regehrsinukraine

2010-11-14T23:44:00.000-08:00

November 15

It is Monday morning, our last day at the Centre. Not surprisingly, the last few weeks have been busy as we try to do as much as possible before we leave. We can't help but reflect on the many contacts and relationships that have been established here for which we are grateful. They enrich our lives. Yesterday Dima prepared a delicious "plov" meal, a traditional, rich Uzbekistan rice dish. Centre staff and members of the Kutuzovka Church were invited to join us. The weather was beautiful so we were able to enjoy the day outdoors.

On October 31 we witnessed the election of municipal councils and mayors resulting in numerous changes for the villages in which the Centre is involved. It is good for the Centre to be in contact with the local authorities even though in most cases we do not work directly with them. While the newspapers report numerous irregularities in the election process in Ukraine, we try to work with the councils on behalf of the poor in their communities. (Pictured are the re-elected mayor of Nikolai-pole (Nikolaifeld, north of Zaparozhia) and the newly elected mayor of Svetlodolinsk.) (Lichtenau). In both villages Mennonite Centre pays for Medical Emergency Funds for individuals who cannot afford to pay for medications.

In Nikolai-pole we also visited with Garry Verhoog, a Manitoba dairy farmer who has started a dairy farm operation with about 30 cows. His intent is to share his faith and expertise with the local people and encourage more efficient farming methods in Ukraine. They are part of the Evangelical Free Church of Canada.

On Friday we celebrated Olga's nine years of service to the Centre as receptionist. At age 77 she considers herself ready for retirement! Her ability to speak English has been a huge benefit to the North American directors over the years. She will continue to serve on the local advisory board, but her presence in the Centre will be missed.

We are thankful for safety and good health in a place where neither are to be taken for granted. And now we pray for safe flights as we look forward to returning home. For the rest of our stories you will need to visit with us in Manitoba!

October 27

2010-10-28T04:02:00.001-07:00

Blog, October 27, 2010

Thursday, October 14 saw the last of 5 “Youth for Life” presentations, organized by Dema, our manager. These are 90 minute presentations with two live bands, a dance team, gymnasts and weight-lifters performing between presentations on the health effects of smoking, the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse as well as AIDS. Complete with sound and lighting equipment, the intent of the program was to emphasize the dangers of these negative life-styles and encourage healthier outlets such as music or athletics. The City of Tokmak Palace of Culture (concert hall) was filled for both performances with high school students from Tokmak schools, 500-600 for each performance. The presentations were well-received by students, teachers and school officials.

The book launch, as well as the Youth for Life presentations, have given the Mennonite Centre some significant contacts in the local educational institutions. Recently a grade 8 class from Tokmak came to the Centre to get more information about the history of this area and the Mennonite background of these villages. Although the schools do not allow religious instruction as such, these contacts provide some unique opportunities to talk about what motivates us in running the Mennonite Centre.

Meanwhile, Hildie has been sorting clothing, school and medical supplies brought here by Mennonite Heritage Cruise passengers. These are being distributed to local doctors, several schools, numerous families who are poor or have handicapped children, and seniors whose names have been given to us by the local social services. Thank you to everyone who brought goods. Poverty, especially in rural areas, is rampant. A recent Kiev newspaper article reported the average annual income for Ukrainians to be about $2700 compared to Poland’s $28,600. At the same time, some of Europe’s wealthiest citizens are Ukrainian and live in Ukraine. The disparity is alarming.

A few days ago we received a telephone call from a retired university German instructor in Melitopol who wants to visit us at the Centre. We have had previous contact with him in person and via email. Over lunch, at his initiative, we talk (in German) about the importance of our faith. Although our backgrounds, lives and religious traditions are very different (he is part of the orthodox tradition), we find common ground in the stories of the life of Christ in the Gospels. He knows the stories well and keeps emphasizing the centrality of the death and resurrection of Jesus. The previous atheistic communist regime has not been unkind to him, but now he is finding new meaning in his religious expressions. The sandwiches we share after he has asked me to pray, take on a kind of communion experience for us.

2010-10-15T05:36:00.000-07:00

After more than a week of rainy, cool weather, sunshine has returned to Ukraine. The needed moisture has spurred winter wheat germination resulting in green fields flanked by colorful trees and hedges – God’s thanksgiving display for us!

During the past few weeks our attention has been focused on the Mennonite Heritage Cruise and the busloads of tourists visiting the Mennonite Centre, hearing about our projects and touring through some of the former Mennonite villages. A stop at Lichtenau allows a visit with a local farmer who shows us his machinery and talks about his operation.

This is followed by a visit to the train station where we recall the many farewells that were spoken here during the emigrations of the 1920’s and then the deportations of the 1930’s. We take time to sing together “So Nimm denn Meine Haende”. The Dolina (Shoenau) school students treat us with several German songs and we see some of the projects with which the Centre has helped the school.

Following a short visit to the Sanatorium School and gymnastic demonstrations at the sports school, we enjoy a half hour concert by the chamber choir “Rhapsody” in the Kutuzovka (Petershagen) Mennonite church.

Saturday evening to Monday morning we were privileged to join the Cruise passengers on the ship, Dnieper Princess. A book launch took place on Sunday evening. Rudy Friesen’s book, Building on the Past, (2004) has been translated into Ukrainian and will be made available to schools, universities, libraries and museums in Ukraine. This was followed by an insightful presentation by historian Dr. Turchenko from Zaparozhia National University on the current political climate of the country.

On Monday evening another book launch took place at the Mennonite Centre. Some 30 representatives from local high schools as well as two school superintendents were in attendance. Dema, our manager presented a powerpoint of Mennonite history; Hildie and I spoke about the work of the Mennonite Centre and our personal family connections to this area. Rudy Friesen then shared some thoughts about the initial publication of his English book, and the translation of this book into Ukrainian. The book was well received with comments indicating that this book filled some gaps in the story of many former Mennonite villages. Each school in this area will receive a copy of the book.

September, 2010

2010-09-30T01:28:00.000-07:00

September, 2010. We are awakened to the sound of a neighboring rooster accompanied by a chorus of stray dogs announcing the morning. A blanket of fog covers the soccer field behind our apartment after an overnight shower but daytime temperatures climb to the mid-twenties again. The soccer field, overgrown with weeds after a hot summer, becomes grazing area for a few goats, a cow and a flock of geese. The grapes on the driveway arbors along our street hang full and ripe. The samples given to us by the staff at the Centre are sweet and juicy as are the plums. Earlier fruits such as apricots and pears have been abundant. Watermelons available at highway kiosks and local markets are available for two hrievna (twenty-five cents). A carpet of yellow leaves begins to cover the lawn in front of the Centre. These will soon find their way to the new compost bin constructed by Uri, the Centre’s caretaker. Except for a few sunflower fields the harvesting is complete and the farmers wait for fall rains to ensure germination of the winter wheat.

A large group of seniors, probably around 60-70 in two shifts, have just enjoyed a lunch of potato, beet and onion salad with a version of “pigs-in-blankets”, tea and chocolates. This is the last seniors’ tea of the month, accounting for the departure from the usual open-faced sandwiches and tea. The visiting around the tables is enthusiastic and friendly, though, regrettably, we cannot converse with them in their native Russian language. Many of the seniors are living in poor conditions with meager pensions remembering conditions, even during the communist era, when state-sponsored care was more secure for the elderly. There are no government-funded seniors’ homes in this area. The small apartment at the back of the Kutuzovka Mennonite Church, intended for three women, now is occupied by five and struggling to make ends meet with the occupants’ pension contributions and donations from missions, including the Mennonite Centre. A local doctor makes regular visits to the home, but when medications are required, funds run out quickly and the Mennonite Centre is asked for help.

Schools are in session for another year. We review 4 new scholarship applications to determine if they can be added to the list of 26 scholarship applications that have already been approved for post-secondary studies. A total of 110,000 hrievna has been designated for scholarships this year. The brightest students receive government scholarships, some covering full tuition and living expenses. Many, however, are limited to their own resources to fund their way through studies that will hopefully land them a job in a country with high unemployment rates. The criteria we use in assessing the applications includes the students’ marks, family income and the students’ own contributions to their environment through volunteer work, effort applied to their previous studies and attitude. In addition to offering assistance for them, we also want them to begin thinking about how they can contribute to improving their communities.

We are thankful for a staff at the Centre that welcomes us back and carries on the vision and purpose of the Mennonite Centre. We have fun trying to learn each others language through an ongoing game of charades and hand gestures while being frustrated with the difficulty of the Russian language. And we are thankful for a large community in Canada that financially supports the work of the Mennonite Centre and remembers us with emails and prayers.

2008-04-16T06:40:00.000-07:00

A short drive into the countryside in spring reminds us that Ukraine is blessed with a quarter of this earth's topsoil. It is not surprising that it was known as a rich and coveted "breadbasket" of Europe.

With relics of the former collective farms scattered throughout the countryside, some farmers still struggle with old machinery on small plots of land.

However, evidence of larger operations is also present.

Still, in most towns and villages, a cow, a few goats, chickens and geese in the yards and on the streets along with neatly planted vegetable gardens are reminders that these remain important ways to bolster meager incomes in an inflationary economy.

Blossoming fruit trees and spring flowers are reminders of beauty and potential abundance.

2008-04-14T06:23:00.000-07:00

In Udarnik (Neukirch), the school director, his assistant, and the history teacher have developed a memorial for victims in seven neighboring villages, as well as a small museum in the school. The director has purchased the former Mennonite Church in an attempt to preserve the historical building and wishes to renovate it.

The Director and several coaches at the Molochansk Sports School, located in the former Halbstadt Credit Union, offer training in gymnastics and various team sports.

The medical clinic in Kirovo (Juschanlee) on the former Johann Cornies estate. Until six years ago the second floor served as a hospital wing. The director wishes to renovate and re-open the hospital facility. The building was built by Heinrich Reimer in 1879.

Banquet for directors of projects supported by Mennonite Centre.

Directors of the Melitopel Museum with the publication of artworks by Molochansk painter, A. Kolesnik. An original painting was presented to the Mennonite Centre in gratitude for their assistance in the publication.

March, 2008

2008-04-02T04:25:00.000-07:00

Our second sojourn back to Ukraine felt much more like a homecoming than did our first arrival two years ago. Not only were we returning to the land our parents and grandparents had called home for many years, we were now welcomed back by friendly staff at the Mennonite Centre, church people at the Kutuzovka Mennonite Church and local recipients of aid from the Centre. Driving home from the airport, many places now looked familiar: the Zaporozhia hydroelectric dam, the approach to Molochansk, and of course, the Mennonite Centre. Thankfully, lacking this time was the wet snow that greeted us two years ago; unfortunately, this also revealed a winter’s accumulation of litter and garbage along the highways and streets. We recall with eager anticipation the spring clean-up combined with the bright tulips and flowering trees in preparation for the big Easter celebrations at the end of April.

A closer look at the work of the Mennonite Centre revealed several new initiatives. Many overhead yellow pipes signal the presence of natural gas in Molochansk. For those residents, including the Centre and its three apartments, who have been able to afford the installation costs, this has contributed to their comfort and convenience. We trust that Ukraine’s dependence on Russia for this fuel will not cause future undue price hikes.

Following up on a new venture by the Centre, we were privileged to meet the farmer, Ury, proudly displaying the baler and the sprayer he recently purchased with assistance from FOMCU. Seeding had just been completed the day before and now he was eagerly anticipating using the sprayer for his own farm as well as for custom work for his neighbors. From our discussions during the tasty meal prepared and served by his wife, we began to understand better why agriculture, once the backbone of the Ukrainian economy, has not yet been able to resume that role. Farmland that was distributed from the large collective farms now is owned in small parcels and is not legally sold. Farm loans are limited and interest rates are high. Grain storage in the large government run elevators is taxed heavily. Despite this, with a bit of assistance from FOMCU, Ury feels some optimism. With Ukraine having up to 25% of the world’s topsoil within its borders (according to some reports), we may do well to increase our energy in helping to develop this sector.

Another positive initiative was our privilege to host a banquet at the Centre for seventeen directors of projects that FOMCU has been involved with. These represented health care projects, educational institutions, cultural initiatives and the more recent agricultural support. Also in attendance were the mayor and administrator of Molochansk and the mayor of Svetlodolinsk (Lichtenau). Jakob Thiessen, the pastor of the Kutuzovka Mennonite Church, as well as several other directors, were unable to attend. Although all of these initiatives are located within a short driving distance from Molochansk, some of these directors did not know each other. It was good to see them begin to interact with each other. Following the meal and a brief introduction of ourselves, we invited comments from them. While it was obvious that each of the sectors represented continue to face serious challenges, it also became evident that they began to recognize strengths and resources in each other. For instance, we discovered later that following the banquet, Mayor Peotr of Svetlodolinsk had already invited the Director of the Tokmak Music School to bring a children’s choir to Svetlodolinsk for their May 9 celebration of the end of WWII. Also, Dr. Troyan continues to dream of establishing a respite centre in a vacant building adjacent to the Vladovka Hospital similar to the one FOMCU is supporting in the Molochansk Hospital. He believes this could serve as an example for the rest of his region. At the moment such capital projects are beyond the means of the Mennonite Centre and are not included in the Ukrainian health care system.

Another encouraging sign is the growing interest that local communities and educational institutions are taking in recovering the history of their villages. This was particularly evident to us in Udarnik (formerly Neukirch) as the school director together with the history teacher proudly displayed the memorial they had spearheaded on the school grounds. While the Mennonites may not be part of their own cultural and religious heritage, these people are recognizing the significant roles Mennonites have played in the history of their communities. School director Nikolai, has on his own, purchased the former Mennonite Church building across from the school because of its historical value and potential as a community centre in the future. When I indicated that my parents had lived in the neighboring village of Grushevka (Lichtfelde and Alexanderkrone) the link between the historical Mennonite influence and the current Mennonite involvement through FOMCU was strengthened.

The needs in rural Ukraine continue to be evident and abundant. However, it is encouraging to see that the leaders in the communities are also beginning to recognize the strengths and resources around them and in their own histories, not only relying on outside assistance, as Ben and Linda already indicated in the previous newsletter. Fostering such cooperation will multiply the benefits of our monetary assistance. To borrow a term often used in international development, we are truly involved in ‘capacity building’.
Dave & Hildie Regehr March 31, 2008