Ukraine Mission 2019

Final photo below- well done all!  -- Vicki Schmidt

After 8 days in the Ukrainian villages sadly our week has come to an end!  Our Medical, Dental and Hygienist teams have packed all their equipment away ready for  another year; our School team are packed and ready to go and finally our Community team who have concluded over 50 house pastoral visits are also saying their goodbyes!  We have been royally hosted by our village host families, experienced such generous hospitality and been touched by so many heart wrenching stories- what a truly incredible week!  God  has been faithful answering prayers and keeping close to us protecting us so we can step out in faith for Him! As I write we are have just crossed safely over the border into Romania so mobile data can be used as we are now in EU. We are heading to Budapest for a day of rest and relaxation before we arrive in good old England.  Here's our final team photo in 34 degrees bright and sunny here for the next few days.  See you in Claygate! -- Vicki Schmidt

Big hit yesterday as Toddlers Club was run for the first time in Gyula - kids and adults all had fun!  With over 20 children between 0-4 and their Carers the Community team led a session for 45 minutes with the theme of Noah's Ark complete with puppet story and Mr Cow song (big success!) It would be great to continue this Club next year :-) -- Vicki Schmidt

Today's Gypsy village visit was both humbling and touching as we distributed soft toys and tooth brushes to the children- they were overjoyed!  Tomorrow these people the poorest of the poor in this region will be able to see the doctors and get medication they desperately need but can't pay for.  -- Vicki Schmidt

After a tiring day in our teams - Youth, School, Medical and Community visiting we walked past the church in Gyula to see that the roof had gone!  Over the next few weeks it will be completely replaced- this happens every 30 years or so (last time 1987.  The new roof will last 50 years and it is interesting to wonder what changes will take place in the village and under the new roof in the next 50 years!  God is so present amongst so many of these people with their simple lifestyles - I pray that that will never change!  -- Vicki Schmidt

This year with over 140 children and 70 Youth the children's Mission in Gyula village is as busy as ever!  With the theme of water/creation and looking after our planet the children have learnt to sing Yellow Submarine with gusto today (I know tenuous link to  the theme but it was a big hit). Below are photos of the children having lunch outside and playing in their school garden - a fabulous 29 degrees here.  How beautiful Gods creation is for us to enjoy and to appreciate that He made everything!   Greetings from Gyula School!  -- Vicki Schmidt

This morning Weds 7th Aug the Pensioners came along to a Club and enjoyed rare social time playing Bingo organised by the Ukraine Community team - prizes were on offer - much fun was had by all!  Legs Eleven number 11 and clickety click number 66 - anyone for Bingo in HTC?!? Greetings from Gyula and Akli Vicki Sent from my iPhone-- Vicki Schmidt

Early start for all teams today as we settled into village life! The School, Medical including Optician, Dental, Youth and Community all started working with the Hungarian people in the villages with a bang - so far so good!  The pace was Ukrainian time rather than Surrey/London - these cows leave for the field at 6am and return to their houses (which they know without herding!) at 6pm for milking and are a charming reminder that life doesn't have to be hectic all the time!  Let's rest in the Lord and wait on Him...  Greetings from Gyula and Akli Vicki  -- Vicki Schmidt

It was wonderful to arrive safely with all our equipment and luggage into the villages last night - answer to prayer as our border crossings were uneventful!   We arrived to a small crowd of welcomers in Alki who were patiently waiting for us to help unload the coach - what a huge number of boxes how did they all fit into that coach?! As those of us staying in Gyula arrived by minibus over the extremely potholed unmade-up road for a few miles we were shaken to say the least - (we will ever moan about Surrey roads ever again!) we were touched by a wonderful singing Welcome led by Reike, Pastor Zoltans wife. How uplifting! Now the Lords work begins... -- Vicki Cooper