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A very pregnant Vika.
I insisted to Vika, our translator, that several friends had asked for a picture. She agreed to let me take ONE. Her due date has varied with each doctor visit and ranges from a couple of days before this picture was taken until sometime in May.
Actually, she had some false labor and went to the hospital this past Thursday, April 15. The doctor said her labor was only "experimental." She's back at home patiently waiting. |
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Sevastopol baby ward.
This is from the baby ward in Sevastopol. The adult bed by each crib is intended for a care-giving adult, usually the mama. For babies who have been abandoned, removed from their home or are coming from an orphanage there is no care-giver. Olya, from Mulberry's staff, visits daily to make sure these children receive the food, medicine and attention they need.
You can see that one of the adult beds has collapsed. This is representative of conditions through out this ward. Mulberry has been able to install some windows and arrange a donated refrigerator for the ward. During our tour, a problem with the room used for storing food and medicine was pointed out. During the summer, the room gets so hot that spoilage is a problem. One team member, Dave, took money from his pocket and paid for the installation of an air conditioner. The next immediate project is to install a new window that will help retain the cold air.
The hospital is badly in need of an inhalation machine. The majority of diseases treated are respiratory infections. |
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Bicycles at Pilgrim.
The bike rider on the left is me. The staff and kids at Pilgrim met our team with an obstacle course and instructions that we could only enter the property by successfully completing the course. Much to their delight, we failed miserably.
The girls on the right are just learning to ride a bike. Although bikes are fairly common in Ukraine, most of the children who come to Pilgrim can't afford one. We do have a volunteer who visits and teaches a bicycle repair class. This bike is a product of that class. |
