Friday, February 1, 2008

January 2008 Update - Bila Tserkva, Ukraine

Edna and Greg

This month finally ended the holiday season here in Ukraine. It seemed as though January was one celebration after another. It all got started with New Year's Eve where we celebrated more like Christmas than New Year's. (You can click on any of the holidays listed here to see more pictures and read about them in more detail on our other blog.) New Year's was followed by Orthodox Christmas on January 7th, Old New Year's Day on January 13th, and finally the Baptism of Jesus on January 19th signaling the end of the holiday season.

Did Moroz and his granddaughter the Snow Maiden
We took Maxime, Dominic, and Joshua to see Did Moroz and his granddaughter the Snow Maiden. Afterwards we saw a performance of a Ukrainian New Year's story.

English Club at the Invalid Center
Joshua sometimes goes with us to help out at the Invalid Center before he goes to school.

The English Club at the Invalid Center is going well and we continue to grow closer with the young men and women who attend. The more we talk with them the more we learn about each others lives. It really makes us take a look at our own culture and see how it has shaped the way we perceive other cultures. Maxime and Sasha are the two best English speakers so we have been discussing complex social issues like why most people in Ukraine don't own an automatic dishwasher and where the most pure Ukrainian is spoken. With time we hope to introduce more Biblical topics and share about how Christ has changed our lives.


Maxime and Dominic clowning around during Children's Ministry
Maxime and Dominic clowning around during Children's Ministry

The Children's Ministry has been steadily progressing and with the help of little Kristina, who Edna is teaching English to, we are able to explain more complicated lessons and concepts. (Edna is continuing to also teach English to our landlord's son Oleh.) We've had to adjust things slightly to accommodate our newest member to Sunday School, Andriy, who is two years old. He likes trying to sing along and make drawings with markers, but we don't take it personally when he decides to sleep instead.


Little Andriy napping during class
Andriy napping with Greg during class

Maxime stayed over at our house for most of January basically becoming a third child. We realized that the only presents he got came from us. We also made sure that he got some basic clothing that he was lacking. We feel so blessed to be able to help him at least have some of the things a child should have like warm clothes, socks and underwear, and a safe place to go. It is a blessing to know that Maxime now has Jesus in his life where once there was nothing but the prospect of following in the foot steps of his alcoholic parents. His parents will sometimes lock him out of the house when they have been drinking a lot and his only choice is to wait outside or come over to our place until they wake up or decided to let him in.

Dominic and Joshua got a rare glimpse of what Maxime's life is like when they finally got to go into his house. His dad was gone and his mother was in a good mood (meaning she drank enough to stop shaking but not too much that she couldn't function). Dominic and Joshua said that their house only has two rooms. It has a main room where they cook and eat and a bedroom where he and his parents sleep. The only thing they have for any type of hygiene is a single sink, no bathroom or toilet. Joshua said Maxime's house was dark, dirty, and smelled like alcohol and cigarettes. I think Dominic and Joshua have a little bit more of an understanding of why Maxime always wants to come over to our house and a lot more compassion for him. Maxime continues to be a blessing in our lives even though he doesn't realize it.


Maxime with his Christmas / New Year's gifts
Maxime was so excited to receive gifts on New Year's Eve. Meester Hreh (A.K.A. Mr. Greg) spent most of New Year's Day making sure his pirate ship got built.


Maxime getting a present at church for old New Years
Maxime getting a present at church on old New Year's Day


Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? – James 2:15-16


"Biblical orthodoxy without compassion is surely the ugliest thing in the world." - Francis A. Schaeffer


Prayer Requests

• That God would continue to lead us according to His plan
• That God would raise up others to come here to serve
• Finding a good teacher for Ukrainian lessons through the language school
• For the continued growth of the Children's Ministry on Sundays
• Financial provisions for our trip to America this year
• God's leading in starting an English Club for University students in February
• Opportunities for sharing the Gospel with our neighbors
• That other church members will volunteer to help with the children's ministry
• Health and safety
• God's leading in how to best reach the unsaved at the Invalid Center
• Spiritual growth and discernment
• Pray that Edna would have the opportunity to share the saving message of Christ with Maxime’s mother, Vera
• That God would use us in the lives of Oleh and his parents.

Support can be sent to:
Calvary SLO
P.O. Box 1463
San Luis Obispo, CA 93405
With an attached note: "For Greg and Edna Silva"


In Christ,
Greg, Edna, Dominic, and Joshua

Our blog: On Second Thought
Our photos: We Desire Him