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My trip to Uzhgorod was great! I’d been looking forward to the trip since we began planning it. (Actually, even before that.) Our main goal for this trip was to find a location for a summer camp we are going to do with the kids and to get permission to take some of them to the camp. We were partially successful, finding a great location but not getting permission to actually take the kids there. They are already booked to be at an old military camp or old sanatorium so we can’t take them to camp but we can bring camp to them. This unexpected arrangement presents us with some challenges (90 kids instead of 30 for starters) but we know that God will provide for all our needs. Right now we’re putting together a program, raising funds and looking for more staff. (Especially Russian/English speakers.) Please pray for our preparation, especially Markus who’s heading up the program. I’ll be posting more about the camp as it gets closer.

Pictures And A Video From The Trip

This was the first time I was traveling on the “day train” which was great because I got to see some gorgeous views of Ukraine and the sunlight made photos of the train possible. Click on thumbnails for larger versions.

This is our train at the central station in Kyiv.

This is the lovely toilet on the train. Believe it or not this was actually one of the cleaner ones I’ve encountered on the trains.

Whenever the train stops you can count on the enterprising locals to show up on the platform with cigarettes, beer, vodka, water, fruit, and various homemade meals.

This is one of the views from the camp we wanted to take the orphans to.

The statue I am standing with is a memorial to the first missionaries to the area. (I think.)

This is one of the “toys” at the orphanage.

Four of the orphan boys.

Evan, Sasha and I.

Luda showing some orphans how to make a box out of paper. They loved it and just kept making box after box.

This is the bill (and money) for a glass I broke at a restaurant. Worst spent 80 cents of the trip.

This is the best hot chocolate (basically a melted chocolate bar) and the most well spent 80 cents of the trip.

This is a quick tour of the train. (The first 5 seconds of the video are corrupt, just keep watching it will get better.)

I’ve been collecting some pictures of “small” things for the past couple of weeks to share with you. There’s a small description with each picture so you get some context and I’ve also written a “small” prayer request after each.

I was so excited last week when I saw a road crew painting lines on a main street. Five months without lines was enough for me, even as a passenger! Traffic lines are small, but they have big benefits (when you pay attention to them).

Please pray for our our safety as we travel all over Kyiv in public transportation.

Needles are small, too (Steven and I almost missed this one as we walked down the street) but the consequences of drug use are really very big.

Please pray for those who are being duped by dope.

Jeans have small tags but big prices. (Yeah, 900+ griven is almost $200!)

Please pray for the economy of Ukraine and for all the poor and homeless.

This is a small sign on a door in a local school. Mandatory service and military training in school are big leftovers from the USSR. (I wish I could sit in for a class, I think it’d be interesting.)

Please pray for the Ukrainian schools, that the teachers and the new generation grow in wisdom as well as knowledge.

Mom is teaching Alison and Hannah to read. Here’s a picture of some of her materials. Letters may be small, but words they make and the thoughts they communicate are very big.

Please pray for me and the rest of my family as we continue learning Russian (and the little ones who are learing to read English).

Last but not at all least: Here’s another “small” thing. I doubt I have to tell you how big it is for me.

99.9% of the votes are in and at first glance it appears that the pro-Russia party won easily. But look past the headlines and you’ll find that the pro-west parties won with a margin of 4% (more then 1 million votes).

Primary Colors.
Blue is the color of the sky “Party of Regions”. Known for it’s very clear pro-Russian stance this party, as expected, recieved most of it’s votes from the parts of Ukraine closest to Russia. With 32% of the national vote it is the winning party.

Orange is the color of an orange the “Our Ukraine Bloc”. As you’ve probably guessed this is the famous well, orange party. Support for this party has waned to only 14% of the national vote. I believe this is due to impatience. After the Orange Revolution everyone wanted things to change immediately and were, I think, unrealistic.

Red is the color of an apple “Yulia Tymoshenko’s Bloc”. Coming in second with 22% of the vote this party is mostly made up of and supported by people disillusioned with the Our Ukraine Bloc. But who still believe in the ideals of the Orange Revolution.

What it all means.
Basically, though split into two parties, pro-west ideals won the election by over 1 million votes while the pro-Russia party came in a close second. (Oh yeah, I almost forgot: The socialists and communists got a whopping 9% of the vote, combined.) You can see a break-down of the three winning parties by region in the map below.

For more detailed informaion about the election you can do what I did and check out Wikipedia’s Ukrainian parliamentary election, 2006 page.

On Sunday the Parliamentary Elections will be held here in Ukraine. There are 45 parties running, some of which have nominated over 400 candidates. Recent polls show an almost even split between the pro-west and pro-Russia camps. I’ve never had much faith in polls though. (Remember polls in the U.S. showed Kerry easily winning the popular vote right up until the end. Bush won by over 3 million votes*) Still, I would like to ask again that you pray for wisdom, discernment and understanding for the Ukrainian people as they cast their votes.

If you’d like to know more about the election I highly recommend this Reuters article and for very detailed information:Wikipedia’s article on the 2006 Ukrainian Parliamentary Election.

The parliamentary and mayoral elections are coming up soon in Kiev and all the parties are out in force. I’ve talked to several Ukrainians about the billboards, fliers, posters, flags, booths etc. that cover the entire city and all of them said “It’s never been this crazy before.” And it is indeed crazy. Although there are countless parties and politicians there are only two basic groups… those who are pro-Russia and those who are pro-West. Please pray with us for fair, free elections and that good, God-fearing, pro-West men and women will be elected.

Here are a few pictures of the political ads covering Kiev these days:

Here is a small poster for the “Our Ukraine” party (aka the orange party)


I think this man is running for mayor.


“39” Is the number on the ballot for this party.


Yulia, the former Prime Minister, was a huge force behind the Orange Revolution …and doesn’t really look as good as the picture on the billboard.


This party has few billboards but a billion guys like these waving flags all over the place. Okay, maybe there are just a couple hundred but they’re distracting and rather annoying.


I love this picture. On the right you have a tent promoting the “Tak!” party and 4 feet to the left there’s an advertisement for the “No Tak” party.


Last of my pictures today is of what we’ve come to call the “Natural Women” party. Loosely translated the sign says: “Vote for us and/or we’ll drop the flowers!” Just kidding, it doesn’t really say that.