Greg, Edna, Dominic, and Joshua
April has been a beautiful month here as everything begins to turn green and the fruit trees blossom. We are eager to see all of our friends and family, but it will be hard leaving here even if it is just for a visit to California.
We spent most of the month working on our playground that we have been fixing up. We still have more to do, but some members from Calvary Chapel Pryluky will be helping us finish up sometime in July. It turned out to be a great opportunity for all the children to be involved in helping with the restoration work. It is after all, their playground. The work we did also helped to open some doors of communication with more of our neighbors. We are thinking about having a children's festival once we finish everything in July as a way to say thank you to the children for their help and also to be able to share about Jesus with them.
Maryna and Nastya painting
You can read more about our Playground Restoration Project by clicking on each of these links to previous blog posts if you haven't already seen them. Phase 1, Getting Started, Caught Red Handed, and Goodbye to Painting.
Masha, Ella, Dasha, Leeza, and Maxime taking turns painting
Maryna turned out to be one of my best painters
We celebrated Easter here according to the Orthodox calendar, so this year it was on April 19th. Our church service was fun because we made it a time where everyone who wanted to could share a song or a poem about the Resurrection of Christ. We really enjoyed all the interaction. Having a small church means that it truly feels like a family and there are no strangers.
Maria and Nastya (in back) sang after Zhenya and Lusya recited some Easter poems they had memorized
Along with the playground project, I have been working on a tree house in the forest across the river. I wanted to make a place where the boys and their friends could go and have adventures. They had previously been working together to build a little club house near the park, but after all their hard work, someone set it on fire and it burned to the ground. I figured a tree house made from wood cut from the forest might be a little more durable. We also discovered that we needed to securely bolt things down to keep them from walking away. (We have had several pieces of the tree house stolen twice now.) It has been a labor of love since I have been doing all the work by hand including sawing the logs we need. (I won't mention the part where I fell from a tree in the early stages of building.) I think the boys and their friends will have a lot of fun with their new club house once it's all done. I know I will.
Dominic and Joshua in the tree house
It's hard to believe that we have been in Ukraine for two years now. We have been so blessed by all that God has shown us and all the wonderful people we have met. It's when we look into the faces of the children that we realize how much time has passed. It seems like just yesterday that we were getting off a train from Hungary here in Ukraine with everything we owned in four suitcases.
We can't believe how much Natasha has grown in two years. She is so independent now and insists on doing everything herself. (Don't even think about giving her "No" for an answer.)
Joshua picking up some souvenirs in Moscow
On April 27th we arrived safely in California after a short layover in Moscow. Since Joshua's 11th birthday was on the 28th, we let him buy a few souvenirs at the Moscow airport. We are happy to be back in Visalia (and later on to San Luis Obispo) with friends and family. We'll do our best to see everyone so feel free to email us so we can connect.
Joshua picking up some souvenirs in Moscow
On April 27th we arrived safely in California after a short layover in Moscow. Since Joshua's 11th birthday was on the 28th, we let him buy a few souvenirs at the Moscow airport. We are happy to be back in Visalia (and later on to San Luis Obispo) with friends and family. We'll do our best to see everyone so feel free to email us so we can connect.
"Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains." - James 5:7
"Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe." - Augustine
Нехай Бог Благословить Україну
(Let God Bless Ukraine)
(Let God Bless Ukraine)
Prayer Requests
• Please pray that our church here in Bila Tserkva would continue to grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ during our absence.
• That we would be able to raise adequate financial support according to God's will.
• For Edna's health problems and increasing medical costs. (She will most likely require spinal surgery within the year.)
• Pray that Maxime would continue to grow in Christ and that nothing would hinder him from going to church on Sunday.
• For our neighbor Olya, that God would keep her safe while we are in the United States.
• For continued friendships that lead to Christ being made known as a personal Savior where ever we are.
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
