running water what a blessing!

July was a very busy month for me. One team came in from America as another one left. I was asked to help with a camp outside Odessa in a village near the Black Sea, I had a friend coming to visit and stay with me for a week and my tourist visa was getting ready to expire. What's a girl to do.

Camping near the Black Sea was an absolute adventure I will never forget. A group of us traveled to the village by van from Kiev preparing to conduct a Vacation Bible School there, no problem. The plan was to host the VBS and then enjoy a bit of rest at the beach so we would camp for 12 days total.

We arrived at the camp site in the dark, again no problem we will shine the headlights so we can set up the tents right. Camping Ukrainian style - imagine weeds about two feet high we were told to begin packing them down, I am thinking are they for real why not locate an area that has already been cleared, seems logical to me? Nope it was no joke, so I begin packing down the weeds and setting up the tents. I really have camped before just never like this! This was the true down and dirty camping. We did not have a cleared camp site, there wasn't any running water to speak of except the sea, a toilet do we really need one, and shower well that is what the sea is for. I was in for a life changing experience and I knew it as soon as we arrived at the sea.

By day two I was ready to find the bus station or train station and call it quits. I was near the beautiful Black Sea with about 15 Ukrainian people and could not communicate for 12 days this would be a record for me. About two days into camping I had a mild break down and a girl named Ania began speaking in English to me! Thank you Lord! Ania was such a blessing, I was happy she was there. Needless to say I stayed at the camp for 10 days and took my first train ride back to Kiev Monday July 21. A city that is about an 8 hour drive by van took 14 hours by train.

The train is a unique way to travel as well. We departed Odessa at about 7 PM so we would have to sleep on the train. Getting on the train and walking to our seats was actually exciting. The train has open compartments with four beds in each section. While you are sleeping it is basically a slumber party on the train as you can see everybody as they sleep. I slept fairly well on the train, but I would not choose to travel by train if I had an option. I always thought a train would be faster than a car, but it is not, it actually takes longer. We arrived in Kiev the next morning about 9 AM on July 22.

I took the metro back to my apartment. I had to make one stop before I went home. I stopped at a local shop to purchase a razor, I was looking forward to getting home taking a nice long bath or shower and shaving my legs!! That is exactly what I did and I felt like a new women.

I had one day before my house guests would arrive so I had to get a few groceries items. July 23 at about noon I met my friends at the train station, this turned out to be a day of rest for all of us, as we were all so tired. Two days later July 26 I would depart and go to Budapest Hungary which was two fold: I had to renew my tourist visa and I was able to visit with another friend there. What a blessing it was to be able to do that.

I am back in Kiev now, my friends are all gone and I am preparing for a medical clinic in September. This past Thursday at the office I received communication that our bike outreach scheduled for August 10 has been cancelled. The region in Ukraine has been terribly damaged by flooding. Our church is trying to put together a team to go help with the relief efforts. As of right now you cannot get a vehicle to the villages, everything is being taken in and out by helicopter.

I am so thankful for running water and a toilet. It is the little things in life that make me happy. Through all of this I do feel as if I am able to relate better to the children living in the streets and the homeless population. The Lord is good and is always near.