Spring!

April 21, 2008
Finally a full day of sunshine; It was a beautiful day in Vapnarka. Trees and flowers are blooming in vibrant colors. The children are outside playing. It was a ground breaking day for me. After a little more than a week I am aloud to travel not only to the children’s center but from it by myself. I am aloud to go around town and buy food or water on my own. It feels good to be free. All these things are wonderful and encouraging for me but something even greater took place.
During the past week I have been able to spend time getting to know the children. Each one is different and unique. It has been a fun experience. Some come around me more often than others; which makes it easier for me. There is one boy in particular that had been staying away from me. Vitalic was to show me around on my first day in Vapnarka because of all the kids in the center, his English is the best. Instead of showing me around, he took me straight to the children’s center where I sat in the kitchen drinking tea and talking to the cook until the other children came home from school. Vitalic is shy and is not very sure of himself. He avoided being near me often for fear of having to speak English. Every night he was one of the boys who would walk me home. He would say very little if anything, just enough to answer my questions. Tonight, when he came in from playing football (SOCCER) he sat down at a table with me and another boy who I had been working with on the use of vowels in the English language. We all talked a little bit about the words. The other boy went to help with dinner and Vitalic stayed. We were able to have a conversation for the first time. He was able to tell me a little about himself and his two brothers who also live in the house. When he grows up, Vitalic wants to be a translator. When I asked him, why if he wanted to be a translator, he was so afraid of me; he responded by saying he was not ready yet. To which I replied that he would never be ready unless he started practicing by talking to me. I am hoping that he will continue to speak to me. Please pray with me for Vitalic to learn to have confidence in this gift God has given him. I also believe he will be a great asset as I begin to help the kids learn more English and develop a life skills program.
Please Pray for the ministry of the church here in Vapnarka. Pray for the children to feel loved and for them to learn the skills they need to be successful. Pray for the Skala family, especially as Easter approaches this coming Sunday. It is the first holiday since the death of their dear Julie. Dr. Vladimir Khursin has been accepted as a patient at the Orlando Medical Center. This is wonderful news. He hopes to fly to Orlando on Friday, April, 25th. Please continue to pray for him. Pray that the paperwork needed for Vladimir to get a Visa and fly to the U.S. Friday is processed in time. Please pray that tickets will be available for his flight during the Easter weekend. Pray for the medical procedures will be effective and he will be cured from his tumor. Currently, the tumor is too large for most gamma knives. It needs to shrink before operation. And pray for Vladimir’s peace of mind and his witness to his colleagues. Thank you so much for your prayers. They have truly made a difference in my life and the life of others.
God Bless, Tiffany