More Happy Happenings Ukraine #3

Our journey continues with each experience enriching our lives. What an honour to meet with key women leaders from this nation of Ukraine. As our conversation with Pastor Sophia  unfolded (centre of pic) , it was clear that God has impressed the idea of global unity with women into many hearts. Here we are with leaders from different church unions. All three of us were affirmed in our own ministry gifts and look forward to the future.

Our translator Maria came along with Pastor Victor to drive us to Pereyashav-Khmilnitsky (say that three times  and see how it sounds!)
We met with Valentina, Pastor's wife of the church in this thousand year old town. They rent an old Soviet theatre and have a strong congregation.
They prepared a delicious meal- the best cabbage rolls I've ever eaten, as well as many other Ukrainian dishes.

Here we are (below) with the women that gathered to hear from us. How many can fit into a little room? At least another twenty, who are sitting in a side area.

 We were deeply touched by so many hugs from these beautiful women.
 


Just though you should know... in Ukraine, Chocolate is a food group!

On to our only English-speaking conference, International Christian Centre. Held about ninety miles outside Kiev, what a wonderful experience with women from all over the world. They are teachers, missionaries, ambassadors wives, seminary leaders and others.

Alma and I finally had the opportunity to launch our material for the third WOW (Woman of Wisdom) Bible study. Since we are co-authoring this study on Ruth, the last four months have been spent in exploring possibilities. After presenting the background, volunteers played the different characters while a narrator read the entire book, a script from  scripture.

Here is the cast!

Mahlon and Killion die!

We can't wait to do the trial of the entire text in Cambridge, February-March, 2012.

Moving on to Poltava

All of us are amazed at the growth of the church here.  Each village we visited touched our hearts. One such church started four years ago and already has fifteen daughter churches. Simple strategy with incredible results. 

We stayed in a simple hotel and ate breakfast in the hotel restaurant.

Here we are trying to order simple morning fare. I needed to call Oleg, our translator to finally discover that there were no choices. Below see our meal, minus another boiled sausage and vegetables.

A new adventure every day!

We joined up with Bob (after a ten day separation) Tim and Ed.

A view of a nunnery taken from atop a hill on the other side of Poltava.

How's this? (above)  A monument to perogies. Alma is sitting in the spoon.

Another five hour drive to Krivoy Rog. This is where Bob has been teaching. Now we have a Pastor's and woman's conference.

 Look what we found on the way to the market. 

Ah. Roshen candy!

Ending on a sweet note!

Tonight we head back with an overnight train ride. We have been told, memories will be made.

Our time here is coming to to an end. I hope you are enjoying the time we have shared with you. There is so much more. Perhaps one day some of you will cross the ocean to experience this culture, rich in relationships  and new life.

Thanks for your prayers. 

Alma, Marg, Tim, Bob and  Ruth

More Ukraine Happy Happenings

Hello again. We are back!
What a wonderful adventure we are having, Marg, Alma and Ruth.
On Tuesday, Ed and Natasha took us downtown Kiev.
A world-class city with incredible architecture.

On to the Lavra, a fifteen hundred year old monastery. Such an experience, lighting a candle and descending to the lower catacombs, where we viewed the remains (delightful) of several saints. Couldn't see much except for a blackened hand sticking out of one wrapped body.

Here are some of the many buildings in the immense compound, taken in the pouring rain.

As Ed drove through the entrance gates, the guard asked for his pass.
Tim mentioned he would like to buy the guard's hat. The guard said he would give a price on the way out. As you can see, Tim got the deal sealed.

This round structure is covered completely with beautifully-decorated Ukrainian eggs.

Wednesday, Ed picked us up to drive to Smila. We met Dennis and Oxanna and their three children last years. Many prayers are going up for his beautiful daughter who has no known medical reason for her hair loss. What darling girls.

Wonderful meeting at Smila church, their services held in a theatre. We enjoyed lots of energetic worship music, words of greetings and a powerful message from Tim, utilizing his God-given gifts.

Ed and Tim went on to join Bob in Krivoy Rog, Alma, Marg and Ruth travelled back to Kiev with the pastor and his friend.
So we had three English speaking females and two Ukrainian-speaking males, driver and passenger. A two and half hour drive turned into a four hour drive. They got lost and we couldn't help them except to say Na, Na, when we knew they were in the wrong neighbourhood. Such fun! Back to our nest at 1:45 am. We can sleep when we die.


Tim and Bob are in Krivoy Rog speaking, teaching, eating, sleeping. We know they have a very full schedule too but we have no pics of them.


We have so much more to share so watch for our next post.

Love and prayers coming across the ocean,
Margaret, Alma and Ruth

Happy Happenings in Kiev

Hello from Kiev.  

We arrived Wednesday mid afternoon. Another hour drive to Paul and Christine Pierquet's (pastors of International Christian Assembly) brought us to their home, where we will live for the next ten days.
Thursday morning we started speaking at Kiev Bible Institute.
Here we are with some of the female students. Marg challenged them to rise to their godly potential, utilizing Biblical women as role models.

Friday afternoon we started a two day conference with Christian Hope Churches. Some women came on an eight-hour train ride, then another hour drive to be with us. We were able to communicate with these fantastic translators.

Sunday morning we had the opportunity to participate in Pastor Sophia's church, a dynamic woman who is known throughout Ukraine for her positive influence in drawing all together in unity. Here we are in the choir room working with Julia, our translator, making last minute preparation for Marg's message and Ruth's recitation of Psalm 8.

 The three hours of singing, dancing, words of encouragement, blessing for the children, soloists, saxaphonist, string quartet, children's worship team was topped off with a timely message from Margaret. She shared stories on her spiritual heritage from the Ukraine.

Here we are with Ed Dickson (who arranged this memorable morning), his family, Pastor Sophia and her assistant pastors.

Tim Gibb flies in tomorrow and we will be join up with Bob who is already many miles east of here speaking at a Bible school.


We are so blessed to be in this environment to see God at work with His people.
Will have tons more to share. Come back often.

Please remember to keep praying for us. We can't do this without you!

Marg, Alma and Ruth

Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days

"I can throw a water balloon," chimed our grandson, Cole, when I asked him what he liked best about summer. "I can squirt Ben with the water gun," responded Emily, echoing the same child-like approach to this season's pleasures.

Oh, to be a child again... to risk getting wet with our clothes on, to just abandon oursophisticated response to life. However, at this time of year, our calendar is often filled to the brim with weddings, showers, graduations, family reunions, barbecues and vacations. Too often, several commitments appear on one day, challenging us to keep cool in more than one way. When summer's last rose petal falls, will I be able to say that I have enjoyed it?

The words from the old song, "Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer" gave me food for thought. I determined that my summer be filled not only with activity but with contentment as well.

Oxford dictionary defines LAZY as averse to labour, indolent, slothful; slow-moving. Ido not want to be lazy but those words remind me to slow down this season.

Three weeks ago, I sat at my desk with a pile of work staring at me. I had no other choice but to don my helmet, kick back the stand, jump on my bicycle and ride away. Twenty-five minutes later, I arrived at the water's edge of Belwood Lake. Quickly I forgot the long to do list back home and drank in the tranquility. Beside the still waters, I watched a mallard duck as he lazily floated upstream. I liked his approach to the day. My mind drifted to an ancient writing, pointing to the creator of all nature: "Be still and know that I am God" gave a fresh calmness to my sun-parched spirit.

HAZY is defined as misty, vague, and indistinct. Often I have a dim, distorted view of life and ask why there are such challenges, pain and suffering all around me. My mother always reminded me that everything happens for a reason. For now, I will don my spiritual glasses and know God is working on a bigger plan.

Extremely enthusiastic, unrestrained, exciting are just three definitions for the last word CRAZY. How well they describe the uninhibited nature of children. Ready at a moment's notice to laugh, giggle and forget the scraped knee. I've heard it said,"What you focus on grows". I am going to focus on enjoying the longer days, delighting in all that is mine and choosing to . Why not join me? Come to think of it, I think I'll go fill a water balloon and have some fun.

Uganda's beauty- at the Congo border

With recent word that Africa is experiencing the worst drought in sixty years, those that travelled there last month are praying for the beautiful people to know we care. There are ways to help their severe plight. If you want more information, email me: ruth@seasonedwithsalt.net

And now, come along as we explore new territory!

Rwebisengo- What and where?

Rwebisengo... a village near the Congo border. We were told that it's the place where the best looking women in Africa live!

To get there is about two and a half hours through some of the most beautiful mountainous terrain in Africa. The road is being improved since our last visit but still needs prayer, both for those widening it and those travelling it!

With no guard rails for protection, passing is next to impossible and the constant fear is falling rock! But the beauty – breathtaking!

Our team stopped for a photo while waiting for the rock slide to be removed. (shown in the picture above)

People met under open-ended tents for the Pastor's Conference and surprise bike distribution. Most pastors in the rural areas of Uganda cannot afford transportation. Through generous donations, we were able to provide about 80 bikes.

While nurses did HIV testing, and other team members provided a program for the children, we were able to preach and teach the Word of God. Even the children worshipped in this open air meeting.

One of the highlights of our day in Rwebisengo was visiting the Medical Clinic. Directed by Evelyn Komuntale and Outreach for Africa, we loved meeting each patient and staff. They all enjoy having their pictures taken.

The building is rectangular shaped and has small rooms designated for patients, maternity, pharmacy and laboratory. This could serve thousands of people in the area. Medical help is not easily available.

The patient rooms are very basic. A bed and not much else. No running water, monitor or medical utensils.

.

Three patients were being treated, two of which were young women giving birth.

The reality in Uganda is that the average number of children per woman is 7. Over 6,000 women die yearly in Uganda because of child birth complications that could be avoided. Death in child-birth takes as many lives as HIV among women.

These two women, in the pictures below, are experiencing contractions and within hours would give birth. No hospital garments, no water, no monitors, little care and no food. We were deeply moved as we prayed for them.

Through the generosity of several health units in Canada, we were able to provide much appreciated and welcomed medical supplies. As a team we were pleased to represent the generous people of Canada.

On Wednesday, Ruth and I said goodbye to Africa. We promised our airport hostess and a wonderful believer, Joyce, that we would be back.

Africa won our hearts!

We hope you have enjoyed the journey to Africa. We would love to hear from you!

Uganda- Here we come!

Hello Uganda!

We stepped out of the Entebbe airport into beautiful sunshine and warmth, lush foliage and the sound of a hundred singing birds. We were ready for another adventure! We loaded 21 pieces of luggage into 2 vans and our team of 7, plus drivers and our host, Evelyn Komuntale, were off to Kampala.

Our vans had to be guarded as we parked in downtown Kampala to exchange our currency to Ugandan shillings. Some of us stayed behind and were shocked at the number of children coming to our van to beg. The sights, sounds and smells of uncontrolled traffic, street vendors and people walking briskly everywhere, many with a basket on their head, made for an interesting 'people-watching hour'. How very different from our country.

Arriving at our Guest House was a reprieve. We settled into the modest rooms and quickly headed to a thatched roof gazebo to enjoy bottled water (our only safe drink), cheese, bread and fruit!

We needed time to get to know our host, Evelyn,Ugandan born/American.

One of the highlights of our time in Uganda, known as the Pearl of Africa, was the distribution of some 200 Bibles. A number of the Pastor’s Conference participants had tattered, well-used, 20 year-old copies.

Many others had no Bible and dearly wanted their own personal copy of God's Word. This would be a treasured gift. They waited, and waited and received!

The conference centre exploded with music, dance and joy when the final Bible was given out.

They placed their Bibles on their heads and celebrated! The hunger for God’s Word in Uganda is genuine! One Pastor told one of our team leaders: “We need the teaching of the Word of God more than we need money.”

What a joy to give these gifts from your hands. Thanks to those who made this possible.

Stop by again for more gift-giving opportunities.

Kampala's Day off- Elephants and Giraffes

On Sunday night, June 19, we left the Bible School behind and flew back to Nairobi. Everyone looked forward to the visit to the elephant orphanage. We we not disappointed. These very loving animals bond to their personal trainers, who are with them twenty four hours a day.

Some have been orphaned by poachers, or found alone in the forests. They need love, warmth and attention just like little babies. Once they are two years old, theyare sent on toanother national forest.
At night time the trainer sleeps in a bunk, in the elephant's bedroom. The babies have a blanket tuckedaround them while they sleep and wear it all day for the first few months.

The trainers feed them their bottles, which look like they hold about four litres.

Those bottles were emptied very quickly!

Just for the record, these fascinating animals have wrinkles at a very young age, yet everyone kept saying how cute they were. I'm keeping that in mind!

On to the giraffe farm.

We had the fun of feeding them pellets right from our hands. Brenda, the nurse teacher, enjoyed the thrill of allowing a tall giraffe to take a pellet from between her lips. No one else wanted the same thrill, except a trainer below. Note: Brenda also taught classes on person cleanliness.

Our day-off was crowned with two more special events.

First... a visit to Pan African University, where Paul and Lynn Kohls take leadership roles, he the academic dean, and she a professor. Another beautiful Canadian couple who have given their lives to the education of Kenyan youth. An incredible environment of learning, with impressive grounds and buildings.

Second... dinner at Safari Hotel. The most beautiful grounds graced with gardens. pools, bridges and palms lighted for evening dining.

The menu included: crocodile, camel, goat, and gizzards. I tried all but the gizzards. Too many new tastes all at once.

Question: Is it okay to have this much fun on a 'mission trip'?

Come back again soon for more of Africa!
Margaret will share on the next couple blogs.