Ukraine Update 3 -- 30th July 2006

Hi there again
Thanks for your prayers. We have made a decision as to the next year's location. We have decided to shift back to London. Jon has accepted a job in a school in Weald, north London teaching music to primary-aged students for the next year finishing July 2007. We have booked train tickets which leave Ukraine on the 14th Aug heading to Poland. We aim to spend some time in Poland, Germany and Holland before we get back to England around about the 20 -25th August.
So with about 3 weeks left here we have made a few plans to get some jobs around Jono's house completed and we will also travel next week to the Black Sea for a 3-4 day camping and explore trip. We will take about 2-3 other young people from here with us. This week we have spent a lot of time tidying and relaxing, got Jono's new curtains up etc. Once we are back from our road trip we aim to get stuck into a few big jobs including building a BBQ, making some steps, reinforcing a wall, and maybe helping to fix the pump and other stuff. Well those are on the list at least, we may find time to complete a few of them in between Settlers games!
Last Saturday (after watching the rugby) Jon and Ben attempted to busk in Kiev, but with the amp cutting out and the mayor making new rules so the police had to move them on, it wasn't entirely successful. They shifted to another spot and managed to draw a crowd of about 5 drummers, so by the time we left it was a drum fiesta -- sounding lovely as you can imagine! We aim to head into Kiev this Saturday too for the next All Black test.
We also visited a nearby town last Sunday and went to church there. It was a really a thought-provoking day as the pastor there showed us through the massive building the church has bought -- an old sewing factory and told us about the different ideas and visions he has for each room etc. We then went and saw the bio diesel/gas and mushroom factory that they have started. There is heaps of opportunities here for business-minded people to help get the economy back on its feet and provide good jobs for people. The pastor in the town we are in too has started a strawberry farm and is also making jam. Its a really great way to bring Christian principles into the workplace. One of the girls who works on the strawberry farm earns the equivalent of $1NZ an hour, which is double what another girl earns who works here in town. Its strange to find out and understand how unfair the way money works in this world. The thought of saving enough money to travel is way beyond most people's minds here.
We have had plenty to think about while we have been here, and enjoying conversations with many different people. Although we have chosen to head back to London it hasn't been without thought of the great people we have made friends with that we will leave behind here.
Well until next time,

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