It seems very strange to watch the events unfold in the world. To take in, yet another country seeming to come undone, like a hanging string on a piece of clothing, pulled by accident until the garment reveals a gaping hole. Moment by moment, there is something blowing up, or being blown up.
Maybe it’s just me, but it seems as if the world is on fire. As if people are running around with torches, touching the flames down where it’s most likely to catch and burn out of control. Of particular interest, to me anyway, is what’s happening in the Ukraine. And that’s because I spent time there – twice – on mission trips. Below are a few pictures I can share. I have hundreds and it was hard to pick them out because truly, it is a beautiful country filled with beautiful people.
Maybe that’s why Mr. Putin wants it back. I can think simple, can’t I?
All of the churches? The architecture and style is stunning.
Everyone is allowed full access to walk around, and enjoy them. Me – seeming pretty happy I’m allowed to be there.
Street vendors. You can buy a lot for a little bit of money. The bald headed guy is our interpreter.
Honestly – we stuck out like obvious Americans. Maybe it was my ever present water bottle. IDK. They said it was the SHOES. (???)
The dog lady. She was there every day. Notice she has no shoes on…while the woman talking to her is in heels. Actually, I noticed a LOT of women, usually younger, in heels, tripping along as if they had on tennis shoes.
No words. Hubby (left) and Boyd Dixon. Two of a kind. Miss Ella seems breathless over them.
Our crew, and our hosts (lady in white pants and print top, was our hostess and her husband was taking our picture)
Okay. So, here is the infamous squatty potty. If you have knee issues, ankle problems, or trouble balancing? You and the ole squatty potty will likely have a close encounter you’d prefer NOT to have. Luckily, I was able to somehow manage just fine, thank you. Can’t say the same for some of the rest. Thank God for hand sanitizer.
This is one fancy McDonald’s – on the streets in Kiev. This is what makes the architecture in Europe stand out (IMHO) They take buildings that are who knows how old…and put modern facades, and entrances, and lights, and whizz bang awnings/canopies on them. Odd, but it works.
Independence Square, the square in what is known as the Upper Town, in Kiev. Turns out this area has had nine different names in the past two hundred years. It started off as Horse Square (according to Wiki) because of, well, because of horse trading.
A building in what used to be a Russian Youth Camp. We were there to try and work on these buildings to convert them to a children’s home/orphanage. For the street children – who spent much of their time huffing glue – or fighting, or stealing what they could to get drugs.
Me doing my part – playing a Rosie the Riveter. Jennifer, Boyd’s wife, helping out.
Interesting sign of old times at the Russian Youth Camp.
All of this to say…we were there. We were there and it seems very strange and surreal to me, now. No telling what Independence Square looks like now after the protests that went on and on weeks ago, months ago really, with people camping out and doing what they had to to make their opinions known. We were there, and I’m glad of it, although, it’s doubtful we’ll ever go again. It’s different times now, for us here at home. I’ll remember the kids though. The gritty, rough, hardness of their lives. The same can be said for their determination. I know because I saw it, one day on a street in Kiev. I saw it and I remember the face of the boy when he saw me looking. And then, he flashed me the peace sign.
Peace…, indeed.
Wow, what an experience.
It really was. I could write a lot about being there, and what we saw. Our luggage didn’t make it with us on one trip. THAT was an experience for sure.
The world has become an ugly place.
When I was young and beautiful I lived in Jo’burg South Africa for a year. Mandela was in prison then, though I never heard of him when I was hob-knobbing with those in power.
In the US there were lunch counter demonstrations and fire hosings. In RSA, apartheid. I think the world has always been ugly, it’s just that now it’s on our minds, in our faces and within our hearts to speak about.
The savagery we see today touches on the edges of the holocaust nightmare. We said, “never again”, how naïve we were and continue to be.
I don’t think it’s all ugly…, for instance, just today I saw an older man being helped by a grocery store clerk, who followed him around helping get things off the shelves.- I guess b/c he had no one else.
For what’s happening “out there” the old saying the squeaky wheel gets the oil is true – i.e. that other post I did about turning off the media. That’s not to diminish the problems – oh yeah, they are still bad. But the holocaust (funny ending, sounds like “cost” which I’m about to use) cost millions of lives. So, let’s really, really hope we don’t go there.
I have to constantly remind myself, and I mean constantly, that the good outweighs the bad. I am convinced such is the case, if I didn’t believe that, or see it everyday in many small and great ways I’d probably…I don’t know what I’d probably do, just bawl and melt maybe.
Off topic, so do you think JR will show pics because I’m dying to see what she’s done?
I hope so! Fuschia was mentioned…and IMHO, painting a wall that color takes guts – or – maybe chum is the better word.