Potatoes

Ukrainian Rooster

 

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to visit the Ukraine. My Mother and Father were both born there and immigrated to Canada when they were young. My cousin, Eugene, who lives in Alberta had been there 3 times before and now was going to go again…alone.  He had the contacts, he knew the language. It occurred to me that this was my time.

 

We stayed with a second cousin, Nina, who lived on a subsistence farm in the village where my Dad grew up.  Right across the road the spring that turned my grandfather's mill wheel was still flowing…now 81 years later; there was no trace of the mill.  

 

We started visiting relatives: my Dad's cousins, our second cousins, neighbors of cousins… I found the people very very hospitable.  The food and drink never stopped.  But most families had recently suffered a loss.  A father died. A mother died.  In one case, a son had just passed away.  I felt the grieving and the sorrow.  I learned that with the current structure, there was much unemployment and the young people were bored and they turn to alcohol. 

 

My mornings started early, 5 –5:30 AM.  I would go watch the gathering of the cows for a walk down the road to pasture, then I would go out to the summer kitchen, make myself a coffee and sit outside and pray.  About the third morning I found myself overwhelmed with thoughts about where I was and the history of this land.  My Dad had walked this road.  My great grandparents had a house just behind that haystack.  There is so much sadness all around.  I started to cry and could not stop.  I heard a rooster crow and instead of the usual "Cocka-doodle-dooooo" I heard "Ya Critchiy-yooooo".  In Ukrainian that translates "I am crying out". This was quite a shock. I couldn't have interpreted that translation! I went inside and Eugene was stirring.  He looked at me and said, "What's wrong?"  My Mom, my Dad, these people, the rooster!  He understood becauseEugene was prone to crying whenever the evening relatives and neighbors would start to sing those Ukrainian songs.  What about the rooster?  I told him about the rooster.  I thought about this most of the day.  I felt that this was a cry from the people of this land.  They need help.  They need prayer.

 

The next morning was pretty much the same.  The cows, the coffee and prayer time.  I started to cry again and again I went inside still crying.  Eugene said, Bill, Bill, Bill.  Nina came out of her bedroom and asked why I was crying.  I said, I didn't know. She said to Eugene, Maybe he misses his wife.  Може?

 

The next morning I felt a release. I heard the roosters crow again but this time I heard "Ya Croutill-aaaaaaaa" which I interpreted as "I am turning".  I had a phone conversation with Susan, my wife that day and told her what was happening.  She gave me the scripture, Psalm 30:11 "You turned my wailing into dancing;  you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy" .

 

The next morning the rooster crowed, "Dobra Ran-ooooooooooo", "Good morning", and later I learned that the Ukrainians take the rooster crow as a cleansing, purification and the breaking of a new day. 

 

I shared this as the Baptist Church in my Fathers village the following Sunday.  There were many teary eyes.  The news spread quickly even among the unchurched that some Canadian was crowing like a rooster, "Ya Critchiy-yooooo", at the Baptist Church.   

 

I brought home a rooster painted to a breadboard to remind me to continue to pray for the country of Ukraine. Lord, as Psalm 30:12 goes on to say, I pray that their hearts may sing your praises and not be silent. Lord, may they praise you forever.    

A Colorful Foursome

A great day with a great bunch of guys. Golf is a good way to get out for a walk.

Through the eyes of a one year old

How wonderful to live your life again through the eyes of your child. Everything is new and fresh and amazing!

Large Rats

We didn't have deer for twenty-five years, then two years ago our garden was hit. Our deer net is holding. Blackberries are taking a hit.

Never get bored with sunrise

This reminds me of one lady in Antigua who prayed, "Thank you Lord for a new day. Thank you that I am still in my right mind. "

Sunrise at Rowland

The promise of another beautiful day! Pancakes for breakfast. Blueberry pancakes even. Coconut syrup from Hawaii. What could be better?

Nice to see our Онук

Family summer fun!

Sand Sculptures

One of the great tourist attractions of the Parksville area. This sand sculpture is called, "The way to a man's heart."

Any sleep is good sleep

I know how they feel. Kiyv airport.

Almost home

Caught the 9pm ferry. Good thing it was late. I will be home at 11pm, 27 hours after leaving the Kyrylchuk apt. in Kiyv. This trip can be done in 24 but there was a stopover in Calgary.

You know you've eaten too much when...

...you'te in the window seat and the kid in the center seat is trying to push your stomach out of the way so he look out the window too.

Where?

Where can you get such a picture? Kyiv! Where?

The people, the love

For an experience you will never forget, visit the Ukraine. Leave lots of time, like about two months, for your first visit. And when you visit, focus on the people. That is where you will find 
true 

1. любов
2. кохання
3. закоханість
4. кохана
5. коханий

Thank you Olesya and Igor

My heart hurts to leave Ukraine. What wonderful memories you have created for me. I will start planning immediately for your visit to Canada.

Guess who?

Moo! At a restaurant in Kiev.

High bush cranberries

If there was a Kalenna bush near a house it meant that there was an eligible girl living there. Notice this bush has mature berries and is also blossoming. Apparently this is very unusual.

Thatched roof

Notice the cross carved into the roof thatching for protection? Also the red line at the base of the house to keep the devil out.

Beehives at an outdoor heritage site

Ukrainians of 150 years ago, when I was quite young, used hollowed out logs as beehives.

Kiev metro

Another church

So many but this one just after a shower with the sun coming through made an interesting shot.

Peevin/rooster

Look what I found! Not the girl, the rooster cutting board. The rooster's crow is supposed to be a purification or cleansing, and bringing of a new day.

Saint Sophia

Climbed the bell tower. Many many steps. Beautiful city.

Gathering of the cows

To chase them to pasture. I was out every morning at 6am for this. They take turns. Many beautiful friendships created during these times.

1932-33

The great starvation of the Ukrainian people. Very sad. 12 to 14 million starved as the Russians came and took all their food. The Ukrainians were left with nothing. They had too eat their cows, horses and their children.

Borsch

In Kiev Aug 3rd

Church

Many of theee

Milk market in New Ukraine

More milk market

Great stuff, worth the trip

Amazing video of milkmarket

Everyone lines up for milk and cream. Someone got upset because they ran out of cream.

The forest behind Fred's

A beautiful forest but you have to watch for Robin and his band of Merry Men.

Just behind the haystack

Just behind the haystack there once was a house my Great Grandfather lived in a hundred years ago.

My dad's first girlfriend

This is the grave of my Dad's first girlfriend. My Dad was 16 and she was 12. My Dad wanted to bring her with him when he emigrated in 1930 but they found out that she was too young so he had to leave her behind.

My favorite shot

On the train to L'Viv

Great Aunt Helena

One of my Great Aunts on my Fathers side.

Much of Ukraine is flat farmland. As we approached Rivne I noticed that the topography changed to rolling hills. Very similar to heading West of Edmonton.

So what do you think Rivne means? "LEVEL"!

Local tenant

Small community farm life here. Their living comes almost entirely from the farm. No garbage cans. I hsve nowhere to dispose of my dental floss. I guess I will just bring it back home.

Bus to Kiev

We were quite surprised that an express bus from Rivne to Kiev would actually stop and pick us up in Bronniky because it is such a small village. I found out later that Nina knew the bus driver. A nice 22 passenger bus, a 321 km trip for $12.50. It was raining for much of the trip. The air was not turned on so the overhead outlets were useless. Many people were fiddling with rhe vents but nobody dared ask the driver to turn the air on. I suggested to Eugene that I would ask. He said Do you want to walk? The driver was a stern man. I asked him when we woul reach Kiev. He growled at me as though I were a child that just did something wrong. Then we made an unexpected stop. The driver stood up, turned to the passengers and shouted, The temperature in here is 22. I will change it to 18 OK? Agreed? I will not change it back. Nobody dared say anything for fear of being tossed into concentration camp.
He proceeded down the highway, the air came on, I yelled YAY and clapped, to which a few people smirked quietly. Now the air became fresher and the smell of puke from a girl directly behind us dissipated.