I have been meaning to locate the necessary cable to connect our video camera to our computer and since WalMart and Radio Shack were thoroughly useless in this regard, I had to resort to checking the "big bag of cables" in a random closet in the Hope Center office. Sure enough, I found not one, but two of the correct connectors! This means that you all get to see what we see...and without further ado, I present my first directorial attempt in a little film I like to call "A Tour of our Apartment" (or Le Tour du Apartment in France where it will debut at the Cannes Film Festival).
Oh, and that's not all! We also have updates on our participation in the programs at the Hope Center:
- Saturday I introduced myself to 2 classes of students as a "special guest speaker" for the English lessons that are held weekly at the HC. The first class was more advanced than I thought and was surprised when a teenage girl responded to my question in unaccented English - she could have been from any High School in the US. I later learned that she did an exchange program somewhere in the States for a year.
- This morning (Monday) I joined Tanya, Lena and Jenya at a school for a presentation on AIDS awareness and prevention. The accompanying video contained interviews from a hospice center in Ukraine and was disturbing and heartbreaking - even in Russian.
- Today was the first introductory meeting with the IVA (International Vocational Academy) students who come from the Kerch area. They were introduced to the staff, given an overview of the program, a general schedule and the rules which they are expected to follow. It was mostly male students and I don't mind telling you that they were a rough looking bunch. I am excited to see what God does in them over the next 5 months.
- Tomorrow we will be taking a few wheelchairs and walkers out into the villages for people who desperately need them. Sarah is excited to get a look at some of the functional medical ministry that is offered by GA Ukraine.
- Sarah has also been given her first assignment at the Hope Center - English discussion groups with the staff. These will vary depending on the "student's" proficiency with the language (Hey Coach! Any pointers?). I'll let her explain further when she decides to embark on her first post.
I'm sure there will be more to come as the week progresses, but in the meantime, please pray for us and our continued acclimation to our new situation. We are both struggling to feel useful as we pick up Russian and discover our niche. Thank you.
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Thanks for the apartment tour! It's so fun to see where you guys are living!
ReplyDeleteLoved the video. It is so cool to see where you guys are living! Seems like you are making the place "like home". It is also fun to hear your Ukrainian adventures and ministry stuff too. Lindsay
ReplyDeleteActually all the touches of home are someone else's things. We are trying to find places to put all their stuff so we can have places for our stuff.
ReplyDeleteLoved to see your new home! It looks very organized. Sarah we miss you (you too Matt..of course!)We love the updates. Thanks for making us a part of your time there.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the video, Matt! It's nice to have a visual... now we know that things are coming along and you are in decent 'digs.'
ReplyDeleteSarah, I am very excited to hear about your experience tomorrow re: medical care, distribution of ADs, etc. I am certain that you will fill a great need there in that regard. They are blessed to have you... you're an incredible therapist. :)
Keep the posts coming! Glad to see Campbell smiling and chattering... looks like he's adjusting.
...Sarah, can't wait to read your first post! Love, Jenn
Man, dial-up leaves everything to the imagination. I look forward to seeing your tour.
ReplyDeleteGood point, Coach. I think next time I'll just draw you a series of pictures of the intended subject and have you download them (over the span of 12-16 hours via dial-up) and create your own flip-book tour. Would that help?
ReplyDeleteLOL...you should win the Best Short Film in the Indpendent category solely for the tea pouring scene. Might I suggest you slow that part down and add some sweet music?! :)
ReplyDeleteGreat to see your place, even if it looks like my old apartment in Seattle!
If you liked the tea scene, stay tuned for other installments of what will become known as the "Tours Trilogy". First the apartment, then the camp and finally the greater Kerch area. Of course, as with the Star Wars films, it may take 2 years between releases.
ReplyDeleteLuke...I am your mother...land. Can't wait!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad that y'all did this. It helps me to imagine y'all there. :)
ReplyDeleteWe love you guys, and dig your new place! I can't wait to hear how you prepare xmas dinner.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the encouragement! I hope to get better at this movie thing and maybe post a few more shorter clips. I am thinking of doing a look around Kerch or some interviews with staff members as well.
ReplyDeleteJoy,
You'll have to wait for my Christmas dinner post. We are having 2 families over Christmas evening and they are bringing special Ukrainian food! I think this may involve both raw fish and raw pork.
Happy New Year to you all! We enjoyed the vidoe - you three have a really lovely flat with so many convenieneces. During our PC adventure (living on less than $10 a day!)in Kerch we washed clothes in a bucket and our refrigerator was a joke among people around town - old, rusted out and very noisy. We had one room and had frequent heat and water outages...(see our website for our powerpoint shows of our Kerch apartment: www.pulverpages.com)but, we LOVED our life there! Thanks for the great blog and the videoa...brings us back to that special place.
ReplyDelete8-) Now we are in Santa Fe, NM with AmeriCorps*VISTA, living on $900 a month...but it is not about money..we are living full, rich lives and able to give much...life is good.... Ginn (& Mark)
Ginn,
ReplyDeleteWe are very appreciative of our apartment here...nicer than we have any right to expect. The larger size is very useful when you have a 20 month old who goes to sleep at 7:00pm. We have been able to have people over in the evenings to play cards and share a cup of tea since we can stick him in another room for the night. Thanks for reading, it's good to hear that all is well in Santa Fe!