IMG_0219.JPGBoth bus teams drove off east of Chernivtsi to similar hospital and elder care visits this morning.  We drove by miles of planted sunflowers that stretched out for many acres across rolling hills.  The sun was brilliant and made each blossom glow as it reflected the light of the sun.  It was a parable for our teams to be the light of Jesus and shine forth with His glory.  

After a bit of searching the Yellow Bus team was greeted by the hospital administrator who escorted us to four separate wings where we were free to minister to the needs of patients.  We had brought toys for the children’s section in addition to Bible story books for the parents to read to their children.  We divided again into smaller groups to better minister to the families in each small room, and proceeded to explain the gospel bracelet to the parents and children.  We were well received in each room and had opportunity to relate our reason for coming to the situation of each patient.  

IMG_0224.JPGOne mother especially related to us as she told us that she had undergone heart surgery some years ago, and now her son needed the same.  Adele R. explained and showed family pictures of her own daughter who had also undergone heart surgery.  They had matching scars.  When I began to explain the heart bead on the gospel bracelet, the mother interrupted me to say that she was a believer and gave all the credit for her healing not to the doctors, but to God.  We cried together and prayed in a circle of fellowship.  Her son was old enough to be able to read the Bible stories himself, and we left with the assurance that they would both be praising God.

Similar experiences were encountered by those in the other wings of this large hospital while those on the Brown Bus had opportunity to minister to the needs of the elderly in the Home for Women that was visited.

As we ate our sack lunches on the bus it began to grow warm, and we were happy to see that our afternoon site was surrounded by large shade trees.  Pastor Anatoly met us there and we were able to place all of the food and gift bags in the public building before the crowd arrived.  The early arrivers were treated to a bit of sport as three beach balls were tossed and caught and returned again in utter delight to the children.  IMG_0242.JPGSoon every child in the village was participating and then suddenly at the appointed time they all rushed into the auditorium to get their choice of “best" seats.  By this time the parents had arrived as well, and after a long walk in the heat of the day the cool building was a welcome relief.  Our mission was explained through our translators, several songs were sung and translated, testimonies were given to further explain our backgrounds, the bracelets were given out and the gospel was presented to a full room of attentive souls.  After the sinner’s prayer was presented, a review was given as the small card explanations were given out.  Then the gift bags were given out to each row and visiting began.  More pictures and testimonies were shared individually, and the children enjoyed more time with the beach balls.

  When all the families had left, Pastor Anatoly invited us into the nearby former school house that was now a community gathering spot and treated us to ice cream which was very refreshing in the late afternoon.  On our long bus ride back to Chernivtsi clouds gathered and lightning flashed as rain poured down, watering this verdant countryside which stays perpetually green.    As the rain refreshed the golden sunflower fields, so too our ministry this day refreshed our hearts.