I'm a kiwi girl who has spent the better part of five years in rural Ukraine. I serve with Calvary Chapel in the town of Kaharlyk and am mainly occupied with children's ministries and teaching English.
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For those of you who haven’t been to Poland, more specifically, Krakow and Zakopane, you are missing something beautiful. Being a foreigner in one country sometimes means that you have to make trips into other countries to obtain new visas. Thus I made my third trip into Poland and was reminded what a beautiful country it was. The highlight was exploring the mountains of the Tatra National Park near the Slovakian border and climbing up to the border to look down on both countries. 
The never-to-forget part of the trip was just about missing my bus to the airport for the flight home, because the Ukrainian Consulate wasn’t very efficient at processing my documents and having my visa ready by the time they stated.
 A glimpse into my future for those of you who haven’t heard … I’m leaving Ukraine for New Zealand in time for my brother’s October wedding. Prior to leaving, I’ll finally have the privilege of introducing my parents to my friends and haunts here in Ukraine.
As for the more distant future … um? I’m torn between returning to Ukraine and remaining in New Zealand.
 It’d be nice when making life affecting decisions to have some neon signs pointing the way. Sadly, that doesn’t seem to be the way of it, so I’m praying and waiting to see if things will be more apparent when I return to NZ.
Maybe you’ve heard of Serozha and maybe you haven’t. He’s a good friend who has been an active memeber of our church for a number of years. On becoming 18, he was conscripted into the army for a year and has now been serving for 4 and a bit months. We pleasantly surprised him when a group of us made the 2 ½ hour trip out to visit him this past weekend. Of course he is wanting to return home and doesn’t find army life easy, but he is managing to keep strong in his faith and is growing into a man.
The children that we regularly visited at the children’s home throughout the year have been in a town near Kiev on summer camp. They were so excited when we rang to say that we were coming to visit them for a few hours.
Shouts of joy were heard as they ran to greet us when they finally saw our van pull into the drive. We’re not sure if we’ll be able to see them very often as time goes on, since they still don’t know where they will be living when summer comes to an end. They may return to the home they have been at, or be placed elsewhere.
 We would like this ministry to the children’s home to continue, yet there are some doubts as to how possible that will be. Some of the members of our team are no longer available to make the weekly trip, myself included. Also, we are now in need of a driver. Please pray with us that God would bless and provide for this ministry and that we would not be required to abandon the precious children living at the home.
 It’s a wonderful thing to see older people give their hearts to Christ. Grandmother Luba has been a regular attender of our monthly dinners for the grandpeople of our town and for some time now has been faithfully turning up for the Sunday morning church service. A little woman with a bubbly character, she’s become a loved member of our church. There was great rejoicing as she, along with two others, proclaimed her faith in Jesus and braved the cold waters to be baptised.
Where have the months flown?!!! Life just doesn’t stop. Well, that’s a good thing actually.
This summer has had us involved in, among other things, two camps — one for youth and the other for children.
 Spot the bumble bee!
With hardly a break between them, the camps kept us stretched and relying on God’s strength, energy, grace, love and patience. Praise God that He is God and no matter our frailties and inadequacies, He reigns and is glorified.
 My group of girls at the kid's camp. A handful, but lots of fun.  Our bedroom wall decorated with pictures from the Bible lessons.
 This thing won't buck me, will it?  What else would you expect to see in a water museum? As a farewell present to the thirteen kids we’ve come to know and love from the children’s home we minister in, we were blessed in being able to take them on an excursion to Kiev. It’s hard to tell what the highlight was for them, especially as it was all so new to them. When asked, they always answer that they loved everything - from the Water Museum, where they played with bubbles and fish, to the zoo with its fascinating animals and candy floss. Or maybe McDonalds was in fact the highlight. Who can tell? The main thing was that we all had a fantastic day and the kids have happy memories to take with them into the future.
 You mean, you eat this stuff?
Sometimes you get a real laugh out of little things from everyday life. The other day, while walking along the street, I spotted a man carrying a similar bag to this. What can I say, but this is Ukraine!
Summer is here — at least according to the calendar, as the weather is still trying to cling to spring.
 Sharing with the kids  Alyona is 8...and tiny for her age. This week will see us saying goodbye to the group of children we have come to love over the past year of ministry at the children’s home. During the summer months, the kids go off to camp, then most of them will be placed elsewhere, either with relatives or in another children’s home.
Next school year a new group of children will fill their places at this home which is a temporary home for them while the state decides where to place them permanently.
Once a month, the elderly folk of our town love to participate in the evening we put on especially for them.
 A young Yakov The last couple of times, they have brought along photos from their youth for us to scan and project onto the big screen. They delight in sharing stories from their earlier days with us.
 Yakov today I’m thrilled to have the privilege of building relationships with these dear people. One of whom, Yakov, loves me to come and visit him at home. He worries about me and not uncommonly rings to make sure all is well in my life. Recently, my flatmates where away and he rang twice a day to check up on me and give me warnings about not opening the door to strangers, etc. He’s a sweet old man and we are praying that he would open his heart to the gospel.
 Varvara and me Varvara’s face lights up with a huge smile when we meet her on the street. She’s famous around town as the bottle lady (she collects glass bottles to sell for a small income). Probably everybody notices her, but likely no one takes any special interest in her. If I forget the date of our next Oldies Night, I only need to ask her. She looks forward to them so much!
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