WOW ! PRAISE THE LORD !
My dear friends ... this is now a Christian orphanage! The door is now open for REAL love! Let's
show them love beyond their wildest dreams!!! We don't create our own kingdoms ... we take
His Kingdom to the world!
Thank you SO much for working and praying together with me.
With love, IN Jesus,
Ed Dickson
Thursday, October 27, 2005
final actofkindness....for now!!!!!!!!
Good morning everyone,
This will be the last email from this address.
Yesterday was a busy day sightseeing in Kiev, and we got to see some amazing historical sights, some huge buildings built by the Russians during their "reign" over Ukraine, a couple of Ukrainian Orthodox cathedrals with gold domes. We saw inside one of the cathedrals but were not allowed to take pictures. The gold inlay and painted portraits completely covered the roof and walls in what is one of the biggest churches we have ever seen. One of them has only been reconstructed in the last couple of years, because Stalin tore down the original to make room for a building of his own to show his authority.
In the centre of the city we visited catacombs (caves) built way underground by a Ukrainian Orthodox monastery in about 1026. The ladies had to cover our heads and carry a small candle as we went through the passages - not for the claustrophobic. There are men (designated as saints for some special deed they did) buried in glass caskets down there. The bodies were completely covered in robes, but the odd black mummified hand stuck out of some. Quite spooky, actually. Ed says we only saw a small portion of the catacombs. Apparently there is a section where monks still live and pray, not coming out for the rest of their lives. Their food is delivered, but they don't even see who delivers it. Not my idea of a good time.
While we were sightseeing, Kate and Jennie went to the hairdresser's with Natasha, Ed's wife. Kate has bangs! Her haircut was very European. Jennie got her hair cut quite short and looked very beautiful as well.
We met for lunch at a cafe where we had the last meal of Ukranian food - borsch and perogies and crepes. Then we shopped for a while at the "market" - stalls all up and down the hill by the St. Andrew's Cathedral. Could have stayed a lot longer, but the men rushed us...
We had our last supper at the food court at the biggest mall in Kiev. They actually had a McDonalds and a Kentucky Fried Chicken place, although they didn't call it Kentucky Fried Chicken. A taste of home....Ed had taken our purchases home in a taxi and brought his daughter Regina back for supper with us. His little daughter Amy most of us didn't get to see this time.
We were up early (4 a.m.) - 9 last night your time, and headed for the Kiev airport for our 6 a.m. flight. We flew Ukraine International on a luxurious 737 - 400 passenger plane, not another Aeroflot plane (do you remember the one we thought was duct taped together?), a Russian A21, Dave Wright told me, for those of you interested..this flight was wonderful - the breakfast was good, there was room for our legs, and our carryons fit in the overhead compartments.
We have now safely landed at Amsterdam airport and have a 5 hour stopover before heading across the Atlantic.
Marilyn has Bill's relatives in Amsterdam, so she and Jennie have gone to spend a couple of hours with them. The rest of us are using the internet cafe and shopping.
We are all anxious to be home now, to see all our loved ones and to sleep in our own beds. It will be a long day as we get into Toronto airport at 4 p.m. By the time we get through customs and drive home from there, it will be between 6 and 7, so we will be up almost 24 hours.
Hope to see my kids at school tomorrow with lots of pictures, and souvenirs to show them. Kate is coming with me, so she can fill in any details that I might forget.
See you soon,
Love to you all,
Shirley, Kate, Glenna, Marilyn & Jennie
This will be the last email from this address.
Yesterday was a busy day sightseeing in Kiev, and we got to see some amazing historical sights, some huge buildings built by the Russians during their "reign" over Ukraine, a couple of Ukrainian Orthodox cathedrals with gold domes. We saw inside one of the cathedrals but were not allowed to take pictures. The gold inlay and painted portraits completely covered the roof and walls in what is one of the biggest churches we have ever seen. One of them has only been reconstructed in the last couple of years, because Stalin tore down the original to make room for a building of his own to show his authority.
In the centre of the city we visited catacombs (caves) built way underground by a Ukrainian Orthodox monastery in about 1026. The ladies had to cover our heads and carry a small candle as we went through the passages - not for the claustrophobic. There are men (designated as saints for some special deed they did) buried in glass caskets down there. The bodies were completely covered in robes, but the odd black mummified hand stuck out of some. Quite spooky, actually. Ed says we only saw a small portion of the catacombs. Apparently there is a section where monks still live and pray, not coming out for the rest of their lives. Their food is delivered, but they don't even see who delivers it. Not my idea of a good time.
While we were sightseeing, Kate and Jennie went to the hairdresser's with Natasha, Ed's wife. Kate has bangs! Her haircut was very European. Jennie got her hair cut quite short and looked very beautiful as well.
We met for lunch at a cafe where we had the last meal of Ukranian food - borsch and perogies and crepes. Then we shopped for a while at the "market" - stalls all up and down the hill by the St. Andrew's Cathedral. Could have stayed a lot longer, but the men rushed us...
We had our last supper at the food court at the biggest mall in Kiev. They actually had a McDonalds and a Kentucky Fried Chicken place, although they didn't call it Kentucky Fried Chicken. A taste of home....Ed had taken our purchases home in a taxi and brought his daughter Regina back for supper with us. His little daughter Amy most of us didn't get to see this time.
We were up early (4 a.m.) - 9 last night your time, and headed for the Kiev airport for our 6 a.m. flight. We flew Ukraine International on a luxurious 737 - 400 passenger plane, not another Aeroflot plane (do you remember the one we thought was duct taped together?), a Russian A21, Dave Wright told me, for those of you interested..this flight was wonderful - the breakfast was good, there was room for our legs, and our carryons fit in the overhead compartments.
We have now safely landed at Amsterdam airport and have a 5 hour stopover before heading across the Atlantic.
Marilyn has Bill's relatives in Amsterdam, so she and Jennie have gone to spend a couple of hours with them. The rest of us are using the internet cafe and shopping.
We are all anxious to be home now, to see all our loved ones and to sleep in our own beds. It will be a long day as we get into Toronto airport at 4 p.m. By the time we get through customs and drive home from there, it will be between 6 and 7, so we will be up almost 24 hours.
Hope to see my kids at school tomorrow with lots of pictures, and souvenirs to show them. Kate is coming with me, so she can fill in any details that I might forget.
See you soon,
Love to you all,
Shirley, Kate, Glenna, Marilyn & Jennie
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
Like Kids in a Crayon Store!
Did we tell you about a man we know with a great big heart?
He told us that he thinks every kid should at one piont in there life have a box of crayons and a box of smarties.
He gave us the money, and we had the privelage of hand delivering crayons and smarties to orphans at the red river orphanage.
170 orphans say "Thanks Drew"
Hi from Ukraine
Love to everyone from the Wrights.
Today we went to the orphanage that Ed has been supporting. The place was more like a large family than an orphanage. This women named Valentina has adopted about 13 children and her and her husband have given these children every opportunity as if they were her own. She was such a happy, colourful, energetic soul that you couldn't help but admire and adore her. Ed has such a great vision for this place. He sees this camp as a place for orphans from all over the Ukraine to come to and have a fun, healing time for a while in the summer. There are some very poor elderly people in this village and Valentina has been trying to help them too. She is going to bring the needs of the children and the needs of the elderly together and start training the children to care for the elderly. Cooking, biulding things, carrying water and such so the kids learn these life skills and the elderly get to live through the winter. Then eventually the orphange can be kind of a seniors home in the winter months. Sounds like a great idea to me.
Well, I guess we will be home soon. Already planning my next trip back and taking notes for what to bring, what worked well and what could be done differently.
Love Julie
Today we went to the orphanage that Ed has been supporting. The place was more like a large family than an orphanage. This women named Valentina has adopted about 13 children and her and her husband have given these children every opportunity as if they were her own. She was such a happy, colourful, energetic soul that you couldn't help but admire and adore her. Ed has such a great vision for this place. He sees this camp as a place for orphans from all over the Ukraine to come to and have a fun, healing time for a while in the summer. There are some very poor elderly people in this village and Valentina has been trying to help them too. She is going to bring the needs of the children and the needs of the elderly together and start training the children to care for the elderly. Cooking, biulding things, carrying water and such so the kids learn these life skills and the elderly get to live through the winter. Then eventually the orphange can be kind of a seniors home in the winter months. Sounds like a great idea to me.
Well, I guess we will be home soon. Already planning my next trip back and taking notes for what to bring, what worked well and what could be done differently.
Love Julie
Tuesday in Kiev..a must read!
Well it's Tuesday so we must be in Kiev.
The last few days have been a bit of a blur.
I'll start with Sunday.
We drove out to a city of about 40,000 people on the
shores of the lake. We were there to attend church and to give Anya a Ukrainian missionary who works with children a laptop computer that we had brought for her. God showed up big time during the service. I had prepared a sermon on tuesday night just in case I was asked to speak. I chose the passage out of Acts that describes Paul's dream about going to Macedonia. I was going to focus on how God had closed the doors for us to go to XXXXXX, and our call had been to Central Asia. During the praise time led by the pastor's wife we are all very moved. We didn't understand a word, but we felt God's presence and we praised the Lord with all of our hearts. At the end of the singing one of our team members gave a word of prophecy, She said that God had called us to the mountains and the valleys and that we were to go and He would give us the words to say. she said this in english. Ed stood up and translated and then added that he believed that this was a word for the church that were not only to reach out in there city but to reach out into the surronding area into the mountains and the valleys of the region around the lake. Then Ed introduced the team and said that he was sure that I had a message from God for the church.
(This was the first time that he said anything to me about preaching so he
might have meant that he hoped that I had a message). I preached the sermon that I had prepared but emphasized that we had been called and came now they were being called and they needed to go. When I finished the pastor stood up and said that they had been talking as a church for some time about starting a church in a village up in the mountains, and now god was telling them it was time.
He then asked for testimonies and a man stood up and said that he was from a village 200 km away and that God had sent him to this village to learn about him and that in the service this morning he really believed that God was calling him to go back and witness to the people in his village. We were just completely blown away how God had orchastrated everything that morning.
Later at lunch the pastor explained to us that they had been ready for sometime to go out to that village but they didn't have anyone to send. After the testimonies of that morning they now possibly had a worker in that man to send. PTL!!!
We came home down through the beautiful mountains and part of our team who was with our driver Kostia had a real adventure ask them about the bus, it's a bus, it's a bus, it's a big bus.
We arrived back at the mission and said goodbye to everyone, lots of hugs,
tears and exchanging of email addresses. We got up at 2:00am because we had to leave by 3:00am to be at the airport for 4:00am. we flew out at 6:00 and arrived in Moscow 4 hours later. Then we had to wait for 5 hours in the Moscow airport. We staked out a table in one of the cafe's had breakfast eggs and bacon 3.00 us dollars one coffe latte 6.00 us dollars. We slept, we played cribbage, we read and some of us (Kate) shopped, at 3:00 pm we flew out for Kiev all in all our Moscow experiences have been very good compared to other teams experiences in teh past.
We arrived in Kiev and everyone voted for a pizza dinner. We had good old
fashioned north american pizza there was no mutton, dill or excessive oil in sight. It was amazing. After dinner we got settled into the apartments
where we are staying until thursday and then six of us who still had some energy left ( we had all been up now for twenty hours) went with Ed to a
leaders meeting at the church Sunday Adeleja pastors in Kiev. There were about 1500-2000 cell group leaders there. We were told that this is about
half of all of the cell group leaders. We stayed for about an hour while
they prayed and then left the meeting would go on for about three hours.
This is a very dedicated congregation. They are doing great things for God
in Kiev. Then we came home and collapsed into bed. today we are going to
try and get slept up, however I'm awake and writing this now at 9:00 am.
Then we are going to go out and see a children's camp that Ed is involved
with outside of Kiev. Wednesday is a sightseeing day, and shopping day, and we fly home Thursday.
The end is near, we can all hardly wait to see our families again. God has done some amazing things on this trip and while we all will look the same physically when we come home. None of us are the same on the inside.
Blessings from Kiev
Jamie
The last few days have been a bit of a blur.
I'll start with Sunday.
We drove out to a city of about 40,000 people on the
shores of the lake. We were there to attend church and to give Anya a Ukrainian missionary who works with children a laptop computer that we had brought for her. God showed up big time during the service. I had prepared a sermon on tuesday night just in case I was asked to speak. I chose the passage out of Acts that describes Paul's dream about going to Macedonia. I was going to focus on how God had closed the doors for us to go to XXXXXX, and our call had been to Central Asia. During the praise time led by the pastor's wife we are all very moved. We didn't understand a word, but we felt God's presence and we praised the Lord with all of our hearts. At the end of the singing one of our team members gave a word of prophecy, She said that God had called us to the mountains and the valleys and that we were to go and He would give us the words to say. she said this in english. Ed stood up and translated and then added that he believed that this was a word for the church that were not only to reach out in there city but to reach out into the surronding area into the mountains and the valleys of the region around the lake. Then Ed introduced the team and said that he was sure that I had a message from God for the church.
(This was the first time that he said anything to me about preaching so he
might have meant that he hoped that I had a message). I preached the sermon that I had prepared but emphasized that we had been called and came now they were being called and they needed to go. When I finished the pastor stood up and said that they had been talking as a church for some time about starting a church in a village up in the mountains, and now god was telling them it was time.
He then asked for testimonies and a man stood up and said that he was from a village 200 km away and that God had sent him to this village to learn about him and that in the service this morning he really believed that God was calling him to go back and witness to the people in his village. We were just completely blown away how God had orchastrated everything that morning.
Later at lunch the pastor explained to us that they had been ready for sometime to go out to that village but they didn't have anyone to send. After the testimonies of that morning they now possibly had a worker in that man to send. PTL!!!
We came home down through the beautiful mountains and part of our team who was with our driver Kostia had a real adventure ask them about the bus, it's a bus, it's a bus, it's a big bus.
We arrived back at the mission and said goodbye to everyone, lots of hugs,
tears and exchanging of email addresses. We got up at 2:00am because we had to leave by 3:00am to be at the airport for 4:00am. we flew out at 6:00 and arrived in Moscow 4 hours later. Then we had to wait for 5 hours in the Moscow airport. We staked out a table in one of the cafe's had breakfast eggs and bacon 3.00 us dollars one coffe latte 6.00 us dollars. We slept, we played cribbage, we read and some of us (Kate) shopped, at 3:00 pm we flew out for Kiev all in all our Moscow experiences have been very good compared to other teams experiences in teh past.
We arrived in Kiev and everyone voted for a pizza dinner. We had good old
fashioned north american pizza there was no mutton, dill or excessive oil in sight. It was amazing. After dinner we got settled into the apartments
where we are staying until thursday and then six of us who still had some energy left ( we had all been up now for twenty hours) went with Ed to a
leaders meeting at the church Sunday Adeleja pastors in Kiev. There were about 1500-2000 cell group leaders there. We were told that this is about
half of all of the cell group leaders. We stayed for about an hour while
they prayed and then left the meeting would go on for about three hours.
This is a very dedicated congregation. They are doing great things for God
in Kiev. Then we came home and collapsed into bed. today we are going to
try and get slept up, however I'm awake and writing this now at 9:00 am.
Then we are going to go out and see a children's camp that Ed is involved
with outside of Kiev. Wednesday is a sightseeing day, and shopping day, and we fly home Thursday.
The end is near, we can all hardly wait to see our families again. God has done some amazing things on this trip and while we all will look the same physically when we come home. None of us are the same on the inside.
Blessings from Kiev
Jamie
Monday, October 24, 2005
Sunday, October 23, 2005
Heading to Ukraine
It has been an honour to represent the Norwood. community here in Central Asia. It seems that no mater where we go, the leaders we meet all know of Norwood community and hold them in high regard. It sure makes the way easier for us when the reputation precieds us. Thankyou.
We went to a village on the side of the lake and delivered the lap top computer. Anya asked us to put a bug in your ear... she would love to host a youth missions trip to help with V.B.S. just imagine 1000 Russian /Central Asian children.
It is now 10:30 pm and in a few hours we will be getting up to leave for the Ucrain. We will be using $1000.00 of the project money to bless the folks there with a project out at the new summer camp/orphanage, and also plan to visit one of the new church plants.
This trip we have been so many places and touched so many people, it realy is unbelievable what God has done through the team. I don't remember so many raw nearvs being exposed on an on going basis.
Captain Yang is an amazing man with an incredible vision for the region. I think he would be a good one to call your friend
Will write again from ukrain.
Blessings John and Julie.
p.s. Ron after YOU bought Gena his new colour tv, he said that now sweetness has been brought to his life. and when his house was done, he said that he believed that his whole life has been lived for this moment
Voila!
All is well here in sunny town. We were able to finish up the second house today. You would not believe the difference. The Old man we helped said that he thinks that he has lived his whole life for this day. he was so excited. I have enclosed a photo of his kitcken now. we tryed to keep the furniture as much as possible set up the same way he had it, but clean.If you remember the photo of the lady looking over the fence, well look at her now!. And this is nothing compaired to the house.
This last photo is of a young girl in the village orphanage. by the end of the day today she will be cooking inside with running hot and cold water.
Tomorrow we will be heading to the lake village For church and to bring the lap top to the pastor there.
We will keep you posted
Blessings J & J
Friday, October 21, 2005
Ups and Downs
Hi everyone
No time on email tonight, All is well, we compleated the first home with the mother and two girls, you would not believe the change in the house and the people. The old man with one leg is a different story, The plaster we did all fell down and the job was bigger than we thought. We have hired two locals (3 dollars a day) to re plaster the entire house, and we have had to postpone the completion until Saturday. Will send photos when we get a chance. We were back to the village orphanage today, the have running water now and By tomorrow, they will have toilets.
Blessings JW
No time on email tonight, All is well, we compleated the first home with the mother and two girls, you would not believe the change in the house and the people. The old man with one leg is a different story, The plaster we did all fell down and the job was bigger than we thought. We have hired two locals (3 dollars a day) to re plaster the entire house, and we have had to postpone the completion until Saturday. Will send photos when we get a chance. We were back to the village orphanage today, the have running water now and By tomorrow, they will have toilets.
Blessings JW
What a Night!
This is maybe a little off topic but......
Last night I had my Old Testament class at Canadian Theological Seminary.
We were discussing missions and the fact that The promises given to Abraham
in Genesis point to a missions expectation of God. God told Abraham that He would bless him and that all nations would be blessed through him.
We talked about sess pool christianity, whereby the blessings that were intended to flow through us, in fact get captured and held. The "Living Water" that was intended for the nations, get caught up in these sess pools and they do not flow to the nations as God commanded.
If we do this, we are in fact wicked and disobedient.
So if we are grateful for the wonderful grace that God has given us, then we in turn MUST pass these blessings on to all the world and all the nations. We are adopted children. We are sons and daughters of God, having accepted Christ as our saviour. We are part of these blessing promised to Abraham, and therefore part of this responsibility.
Having heard this, I was cut to the heart.
Dear God
Thank You for Your Word. Thank You that You have called us to be Your People. Father I am sorry for my wickedness. I am sorry that there have been times when I have captered Your word, and grace and love and held it for myself. Father it is so great to receive Your blessings, but my tempatation is to think that I deserve it. Oh wicked is my heart Lord when I have not shared Your word. Father I pray that You might continue to find favour in me, and I pray Lord that I might have the wisdom, strength and conviction to see that it is shared with Your people. Father I know Your will is that none should perish. I know that it is Your will that You might be glorified through me, by me, through Your people and by Your people.
Thank You Lord for the missions127 team. I pray Lord that You continue to bless them, as they are more than willing to fulfil Your expectation of sharing.
In Jesus Saving Name I Pray,
dw
Last night I had my Old Testament class at Canadian Theological Seminary.
We were discussing missions and the fact that The promises given to Abraham
in Genesis point to a missions expectation of God. God told Abraham that He would bless him and that all nations would be blessed through him.
We talked about sess pool christianity, whereby the blessings that were intended to flow through us, in fact get captured and held. The "Living Water" that was intended for the nations, get caught up in these sess pools and they do not flow to the nations as God commanded.
If we do this, we are in fact wicked and disobedient.
So if we are grateful for the wonderful grace that God has given us, then we in turn MUST pass these blessings on to all the world and all the nations. We are adopted children. We are sons and daughters of God, having accepted Christ as our saviour. We are part of these blessing promised to Abraham, and therefore part of this responsibility.
Having heard this, I was cut to the heart.
Dear God
Thank You for Your Word. Thank You that You have called us to be Your People. Father I am sorry for my wickedness. I am sorry that there have been times when I have captered Your word, and grace and love and held it for myself. Father it is so great to receive Your blessings, but my tempatation is to think that I deserve it. Oh wicked is my heart Lord when I have not shared Your word. Father I pray that You might continue to find favour in me, and I pray Lord that I might have the wisdom, strength and conviction to see that it is shared with Your people. Father I know Your will is that none should perish. I know that it is Your will that You might be glorified through me, by me, through Your people and by Your people.
Thank You Lord for the missions127 team. I pray Lord that You continue to bless them, as they are more than willing to fulfil Your expectation of sharing.
In Jesus Saving Name I Pray,
dw
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
Goats Head Soup Anyone?
Any body wanna buy a goat?It was at the Bazar that we found this goats head....we will bring it home for Ron and Cal jr.
Jullie was gaging and wretching as she was stepping over them and around the warm meat lying in the buggies. In fact she is reading over my shoulder now and wretching.
Will keep you posted of further developments...like the real show, we are thinking that we will not get them done in time pray for us.
talk to you again soon.
Blessings J and J
While You Were Out...In action
What a day. we split the teams into two, and both returned late ...exausted.
The photo inclosed is of one of the homes we began to makeover. We were cleaning the floors with shovels and putty knifes. The old one legged Man had a hard time leaving, he was a little concerned. We did throw out his 6 broken razors, 10 broken raideos.....etc. We then went to the Bazar and bought carpets, utencils, plates, electric kettle etc.
Will keep you posted of further developments...like the real show, we are thinking that we will not get them done in time pray for us.
talk to you again soon.
Blessings J and J
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
It was a hard day today
Hi everybody.It was a hard day today. we began by touring an orphanage that had been recieving help for about 10 years and seeing how wonderfull it was. The kids were happy, healthy, and you could tell that they were being loved.
From there we went to the village orphanage. This was the orphanage that the Gov. was trying to close . Rathere than finding an "Orphanage", we found a young couple with three of there own kids trying desperatly to look after 17 other kids off the street. We brought them A washing machine, and three space heaters , and made arangements to go back this week with local work crews tho instal heating and water.
For us , we had not given it a hole lot of thought, when we each threw in $50 for this extra pojet, but were realy brought back to reality when we watched this lady break down and weep. The deadline for the closing of the orphanage was only a week away, and they would have all been on the street. it was quite a sight, we were all crying, We had a celebration feest cooked there and had lunch with them, then played some games and handed out crayons and paper for all the kids. We also left Tooth brushes and tooth past for them. We will be going back there for a few days.
We then went on to the next Orphanage, another one that had been recieving help for about ten years. There we went around to all the class rooms and spoke with all the kids and gave each child a box of smarties, crayons, pencle crayons,or water colour paints, and paper ( thanks Drew, Thanks to those from Crayola) The kids were so excited is was incredible how such a small gift could make such a difference. At this orphanage the Government does support it. It provides the land, a lmost enough food to keep them alive, and just enough money to pay the hydro, if they are carefull. Without support, I hjave no idea what these 170 kids would do.
attached (hopefully) are some photos of one of the houses we will be working on tomorrow (mother with two kids) and also a photo of Jenny giving out smarties.
Thankyou to everyone for all your support, to see the difference that we can make is mind numming, or as Dave keeps saying, "My Memory stick is full"
Blessings John
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