After a month back home in Bila Tserkva, it seems as if we'd never left. Dominic and Joshua have settled back into their routines and Maxime is once again a part of our family. Dominic and Joshua are both being home schooled with computer software called "Switched on Schoolhouse", by Alpha Omega. It seems to be a good fit for them and they are enjoying learning from it each day. Joshua's routine consists of getting his school work done as quick as possible so that he can go play outside with the other kids until it gets dark around 10:00 PM. There are some mandatory meal breaks thrown in there for him, but yes, summer days here are long. Dominic, Joshua, and Maxime even had the opportunity to spend a couple of days with Maxime's grandmother in her village. You can see all the photos that Dominic took by clicking HERE and HERE. Needless to say, Edna and I are as busy as ever.
Joshua doing a little fishing down by the river
In June we celebrated Maxime's 11th birthday by taking him on a day trip to Kyiv where he enjoyed a "Heppy Meal" at McDonald's. You can read more about Maxime's birthday and see the photos by clicking HERE. Unfortunately, his parents hardly seemed to take notice that their only son turned a year older. We were just happy to be here for him.
Learning some new Ukrainian songs with Miss Edna at Church
When we left Ukraine to visit California in April, everything looked gray and gloomy. We were blessed to return to a Ukraine that was bursting with flowers and green everywhere you looked. We have also been enjoying unusually nice weather. We decided at Church that we should take advantage of this by having a church picnic along the bank of the river. The downside to this was that the incredibly beautiful picnic area was littered with trash, a huge problem just about everywhere here. We turned the situation into an opportunity to set an example by picking up all the trash around our picnic area rather than just leave it. We all had a great time at the picnic and the idea has come up to create anti-litter posters in Ukrainian and the possibility of doing some organized river clean-ups with other churches. A few people are already working on some clever poster titles so we're excited about this little project and its potential impact. You can see more of the photos from our Church picnic by clicking HERE.
Our Church picking up trash by the river
(and Dominic pointing our how dirty Maxime's feet are)
(and Dominic pointing our how dirty Maxime's feet are)
The boys watching over our cooking fire at the Church picnic
Edna is excited to have started taking formal Ukrainian lessons again. A friend of ours named Nadia, has agreed to give Edna lessons. She has worked as a translator and as an English teacher at the Army post here in Bila Tserkva so she does a great job.
Edna getting a Ukrainian lesson from Nadia
Natasha from downstairs seems to really like Dominic
Maxime has become like a family member to us so it really breaks our hearts to learn more and more just how much his parents neglect him. He has almost no social skills or any sense of hygiene. His behavior can be very difficult at times because no one has really taught him right from wrong and we suspect that he suffers from Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. This makes it even more difficult for him to make friends on the playground and often Dominic and Joshua are the only kids that will play with him. As Christians, we are doing our best to show him love with discipline, but it isn't easy. His parents generally don't care what he does as long as it doesn't inconvenience them. So being told that he can't do something because of improper behavior is totally foreign to him and causes him to become very frustrated. Maxime is always eager to please us and offers to help whenever he can, but learning to say please and thank you and having loving discipline in his life is a difficult process for all of us. Please keep this situation in your prayers.
Maxime helping me put a bookshelf together
The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off - for all whom the Lord our God will call. - Acts 2:39
“The way to Heaven is ascending; we must be content to travel uphill, though it be hard and tiresome, and contrary to the natural bias of our flesh” - Jonathan Edwards
The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off - for all whom the Lord our God will call. - Acts 2:39
“The way to Heaven is ascending; we must be content to travel uphill, though it be hard and tiresome, and contrary to the natural bias of our flesh” - Jonathan Edwards
Нехай Бог Благословить Україну
(Let God Bless Ukraine)
(Let God Bless Ukraine)
Prayer Requests
• That we could come together in fellowship with other local churches.
• That the churches we met with in America would keep us (Ukraine) on their hearts and minds.
• That God would direct us in planning local outreaches.
• That God would give us patience in helping Maxime with his behavior.
• Pray that Maxime would continue to grow in Christ. That nothing would hinder him from coming to church on Sunday, or being able to stay with us here at home.
• That God would raise up others outside of Ukraine to serve in Bila Tserkva.
• For a permanent translator at our Church.
• For more young women and (especially) men to begin coming to English Club at the Rosava.
• For financial provisions to allow us to travel to others churches in Ukraine this summer.
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
