Return

Hello all,

I have returned home!  I have never been so glad to touch American soil.
My trip home was not uneventful...first I had no ticket, then the immigration people said I was not the person on my passport....by the time we got through immigration/customs they were boarding our plane and we were the last to get on.  Landed in Washington, DC, got on the plane, had to get off because of lightening, got back on (one hour later) then had to sit on the tarmack in Pgh because there was no gate for unloading.
WHEW!
Now to catch up on my sleep.

Watch for our next mission trip to the Applachian mountains and Red Bird Mission.

4th email from Julie

Sunday  20-Jun


Just got out of a 2 1/2 hour church service - all in Russian! Believe it or not, I was able to understand some of it - we did have an interpreter.




We had breakfast at the church...ham, cheese, tomatoes, cukes, juice and coffee...lunch was better...we had rice and beef, tomatoes with mayo and cheese, cukes with dill and sugar water, mushrooms with cukes, eggs and mayo and blintzes for dessert...they also gave us these beautiful handcrafted pottery.



Got to bed last night about 10:30 and up at 6:30 this morning. We will be leaving to catch the train at about 6:00 tonight and will get to our destination at about 9:00 tomorrow morning and then through immigration/customs which they are telling us will be about 5-6 hours...it is a bit unrestful right now. They are talking about us having to walk across the border to get to Slovakia because the people who are coming to pick us up cannot get over the border.



We did a little touring yesterday but I had to go back early with two other people because it was really tough on our knees.

See you in 7 days.

email from Julie

Here is the third email I received:

It is Saturday morning 10:22 a.m. I made breakfast for everyone today - eggs, toast, kielbasi, poppy seed rolls, coffee, juice and yogurt...they were all very appreciative and did not go away hungry. Today is a 'free' day...we are supposed to go to a cultural play this evening (in Russian)...it should be interesting. Tomorrow we are going to the church of Hope to People and then get on a train to go to Slovakia...overnight sleeper and car...some unrest going on...we have been told it will be about 4-5 hours to get through immigration/customs and me with a passport that they weren't crazy about when I entered into the country. Our next week will be almost total isolation...the nearest village is about 40 miles away...we shall see. Souvenirs are quite expensive.




I am getting tired of chicken and buckwheat! We have had it every day, every meal for the last four days! When I saw it last night, I lost my cookies and had to leave the table...YUK! My stomach is killing me - leaping frogs! I never remember BABA serving so much of the same thing. And that blasted juice they served was cleaning out my system...which makes it ache! So when I hang up here I'm going back to my room and lay down...I have not slept well in the last five days either.



One of the women here came into our bedroom wearing strong perfume which also did not help. So between my head and my stomach I am feeling pretty lousy.



One of the men fell down the stairs this morning, I blew out three fuses making breakfast and today it is raining.



I will be glad to get home...but of course, we have an extra two hours of flight time we will be traveling.

email from Julie

Here is the second email I received:

A group were heading down to the internet cafe so I tagged along - it is 21:38 (9:38)...we just got back to the dorm from working all day...today I got dishpan hands...shrivled...washed down all the walls in the kitchen and ante room and dish room...ugh! Then washed down 3 cabinets, scrubbed the floors. I got to work with the kids for a bit yesterday trying to teach them English...it was quite comical...I was using my Slovak and their Ukraine was similar and we had some chuckles because of how I pronounced the word...came out wrong way and they laughed...they love having their pictures taken...everyone loves to have their pictures taken...as you can imagine I have used a lot of pictures.




Breakfast was buckwheat meal with chicken and gravy over it...yuk! Lunch was potato soup which was excellent and noodles and ground fine pork and hamburg. Supper was mashed potatoes and fried bologna...interesting meals. Needless to say my stomach has not been too good...oh yes, kielbasia at every meal and fresh green, red and yellow green peppers and tomatoes for EVERY meal, breakfast included. No soda or milk...just this juice called 'birch juice' which is sap from a birch tree...interesting...they say it is good for the digestive system...I'm not sure, but I just cannot acquire a taste for it...I'm hoping to stop at a store on our walk home and get a soda.



We don't get to bed much before 11:00 and are up by 6:00...it is an hour ride to the camp and we don't leave until after 8:30 to get home.



The scenery is beautiful...just like home...the people are quite nice...my 'roomies' are a hoot...one is very bossy. Karen and Judy are the others in my room. There is a boy here who is our interpretor and he calls me "Yula-anna"...I thought you would get a chuckle out of that.



Well, gotta go walk back to the dorm with the group - it is about a 15 minute walk.

Email from Julie

Here is the first email I received from Julie:

We have arrived - not sure how many other times I will be able to use the internet...so do not respond back unless you can take a chance with our roadrunner where I can check.


Had a rocky flight from Pgh to Dulles...to Munich it was very cramped...I was 3 rows from the back...and squished and uncomfortable...then a puddle jumper from Munich to Lviv where I was having trouble getting through immigration...my picture was too light to their satisfaction...they said I needed a hotel address not a church address...everyone got through except me and the policewoman argued with the officer that it was ok...she said no...spent 20 minutes to get through...my luggage was not with the rest of the group...but it did arrive before we left the airport...I peeled 3-20 pound bags of potatoes...washed dishes for 60 people, three meals...so far chicken has been served every meal...even breakfast...corn for supper with sauerkraut...it has been interesting...our restaurant yesterday afternoon was good...military men with guns, guarding the door and then giving you a shot of honey vodka...piroghy, mushroom soup and kielbasi...weather was dreary today...rain

I'll Fly Away

That was the song we sang in church this morning - I think it is quite appropriate as I will be flying off to the Ukraine & Slovakia tomorrow (Monday, 14th).

I won't be able to update anything on the blog while I am gone as there will not be any internet connections.  But, I will post when I return.

I ask for prayers for both Ken and I (Ken will be at home) - I will be gone until the 28th of June.

Blessings to all,
julie