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Horse Graduation 18 years Parenting Course

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Horse riding in the next village for Angel’s birthday.

Igor the Cossack led Elle round the yard after the guys came back from their forest trail excursion.  They all loved it.

 

 

 

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I again went to the graduation ceremony of the students at the local institute.  I knew many of those graduating and it was again a bit of a disappointment knowing that most of them would be leaving Rzhyshchiv for a new life back in their home towns.  Vitya, in this photo, is coming back to Rzhyshchiv today and will work with us during the summer months.  I hope faith in Jesus gets planted deep into his heart during these next three months!

 

 

 

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Well digging

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Here is the hole-digging crew.  Rough, tough bunch.  It took two days of digging (super fast) to finish this off.  4.2m to the water – then another 1.5 meters.  The total cost was about $400.  The manner in which we got this crew was farcical, but they did a good job. 

 

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Vlad

Well… we went, we saw, and we came back. 

That’s all I felt like saying when I got home last night from the visit with Vlad.  I was one step away from brain dead.  I figured that it was because we’d talked for five hours straight in Russian and with me at times translating for Bruce and the ol’ brain just conked.  That, plus even though unnoticed, I guess the visit had it’s own emotional stress.

He is doing well.  The great hope which is scary for him to even visit in his thoughts is that he’ll be free in less than a month.  It is an unlikely possibility.  His case will be looked at by the Supreme Court.  They have the authority to throw it out, to insist upon a retrial, to uphold the original sentence, or to even increase it.  Right now, an innocent man has to pay six years of his life and $100,000 for an accident that he was not even guilty of causing.  They may call Vlad’s lawyer to be present.  They may call Vlad to be present.  We are praying both for Vlad’s heart as well as for his freedom.

Here’s a link to Bruce’s site which will tell you more about yesterday’s events.  http://www.liftupyoureyes.com/

Sundays

I like Sundays.  I enjoy getting up early and if I am preaching, going over and revising the message.  I enjoy seeing people arrive and knowing that most of them are looking forward to some time in God’s Word and in worship of Him.  I enjoy teaching or preaching and knowing that there are some things I say or read that are for each person in the room.  I enjoy the hang-out-time where I look at who we have in the room and try to show love to my friends and new acquaintances.  Yes.  Sunday is a good day. 

The time between the starting of the above paragraph and what follows is five days!  It took a bit to get back here! 

Things are warming up real nicely here.  I took my shirt off at work today… and made Igor shake his head mournfully at either my whiteness or my expanding girth.  I’m not sure which and didn’t really care to press him for his reason.  The two students we had working with didn’t have the confidence to join Igor in his subdued mirth and so I paid them their full wages at the end of the day plus a bit extra.  :)  Ahhh… I love the summer months!

Saturday the 12th will hopefully reunite me with Vlad for several hours.  He is in a prison in Kiev right now awaiting his Supreme Court appeal before several judges and if things go according to plan, three of us men will join Vlad’s wife, Vika, in a visit.  He is allowed one visit a month and we’ll all be locked in a room for five or so hours with him.  I’m really looking forward to seeing him and hope we’ll be able to encourage him to keep strong.  There are hundreds, if not thousands, of people all round the world praying for him and the situation and if you are one of those people, thanks.  Drop me a note and I’ll let him know that you too, are praying.