Thoughts Concerning My Trip to the
Summer 2008 LifeNets Mission in Vinogradov, Ukraine 

 

A Glance into the Wonderful World of Tomorrow

by Ken Zahora

 

 

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July 12, 2008

 

Two years ago I retired from being an elementary teacher of 33 years. 

 

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 I have wondered a few times what God would have me to do with my remaining time.  I’ve had a painting business since 1978 and am doing that at the present.

LifeNets sponsored a two week project to Teach English at the Light of Love Mission in Ukraine from June 15-29, 2008. LifeNets has been supporting these children since 2001. Four volunteers, Dan and Cindy Harper from Cherbourg, France, Stefan Saxin from Gothenburg, Sweden and Ken Zahora from Indianapolis, Indiana helped teach English and supervise sports activities.


             I believe it was in the beginning of 2008 that I heard about an opportunity to go to Vinogradov, Ukraine to teach English for two weeks.  My last 15 years of teaching was at a school where almost half of my class of students were learning English as a second language.  The students came from about 25 different countries.  This teaching experience provided a wonderful opportunity to help out in this area.
 

Vasyl and Irina Polichko operate a mission in Vinogradov, Ukraine, to help the street children in the area.  They have dedicated their lives to this worthwhile cause.  All people around the world have four basic needs:  shelter, food, clothing and love.  The Polichkos provide all four in a caring way.
 

With the help and encouragement of Mr. Victor Kubik, three volunteers and I went to Vinogradov on an experience much like what we all will experience in the Wonderful World of Tomorrow.  We cared for the needs of less fortunate human beings.  Our main goal was to teach English and love the 30-35 students in the summer camp.

The children ate up the attention given to them and their responsiveness increased positively throughout the duration of the camp experience.  They wanted to be with us every waking moment and wanted to know if anything was wrong when one of their teachers wasn’t with them for any length of time.
 

We used a program called Genki English to teach English.  Some of the subjects covered were:  What’s Your Name, How Are You, Left and Right, and What’s the Weather Like, to name a few.  For each lesson the vocabulary was introduced and reviewed with gestures.  Then the song was taught without music.  Finally the song was sung with plenty of gestures.  The children especially enjoyed the singing.  We hope they will remember the words much longer through the songs.
 

Seven of the children live in a house outside of Vinogradov in the country.  They were street children until a young couple named Maria and Vasyl adopted them.  I named them the Magnificent Seven, because of the changes they’ve made in their lives and will continue to make.
 

Some of the children are very good at mushroom hunting.  Some mornings they would come home with a shirt full of mushrooms.  They are quite good at knowing which are poisonous or good to eat.  We enjoyed their pickings in many of our meals.  I’m still here after eating them daily, so I’m sure they know which are edible.
 

Many afternoons were spent swimming for an hour or so.  One trusting girl, Diana, swam out to me and I didn’t break that trust.  She was rewarded with a ride on my back or she would stand on my shoulders and jump off, which delighted her immensely.
 

Another Diana was one of the hardest workers at the camp.  She was always helping.  She would help serve the food, get more food when needed, help mop the floors and get the hall ready for Sabbath services.  She also made sure the boys followed directions.  She was one tough little gal.

Children are learning left and right, forward and back to a polka tune.  Pictures on right wall are to reinforce vocabulary words we build on each day.


 

Two important lessons from this experience were:  1) Children need love in order to grow mentally and emotionally, and 2) Satan is still around and bombards both children and adults.  We must stay very close to God to combat this bombardment and win this war.
 

People everywhere have unique talents as well as negative traits to overcome because of their nature and environment.
 

Life Nets can help by continuing their support of the mission in Vinogradov.  The two week camp could be expanded to two, two-week camps with two adults for each session.  This would greatly expand the children’s knowledge of English.
 

I would definitely consider going back again.  Teaching in this setting gives one the opportunity to begin practicing what we will be doing for 1000 years.  For those who cannot make such a trip, do not be discouraged.  You can help with your steadfast prayers for this effort. In addition, any financial contribution you can make for this worthwhile effort, spearheaded by Vasyl and Irina Polichko, is much appreciated!        Hit Counter

Group picture at the top of an old ruins in Vinogradov before a rain storm.

 

All volunteers getting ready to board train to Chop, Ukraine.  Left to right:  Stefan Saxin, Cindy and Daniel Harper

Meeting the children outside the Chop train station.
 

Ken stands  by our transportation.

 
Afternoon excursion to bird farm.

We are all shivering to show “I’m cold.”
 
 

Snack time after exploring the woods.

Children are being transported using the old red van.

All eyes are on Cindy as Irina, Maria, and Vasyl observe students learning English.

Children working on chalk art.

Students have written their names in English.
 

Children are reviewing the vocabulary words with a computer game on a wet afternoon.

Children are singing a song to a Gypsy audience in their village.
 

Stefan is leading a lesson.

Misha helps students understand instructions in their own language.

Ken directs a lesson that gets all hands up in the air.

Ken with Diana and Vasyl in the woods.

Parting program where the children showed the adults all they had learned in two weeks of camp.

Volunteers meet for the first time in Budapest. Left to right: Ken Zahora from U.S., Stefan Saxin from Sweden, and Cindy Harper, living in France.

Entrance to the mission in Vinogradov.

Children and teachers in the courtyard of the mission. 2 by 2 pavers were made by a young adult on site.
 

Karl working on a Genki English reinforcement game.

Children intensely engaged in a Genki game on a computer.
 

We’re using the new basketball court and goals that were completed while we were there.

Ken is leading a “Put the face parts on” a face using up and down, left and right, and stop vocabulary words.

Children are quietly enjoying a nice meal at the center.


Children are singing a song near the end of a daily Christian value lesson.

Cindy is encouraging children to respond

Children have written their names in English.

Children are practicing a dialog introducing themselves.

Students are playing a match memory game.

Children are working on their vocabulary notebooks.

Children are following the lesson on the computer.

Cooling off at the local water hole on a hot summer day.

A popular activity during free time.