Dear Friends,
At the end of the month I passed my test to become a Physical Therapist with a Ukrainian diploma! Thank you all for praying for me – God’s hand was with me and I will receive my diploma in July. I am very grateful that God allowed me to have the opportunity to receive this degree in just one year. Unfortunately, I did not gain any new knowledge in that program and the Dean of the physical therapy department asked me to send them educational materials that would be helpful for future students. I plan to continue working and serving adults and children at our Active Rehabilitation Center (ARC), but I wanted to get the Ukrainian PT diploma to be able to seek official employment at a registered rehabilitation center in Lutsk for at least a couple hours a week. My primary focus will continue to be our ministry and the center, but because it is not registered I am not considered to be officially employed, making it difficult for me to visit a doctor or complete other legal actions. It will be difficult to find a job at a registered facility for only a few hours a week, but I hope and pray that God will allow me to have one this Fall.
Our center stopped working on July 4th so that all of our staff can prepare for our camps for adults and children with disabilities later in July. It is a great time to serve people with disabilities and see God in action. August is a vacation time for all of the therapists at our center before we resume work in September.
On June 27-29, I participated as a volunteer at the Christian Mobile Medical Clinic (www.mobileclinic.in.ua) outreach in the town of Zalischiky in the Ternopil region. Health care professionals from all over Ukraine gathered together as one team to serve God and treat people in rural parts of Ukraine where medical care is poor. It is a great experience to help those people who do not have the opportunity to go to the big city for treatment. The clinic grew out of the dream of missionaries who equipped a trailer with a laboratory, ultrasound machines, X-ray, cardiograph and other pieces of equipment to treat people in the farthest corners of Ukraine. I was able to help some people by providing exercises, handouts, and education. It was difficult to find patients who wanted physical therapy because this profession is still growing in Ukraine and is not well understood in the villages. I was happy to serve with the knowledge I have to help other people. One man came to see the eye doctor to receive a free pair of glasses. He uses a wheelchair and when he learned that there were steps to the building where the doctor was he decided to go home. It is good that God sent me there at that moment. I was able to teach people how to take the wheelchair up and down steps safely. It was so easy for them after they knew what to do and afterwards the man was very happy that this obstacle had been removed.
Praises:
- I passed the test to get my PT diploma!
- Opportunity to serve as a therapist in different parts of Ukraine
Prayer requests:
- Camp for adults with disabilities July 13– 19: I will be caring for a young girl with a spinal cord injury throughout the camp as well as bathing girls with disabilities who need assistance. Pray for wisdom and strength.
- Camp for children with disabilities July 23–29: I will be teaching Bible lessons for a group of young girls, taking care of a girl with a disability, and providing therapy consultations for families.