Farewell to John

Garry's brother John (Garry has 4 brothers) was here for three weeks, he arrived a few days after I left for my trip to Manitoba. He says he had a better time than last year, when we did more touring, but this year he mostly worked with Garry on the barn remont project. forming up and pouring cement.

The first slab of cement they poured while I was gone

John was flying out Monday morning early, so he took the train to Kiev Sunday afternoon, but before he did we had a busy Sunday. We drove to church, and one the way there, Garry got pulled over at the checkstop. He was not wearing his seatbelt. and when the policeman asked why, Garry told him in Russian that he had really good insurance (apparently he has not been putting it on on purpose, so he could try this answer out. Then the policeman asked why John, in the front seat was wearing his then, and Garry said it was because he was American, and Garry is from Kan-na-da. The police man laughed and waved us on our way...



Gary and John decided on one last rocket launching with the Sunday school kids after church. They printed off some sheets and brought their stuff, and when the kids went off after singing, they went with them to help them make the paper rockets. They returned when the sermon was nearly over, 45 minutes later, and Garry whispered that they had to do most of the making (it surprises me that this surprised him, but things done with a large group of kids is always harder than doing it one on one)  Too bad they missed Pastor Andrei preaching with laryngitis. After the service, while the milk was being sold they fired off rockets with the kids, and some of the parents watching. They did worry a few people when Garry let the kids try to aim for the open window. The kids were excited when one bounced inside, and no one was hurt in the making and firing of the paper rockets again. We are going to do it one more time today (Wednesday) at the final English teacher classes Tonya, who sits behind us and translates at the church service almost every Sunday.

praise and worship time at church

the SS graduates

they got certificates and Bibles

milk sales after the service 

Garry and John with the kids

John brought all the stuff for making the rockets and the parts to make the compressed air launching device (mostly PVC parts) in his suitcase from Michigan. He wanted something to bring to do when he visited a couple orphanges where he sponsers kids- that's the other thing he did while he was here. Garry drove with him to Kharcov and he took a train to Donestk. I think they built hundreds of rockets, and had as much fun as the kids did. The hand pump is one from the shed here and the battery for ignition is one for Garry's rechagable tool.







After church we went out to the downtown Puzata Hata restaurant with John, then dropped him off at the train station about two hours before his train was going to leave. He had three more books he had brought to read on the trip to read yet, he only read one while he was here.

Garry and John talking at the restaurant 

John arrived home safely, he said he talked to a few people on the train and airport that spoke English. He left some work clothes here, he plans to come back nest year.