First Days

Our first full day in Kiev was Friday. Alfie went to the SEND office to meet with the area director, Steve and go over some of the events of the last year, make some preliminary plans for the next year and talk about various issues. Julie and the kids enjoyed some reunion time with friends in the afternoon. Friday evening we took the metro to the other side of Kiev and met with our old friend pastor Pavel. We had dinner with him and his family. We talked about America, Ukraine, ministry, Greek, history, language, cars, economy and many other topics. It was an enjoyable evening. We were very tired on the ride home on the metro and probably fit right in with those who were tired from too much drinking.

Saturday afternoon was a time of reunion with more missionary friends.

Sunday was a time of special reunion. We went to our church in Kiev, Ascension church in Bortnichi.

Monday we rested and that evening took the train to Odessa.

Tuesday, we cleaned, organized and visited with guests all day. That evening, Julie and the girls slept while Alfie and Joseph had dinner with friends from IMB and SEND. We enjoyed bbq’d fish, chicken and all the trimmings. Thank you Mliakoff family! After dinner we had a small impromptu concert in the yard and then Alfie and Joseph went home.

Travel to Ukraine

Well we are now here in Ukraine. Our travel was long but went well. Our plane out of Utah was leaving at 7:00am. Since it was an international flight, we decided to arrive at the airport by 4:30am. That meant that we would need to leave by 4:00am. Our day started by getting up late – 3:45am. We were on the road by 4:30am and after several calls from relatives informing us that they were waiting at the airport, we arrived at about 5:00am. Check in was smooth, good-byes were emotional, security was tolerable and we arrived at the gate with about 40 minutes to spare.
Salt Lake City to Chicago went fast. We had a six hour layover but no-worries; we met with Inga and Brittany, our future team-mates. Alfie wanted to go to the Sears Tower and check out the glass balconies, but we opted for a leisurely lunch. We found a food court in the international terminal and had a great time of connection and fellowship.

We said good-by to Brittany and Inga and hello to more security. “Yes that is my computer, yes it has been with me since I left home, yes those are my shoes, that is a lovely wand and no I have nothing hidden in my clothes but I guess you need to check. If this wasn’t an airport security point, I think you could be arrested for that. Huh, I guess humor isn’t part of your training.” OK, so we made it.
The Chicago to London flight was long but uneventful. We had our personal movie screens and too many movies to watch. Joseph and Micah got the most sleep; the rest of us kept watch movies and paid for it later. Anya especially had a rough time in London. Her ears hurt during the descent and she was too tired to do anything but cry.

We had a two hour layover in London. After more security we went to get something to eat. We found a little bagel shop and paid exorbitant amounts of money for humble but tasty bagels, fruit and caffeinated libations. After eating, as we walked to our gate, I heard someone call my name. I turned and it was Michael Kuvshinikov, our team-mate from Kiev. He was returning to Kiev on the same flight. We enjoyed some catch up time then got on the plane. The flight from London to Kiev was filled mostly with sleep.In Kiev, passport control, baggage claim then customs all went smoothly. Steve was waiting when we walked out the double doors and we were back in Ukraine.

Runaway Schedule

Sometimes your schedule seems to have a mind of its own. When that happens to us our life often becomes a series of “drive-by” experiences. This last weekend was one of those times. We were planning on leaving for a road trip on Monday so, instead of packing our bags, we mistakenly packed our schedule.

Friday morning (June 19), we rise, breakfast and leave for Oceanside beach to celebrate Rachel Bushrow’s 13th birthday. We love the beach and we love Rachel so there is no question about attendance. No problem, we’ll pack later. After a day at the beach, we return home to clean up and pack. Or so I thought. I forgot about a long planned trip to Tommy’s in LA with Dino (friend and brother-in-law). I’m pretty tired at this point, but this would be Joseph’s first Tommy-burger….OK so Tommy’s is a go. 10pm, Joseph, Dino, Lee (long time Dino friend) and I leave to fill ourselves with indigestible joy. After a midnight return to home, a couple of Tums to take the edge off, it was time for a short nap and up again on Saturday.

No time to pack on Saturday. Since we would be busy on Sunday, Julie and the kids prepared breakfast in bed for me to have an early father’s day celebration. They gave me sausage, fruit, coffee and juice. The fruit was just the thing to help my internal organs try to process the aftermath of the Tommy burger. Oh yea, our friends from Tennessee are visiting and this is the only time we will be able to see them. After a flurry of phone calls we decide to meet in Cerritos. Then after another flurry of phone calls they decide to come to our house. ...time to transition into pre-guest mode (vacuuming, dusting, dishes, sweeping, food check, etc.). Our guests arrive with more guests. The party grows and is a lot of fun but we need to leave. We have tickets for a production of “Sound of Music” featuring my little sister Cassie. She is mother abbes and the show starts at 2:00pm. The daughter of another friend, Janie Green, is also in the production. It’s 1:30 and the pizza arrives. Decision time!

Well we leave the party at our house to go to the play. We are sorry we can’t spend more time with our friends but Cassie does not disappoint. During the production, I was thinking that Cassie’s acting was really good. Then, she sang, “Climb Every Mountain” and absolutely nailed it. This isn’t just brother/relative bias, when that last note was released the house erupted. Cassie, you were simply remarkable!! That’s my sister people!! Yea baby!

OK, so back to the 21st century, where was I? Oh yea, afterwards we went to the Joseph house to celebrate the Cassie talent, oddly enough, without Cassie…go figure. After some good food, comedy and family sarcasm, we returned home to pack. I was too tired to pack and Julie came to me and said, “What do you think about letting the girls sleep in tomorrow?” “I wish we could but we are visiting a supporting church and I’m giving the message. We’ll pack tomorrow.”

Well Sunday morning comes quick. We get ready go to church, have a good time at church and return home. Let’s pack, oh wait…we planned to go to Chuck and Lois’s house to celebrate father’s day and we still need to burn Chuck’s DVD (his father’s day gift). I sit down to burn the DVD and realize the DVD burner is not working. Two hours later, the CD is ready and we leave for Fullerton. We enjoy some more good food and family comedy and return home at 11:00pm. No we have to pack because we leave tomorrow morning. OK, so this time we have to stay up late and pack. Will we make it and if we do, will we be able to drive? Did I mention that Julie has a doctor’s appointment at 8:00am?

Dr. Livingstone, I Presume

Far out in the jungles,
Of deep Timbuktu,
I’m Henry M Stanly,
Prey, tell, who are you?

I’m in search of a man,
Dr Livingstone’s his name,
I hope he’s safe from man-eaters,
That hunt, thrash and maim.

Would you care to come with me?
We’ll search far and wide,
A journey’s less difficult,
With a friend at your side.

So take courage and come,
No beast shall we fear,
Yet keep your gun ready,
If roars you do hear.

The journey’s been long,
Yet now in this room,
I believe that I’ve found him,
“Dr Livingstone I presume.”

Ruins in the Jungle

By

A. Joseph Mosse' IV

Far within the jungle gloom,
Lay the signs of city’s doom,
Like a body, ruins rot,
Spiders feast on flies they caught.

Crumbling idols, in once grand halls,
Stone eyes inspect their ruined walls,
No longer worshiped, or revered,
Their bodies cracked, their faces smeared.

Abandoned palaces, in past ages,
Had been abode, to kings and sages,
Now are home to wild things,
Through the halls, a beast’s roar rings.

Perhaps mimicking lords long dead,
Who, as I’ve heard it has been said,
Would bellow, yell and then cry,
“That man displeases me, and so must die!”

But all a memory it is today,
How long ago, I cannot say,
It was when men first went to roam,

And left behind their ancient home.

Closing Day

April 25, 2009 was Anya’s and Micah’s last day of t-ball and softball. No sublime or profound thoughts here. We just had a good time watching. Here is Anya’s final team and parent on field celebration.




Here is a picture of our little girl (LG), the catcher, intimidating the third base runner. You can just hear it, "Go ahead...run...make my day."

I Just Don't Get It!

In October, after receiving $85 billion in bail out finds, AIG spend $440,000 hosting a corporate retreat at St Regis Monarch Beach resort, on the California coast. (see http://www.wisebread.com/the-aig-retreat-pictures-why-its-worse-than-you-think). Today we are surprised and indignant that AIG is paying bonuses.

Let me get the big picture in focus. AIG executives manage to loose $61.7 billion in the fourth quarter of 2008 taking the prestigious record for the largest corporate loss in history. The US government gives these same executives $170 billion in bail out funds to save the company because the company is "too big to fail." Now everyone is surprised that AIG turned around and paid out more than $165 million in bonuses to these same executives. I don’t know who I am more disgusted with: the people who give out our tax dollars, the people who receive them or the people who are suprised that business practices haven't changed. If we give billions of dollars to people who have mismanaged billions of dollars, why are we surprised that the money is mishandled again?

The $165 million was payable to executives by Sunday and was part of a larger total payout reportedly valued at $450 million. The company has benefited from more than $170 billion in a federal rescue.

AIG reported this month that it had lost $61.7 billion for the fourth quarter of last year, the largest corporate loss in history. The bulk of the payments at issue cover AIG Financial Products, the unit of the company that sold credit default swaps, the risky contracts that caused massive losses for the insurer.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/03/16/lawmakers-target-aig-executive-bonuses/ (March 16, 2009)

The Sunday shows have paraded a number of solutions:

"Maybe it's time to fire some people," he said, adding that the bonuses were "rewarding incompetence." Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass

Paul Kanjorski, D-Pa., chairman of the subcommittee, said in a statement that lawmakers would investigate the bonuses at the hearing.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/03/16/lawmakers-target-aig-executive-bonuses/ (March 16, 2009)

Maybe it’s time to fire some people? Let’s investigate? I propose a very simpler solution.

• Demand the $170 billion back
  
• Resolve that AIG will not get one more cent of bailout money.
  
• Make it a deal breaking condition that any company that intends to pay bonuses, or does pay bonuses will receive no bailout money.
  

How hard is this? If you want help…don’t pay bonuses, don’t take corporate vacations, no raises, use every cent of your capital to strengthen your company until you can stand on your own and pay back what you borrowed. Then you can do what you want.

I can hear it now. But we have contractual obligations! Answer: Not our problem!!! If you want the money, those are the conditions, you figure it out.

The formula is easy:
Pay bonus = LOSE BAILOUT MONEY!