Humanitarian --Odessa, Ukraine--City of Cats, "Way Home"

Odessa is located in the southern part of Ukraine next to the Black Sea. Odessa is a tourist town in the summer season because of it's beautiful beaches. The beaches had soft sand but also jellyfish. 

There are many parks, especially for children. There is one main park, Taras Shevchenko, which includes a Ferris wheel and carnival type rides. There is a haunted house and an upside down house. This park was our main walk to and from the city center to our hotel. There are a lot of roaming cats.

Each day we walked about 7-10 miles. It is easy to get around and so many things to see. The restaurants were amazing. Even though the looks from the outside may not be appealing, inside the restaurants were quaint, clean, and each one had some sort of a theme.  We find that with every Ukrainian restaurant. 

There is a long walking, skating, scootering, and biking path on the hill next to the beach which no cars are allowed. The path starts at the end of the Taras Shevchenko park and through a forest of trees overlooking the Black Sea.

We visited a project that LDS Charities provided mattresses, pillows, and linens, and a washing machine. They take in orphans or children who have social problems at home. The home has about 9 boys and 8 girls living in these dorm type rooms from ages 7-17. 

"Way Home of Odessa" teaches the children different skills so by the time they are 18 they can go out in the world. There are other children who visit the home that might have some troubles at home and need some psychological counseling. There is also a preschool program. LDS Charities, in 2020, provided some hideaway bunk beds and mattresses they use for the children to take naps. 

"Way Home" has classes such as: pottery, art, gardening, farming, karate, health and fitness, cooking, etc. They have 8 centers and around 300 children that participate in the various centers. 

The home we visited used to be a Soviet manufacture building that was converted it into this home. The walls are painted with all sorts of colorful children's pictures. The tree post is a load bearing pillar that has been plastered over to look like a tree trunk.

The children who live there have duties each day to clean, wash, pick up, sweep, and all sorts of chores. There are 2 young adults from Germany to help at this center for 1 year. They learn the language and help the children. 

One of our favorite things to do is to walk around the town and take as many pictures as possible. We love to go into the churches. Spaso-Probrazhensky Cathedral is one that we visited. Inside we witnessed a blessing of the people and also a baptism for a baby. The prayers were lovely as they sang to bless the people. 

Odessa has some of the most interesting architecture. It is called "The Pearl of the Black Sea" It is a warm water port. In 1794 the city of Odessa was founded by a decree of the Russian empress Catherine the Great. 

Potemkin Stairs is one of the famous sites which we climbed down. It is considered the formal entrance to the city. There are 192 steps. 

We took the train from Kiev terminal to Odessa terminal. On the way there we had some nice seats with a lunch box. On the way home we took the sleeping train and slept our way home. We can't decide which we liked better, or which one we liked least. 

Humanitarian -- Sofia, Pazardzhik, Buhovo, and Plovdiv, Bulgaria

 St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is in the center of Sofia, capital of Bulgaria. Walking on the streets and sides walks are tricky. They mostly have cobblestone paved roads and sidewalks. We tripped on almost all the walkways throughout the city. The streets are mostly one way and very skinny. There was a park where street vendors sell their artwork. 

It is very easy to get around this city. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-days Saints' church and mission home is about 6 blocks from this cathedral.  

It was 80 degrees when we arrived and the day was lovely. At night we walked across the street to the Doctor's Garden Park. This monument is dedicated to all the doctors who had lost their life during war times. 

Many families and children were at the park till all hours of the night. This park is about 2 blocks from the city center.

The Church of Latter-day Saint missionaries helped us with translating. We are thankful for their time and knowledge of the language.

We visited four organizations that serve the people in Bulgaria. One was a children's hospital for diseases. Another helps the homeless and the disabled children. One was the University Hospital that is public and in need of medical equipment. The other was an organization that works with refugees, Roma/Gypsies and helping children with education to learn the Bulgarian language.

Here is a good site to read regarding Roma People

One of our projects (ADRA-partner) was in a small village called, Pazardzhik. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints donated  toward building this medical center for the city. The city has a lot of Roma People. They are in a very poverty stricken state. The medical facility will have one GP doctor and one dentist. The rest of the building will consist of social environment and psychological Therapy, bathrooms and showers, and it is even set up for handicap. There is also a children's room. This project will be open in February of 2022.

Plovdiv is one of our favorite places. Bulgarians refers to Plovdiv as "The City of the Seven Hills". We walked the hills. 

Plovdiv was known by the name Philippopolis and founded as far back as 359 BCE. There still remains walls and part of a Roman colosseum.

Our last project is just outside of Sofia. This hospital was situated by the mountains in a lovely area. However, this place is a hostel for homeless along with rehabilitation patients. The village is called, Buhovo. 

We are heart stricken at the poverty level of the building and facility. The concrete and tiles are crumbling, the paint is chipped, there is rust on every window, the mattresses are sagging, the rooms are very small with up to 4 people in them. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have donated some medical equipment and mattress covers for some of the beds in the past. We were told by the head doctor that some of their homeless were just dropped off by family members or others and never were heard of again. This project is probably one of the most emotionally felt humanitarian efforts we have encounter so far. 

Because this hospital does not have heaters the staff put all the women in one room and the men in another just to keep them warm during the winter time. LDS Charities will be donating heaters for 30 rooms, and 2 for larger rooms. LDS Charities will also supply them with new mattresses. 

St. Sophia and The Golden Gate--Ukraine

 The Golden Gate of Kyiv was the main gate in the 11th century fortification of Kyiv. The structure was dismantled in the Middle Ages. It was rebuilt by the Soviets in 1982.

The golden gates were built/constructed by Varoslav the Wise, which we can trace our ancestry back to him. It was built in 1017-1024 at about the same time that Saint Sophia Cathedral was erected.

St. Sophia- Kyiv

The first foundations were laid in 1037 or 1011. It took about two decades to complete. It is one of the famous sites to see in Kyiv.

Yaroslav the Wise constructed this cathedral in theory. He is buried there also.

St Sophia survived  WWII. It is the first heritage site in Ukraine to be inscribed on the World Heritage List. 

This artwork is made of completely of eggs. We think they are painted wooden eggs. 

An egg is one of the oldest mythological symbols of the world. The Ukrainian's have brought back and preserved the painted egg

Humanitarian Visit to Moldova

Asociatia Obsteasca HOMECARE of Moldova is a non-profit, non-governmental, apolitical, and non-commercial organization, established on April 27, 2005.

A.O. Homecare groups located in 23 villages that receive A.O. Homecare support and services in addition to the main offices in Chisinau. Two villages have been provided with laundry facilities in a building outfitted with laundry equipment for the village and patients to use.  LDS Charities supplied disinfectants, cleaning supplies and other cleaning items are either distributed to the elderly/patients or are used by volunteers to use while visiting the elderly/patients to clean, cook and provide services in their homes. 

Toma Ciorba Medical Center is a medical center for infectious diseases. Besides COVID they mentioned tuberculosis is rising.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints worked with Toma Ciorba Medical Center in the year 2020 providing mask, gloves, disinfectants, protectant gowns, liquid soap, and medical coveralls. 

The project LDS Charities is working on now is providing Infusion Medical Stands, lobby benches, and medical cabinets. 

Facebook Page LDS Charities

The Institute of Mother and Child was founded in 1982. 

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints provided medical monitors for infants born early to detect problems. There are about 15-30 babies born in a single day. There were 7 infants in the intensive care unit. They also provide for infants born in other hospitals and use incubators to transport them. One had just arrived while we were there.

We met with Michael Margenyan, Director of the Society of the Disabled of the Republic of Moldova. LDS Charities has been working with this organization for many years to receive and distribute wheelchairs throughout Moldova.

Around 15,000 people are on the waiting list for the chairs. People wait around 3 years to receive a wheelchair.

Wheelchairs (Provided by LDS Charities) were sent to Moldova and distributed in 2019 were given out by trained technicians and volunteers.

With this society only there are 3000 handicapped people waiting for wheelchairs.

Moldovan Christian Aid was organized in 2007. 

LDS Charities just completed a project in 28 villages around Chisinau. They provided hand sanitizer, gloves, and masks.

They send the products to about 28 villages base upon need identification from local pastors and priests. The pastors, or priests gather volunteers from their Parish and distribute to the goods to the people.

The Public Humanitarian Association "Christian Philanthropy" is a nongovernmental, non-profit, non-political and philanthropic organization in 2013. 

Father Aga and his wife, Diana took us to the Romanian (Moldovan) Orthodox Church where he is the priest.

On the same property they are completing a home supporting the homeless and mentally handicapped along with disadvantaged youth.

The home is located on the property with the church. It is a 4 story building in progress. 

The 3rd level is a large sewing area where people can come and learn to sew. A company from Germany donated the sewing machines and other sewing related items such as worktable and embroidery machines. The people learn to make uniforms, ties, pillows, embroidered shirts and dresses, etc. They sell these locally to pay for more materials. They do not make a profit, the money goes back into the materials, thread, upkeep of machines, etc. 

The stairs were not finished, nor were the woman’s shelter rooms and bathrooms, and the main floor for the children’s room and youth room.

They have volunteers from their church to help in the home doing laundry, collecting clothes, distributing clothes, feeding the homeless and cleaning. Their vision is to help others to learn skills to get jobs at other places. They see a lot of youth who are unable or otherwise restricted to go to school. Their vision is help them learn skills for when they must support themselves.

Society of Large Families in Moldova: Founded in 2001 this organization is an NGO in Balti that serves approximately 120 families with large families (1,100 persons) per year. These families live within the area of Balti and surrounding villages. These families are particularly vulnerable because it is difficult to earn a wage in Moldova that will support large families. Often the children cannot go to school because they don't have money to buy clothes, shoes, and school supplies. Also, with large families it is difficult to provide their own food, hunger is not uncommon.

In 2018 they partnered with LDS humanitarian aid and received bales of winter clothes and bedding to help support these families. The Church provided 100 pairs of winter boots and provided training to to families to sew their own clothes. LDSC provided 3 sewing machines, cloth and notions and paid for an instructor to teach them. They have 8 volunteers who receive no payment to help distribute the goods. They provide food kits once a year. They provide their own transportation and storage facility. 

The Phoenix Centre has provided for children who have been hidden away for years with learning and physical disabilities. The facility is a repurpose kindergarten school. It has several large rooms, handicap facilities, handicap playground equipment, ramps everywhere and an elevator, a sensory room, a physical therapy room with equipment, and teaching rooms.

 Additions have been added on with senior living apartments, kitchen and dining room. The senior living apartments are rented out to provide for the disability center. LDS Charities provided a metal roof for one of the buildings in 2016. 

The home built a new pool for therapy of their disabled children. LDS Charities provided a pool pump/heater. The project started in 2019, but because of COVID it was put on hold and then they lost a contractor, so now it be in use on September 19, 2021 when they are holding an open house. 

They have 28 disabled children that attend day school. The organization provide to and from transportation from the children’s homes.  They generally see about 900 children for physical therapy per year, in an outpatient capacity.

“If we could dress one more family in warm clothes…if we could outfit one more home with proper windows or running water; if we could provide one child with sufficient food, with medical care, we would have Made A Difference.” (MAD-aid)

Founder: Vitoria Dunford CEO

Victoria Dunford

She has a book out that tells the reader about her adventures in starting this home in Riscani, Moldova called, "Get Mad"

Other places we visited: Curchi Monastery. 

Gheorghei, our driver, knew a monk at this Monastery and he took us on a tour through 3 churches that were on the complex. 

Curchi Monastery

Safari Restaurant Orhei, Moldova 

Safari Restaurant and Museum of Collectables

We hiked up to the Monastery and saw the caves.

 Old Orhei Monastery

The trip to Moldova was very successful and gave us an opportunity to visit with some old projects, new projects, and the partners LDS Charities have worked with over the years. 

As far as Moldova goes, we were very impressed at how nice the people were. We met many people and became instant friends, even though some of them we didn't know their names. 

We found Moldova to be charming and unique. 

 

Kiev Pechersk Lavra Iconic Monastery Complex

Kiev Pechersk Lavara--Kiev Monastery of the Caves in a historic Eastern Orthodox Christian monastery founded in 1051. (The word pechera means cave. The word lavra is used to describe high-ranking male monasteries for monks of the Eastern Orthodox Church.)

We took the metro down to the deepest subway tunnel in the world. (346 feet deep) Arsenalna Kyiv Metro. Our ears popped when we got on the second escalator toward the entrance of the Metro. 

The Metro is about 5 to 6 blocks from the Monastery.

Holodomor Genocide Museum

Along the way we passed by the National museum dedicated to the 3 Ukrainian famines that were deemed genocide & their victims.

We were able to look from the hill to the Dnieper River. Another Holocaust Museum which will be constructed is of Babyn Yar.

Here is a website for this: 

Babyn Yar

another article:

Babyn Yar

We visited this site in July. It was a special sacred walk around this area. 

Babi Yar is a ravine in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and a site of massacres carried out by Nazi Germany's forces during its campaign against the Soviet Union in World War II. 

The first and best documented of the massacres took place on 29–30 September 1941, killing approximately 33,771 Jews.

Inside the tunnel are relief sculptures of different scenes of the war. Depicted are the defense of the Soviet border against the Nazi invasion in 1941, the struggles of the Soviet partisans. and the contribution of the citizens.

Motherland Monument

Formerly the National Museum of the History of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945, this huge complex was formally opened in a ceremony on May 9, 1981, by Soviet Premier Leonid Brezhnev. It was created to honor the sacrifices made by the Ukrainian people during World War II.

 

 180 steps up the tower. This tower overlooks the Dnieper River and Kiev City Center.

Our Favorite Tourist Site- National Museum of Folk Architecture and Life of Ukraine

We have been to this outdoor museum twice. It is our favorite place to visit only being about a 15 minute Uber drive. 

This place is a 360 acre area outside of Kiev. You can see a portion of the Dnieper River among the trees from the highest spot on the grounds. 

The historical society has gone around to the different villages and have brought some of the historical homes, dating back to the 1800's to early 1900's, to this site. Some of the churches date back to the 1600's. One church was built on the site as a replica. A village was set up that included homes from the 1950's and 1960's. A lot of the homes we were able to go inside. 

The first time we went was during "The Honey Festival." We were able to watch outdoor Ukrainian Folk Singers while we ate lunch.

This little girl was a 4 minute friend. She loved having her picture taken. Many of the visitors dressed in Ukrainian Shirts and dressed for the occasion. 

These villages represent the Solboda and South Ukraine regions. Each village home is constructed a little differently and have their own unique designs around the windows and door frames.
 

The white home is from the Bolvoyna Region and the right upper home was from the 1950's era.

The roofs are thick piled reeds (straw). 

The right lower home is from Carpathia Region and the singers were part of the outdoor show. 

Storage huts from Solboda

Reconstructed Building from Polissa (upper right)

Church from Carpathia (lower left)

House and Beehives from Polissa. (lower right)

One thing that amazed us was the fact that these homes were pretty well maintained and preserved. 

They also had outdoor grill food vendors. The food was very good.

You can actually rent bikes, golf carts (tour carts), scooters, or small motorbikes (like mopeds) and see the sites that way.

More photos from Ukraine just a site I found.

Website for Museum

There are many windmills located on the property. Some of the windmills you could turn the whole windmill at the base of the windmill so the wind could turn the turbines efficiently, and some of the windmills could be turned only at the top portion of the windmill along with the turbines. 

Our time there was very pleasant and if we had visitors, this is the one place we would take them. The museum is also open all year long....so winter would be interesting.

 

Humanitarian-- Dnipropetrovsk Trip and Zaporozhe Children's Area Clinic August 2021

 

We traveled about 6 hours to Dnipro (shortened) it is on the Dnieper River south of Kiev. We picked up some pediatric endocrinological surgery equipment for the Zaporazhe Children's Clinic. This equipment is used for a scope to go down the throat and into the lungs of children who have swallowed items. 

The doctor explained how the children would swallow things and how they would have to retrieve the item by inserting a tube down their throats. The doctor even had a coffee can full of items that the children had swallowed.

There was almost everything you could think of. The worst ones were the batteries and the needles. One 3 month old sucked on his mother's finger and swallowed a ring. One young teenage swallowed a small pocket knife. One infant swallowed a needle. There were many kopiyok (coins), buttons, tacks, jewelry, small magnet beads, and plastic jewels...those are very hard to see with an X-ray machine. 

We stayed in Dnipro and had a wonderful dinner at a cute downstairs restaurant called "Mama Carla".

We walked along the river and saw many people out and about riding bikes, scooters, long boards, and a group of young children and 2 leaders in a roller-blading club.

This area is in a different mission. It is the Dnipro Mission. We met with the Mission President and his wife. They had just moved into a large apartment overlooking the river. The city is on a small hill with the river bending around about 3/4 of the city. 

Below is a little of what the cities do. We find painting icons like this throughout the Ukraine. We saw a Yoda statue at the Botanical Gardens. A bug (Bug's Life) statue at a restaurant garden in downtown Kiev. Kyiv is also another way they spell the city's name, and an iron work of art on top of an auto shop.