Last blog for 2009

I met up with one of the past Presidents of the Kiev Lions Club in November 2009. He was a really interesting man,and gave me an insite as to what the Lions Clubs are about.They do a terrific job raising money to help thousands of Ukrainian children who need their help. One of their main fund raising activities for several years has been their Burns Night and every year it goes from strength to strength. Their web site is really worth looking at on www.kyiv-lions-club.org They are a very good organisation and I hope to meet up with them when I return to Ukraine in 2010.
cheers Jim Gillies.

Malin Mov.2009

Two days before leaving I received an email from my friend in Ukraine telling me that I should get vaccinated against swine flu. Ukraine was experiencimg a pandemic,this was the first I had heard about this happening in Ukraine.However all my arrangements were made and for the sake of the hospital children I could not alter my plans they needed my help and I had to ignore the risk and go.When I arrived at Kiev's Borispol Airport all the passport control people were wearing masks just like the cabin crew had been wearing. It was a bit worrying, when my friend collected me at the airport, I saw many masked citizens on the way to his apartement. Later I was told that Schools,Universities,Colleges,Cinemas and Theatres, along with markets had been closed due to the Quarantine Restrictions.On our arrival at the hospital everything was under Quarantine and we had special permission to enter.I was able to buy medicines,small electric room heaters,cleaning materials, paper for their computer which I had bought some years earlier, I also paid their internet for another year. I bought a fridge to keep food for the children fresh. Unfortunately because of the Quarantine I was not allowed to go to villages or orphanages. Bohdan Sobolevski the wee boy abandoned in the hospital 2 years ago, reunited with his mother last year had been brought down to Malin by his mother for a health check,and he looks better wearing some of his new clothing bought with money left with my friend Anatoil Artemenko by Danny Livingston last year when he filmed my work at the hospital, thank you Danny.At the hospital a young man had died due to a mutated swine flu virus that totally destroyed his lungs. I kept away from my grandchildren on my return as a precaution just in case.
The new beds and equipment I have supplied over the years are very much appreciated by Doctors,nurses and parents of the children,but there is still a lot to be done.

Next Trip to Malin.

I will soon be setting of on my next visit to help the children in Malin Hospital. I am hoping to return to the village where Bohdan Sobolevski lives,to see how he is. I also want to visit the orphanages where some of the hospital children have been sent to.
I am flying this time as I am not carrying my usual bags of medical supplies as no companies would help me.But when I am over there I will help the Doctors to provide medical items,medicines,food,clothing and other things the hospital needs for the children. The World wide Economic situation has effected Ukraine,and Malin hospital's financial position,which was already bad,has deteriorated. But I must do what I can for the children in their care. I would like to thank people who gave me donations to help,and assure them that 100% of their donations are used to help the children. I have always paid all my own expenses, and I will continue to do so.
I will post a blog. on my return.

mini bus to Malin

As soon as the woman on the bus listened on my phone she smiled as Dr.Victoria explained the situation. When she handed it back to me I said to Victoria understand! she said yes. Relieved the hospital knew I was not lost after all and was on the correct bus. The driver was collecting fares,however when I tendered my fare of 12 grivna, he said something, but what just then the telephone woman came and sat beside me handing the driver 2 grivna on my behalf (apparently the fare can vary dependant on the mini bus drivers company) I decided to practice my Russian language by thanking Galina for helping with the phone and the fare, she explained that she lived on the outskirts of Malin and worked in Kiev. I was aqble to tell her about my family and she told me about her own family, this conversation took a lot longer than normal due to the language barrier, but we managed. I asked her where she worked, replying with a few words which I never understood Galina brought a square of paper from her bag handing it to me,unfortunately I did not know the wording on the paper. Suddenly Galina reached into her large shopping bag and produced a bag of doughnuts " I work " here. A Bakery,she worked in a bakery offering the bag to me I took a doughnut, I was hungry and the doughnut was great. Later on the journey the bus left its normal route turning into a forest track as the road ahead was blocked. We were at least 40 minutes driving through the forest finally emerging back on the normal route. Finally I began to see parts of the surroundings that I recognised, Galina who had been an interesting fellow traveller stood up to leave asking if I knew where to get off in Malin, insisted on handing me another doughnut before getting off. I have found that Ukrainian people are generally friendly and helpfull on my travels. At last I arrived in Malin, snow covered roads and icy pavements. Next blog finding how to get to the hospital from the centre of Malin, on my own.

bus to Malinpart 2

Having the Mini Bus Terminus in sight was a definate success, I would soon be on my way! However I could not find a bus with the Kiev / Malin signboard on the windscreen.
It was a very cold day, and I tried asking various queuing passengers about a bus going to Malin,no luck. After walking around the area looking for a bus with a Malin sign for another 15 mins. I found it, on a board leaning against the windscreen, Kiev/Malin I hurried forward with my large holdalls thinking at last I am on my way, but there was no room for my luggage. What could I do but watch the bus leave without me.At least I was waiting at the correct bus area. I tried to ask a man also waiting around but my russian language/accent was not understood. 35 minutes later another bus going to Malin arrived, boarding as soon as I was able to,my mob. rang it was the hospital,where are you Jim I could not,reply properly,suddenly I had an idea handing my mob.to a woman sitting behind me, I said in in Russian,please talk to my Doctor friend. Lookig puzzled she took my mob.and listened.

Find a bus to Malin part 1

In 2007 I went by Metro and Mini Bus from Kiev to Malin Hospital accompanied by Anatoli,no problem. Two days later I set of on my own to Malin with clothing for the children in the hospital. I managed to get the Metro ticket, but after two stops realised I was going the wrong way. I got of at the next station, and went back to the original station got off and looked at the list of stations once more. I counted the number of stops to the station near the Mini Bus terminus and made sure I was near enough the door to get off with my large holdall of clothes,as it was "Sardine Time " on the Metro. Watching and listening carefully,to the onboard,next station announcments, I arrived at the correct station.
Good I thought I should arrive at the hospital as arranged by Anatoli and the Doctors at the hospital for 13:00 hrs. Not good I wandered among the underground,stall holders selling a variety of goods,looking for the exit that would lead to the Bus, up one, back down, try another further along the tunnel,no luck. Tried to ask a few people but either they did not understand me,or I them. Went up a third exit and emerged in a market area with lots of stalls and shops beside a busy road, but no Mini Bus terminus.
There were bus stops with trolleybuses, also mini Buses but I had no way of finding out where to get my bus. I tried asking in a couple of shops, but as before no communication was possible. Eventually I made my way over some rough ground behind a stall selling shoes and came to a railway line,and I was happy to see that behind the
railings of the railway was a bus station, where I could just see what looked like Mini Buses at the far side. Making my way slowly back down the stairs to the underground stalls I walked past an avenue of flower sellers and passing through plastic curtains I went up stairs emerging near the bus station. Was it the correct place hurrying over the road passing under a flyover, I was relieved to see the Mini Bus Terminus at the far side.However by this time I was already late,and due to be further delayed.

Dog Story 2

Returning from looking at all the artist's displaying their paintings in a street market, I headed down a steeply cobbled street towards the river. It was a very interesting street with a small theatre and small picturesque church.View photo of Theatre. I noticed a statue further down the street, (see photo)leaving the statue I wondered who he was, his name is in the Ukrainian language. Hearing snuffling and whimpering I looked down to see 5 puppies trotting out from under a parked car,a black and white collie dog was on the pavement near the beige coloured pups. Camera ready I started to take some photo's of the pups when I heard snarling and felt a sharp pain in my leg,I jumped round nearly dropping my camera. The collie was hanging onto my leg,I managed to free myself by spinning round. Needless to say all I got was a photo of the sky,no puppy photo's. After this dog bite I had a couple of marks on my leg,thank goodness I had been for my anti rabies injection prior to that years visit.