Monday was a great day here as we met for a final planning session. The men of the Church have done a good job in planning and thinking through the mission’s objectives. Andrew has all lined out for the traveling team and there were great suggestions made by the men. I asked them for their suggestions on what will help make things go well. All were given action items to follow up and report in tomorrow’s morning meeting. Tomorrow I will begin making personal visits to locations to solidify plans and discuss any possible problems. I am to go Synatin tomorrow. Ivan has Gif and Simba set up to teach Bible classes to those who are interested beginning tomorrow afternoon and evening in Ivano-Frankivsk. The women of the congregation are in charge of refreshments at all locations (including packing a basket for the traveling band). I told them that cost of refreshments would be paid. It was decided to plan for 100 kids at Starry Lysets and Ugorniky (this will probably be the totals the last night as attendance will build). The general schedule has actions beginning at 8:00 am and concluding somewhere around 9:00 or 10:00 pm.
It has been a long day here but lots of good has happened. Besides planning I had a number of bank stops (3 of them) and then making stops at postal delivery services. Following our planning meeting Gif went with Ivan and visited and had meetings; Simba went with Pasha and Andrew to get paint and supplies to fix school desks that will be presented to Ugorniky. After lunch Gif was “forced” to work on his PhD readings from the Lviv Chocolate Factory and Simba and I went to visit maternity hospital and children’s hospital.
The memory of today…as the planning meeting was adjourning and we were going our separate ways, Simba looked at me and Gif saying, “I have no idea what I’m doing, where I’m going or anything else. I’m going with Pasha, does he speak English? I don’t have a phone.” Upon arrival Gif and Simba bought a mobile phone for in-country communication. It is the “pre-slider” model type. But it works and Gif has been the keeper of the antique phone. Since Gif was going with Ivan it was decide that Simba be given the phone. Simba looked at the phone saying, “I don’t even know how to turn this on. So now I’m going with someone who does not speak English, to a place I have no idea where it is, to buy things that I know not, with a cell phone that I cannot even turn on.” Gif and I left telling Simba that if we never see him again it has been a good trip.
Starry Lysets Village Day is Sunday afternoon and we plan to be there!
A note from Gif…“We made it to our final destination after 25 hours on a train. While this was a thrilling experience in the highest quality of ‘luxury’ cabin, it is nice to have feet firmly planted on the ground for a couple of weeks. We’ve spent our first couple of days here learning about the city with our new friends Anya and Nastya. They have been very gracious hosts and great tour guides, but most importantly, they led me to my new favorite place in the country: the Lviv Chocolate shop that serves coffee. I have had some homework to catch up on so while John and Simba have been in meetings today I have spent my time working and enjoying this heavenly café (it was truly a difficult sacrifice to leave the meetings to them). A side note: most Ukrainians have great taste in music. Nastya and I have already shared our love for Freddie Mercury and became immediate friends. Tanya also early on told of us her love for classic rock. Music transcends all sorts of barriers and can unite all people. There is still a lot of work to be done and a lot of planning before next week and I’m excited about the opportunity to get to spend more time with these great people.”
Continue to pray for us as we continue in this mission.
John L. Kachelman, Jr.
