Updates during Working Hands 2011
12-6-2011
Working Hands - update 6
Saturday evening the 11th of June at 8pm all Working Hands guys, both the riders and the flyers, where safely home. They are full of impressions and lots of stories. Full of gratefulness to God they were able to use their talents for the kids there. By engaging extra personal our (private) Ukrainian partner thinks to be able to deliver the project within 6 weeks. It has been a splendid job through which the kids are enabled to rehabilitate much better. To be continued!
10-6-2011
Working Hands - update 5
This morning at 5am the “4 men with the van” departed for the return trip. Around noontime they arrived at the Ukrainian – Polish border behind L’viv. They crossed the border around 6pm….
The other group got a tour through the museum with splendid pieces of art created by the students of the training centre where we had our accommodations. Thereafter they went to a restaurant for a farewell meal with Swarog and the local authorities. All participants in the project call it a great success. This is stimulating for the further developments in Ukraine by Foundation Oekroe and Swarog. The Ukrainians stressed that although we come from different churches we are dependant on the blessings of the same God. Now and in the future.
Swarog will engage some extra workers in order to finish the project by the end of July. 23 degrees (Celsius), sun and a breeze, super! A spot and people to return to! Regards Jaap!
9-6-2011
Working Hands - update 4
This is the fourth and last update from Hrytsiv. It’s 3.25pm Thursday afternoon right now. Yesterday the crew produced a lot of concrete. We started early morning at 6am. The crew worked quite hard. But then you are a bale short, then you run out of plug nails, then again the supply of electrical wiring has run out. Either you get it yourself at Shepetivka, which is 25 km away or you might be able to get it here in the village. Then a horse and carriage delivers a load of supplies, than it’s a Kamacs truck that brings a delivery. Electricity is in essence finished and that also applies for the ‘canalisation’ (i.e. water tubing and sewers) as well as central heating. It’s marvellous here! The local people are busy in the garden with the vegetables and there is always time for a (incomprehensible) talk. During the evening we make a stroll around and through the village and drink something. There are beautiful lakes here where a few of us go fishing.
This afternoon we have finished our activities. The local contractor will finish the work. When we don’t know yet, but almost all materials needed have been bought. That is a good reason to come back here! The rest of the day we will relax and recuperate. Tomorrow most of us could sleep long, at 3pm there will be an excursion to the hands-on school where we have been accommodated the last 1.5 week. At 5pm tomorrow there will be a little farewell party. This morning we signed by the way a memorandum of collaboration. We as Foundation Oekroe, along with Swarog, are the most significant partners together with 8 others. Splendid. The ceremony was even attended by a representative from the ‘Rada’, the regional council.
Tomorrow morning at 5am Jos, Mark, Gerrit Ouwehand en Zegert vd Linge will depart with the van including our tools. They hope to arrive home Saturday eind of the afternoon. The rest will take a 5.20pm flight from Kiev Borispol on Saturday and hope to arrive 7.25pm at Schiphol - Amsterdam airport. Then a marvellous job, which we executed with 12 enthusiastic guys, will be finished for us. We can look back with gratitude.
By the way every day the temperature raises over 30 degrees (Celsius). I estimate more then 3000 photos have been taken. The best ones will be published on this site.
Kind regards on behalf of the whole Foundation Oekroe Working Hands 2011 crew,
Jaap de Mooij
7-6-2011
Working Hands - update 3
Contrary to the previous update pouring of the concrete could not be started before Tuesday. This was due the fact that no concrete mixer was available earlier. That’s also Ukraine! Half of the floors are poured now (Tuesday evening). The other half will most likely be done before the Dutch group of Working Hands has to leave (i.e. end of this week). The group start working at 6am in the morning. It’s hard working. The electricians and plumbers are almost finished. The carpentry has to be completed by the Ukrainian contractor. Every day the sun is shining with temperatures over 30 degrees (Celsius). There is an excellent mood! Kind regards, Jaap
3-6-2011
Working Hands - update 2
Working Hands is currently at work at Hrytsiv (Ukraine) to convert a former dental clinic into a revalidation centre for youngsters. It is by the way quite warm, namely 30 degrees (Celsius). Click here for a 5-day weatherforecast.
Last Tuesday the group worked extremely hard. All wooden floors have been broken away. The soil and rubble, that was present under the wooden floor, has been taken out. Sewers, electrical wiring and flexible tubing have been bought at Shepetivka (at 25 km from Hrytsiv).
Wednesday and Thursday was spent on trenches for the sewers as well as on the new electrical wiring. Afterwards it turned out that too much soil had been taken out! Hence about 50 wheelbarrows had to be brought back in…. But: together we are strong! During the evening a few men go fishing while the rest is going into the village. Friday the concrete will be poured, so that it can dry during the weekend.
31-5-2011
First update from Working Hands 2011 from Ukraine
Yesterday, Monday the 30th of May, the group of 4 (travelling in a van with the tools) arrived safely at Hrytsiv around 5pm after a stopover at Marion in Zubra (near Lviv). The other 8 men arrived safely at Kiev Borispol airport at 1pm(local time). Translator Veronika was at the airport and welcomed the group with a red-white-blue sign with OEKROE. After a journey of 350 km they arrived around 6.30pm where they were welcomed by a folkloristic group singing for them. Marvellous.
In the mean time diner was ready during which several toasts were made. This is a Ukrainian tradition, which foreigners can’t avoid. During the evening the group made an exploratory walk through the village. After some housekeeping remarks the group went to bed 11.30pm.
This morning (Tuesday 31 May) the alarm was ringing at 6.30am and breakfast was at 7.30am. The group started the day by reading the bible and prayer. Only the room a ground level has water from the tap, while the others at the second floor are forced to use a bucket (for washing, shaving and toilet cleaning). The group is accommodated in a dormitory of a secondary school. It’s going very well.
Around 8.30am was the first meeting at the project itself with the local contractor and the director of the building. After the plan was agreed the works started. The men are engaged in demolition of the existing floor and tubing. Dust is flying around! By the way at 11am it is already 30 degrees (Celsius) here. Everybody is in a good mood and working full steam ahead.
This morning Jaap is on the road with the representative of the local partner – a large agricultural company (who is financing a significant part of the project) to make some financial arrangements, to buy some water and a Ukrainian prepaid SIM for Jos. The plan is to buy materials for the building this afternoon so that building up could be started. Furthermore it is the intention that Jaap and Sandor (who could also act as translator) attend the opening ceremony of the crèche at Kyanka (project 2009).
Greetings from Hrytsiv,
Jaap and the rest !