Day18.3--Recording and Benches

Wow...Day 18.  You know, I know a lot of stuff I didn't know before, thanks to spending so, so many days in this country.  I figured out that we will have spent a total of about 8 weeks here between April and now.  I am actually beginning to understand what people are saying and can answer them.  Not too complicated, of course, but I can read their facial expressions and pick out enough words to kind of figure out what they are saying.  I also don't see the letters the same way anymore.  It used to be that they all looked like our letters used the wrong way, but now I am starting to sound things out without having to think about it first.

I also know a lot about things I never thought I would know about...and most of them are things I never even knew about. 

I can navigate in the metros (as long as I don't have to change lines...just got my first experience with that today and there is definitely more to know!), on buses, in stores, pay for things, ask for things and I even know "the drill" on pretty much everything that is needed to survive here.  I also don't feel as uncomfortable or out of place.

I know how long we will swelter in an overnight train before it starts to cool off.  I know how to get on and ride a tram and how to know if there is someone to take my money or if I have to pay the driver.  I know how to pay for metro coins and how much they cost.  I know what I can cook here without the staples of flour, oats, etc.  I know how to survive on four plates, seven forks and no cups...with four children to feed.  I know what brands of milk and butter and cottage cheese are the best.  I know how to say words and describe things I couldn't even hope to remember two weeks ago.

It's been hard to transition from city to city and doing it without the help of Marsh's Russian, but the experience has been worth it.  There is no easy way to learn anything.  If you really want to know it, you have to pay the price.  And that payment is usually uncomfortable, even painful at times.  But, like all things, the difficulty will pass and you will be stronger for it and know more than you could have anticipated.

I'm not sure where all that knowledge will go, but maybe it serves its purpose just in showing me what I'm capable of.  I have to admit, the experience has required me to turn to the Lord in prayer MUCH more often than a typical day on our little farm does.  Before we even left the apartment this morning, I must have prayed every five minutes.  I needed His help with the recording session I had, I needed His help in giving me wisdom and patience and love in a trying situation. 

Perhaps He is trying to show me that it's not just in the challenges of being in a different country and mothering two children who don't speak the same language that I need to turn to him every minute.  After my bazillionth prayer, I thought about our "hearts being drawn out in prayer continually" and wondered why I don't turn to Him more often on a daily, hourly, minute-to-minute basis in the comfort of my own home.  Sure, when it's hard, I'm right there on my knees (or in my head) begging for help and His wisdom.  But, I need that help every hour, not just in the hard times.

So, that is how my day started...pleading with the Lord to help lift the burdens with which the Adversary was hedging up my way.  The Adversary likes to do that.  He thinks it's fun to watch me suffer. 

We had a lot of great experiences again today.  I'm going to take you on a picture tour of our day, but you have to imagine how we got from place to place...metros, buses, trams...all packed with people and really, really hot and humid.  If you see faces glistening in pictures, it's not an optical illusion.  We are sweating.  I have learned to accept that washing is not going to change the sweating factor.  It is only to take off a few layers, not solve any problems.

After going grocery shopping, AGAIN (nothing like feeding teenage boys and two young ladies), we went home to have lunch and then headed out to meet my sweet, sweet, sweet (I can't put enough "sweet"s in here) friend Zoya who was taking us on a walking tour and then helping us get to the recording studio where I needed to play a little part in Marsh's most recent project...

We took the metro and met Zoya at a certain stop.  We walked up and got on this tram that takes us to the top of the hill where St. Andrew's and St. Michael's and St. Sophia's cathedrals are.  This hill has a monument inside what looks like the Sacred Grove.  It marks the area where Volodimr dedicated this land for the preaching of the Gospel several hundred years ago. 

Once at the top of the hill, there is a fabulous view of the Dnepr River.

Here, the kids look at a diorama-type display of the tram track and the sites around it.

At the top of the hill, nearest the tram stop, is St. Michael's cathedral and a working monastery.  This is not the original building.  The original was destroyed prior to the Second World War to make room for a second, circular government building to match the one that is off to the left of the picture (which you can't see...sorry).  It would have created a semi-circle.  But, then the war began and not only did construction halt, but much of the city was bombed and, of course, people were put through terrible things during those years.  The government building was never built, but the cathedral was reconstructed.  Inside, there is a gated area that surrounds the only remaining original foundation and bricks.

Funny...I just realized that I meant to take a picture of the statues behind Chris and Nastia, but never did.  They are of Olga who helped bring the Gospel to Kyiv and some other people.  I became distracted from my goal when we realized the sister missionaries were standing there talking to this woman in the yellow dress.  The woman came over and offered for us to take a picture with her doves for 40 grivni which is about $5.  It told her I couldn't part with that much so she lowered it to twenty.  I finally explained that I had limited funds and needed to feed all these kids for four more days and get us home on what I had.  I don't know how it came out that I have eight children, but as soon as she heard that, she offered the picture for free.  After a long conversation about Heavenly Father and the fact that we are all brothers and sisters, I gave her 3 grivni and an Article of Faith card with the missionaries contact information on it.  :)

Thus, no statue picture.

Posing with a 350 year old tree.

 

Chris took this shot of St. Andrew's spires near the old tree.  QUITE an impressive picture, Chris!  St. Andrew's is right by the SDA office and is a really visible landmark on this upper area of Kyiv.

We made our way to this cute park area with statues and benches that are quite whimsical.  It was apparently started to protest the "old way" of art here, but it has become a landmark itself.  Here are some fun pictures of this children's area...

Strong brothers protecting little sisters. :)

The kids are on top of a huge set of play equipment with slides and ladders and such.  I don't know why I didn't zoom out and get the whole thing!  Sorry.  The tiles were so hot that Ruslan couldn't hold on to them so he had to keep switching hands.

Believe it or not, this is a sculpture!  It is called, "Just Like Home" or something like that...it had to be translated. :)

Another great bench...overlooking the city and the three hills that Kyiv was named for.

Teeter totter bench!

The view of the city from the eye glasses bench.

Notice the sculpture behind Chris?

Yes, they are sitting on a bench.

At the end of the walk we found the cutest little park with sculptures all around.  I love how the big kids don't feel like big kids all the time.

 Then it was off to the bus, then to a tram, then for a walk to the recording studio...

Marsh and my brother, Dave, who is doing the voice over and engineering work for Marsh's project, Skyped with me during the recording session.  There to the right is the microphone that was placed near the computer so I could hear them in the sound booth.  Except for some technical difficulty with Skype, it was like they were in the same room.  It was so nice...I felt like I was home for a little while!

The kids came in to say hello to Dad and Uncle Dave.  Uncle Dave met Nastia for the first time over Skype.  :)

After another tram ride and two metro lines, we were home and found this optical illusion outside the apartment building...

...the cat is actually sitting on wire mesh up in the air!  It was so interesting, I had to get a picture.

Back at the apartment, Ruslan helps Nastia put in the earrings Zoya gave her.  Zoya is the best substitute grandma in the world!

And since we didn't get home until almost 8pm, dinner was sausage, cheese, bread, watermelon and the Ukrainian version of Ramen Noodles which are even cheaper here than they are at home!  All this food, and then some, was gone in a matter of moments.

We also found out today that the kids' passports are here!  Yay!  Tomorrow morning, we go for their doctor's appointments and then to the US Embassy.  We'll have everything done by Wednesday.  However, our wonderful travel agent friend, Lorie, could only find four tickets to get us home Thursday so we have to wait until Friday.  But, it works out better logistically for the family at home and allows us to arrive at a reasonable hour, rather than at midnight which is what it would have been on the Thursday flight.

Zoya was so cute when she found out that we were staying an extra day...she said we can do something fun together again.  It was a good way to respond because I was choking back tears. 

Blessed Zoya.

Day 17.3--Sunday and Crazies

We got up at 7:30, were walking to the metro by 8:30, got to church by 10:05am (it ended at 1pm) and got home at 2:30.  How could I ever be late to a church that is four minutes from my house...especially when I own a car that runs? 

I have to admit that I was a little nervous about getting us there using the metro for the first time by myself.  I had the sweet Obolone missionaries offer to meet us and help us get to the actual church building.  Elder Waters and Elder Crookshank met us at the metro in Obolone, took us on the correct bus (which took 40 minutes to arrive at the stop) and walked us to the building.  Then, they turned around and headed back to their own area for their church meetings that start at 11.  They also talked me through how to get back.  They were so sweet to do all that for us!

Once inside the building (we entered during the opening hymn), Elder Peterson came and offered to translate the meeting for us.  There were some primary children and some youth so everyone had classes to go to after Sacrament Meeting.  They met some very nice kids who were super friendly.  Chris even had a friend who could translate the classes for him! 

Here the kids are waiting outside the church for us to be able to leave.  It was the only picture I got today.  I had no idea Ruslan wasn't smiling and just as I loaded it up to put it on the blog, I showed it to him and said, "Ruslan!  Look, you're not smiling!"

He has a very good grasp now on what the blog is and how many views it's getting every day.  When he saw a crazy picture Chris took of him on another post, he asked me to remove it.  I did, of course, but the damage has been done!  We'll just leave that part out of the explanation.  ;)

So, when he saw that he wasn't smiling he was shocked and a little disappointed.  So, he said, "Chris smile, me no smile.  Me Barak Obama."  Then, he pointed at the picture and, sliding his figure across the screen said, "Internet...'OBAMA'" telling me he wanted me to write "Obama" at the bottom of the picture.  We were laughing hysterically at his comments!

Both kids said they enjoyed church when Marsh asked while we were chatting this evening, so Ruslan's comment isn't indicative of the time he had there, I guess.  :)

Both girls had blisters on their feet when we got home and we entered an apartment that must have been in the upper 80s in terms of temperature.  I closed all the windows hoping to keep the temp down today, but apparently that didn't work.  I'm sure it got up to the 90s in here...it was a little like an oven.  I finally opened all the windows when the sun went behind a neighboring apartment building.  It's cooled off, but I know we're still in the 80s.

It was a long afternoon and there were a few tears by Nastia.  This is not an easy situation.  She needs to be working, doing and fed...I think she ended up hungry and bored.  I have learned this is the worst combination for her.  It was so hot outside, that being out there wasn't any better.  But, we overcame the hurdles and now it is coming upon bedtime. 

Chris decided that it would be illegal in America to have people living in the kind of heat we experienced today!  I think he is pretty much sold on the good old USA after this experience.  :)

As the evening came on, the restlessness has turned into downright crazy behavior.  We have seen paper airplanes used as darts into the fan, leftover dinner fed to the resident wild cats that live just below our window (guess the bread and cheese were more appetizing than the dead pigeon nearby) and, as I write this, I am fearing for their safety and the safety of myself and the laptop as a game of "keep away" mixed with wrestling and paper airplanes has ensued.

So, I think I'll close and try to regain some control and calm...although I must admit I would much rather have "Me Barak Obama!" and "Me Won!" being shouted out along sweating and giggling happening than tears and quiet Ukrainians.  Much better memories!

Pause in the craziness to pose for a picture.

Craziness resumes rather quickly.  Ruslan is holding the prize paper airplane that is now sweated on and crumpled and worn to an unrecognizable state.

Ruslan is taken down by little sister!

Day 16.3--Touring Kyiv

I have been here for so long I can't remember what number day it is...every night I have to check the prior day's blog to know what number to put on it!

This is going to be more like a travel log...you know, the kind where the boring uncle makes you sit and watch the slide show of his trip to Europe?  So, feel free to tune out, but I'm doing this anyway for the benefit of certain people who will actually LIKE my boring slide show!  ;)

***

Since we are just waiting here, I wanted to make the most of our time.  It is highly likely that at least Chris, Patty and I will never have a reason to return to Ukraine, so this is our one and only chance to see some things...and our one and only day to do it.

We met up with my generous, sweet friend Zoya who offered to take us around.  She told us how to use the metro to get to her and it all worked out perfectly.  I must admit that I was a little nervous doing it all by myself without Marsh, but I sure learned a lot and it went just fine.

We first went to The Lavra, an ancient religious area that is enclosed by walls and encases a huge territory of Kyiv.  As usual, the gate has a small church at its entrance.  We women show our respect by covering our heads in the cathedrals and church squares.  Patty aptly wondered by the women cover their heads here to show reverence, but won't cover the rest of their bodies...good question.

Here are the kids with Zoya just before entering the Lavra territory.  The mural behind them to the left is one that was painted in the 1000s and has been uncovered and restored.  The girls have scarves on their heads as a sign of reverence as they enter the square.

We were amazed to find a HUGE throng of people within the square.  Turns out, the Moscow Patriarch was visiting and speking and praying.  We just happened to walk into the area while it was all going on.  The grass you see to the left on the ground it actually plants and flower petals where the patriarch walked to get to the canopy in the distance.

Here, a priest leaves as the gathering ends.  There were several priests in gold outfits all gathered under that canopy for the ceremony.  All the priests are paid and have very nice cars.  Within the gathering area, you could pay to confess sins (we saw a woman doing that) and you could pay to put people on their version of a prayer roll (we saw a LOT of women doing that), but the more people you list and the more prayers you request in their behalf, the more money it costs.

I learned a great deal about the Russian Orthodox church and the Moscow and Kyiv patriarchies today.  They are constantly fighting, even physically to the point of killing each other, over who should rule "the church".  It's very political and there is a lot of money involved.  This helps me understand why in church both Sundays we've been here, the conversation about the fact that our "clergy" are not paid came up.  Here, it is a major point of discussion when people are sharing the gospel.  They just can't imagine not paying a clergyman for forgiveness, prayers or anything else they need spiritually.

The other thing wise Zoya shared was the way she helps people here understand our temples.  The orthodox churches have an outer area within the cathedral where eveyrone gathers to listen to the priests or to pray for loved ones, dead or alive.  But, there is also always a wall or gate and a large fabric curtain just beyond it that another Ukrainian called a "veil".  Beyond that curtain, only the priests are allowed and special ordinances are performed.  When Zoya answers the question, "Why can't we go inside your temple like you can go inside our cathedrals?" she explains that the orthodox church has their worship area and their sacred area in one building, ours are simply in two buildings.  She reminds them that they are more than welcome to come into our worship building, but the temple, where sacred ordinances are performed, is reserved for those living certain laws. 

I added another picture of the cathedral below because it is so beautiful and you can't see it in this shot.  This was on our way down to the Lavra caves.

Kyiv from the high Lavra hill.

Another view...everything you can see here to the Dnipr River is in the Lavra territory.

I am panning to the right with these pictures...see the big mother statue on the right....

She is larger than our Statue of Liberty!  Apparently, once she was standing, it was realized that her sword was higher in they sky than the Lavra bell tower, so it was demanded by the priests that her sword be shortened.  It was chopped off and is now a stubby, flat-tipped sword. 

On the way to the caves, we found this giant ball of painted Ukrainian eggs.

Here is a close up...it was quite a sight to behold.

There really wasn't opportunity to take pictures at the Lavra, so I don't have any.  But, the caves are where mummified priests and saints were found with their bodies so well preserved, it became a sacred site.  We had to take a small candle into the catacombs so we could see. 

As we looked at the burial sites and the mummies in glass coffins, covered in beautiful robes of sequined fabrics and crowns and shoes, Zoya showed us where some of the areas were for "seclusion".  A monk would stay for three months or three years or even nine years in a hole underground with just enough room for a bed and an opening large enough to pass food and water through.  The idea was that they come closer to God through suffering.  They believe that since Christ suffered for our sins, we need to suffer.  It's all about sadness and suffering and pain.  They hoped to put away all temptations, even to the point of cutting off fingers to avoid thinking sinful thoughts.  Maybe the pain of cut off fingers changed their thought processes?  I don't know. 

Anyway, as we walked away from the catacombs, I had Zoya ask Ruslan and Nastia what they thought was a better way to serve Christ...was it to live like these monks did by suffering and never seeing the light of day or was it better to be out in the world doing good?  They both immediately said we should be out in the world.  When Zoya wisely asked, "Why?"  Ruslan said, "Because there is no point to life if you're just living in a hole." 

He's right.  Christ went about "doing good".  He lived and loved and worked among the people, lifting them and teaching them and showing them how to live.  If we shut ourselves completely away from the world, we don't fully understand the responsibility of a true follower of Christ.  Yes, we should seek personal righteousness, but if that is only to keep ourselves clean, the focus is inward.  Christ's focus was, and always is, outward.  It's about everyone else.  So our personal righteousness should be sought so we can become more like Christ and bless more people because of who we are.  Just my two cents.

We then headed down the hill toward the big mother and the war museum.  The boys were just a little excited.  These cannons were on display near the entrance and traditional music was playing...it was pretty cool.

Inside a helicopter.

Getting closer to the big mother.

In the distance there you see the eternal flame...which Zoya says isn't eternal because it's only lit on special occasions.  :)  In the tunnel ahead are the statues that follow...

These sculptures tell the story of the invasion of the Nazis in 1941 in chronological order.  Here is a representation of the people's struggle during those years and the different bands of people who tried to stop the occupation.

The look of horror on this old woman's face is not visible in this picture, but as you go through the museum that I will talk about in a minute, it becomes clear as to why she is so horrified.

Here is a representation of the farmers in Ukraine who helped supply food for the soldiers.

The statues on the water behind the boys represent the midnight invasion over the Dnepr River where the Ukrainians surprised the Nazis and took the territory back.  This day is celebrated in November as a type of independence day.  They had been occupied for three years.  Zoya's mother was 23 at the time and her grandmother helped make weapons and bullets for the army. 

Here is another shot of the statues, but if you look closely between the adults, you'll see the children.  See how the mother is trying to guard them with her hand?  Inside the museum that the kids are standing out in front of in the following picture, they show the extent of the Holocaust in Ukraine.  A whole section is dedicated to the concentration camps for children...which I never knew existed. 

Zoya knows a woman whose mother sent her to take food to the concentration camp fence at night, trying not to get caught.

  She also told the story of another woman she knows.  This woman's mother was following the manditory order for Jews to come to a specified location at a specified time.  They were told if they didn't, they would be found and killed.  So, people took the sick and elderly on their beds to this location, huge lines of people all going to make sure they were obedient to the decree to appear with their papers and a small bag of valuables.  This woman's mother was taking her as a toddler to this "gathering".  An older woman, a stranger on the side of the road, was watching all the people going by...as were many others...just standing and watching.  There was a feeling of foreboding.  The stranger offered to the young mother to take the toddler.  She said, "Let me take your child, I will make sure she is taken care of.  Let me take your child."  At first, the mother refused and then, Zoya suggested she was inspired, she changed her mind and let her little girl go.  The young mother was killed along with 200,000 others in a matter of two weeks, slaughtered in groups and left in mass graves. 

The stranger raised that girl and she is one of Zoya's acquaintances today.  

The entrance to the museum

The top floor of the museum is directly under the big mother.  It is a memorial hall that reminded me of our Vietnam memorial.  This is a shot of the ceiling in side...an incredible mosiac surrounds the circular ceiling.

Here, Patty and Nastia stand against one of the many walls within the memorial hall.  The letters are names of those who died in the war, guilded in gold.


My hope was that my children would be able to feel the presence of sacrifice and pain in the history of this country.  I'm not sure what they got out of today, but time will tell, I'm sure.  I know I came away very changed.  I have been moved by the suffering that has happened on this soil, but today the heat and the lack of water and the aching feet were just nothing compared to the reality of what so many others have gone through.

We have nothing to complain about.  We are so blessed.  But I think our generation will need to pay just like every other one has.  I fervently hope that our suffering and our learning will not be to the degree that it was for these people.