Ukraine Trip 2007 - Part III

Day 5: Monday morning I was reunited with some of our translators from last year. Jen, Tiana, and I were put in one group with Valya as our interpretor. I was surprised that she remembered me from last year. I was surprised when anyone remembered me. Ira's sister, Marianna, was also there again. (They look SO much alike.) The boys had Olya who had been there last year as well. Our guests arrived about ten that morning. Our group had a 16-year-old girl named Eboya. You could tell immediately that she was gypsy and very shy. She was so shy that for most of the time she was there we couldn't tell if we were making any difference or if her time at Nehemiah was affecting her at all. To break the ice Valya had us play some games that let us get to know each other. Then we had a big game of "Down by the banks." We discovered that Eboya LOVES sports. You name and she can do it. Katharine and Catey's girl, Lessa, was less reserved and more open and affectionate. The two boys we had were Slava (13) and Sasha (11). They were really small for their age. Sasha looked about 7 but, boy, did they have energy! We took them outside after lunch. There was a tennis court that worked for an enclosed space to play in. There were several games of soccer and frisbee going on at the same time. It was kind of crazy in there. Slava enjoyed sending frisbees out over the fence into the next yard, so Sam Penkacik and Mr. Kempe took turns climbing it to go retrieve them. Having rock climbers with us sure did come in handy. There is a small playground there as well and we spent some time on that but by then it was getting a bit cold. Before dinner we watched Cars. Well, I didn't. I went to lay down for a while because my head was throbbing but everyone else did. It was supposed to be in Ukrainian (Cars was the first professionally translated movie into Ukrainian) but Valodya couldn't get home in time to get it for us. I think the kids could understand most of it anyway. After dinner there we did bead work and played duck, duck, goose in Russian (accompanied by Steve on the drums). Valya also taught us this crazy but fun game called Eatchquake and Shake. You take three people and form a house with two (like in London bridge) with one person in the middle. There is on person who isn't in a house and they have to say earthquake or shake. If they say shake then just the people in the house have to switch house. If they say earthquake then everyone has to change to a new position. The only person left out is the next to call the shots. It can be really hilarious and we played it for the longest time. Around nine we put the kids to bed. It had been a long day and we were all ready for a break. Catey and I stayed up just a little bit late talking that night. :)