Giving Thanks

I seem to be getting behind on posting...but last week was a holiday, so I think taking a week off was acceptable.

Since writing that sentence I've been staring at my screen for half an hour, trying to figure out how to tell you about the past couple of weeks in a somewhat organized fashion. I think a daily account is out of the question. So instead, in the continuing spirit of Thanksgiving, I will tell you about some of the people and things I am feeling especially grateful for right now. So here they are, in no particular order.

People and things I am feeling especially grateful for right now:

Zsuzsa
I'm sure I've mentioned Zsuzsa before...but just to refresh your memories, she's the local Hungarian-Ukrainian-English-Dutch-speaking wonder-woman that I first met when she was doing some translation work for a visiting group from Holland. I occasionally see her at the gypsy preschool in Telek, where her sister teaches. She's also rescued me from the side of the road multiple times.
On Saturday the 17th, she let me tag along to her English class for Hungarian speakers in Beregovo, a city about a one-hour drive from Nagydobrony. The class itself was fun...it was wonderful to be around English speakers my own age, and interesting to observe their learning process. The teacher was excited to have a native English speaker present, and often called on me to help with pronunciation and activities. I think I was usually helpful, but sometimes...For example, when she asked me to explain to the class the difference between "I will do something" and "I'm going to do something," I didn't have much to say. Did I miss that day in middle school English? I'm not sure I've ever thought about that in my life. And then she asked me to demonstrate the shifting stress in words by pronouncing "advertise" and "advertisement..." Wait, what? Oh, British English..."AdVERtisement."
But enough of that tangent. In addition to the class I greatly enjoyed spending time with Zsuzsa, hearing about her past experiences, her current work, and her hopes for the future. Inspired by the plethora of Dutch people that volunteer in this area of Ukraine, she spent a year volunteering in The Netherlands, and is now employed by a Dutch organization that works in the area. I am grateful for her kindness and generosity, her English skills, and also her uncanny ability to show up in remote villages where I have missed the bus. 

Learning how to say "sit down" in Hungarian
This one is pretty self-explanatory. I spend a lot of time with preschoolers...

The names (and children) "Anita!" and "Sabolcs"
I know you probably can't fully appreciate this. But bear with me here. These names are the best. First you should know that the Hungarian version of the name Anita is only distantly related to the English version. Stress is all on the first syllable instead of the second, and it should nearly always be approached as an exclamation : "AH-ni-ta!" It's almost okay when Anitas are mischievous, just because it's so much fun to yell their name. Maybe because they're accustomed to having their name shouted so often, the three Anitas that I know here are very feisty, and (although difficult to manage in the preschool) some of my favorites.
The name Sabolcs (pronounced Sah-boach) is best to say when you need to express consternation. This is usually done by stressing and drawing out the first syllable (SAAAH-boach). It's just as fun as shouting "Anita!" and apparently consternation also breeds feistiness, because the two boys I know by this name can hold their own against the Anitas quite well.

Great food finds
I did not have any Thanksgiving turkey, but I did discover a great chicken sandwich at the market in Nagydobrony, and an amazing bakery in Mukachevo this week. Also, for better or for worse, I've discovered Ukrainian chocolates. There's one in particular that I think I could be developing an addiction to. Maybe the picture of a poppy on the wrapper is supposed to be a warning...

Technology
Really, I am grateful for all of you...but I am also grateful for the technology that allows us to keep in touch, and for being able to talk to my family for the first time in a month via Skype calls last week. I don't usually like to talk on the phone much, but I think I talked with (or maybe talked to) my sister for about an hour and a half. Thanks Beth :)

Dedicated postal workers (and Grannies) of the world
I got my first mail this week! Two cards from Granny, in my hands nine days after the postmark dates. Not bad at all. Some of you have asked for my address, so now that it's been tested, I'll post it here. Any mail is much appreciated! Pictures or fun things I can share with the girls are especially nice, but I'm not picky.

Irgalmas Samaritánus Reformatus Gyermekotthon
Nagydobrony
Csongor Út 119
UA- 89463
UKRAINA

My girls
I am still very grateful for the time spent with my girls here at the orphanage. They've begun asking me about 87 times a day what they should give me for Christmas: "Cara! What you present?" I'm just wondering what I will give all of them (if you have any good craft ideas please send them my way!). Last night we drew Christmas pictures. The scene with the shepherds and angels turned out well, but somehow Mary ended up being green and baby Jesus developed a case of chicken pox. Oh well...Jesus very well could have had chicken pox at some point, right?

Jolika Oroszi
Words cannot express how grateful I am for this woman. I've mentioned her before but in case you've forgotten, she's the wife of Pal Oroszi, the doctor who arranged for me to come to Ukraine (and another person I'm very thankful for). Jolika is also a nurse, and when I'm at the clinic in Mukachevo I am something like her shadow, except slower and more awkward than a normal shadow. She helps me to understand the community and how the clinic operates, while teaching me nursing skills and Russian. She goes out of her way to speak English with me, her fourth...no...I think maybe her fifth language. She made me a birthday cake and let me practice drawing her blood (but not at the same time), and puts up with the inconvenience of having an awkward shadow so gracefully.

There are many other people and things here that I am grateful for, but I think I will wrap this post up. Most of all, I am thankful that "neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." I'm thousands of miles away from most of you this holiday season, but
the ultimate source of my thankfulness and of my joy in celebrating Christmas is unchanged. His love is undeterred by long flights, Ukrainian buses, poor Wi-Fi connections, and my own flaws and inconsistencies. And for that, I give thanks.