Dan and Pris Gollan

August 28th…  And another summer draws to an end.

I remember reading a Lawhead book many years ago in which the protagonist was known as “the Lord of the Summer Realm”.  I get how the designation is meant to praise.  Spring, (and the promise it brings of summer), and then summer itself are my favourite seasons.  Autumn and winter have their own attractiveness, but I’m not sure I’ve ever really “looked forward” to those months.  And now, at the end of summer, I again sense impending loss as I see the leaves browning and feel the cooler temperatures!  Time to take a trip to Australia for six months!!  :)  That’s actually not something I let my mind think too much about for fear I’ll desire it too much!

We’ve enjoyed meeting in our local hall during the summer for Sunday church.  Regularly, between 60-70 people have been gathering, which contrasts quite effectively with the 15-20 of a few years back.  We believe that a church makes a mistake if its main goal is to get a lot of people to the Sunday service.  And yet, when people are gathering to worship God and learn and fellowship together… it is a very healthy thing and it’s encouraging to see.  We trust it is an indication of spiritual health and faithfulness.

“Oleg umer.”  Those were the abrupt words I heard from Pasha as I answered the phone a few days ago. 

Oleg, the quiet, diabetic book-binder, was with us for slightly over six months, but sadly left a few weeks ago without our blessing to “make his way in the world”.  We don’t know if he experienced the cleansing work of God in his life resulting in salvation.  It felt as if he did, but we don’t know for sure.  He was asking about baptism shortly before he left.  We had hopes that he might get in touch with the church we co-operate with in the city he is from, but that didn’t happen.  And now his body is dead.  His Spirit… we can’t help but hope that his spirit is with our Savior. 

The rest of the guys at “Armageddon” are doing real well.  The rabbits and pig which we’ve added to the small collection of animals, (cat and dog), are also doing well and are lovingly being cared for with the knowledge that they will eventually become meat-providers. 

We are meant to be meeting a lady in a few weeks about joining our team and serving in the ladies rehab center.  We will drive to a city about six hours away and visit a successful rehab ministry there where we will meet with the leaders and with our lady. May God give us all wisdom.

We are a week out from Camp 120.  This year looks like being a bit of a reprieve from the last few in that we are looking at 90 people coming instead of 120.  It is expected that Shane will get a new boat too, which will make a beautiful difference!

It’s Monday morning and our home is quiet. 

The young American couple who have been staying with us for the last several months have moved out.  Yura and Oleg left early this morning for studies and work in Kiev.  My girls are reading quietly and doing school.  And Pris is doing little bits and pieces in the kitchen in preparation for a late, but special breakfast to celebrate Elle’s baptism yesterday. 

We did have a beautiful day yesterday.  Two of the guys who have gone through rehab also got baptized.  We went down to our river and witnessed the declarations of the two men and Elle.  Then we came up to our home and had a short service before celebrating with a picnic.  

It’s Monday! I’m generally home on Mondays and behind a screen planning, keeping in touch with people or preparing for the Bible studies of the week. Today I will also meet with one of men from the rehab centre for an hour or so… but that isn’t something normal for a Monday.

Today is May Day. This is likely the last year in which Ukraine will celebrate with a national holiday “May Day”. In our efforts to distance ourselves from Russia, we have decided that anything with communistic associations must also go. I know many people who feel as if it is really just for show that all these changes are taking place and that there are so many inconsistencies in logic that it isn’t funny.

On that subject, the government has changed the street name on which the reb centres are located. The old name: Radyanska St. The new name: Dzherelnya St. But the lads out there changed the sign on our fence to read “Christian St.”

The Ladies Rehab Center should be ours by Wednesday. We have had to wait on the sellers for a few different things over the past two weeks, but everything seems to be in order now and we expect to go to Kiev in two days time to sign the docs.