Monday, November 30, 2009

Saturday, in the park

This is the monument to the famine, in the background is the Pecherska Lavra monastery.
down below the monument, on the lower left corner, you see people looking at walls with the names of those who died in the famine, there were 3 million people who perished.

this is one of many walls with names of those who died.



Bright and early Saturday morning, Jerry and I went for a brisk walk together. We needed to walk off some of the extra helpings of our Thanksgiving feast. we walked down the street to the Park of Eternal Glory ( Park Vechnoyi Savwee in Ukrainian). There we noticed that it was being set up for some event later on in the day. We overheard one of the workers mention that the Ukrainian Present was going to dedicate the memorial to those who died in the Great Famine of Ukraine.
We went to the dedication that evening and I have included some pictures of it. It is quite an impressive monument.
After the dedication ceremony, we met our friend Vitya, the medical student. He had promised us that his friends also wanted to pracitce their English, but it just never worked out to meet together. Finally, we were able to meet 2 of them, Ira and Natasha. We sat at a cafe and talked as we drank tea. The conversation soon became about spiritual things. One girl went to a protestant church as a child, the other is an athiest and our friend believes what sound good to him. I love having the freedom to sit in a cafe and discuss the really important questions of life. Towards the end of our time, we met one of the girl's mother, who invited us to come to her English class and help her students practice their language skills. I am encouraged as we are planning to meet again soon. I am anxiously praying and waiting to see what God has planned for our future.

the statue of the little starving girl




the candles are being place on the hill sides of the park





Ukrainian Famine Memorial Dedication Ceremony

the choir singing a Ukrainian folk song

Saturday, November 14, 2009

a birthday celebration!

We were invited to celebrate our neighbor, Enver's birthday party.

We enjoyed a delicious lunch with the whole family...

On Thursday, we met our neighbor as is usual, sitting outside our doorway and he invited us to their home on Saturday at noon. He said we would see what it would be... I made some chicken enchiladas to bring with us...what do you know? it was Enver's 77th birthday party! we finally were able to meet the extended family that we have heard so much about. We had a wonderful time of celebrating his long life and getting to know the family. What fun it was to meet these folks tha we have heard so much about...
We have been friends with Enver and Galina for a year now...we have grown to love these folks, they are the first ones that opened their hearts and lives to us here in Kiev...



Fishers put on a feast

All of us together! the Fishers, Solonkos and me

Matt and Terri Fisher, also our good friends and colleagues, put on an American feast of grilled hamburgers and fries for our friends, the Solonkos and us... mmm!

our very good friends, the Family Solonko

We have been friends with the Solonkos for 10 years. They are planting a church in Gelendjik, Russia. They just recently had their first baptism! Praise God!