A little R&R

Wow. What an amazing week it’s been. It’s Saturday, and we’re all too pooped to party. Such powerful experiences we’ve had with the people of Ukraine. Work for us is complete, so today was a day for rest, relaxation, and fellowship. Vova and Carmen took us on a short tour of Uzhhorod Castle, as well as to the “Transcarpathian museum of folk architecture and way of life” (similar to Indian City, U.S.A., in Anadarko). The view from the top of the castle’s bastion was phenomenal! You could see the entire city from the top of the wall. In the middle of the outdoor museum is an Orthodox church, made entirely of wood, without any nails. After leaving the museum and the castle, we walked down through the old section of the city. We saw the Uzh River, the Jewish synagogue that’s now the Philharmonic Hall, and we lost Paul. He thought we went one way, and we didn’t. He couldn’t find us, we couldn’t find him, and so he got a cab and came back to the Nehemiah Center. Susan was very calm and collected, at least visibly, but was frantically searching for him. I was very proud of her!!!

After the morning touring the city, we had a wonderful picnic in the Kamyanitsa National Forest with all three ministers (from left to right, Vasily, Sergei and Vova). Vasily and his wife, Alla, along with Vova’s mother Anna (who has been cooking for us all week), grilled chicken and pork chops, made a wonderful soup with meat and potatoes in it, and had a gorgeous cake. Our picnic table was just right down the road from one of Khrushchev’s summer dachas! I could feel the history. We walked up the road, walked around, admired the renovations being done, and had a beautiful time. Much friendship and fellowship, and building more and more relationships. Our first early night back at the center, we should be rested and recharged for worship in the morning with Vova in Perechyn, and then a (hopefully short) bus ride back to Budapest, for two days of touring and souveniring!!! It’s hard to imagine that we will be back in OKC (and Tulsa) in just a few short days.