DATELINE Budapest June 17, 1997

I arrived here in Budapest Tuesday afternoon about 2:30 pm. My luggage didn't make it, but hopefully it will arrive in Kiev tomorrow about the time Maurice Frohn and I do. We will be met at the airport by members of Ukraine's Parliament legal staff along with Dr. Vasiliy Pasechnik who will then take us back to Chernihiv Wednesday night, June 18th. The anniversary of the clinic's first year will be held at 11:00 am Thursday. We are all very excited about the progress we've seen and the the growing support from various people concerned about Ukraine's problems.

I'm also very happy to see the exodus from Tajikistan continue. Fifty people have already moved. I will be seeing them next week in Kherson, which is east of Odessa in southern Ukraine and will have detailed reports and photos immediately afterwards. 20 tons of aid that we sent to western Ukraine has been turned east to help the refugees. This help is possible by the generous donations that you have given making it possible for us to leverage the volume of aid we've been able to ship.

On my flight over from Washington DC to Frankfurt last night and this morning I sat next to a woman with the World Bank who was on an around-the-world business trip stopping in Scandinavia and the Far East. To say the least, she was very interesting to talk to because of her insight into some of the cultural problems that keep nations so economically handicapped. She also had a lot to say about management in general--about how the effective executives are those who listen and communicate/respond and show by their actions that they work with their staffs and thereby building trust and morale. It was so refreshing to hear her talk about what currently works in the world of management and team-building. We exchanged email addresses and I certainly hope that a contact like this can be helpful in the future.

While changing planes in Washington DC Kevin Epps, UCG minister from Baltimore


The EEG paper is handed over in Washington DC

came by and delivered some special paper for an EEG machine in Chernihiv. We made the connection and I will deliver it to the clinic we're going to in a few days. One of the articles we have translated into Russian is Kevin Epps''. Kevin and I had enough time to have lunch before I flew to Frankfurt.

A bit of a drama here at the hotel. I arrived in Budapest with just the clothes on my back. Since there's a nice breeze blowing and since I face a wooded area with no people in sight, I thought that I'd hand-wash my shirt and hang it in the breeze.


The shirt is rescued from fire escape in Budapest hotel

Well, my only shirt blew in the wind and then took off! It wrapped itself around a fire escape ladder that didn't go all the way to the bottom. What to do? I had no other shirt. However, the hotel staff was up to the challenge. The skillful workers rescued my shirt like a trapped pet with others looking on. I got my shirt back. It is a beautiful day here in Budapest.

After we get inside Ukraine I will not be able to update my site. The maximum baud rate is only 2400 and it does not always connect at that.

We ask for your prayers that we meet our objectives and be better positioned to help more people.

Victor Kubik