Blog # 4

April 3, 2018

ZAPORIZHZHYE AREA VISITS

We spent several days in the Zaporizhzhye area visiting various people for whom Mennonite Centre has provided assistance.

Our meeting with a Seniors’ art and dance group was quite delightful!  They meet biweekly for art and dance instruction, and, of course, fellowship.  Our Centre assisted with art supplies and some costuming.  We were warmly welcomed by the group, who wanted to hear our personal stories and about our connection to the Mennonites.  They responded with questions and stories of their own.  We appreciated the emotional support they were providing for each other, such as for a gentleman who had just lost his wife and towards one of the women dealing with a cancer diagnosis.  Tatyana, their leader, a believer, cared genuinely for these people and had established a very positive environment.

On Saturday we drove out to a nearby village to visit the Prodnikov family.  They escaped from Crimea during the Russian takeover, leaving behind their property and many possessions.  He is a bee farmer and generous Canadian donors have provided the family with bee hives, assistance to purchase land and renovate a small house.  They produced 200 kilos of
honey last year from 16 newly established hives and hope to expand their operation.  They are still struggling with finding a better market for their honey as well as for the roses they are growing on their land.  Mennonite Centre assisted with medications for their 3-year old
son who was suffering from a severe rash and allergic reactions.
He is doing much better now.  Unfortunately, the financial assistance provided by the Ukrainian government for Internally Displaced Persons is now being clawed back, adding another challenge to a family trying to establish a new life for themselves.

The next day we observed a swimming class at the Zaporizhzhye Classical University.  One of the instructors was a former Olympic athlete who had participated in Athens and Beijing.  She, together with another teacher, is dedicated to working with physically challenged children.  Mennonite Centre had provided some equipment for use in the pool.  We were interested to observe Nikolai, a young boy who had lost both legs from the knee down and part of one arm due to a grenade explosion.  That accident had hit the news and so Olga Rubel, Mennonite Centre’s manager in Zaporizhzhye, had gone to the hospital to inquire how we could help.   Mennonite Centre paid for some of the initial treatment in Ukraine.  Following that, with funding from other sources, he has received prosthesis for both legs in Canada. He loves to swim and is progressing very well, participating in local and state competitions.  Perhaps someday he will compete in the Para Olympics!

We met Yuri and Natasha on Sunday morning.  Both former drug addicts, they now share the love of God with the homeless, drug addicts, and the

terminally ill.  They feed about 200 people three times per week of which Mennonite Centre covers about half the cost.  Their charity:  “Love without Boundaries” is appropriately named.  We have met few people who follow Jesus’ teaching and example of love as closely as this couple!

Through our work at the Mennonite Centre we meet many people facing various challenges.  We also get to see people responding in helpful ways, often with the financial assistance of agencies such as ours.  Thanks for your part in meeting needs in Ukraine.