James Dwyer, our Regional Executive Secretary from the General Board of Global Ministries of the UMC came to visit us this weekend. It is always nice to have guests, as we break our routine and enjoy the beauty of Kiev.

James and I are here discussing deep missiological issues in front of the new chairs we have purchased for the street children center.
Tomorrow, we leave for Poltava, one of our churches in central Ukraine in the city where in the early 1700's, Peter the Great of Russia defeated Charles the XII of Sweden, starting the decline of the empire of Sweden, at the time known as the Great Mistress of the North. James will be the guest preacher. Another train ride is involved, this one leaving at 6:30am tomorrow morning to arrive by 10:30 in Poltava. Due to people commuting to Kiev to weekly work from Poltava, we will have to take a 5 hour bus ride back, since the express train is full.

This Ukrainian building technique near our new center caught our eye.