Tomorrow, Wednesday, our second appointment will be at 4p.m. at SDA. For those of you back home in the middle of Kentucky, that's seven hours ahead of you, so we'd appreciate extra prayers sent for us around 9 to 10 a.m. that among the files to be shown us tomorrow there will be one meant for us and that we will know that that is the one we are meant to visit. We appreciate prayers from all of you as well, regardless of your time zone. We are very nervous, to say the least, about this upcoming appointment. The appointment is later in the day than we'd like; we are afraid all the "good" ones will be gone by then, but we are also very thankful to have the appointment. Though we do make ourselves get out of the apartment daily, it is very tedious just waiting and waiting and waiting.
We connected with a very nice prospective adoptive couple here from Minnesota today. We all took in St. Michael's Cathedral of the Golden Domes--you'll see several views of it here as well as a few from inside. Alla says that all those gold domes are made out of real gold! After we took a few inside a woman told us no pictures, but she didn't ask us to erase what we'd already taken. Then we haggled with a vendor named Danny at an outdoor booth--would you believe they have these booths set up even in this weather? Fruit is also sold outside at similar tables. After that, we all explored one end of Khreschatyk Street (their main street), going out from Independence Square to the right. We found a humongous underground mall at the far end of this street, and after finally finding someone who spoke a bit of English, made our way to TGI Friday's where the waitress actually spoke good English. We enjoyed our time with Craig and Gail; it was not only nice to speak American with folks from back in the States (Minnesota), it was nice to commiserate with them about how neither of our first referrals had panned out the way we had envisioned.
It's so interesting to experience first hand othe
r people's culture. I will say that these Ukranians or maybe it's Ukes are hardy people. I mean they go about their business regardless of the weather and don't even seem phased by it. Interestingly, the women mostly wear fur coats and hats and of course boots. The boots sported by some of the younger women, however, are sometimes tall spiked heels. How they stay in an upright position in those even on the iciest of sidewalks is very interesting to watch. A few stumble but most manage okay. Most women, however, wear more sensible boots, though they're still pretty cute; they have a smaller more substantial heel. Most women here wear black pants or a mini skirt with black tights on under and boots up to their knees. Kiev itself is a fairly prosperous city but still there are women who obviously can't afford a fur coat and wear leather or thick cloth coats. We are told that no where else in Ukraine is at all prosperous though, and that is why there are so many children in orphanages; the parents can't afford to take care of them. Of course, there are those children also who are abandoned for whatever reason as well as those who suffer because the mothers drank during pregnancy. We are still astounded by how much alcoholic beverages are available and how they're available everywhere. I don't think we've been in a store yet where liquor wasn't sold. Even in Jacob's, their huge department store, right on the fancy floor, there is a huge wall of various liquors. Even at McDonald's a beer can be ordered with your Big Mac. 
Most people here have been very nice. A guy from Columbia assisted us on our first metro ride here the other day; most people we stop on the street and ask directions will help as well. Of course, there was the one lady who I asked if she spoke English who responded in perfect English, "No, I don't." Hmm, she can make contractions with the English language and still can't speak it?? But she was the exception rather than the norm. Danny, the vendor John and Craig enjoyed haggling with, also was helpful in directing us as to how to find more churches/cathedrals to visit. Perhaps if we are in Kiev longer, we will give some of them a look-see. There's one with underground tunnels we're hoping to explore.
The one thing I wish we'd brought was a compass; John even got one for Christmas but neither of us thought to pack it. That way we'd get lost less often. : )
Please remember us and our quest in your prayers.
Charlene & John
We connected with a very nice prospective adoptive couple here from Minnesota today. We all took in St. Michael's Cathedral of the Golden Domes--you'll see several views of it here as well as a few from inside. Alla says that all those gold domes are made out of real gold! After we took a few inside a woman told us no pictures, but she didn't ask us to erase what we'd already taken. Then we haggled with a vendor named Danny at an outdoor booth--would you believe they have these booths set up even in this weather? Fruit is also sold outside at similar tables. After that, we all explored one end of Khreschatyk Street (their main street), going out from Independence Square to the right. We found a humongous underground mall at the far end of this street, and after finally finding someone who spoke a bit of English, made our way to TGI Friday's where the waitress actually spoke good English. We enjoyed our time with Craig and Gail; it was not only nice to speak American with folks from back in the States (Minnesota), it was nice to commiserate with them about how neither of our first referrals had panned out the way we had envisioned.
It's so interesting to experience first hand othe
r people's culture. I will say that these Ukranians or maybe it's Ukes are hardy people. I mean they go about their business regardless of the weather and don't even seem phased by it. Interestingly, the women mostly wear fur coats and hats and of course boots. The boots sported by some of the younger women, however, are sometimes tall spiked heels. How they stay in an upright position in those even on the iciest of sidewalks is very interesting to watch. A few stumble but most manage okay. Most women, however, wear more sensible boots, though they're still pretty cute; they have a smaller more substantial heel. Most women here wear black pants or a mini skirt with black tights on under and boots up to their knees. Kiev itself is a fairly prosperous city but still there are women who obviously can't afford a fur coat and wear leather or thick cloth coats. We are told that no where else in Ukraine is at all prosperous though, and that is why there are so many children in orphanages; the parents can't afford to take care of them. Of course, there are those children also who are abandoned for whatever reason as well as those who suffer because the mothers drank during pregnancy. We are still astounded by how much alcoholic beverages are available and how they're available everywhere. I don't think we've been in a store yet where liquor wasn't sold. Even in Jacob's, their huge department store, right on the fancy floor, there is a huge wall of various liquors. Even at McDonald's a beer can be ordered with your Big Mac. 
Most people here have been very nice. A guy from Columbia assisted us on our first metro ride here the other day; most people we stop on the street and ask directions will help as well. Of course, there was the one lady who I asked if she spoke English who responded in perfect English, "No, I don't." Hmm, she can make contractions with the English language and still can't speak it?? But she was the exception rather than the norm. Danny, the vendor John and Craig enjoyed haggling with, also was helpful in directing us as to how to find more churches/cathedrals to visit. Perhaps if we are in Kiev longer, we will give some of them a look-see. There's one with underground tunnels we're hoping to explore.
The one thing I wish we'd brought was a compass; John even got one for Christmas but neither of us thought to pack it. That way we'd get lost less often. : )
Please remember us and our quest in your prayers.
Charlene & John
That building is GORGEOUS!!!! Please bring me back a girl!!!!
ReplyDeleteLove the pictures! They are absolutely breathtaking.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you're exploring Kiev and even tried the Metro. Prayers to you tomorrow for your SDA appointment.
ReplyDelete