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Exchange rate

                                  (A year ago)                                     (Today – but no one will sell dollars at 16.65!!)

At the rate Ukraine is forking out the dosh, it is estimated that we will spend over $2 billion this year on the conflict in the East…  That’s about $6 million a day to support an army and it’s activities.  So many small groups of volunteers are helping with food, clothes, bedding, armor, and other essentials, but still, the govt. has big bills to cover.  $6 million a day!  If we talk comparisons with some of the first world countries… it’s nothing.  Australia spends $26 BILLION per year… also a pittance compared to the U.S.A.’s $600 billion.  What is of import; however, is that Ukraine has only $7 billion in reserves.  And this money is needed for paying off Ukraine’s loans, for pensions, electricity, coal, gas, salaries and a myriad of other services crying out for cash.  And our industrial heartland is currently a lost source of revenue!  It is estimated by economists that unless Ukraine receives another $5 billion this month, we will default on loans and see a terrible economic situation become horrific.  If you want to buy US$ with Grievny, you will pay GRN20 to US$1, up from 8:1 a year ago.  The person who deposits money in the bank in local currency right now is, to put it politely, “brave”. 

This is, of course, influencing society.  More people will lose their jobs.  Belts get tightened.  Prices increase for everything.  People feel the pressure of not having enough to make ends meet.  People start thinking about selling their house so that they can survive.

Amongst our church folk, people are doing ok.  We only have one single lady who really can’t make ends meet and needs some help every now and again.  We try to provide well-paying work for her rather than just give money, but sometimes she needs a boost.

The mother of one of the girls who became a part of our church when we first came here had a stroke last week and is in hospital.  Few people in Ukraine are covered by insurance.  We’ve been asked a few times this last week for help for medical needs by different people.  So the opportunity to help a sister in the Lord with a need somehow feels like a pleasure and privilege.  photo

The girls had an adventurous week-end.  Friday they joined several others from here to visit Zvenigorodka, a city about 2 hours away, from whence hails Nazar.  His church there was celebrating an anniversary to which Nazar invited them.  They went to a hill in a nearby village Friday evening and skied and snowboarded for a few hours.  Towards the end, Nazar fell and gave himself a good knock on the head.  The resulting concussion gave him short-term memory loss which caused both concern and hilarity.  They took him to the hospital to get checked out and now, three days later, it seems like his mind is slowly getting better. 

Yesterday, we finally gathered a group of parents together for the parenting course.  We’re hopeful that we’ll have about 10 families represented.  We feel a great enthusiasm for sharing with parents some skills, Biblical principles and wisdom that will help them with developing their children into men and women who will glorify God.  The course will continue for nearly 5 months and we’ll have many opportunities to bless these young parents.  Oles and Tanya (pictured)have 5 year-old twins and should be attending.  Tanya has cancer and the doctors aren’t optimistic about a good outcome for her.  If you care to pray for this couple, pray also for their peace and sense of security during these next several months.photo

The guests from Mariupol are still with us and it looks like they will be here for several more months.  The fighting in the east has intensified over the last few days.  Today, it has been reported that Russia has sent in two more battalions of troops.  Tonya’s parents live on the main street on a border city along which which the supplies are coming into Ukraine and says that every day tanks, APC’s, artillery and army trucks are coming through the border.  I’m fascinated by the minds that refuse to believe that Russia is sending troops and weapons to the rebels and fueling this conflict.  For us here, it’s the equivalent of people saying that the moon is actually a space-ship.  Ridiculous. 

Nastya got rich this week when Tonya made some money for her.  Her economy is doing wonderfully!  She and her brothers started back at school today.  The weather is the warmest I can remember it being at this time over the last 20 years… so schools and colleges have opened again.  There is still talk of them closing for a while, and I expect they will.  But for now, it’s “study as usual”.

Oh!  Vlad, Nastya’s brother, gets the metal screws out in his wrist next week, (see last blog post).  Things seem to be going well with his arm, for which we are thankful.

Off we go now for another meeting to Martin and Alexandra’s.  I must say, I love being with Christians… at least with most Christians.