DENTAL MISSION TO UKRAINE
by Suzan Johns and Nancy Stephens
September 21, 1997
Subject: trip update
Date: Sat, 20 Sep 97 19:27:08 +0400
From: "Mission Nazareth Hust" Pavlij@khust.gluk.apc.org
Organization: Nazareth
To: vic@kubik.org
Dear Vic and Bev,
Friday, September 19
Yesterday after we last wrote, we went back to Turbaza and Brenda and I hiked up to the castle, Nancy stayed back to rest. There is a beautiful view of the entire city of Khust from up there. The castle is just an old ruins, about 900 years old. Brenda is going to look up the story of the castle for us. You have probably seen the ruins yourself. We then walked back down and rested at Turbaza.
Brenda walked back down to her apartment. We rested for awhile and Victor came to get us at 7:20. WE picked up Brenda, Nelia, and Jenya, and headed off to Ivan and Anna Pavliy's. We bought some more crafts, embroidery, tapestry, and hardranger. All are made by the Sabbatarians. Victor said that it will enable several families to by coal and wood for the winter. So we are happy about that. We told them the kind of things we would like to buy the next time. We told them we will send them some Aida cloth, as they said they have trouble getting it. I will have to determine what gauge they use when I get home, if anyone reading your homepage knows where to get some inexpensively, they can call you or me.
We then had dinner there, Anna is a very good cook!! We got her recipe for potato salad. By that time it was getting late, we left around 10:00. The women have been busy getting their crops harvested and put away for the winter.
This morning we came back to the mission and worked on getting the dental equipment organized. We reboxed the supplies, and got them put all together. The men took some of the equipment over to the room they have been working on. So far this morning we have not had an interpretor- which has been the case quite often. I am so glad I took a few Russian lessons. That and my dictionary have been a real necessity.
Nancy started saying Mama Mia when Victor's driving gets a little wild. He liked that and now he tries to scare us and says Mama Mia himself. He can be quite the comedian. When we were leaving the Pavliy's last night he picked up our bag of crafts and swung it over his shoulder and pointed at himself and said "Santa Claus."
Well, Nelia is here- we are going to her house for lunch.
Love,
Sue & Nancy
We had lunch at Nelia's and got to know her mother a little better. We came back to the mission and at 4:00 Victor took us back to Turbaza. We wanted to be there when the hot water came. We spent the evening relaxing and practicing our song which we are supposed to sing tomorrow at church.
Saturday, September 20
This morning Victor came and walked with us from Turbaza to his house where we had breakfast. We then came down to the church so we could practice our songs with Nelia. We had picked out "The Lord is My Shepherd" and "Oh How Love I Thy Law". It turned out she could only play "Oh How Love I Thy Law," so we decided to do that. We asked Tonya, Brenda, Craig and Ben if they wanted to sing with us--they did so we all sang it together. Everyone seemed very pleased that we did. We also told them how grateful we were for their hospitality and quoted Phil. 2:4 and Gal. 6:10 for being part of the reason for our coming. We also thanked those who had come during the week to help start with the remodeling project. We gave a special thanks to Victor and Anna for attending to our every need. We also thanked them for their prayers. Some of the American young people also brought greetings--will tell more later.
After church we went back to lunch at Sasha and Anya Mazhan. Sasha is back for a two week stay at home after being over in the Czech Republic working for two months because there are no jobs here. He will return for two more months next Sunday. His three little boys were hanging on him all day today. I think they are glad their father is home. He said he grew a beard while he was away and when he got home one of the boys called him granpa, but one of the others said that is not grandpa, it is papa.
We talked alot about toothcare--they wanted to know why Americans have such nice teeth and they have a lot of problems. We talked for awhile, rested for awhile and then returned to the Mission for the evening service. Now that the Sabbath is over we are finishing our e-mail and then Victor is going to pick us up and drive us back to Turbaza.
They wanted us to sing again (just Nancy and I) but we declined. Vasyl Mondich thanked us for the money you had sent. They also said to take their greetings back to all the brethren in the U.S.
We don't know if we will have another chance to send any more messages before we leave. Tomorrow our plans are to have lunch at the Mondich's. We are also supposed to meet with Maria and we don't know what else Victor has planned for us.
So, till next time
Love,
Sue & Nancy