back to Sumy

4-4-07
I don’t know where to start, so much has happened the last few days, and I’m not sure what I’ve already posted on the blog, since I’m not at the Internet I can’t check so if any is a repeat, my apologies.
On Monday we walked to the mission home and met President and Sister Anderson. What genuine people. We visited with them in their home, which was absolutely amazing, fully decked out with all the comforts of home. The spirit was strong and you felt at peace. We had a wonderful visit for awhile and then we went to lunch at a delicious restaurant, Three Fat Guys. Then we went back to their home and had homemade chocolate cake and icecream while Cort has his final interview with President Anderson as missionary and Mission President. They have a deep love and respect for one another. They really appreciated Cort’s sense of humor – that is still very evident has been fun to be with him.
After we left there home, we walked around town a little and passed the time before we had an appointment to meet with a family Cort wanted to see. It is so amazing to see these apartments and the surrounding on the outside, you feel so uneasy, as you climb the stairways up many flights and feel the cold, damp, foul air, but as soon as you knock on the door and enter their apartments you feel completely opposite. You can feel where the spirit resides so dramatically. At first it is a little ackward, at least for Steve and I because of the language barrier, but with in a few minutes, you feel the love these people have for the Gospel (and for Cort, it was kind of embarrassing for him at times) we totally felt at home. It is such a neat experience to be in their homes and to share gospel principles, testimonies, prayers and pictures. My testimony has been strengthened meeting with each of the members and investigators and to see and hear their conversion stories.
The next morning (Tueday, 4-3), we had the same experience meeting with a man, a member, a former KGB and to hear his story. Later we wandered through town some more and ran into the missionaries. We made our way back to the mission office, Cort had to get his passport and his updated Visa. While we were there, Sis. Anderson called and Bogdan (one of the Elders Cort served with in Sumy) had stopped by to visit. Bogdan (his last name) is from Kyiv and was just married a couple of weeks ago. They were back visiting her family. They live now in downtown Kyiv. The Andersons picked us up and dropped the five us off at the same restaurant. We treated the newlyweds to dinner and it was great for Cort to meet up with him again. After dinner we walked home to our apartment and changed our clothes. Andersons picked us up, we were headed to the Ballet. We bought tickets the day before, front row seats to “A Thousand and One Nights”. So we have also had our cultural experience. It was very good, talented dancers, in a fancy theater and live orchestra. Then we went to the store with Andersons and we walked in and their was a family that was just recently baptized so we posed for a photo opp. They were happy and surprised to see Cort again along with President and Sister Anderson. Then we went through the drive through at got a Strawberry/KitKat McFlurry at the local McDonalds and went back to the mission home to use their internet and call the kids through Skype. They haven’t had very good luck getting through to us lately.
That night as the Andersons dropped us off at our apartment I realized that was the end of the mission tour. We had had such a wonderful week, full of spiritual experiences and meeting incredible people, I hated to see that part end. But at the same time we were anxious to get back to Sumy and see Laina again. We had talked to her every day on the phone and the Garretts did great keeping an eye on her and taking her with them. I said to Steve, “You know you’ve been in Ukraine too long when you’re homesick for Sumy.”
(We are really homesick for Utah – it will be so good to get back!)
This morning we got up early, cleaned up the apartment and after Cort made several frustrating calls to taxi companies, we finally got transportation lined up to head back to Sumy. We were picked up at 9:00 a.m. and arrived to our apartment in Sumy alittle after 4:00. We had a comfortable taxi, but after 7 hours, over 500 kilometers, of pothole roads, you feel like you have been pounded to death.
We met the Laina, Garretts and Peckams at McDonalds and it was so wonderful to see Laina again. She was happy to see us. After our McDonalds meal we headed back to the orphanage and hung out for awhile. Emily Garrett arrived last night, she will be here til the 12th. Emily is now 13 and was adopted by the Garretts when she was 8. She is making instant friends with these girls (although she doesn’t remember her Russian). She will be an answer to prayers and help Laina adjust to America to already have a friend the same age. They will learn a lot from each other.
We had a long, dark bus ride home, and Steve climbed in bed. He’s feeling pretty lousy tonight. I hope it was just the long ride and he’s not getting something.
Tomorrow we are meeting the Director at 9:00 a.m. to go to purchase items for the Internat. The required gift for the orphanage. We got some exciting days ahead.
Thanks to all who are keeping an eye on things at home and for all your continued prayers. Thank you so much to each one of you in helping us get here. These children are such a blessing, and if any of you are looking for blessings, we can hook you up with one or two. (or help raise $ for the hosting program.) They need families and love. We had so much fun, playing games, talking and watching many of the kids tonight (especially Laina class). They are happy, good kids.