In the previous post I explained what went on at the clinics and how they were set up. One station that I did not mention was the photo station. My job at the clinics was to capture the people in a photo. It is a privilege for me to know that I was able to see every person who came through the clinics, maybe I didn’t see them in person or talk to them but I saw their picture.

Majority of the people we saw had never owned a photo of themselves. This is rather mind boggling coming from a culture full of photos and pictures we often just throw away!

Seeing the people

While people were waiting to be seen, we would take their picture and then print it using a mobile printer. We put it in a plastic sleeve and gave it to them when they were finished. So many people broke out into a huge smile or even cried. I received a few kisses from old babushkas. I discovered later that many of the people have no record of their existence. There are no birth certificates, no shot records, nothing. So when someone dies it is often as if they disappear. Families have nothing to remember them by. The missionaries we worked with explained that they have been asked more than once to take a picture of a loved one in a coffin.

Writing Isus te iubește (Jesus loves you) on the back.

So taking photos of the people who came through was not just a fun hobby or a job to keep someone busy, it was a true ministry and blessing to the people. I was blessed to see on a house call, photos from the year before on the wall in the home of a dying man. The family treasured those small pictures.

The people varied from single moms to single dads. There were the young teenagers to 80 year old men with great health. We saw 20 year old moms with 10 year old kids, we saw grandmas taking care of multiple children, we saw singles, widows, couples, and families. Everyone was different in their own way.

I wanted to give you a glimpse of some of the people we saw. I don’t know all their names or their stories, but I love their faces. The people are beautiful and God loves them all.

As weird as it may sound, I think I’m picking up an Irish accent in Romania. I really don’t know how that all works out but it’s true. I’m here in Laslea, Romania working with a bunch of Irish (Northern Irish to be exact) and English. Yesterday I caught myself speaking in Ukrainian… with an Irish accent! What is going on?!

Here are a few things that I’ve learned about Northern Irish English:

-“That’s a funny crack” has nothing to do with a crack in the ground or someone’s rear end, a crack=a joke.

-“That’s good crack.” is not talking about the drug or a joke, they’re sayin it’s good fun.

-The hob is the stove.

-“We’re having mince tonight” means we’re having ground beef.

-“Sufferin ducks” is just a funny phrase that makes me laugh every time.

-Power is pronounced ‘paaar’

-Pants are not pants, they’re underwear. I got some weird looks when I was at the table at lunch wearing capris and I said “I think I’ll put my pants on.” It was a little chilly, what should I have said?

-Vests are undershirts.

-“Clean boggin” has nothing to do with something being clean, it is actually the opposite. It means something is really dirty.

-“That’s class” means that’s awesome.

-A brew is not alcohol, it’s coffee or tea.

-“It’s tapping down.” means it’s raining.

-“Dear” means expensive

-Buns are not rolls or bread really, they are cookie like things maybe more like bars or squares of something. So we ate rice krispie buns.

-Fringe = bangs

-“It’s half 5” is 5:30

-“I’m goin to the big smoke” means “I’m going to the city.”

-“She’s in a bit of a warbler” means “She’s having a tantrum or a rant”

-“You’re a minger” is “you’re gross.”

-Bonnet = engine & boot = trunk “I’m just gonna look under the bonnet” or “I’ll just throw this in the boot.”

-Wee really does mean small or little and ‘me’ can be used in place of ‘my’

-Our dear UK friends sang the common Christian kids song “Oh you can’t get to heaven on roller skates” with a new verse, “Oh you can’t get to heaven in a biscuit tin, cause God don’t let those crumbies in” Hahahaha, only in the British Isles…

Yes, the Irish really do talk like they do in the movies, I still can’t over that Hollywood was actually right on that one! I’ve learned it might be useful to have a translator from English to English when working here!

I know I missed other differences, there were just too many to keep track of!

A week before I left Ukraine, my dear friends threw me a bridal shower. I had originally planned to just have a party to spend some time with all the girls before I left, but they insisted I had to have a bridal shower. So a bridal shower I did have.

The girls planned a few games, naturally there was some toilet paper involved. Yes, toilet paper, they tried to recreate my dress using toilet paper. I had to pick the winners, it was tough but one seemed to stand out more than the other.

Tada!

They took advantage of my love for tea and created a game about guessing what ingredients are in the tea just by smelling it. It was kind of fun to see what everyone thought was in the tea, we had a lot of grass guesses.

We played a version of hot potato/musical chairs. Instead of a potato we used a bouquet of fake flowers and passed it around until the music stopped. When it stopped, whoever was holding it was out. It all came down to Marilyn and I. It was an intense game that almost turned into ping pong with flowers. Marilyn won.

No, no, no, I don’t want it!

Gifts were given much to my surprise. I had not expected any gifts but the girls brought gifts. It was fun to get things for our new home… when I get back. One little tradition here is that the bride should receive something for a baby before she gets married. So I already have my first baby bottle!

Look, dish towels!

I’m all ready for… wait a second.

The best part of the night was receiving blessings from everyone. Everyone shared different blessings or memories that involved me. I was surprised at the different things that people mentioned. Little things that I didn’t think mattered or was a big deal but to someone else it made an impression.

Blessings

Since part of my job here in Ukraine is to manage staff vacations I can see when people have not taken enough vacation. When our English school ended I caught myself up with some personnel duties and made the realization that Joanne and I had not had a vacation in over a year! Yikes!

We promptly remedied that.

Staff member Marichka and my former roommate, has been on sabbatical since April and we have missed her terribly.

So we also remedied that.

This involved a train trip to Lviv, her hometown. I won’t tell the whole story of how we actually got there. Let’s just say that we thought Marichka said to stay on the bus for 14 min and that she will be at the bus station. In reality, she said 40 min at when she said bus station she meant bus stop. It was truly a miracle that we found each other!

Driving a flying car!

View of the city, can you spot the flying car?

Enjoying some dessert together

What do a couple of girls do when they get together? Well, we went into the center for dinner and tea. Walked about in the beautiful city and enjoyed the great weather. We stayed up late and watched a girly movie. Next day we slept in, ate a late breakfast and then went for a walk before we had to head back to the train station. It was just a quick getaway but so worth it.

In front of the theatre

July means retreat. Retreat means staying in the village and stayin in the village means relaxation.

Group shot

Every July we have our annual staff retreat. It’s a time to get away, to hide from the busyness of ministry and rest together.

Everyone comes prepared to camp out in tents for two nights/three days. The дача (country cottage) is reserved for fixing food and for a few people to sleep in. We take time to just chat, eat, pray, eat, play games, eat, worship, eat, take walks, and eat some more. There is always good food, always.

Setting up home

Like flies to meat…

Roasting bread on a stick

Sometimes we have some kind of agenda or program. This year, our only agenda was to pray for each other and have some time of devotions. It was simple but refilling.

Worshiping together

Playing Dutch Blitz

Every retreat needs a hammock

Every time I come out to the дача I feel like I’m back at home in the country. You never know what you miss until it’s gone.

Highlights from this year are having four new staff with us at staff retreat, having a hammock, playing with a slack line, having a few bikes, making bread over the fire, and having Lance there was a huge personal highlight!

Resting together

Watching the sunset