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In honour of Baba Galya

IMG_0019Today, we laid the body of a dear neighbour to rest.  Baba Galya was loved by everyone who knew her.  We feel as if God blessed us so much over the years through this special lady. 

The very first time I met her, she gave us a bag full of beetroot and… zucchini.  She never really stopped giving after we bought this place and then moved in.  We were continually being sent up preserved tomatoes or cucumbers.  If she thought we had a lot of guests, she would regularly send up some extra “something”.  She was a classic.

During the last year, she had been talking more about God and Jesse had even “got her” reading her Bible.  She understood that Jesus was God and put her trust in Him so we have hope that she is in Heaven right now.

 

A few weeks ago, I was practicing guitar with Kolya when I looked out the window and saw an ambulance at their place.  I rushed down and sure enough, Galya had experienced a stroke.  We carried her into the ambulance and they took her off to our local hospital – paralyzed down her left side.  We visited her in hospital several times here and then in Kiev expecting her to slowly improve over time – but her heart gave out on Monday.

Today, we walked with the relatives and friends from her home down to the church, where we had a service for her.  We then walked on to the cemetery.  Pris carried the “holy water” with which the priest blessed her body one final time.  (You can see Pris near the front of the line of mourners -behind Vova who was carrying the cross.)  All in all, if feels as if it didn’t do justice to this lady who we have loved and appreciated so much over the years. 

“Enjoy eternity, Galya.”

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