There are somethings we just take for granted. This morning millions of people will go to church and make their first stop the nursery. Each parent then gives detailed instructions about what little Johnny or Susie likes or dislikes to the caretaker and heads to church. This past Friday we were privileged to serve the Church of Calvary Chapel during the memorial service of their missionary pastor, George Markey. We knew the impact this man had in the lives of many in this church, but did not have a close relationship with him ourselves. So, we volunteered for nursery duty, after all we volunteered for this ministry in our home church when our kids were little. Marianna loves children. And, of course, I am a pediatrician. Besides, we were told there would probably be only two kids. After five years living in Ukraine, we can do this for a couple of hours.
We arrived early along with Olenka, a young mother, and her two year old. So we had a chance to meet him. More importantly he had a chance to warm up to us. His mother speaks great English and is teaching her son English words as well as Russian and Ukrainian. Fantastic! I study Russian. Marianna studies Ukrainian. He knows some English.
Another parent soon showed up with her child. She spoke briefly in Russian to Olenka and went on her way. OK, the two kids are here. We can do this it will be fun. Soon a third, a fourth, a tenth were actively playing together. A few more parents arrived, opened the door, made a comment, looked puzzled and left without leaving their children.
Olenka said the service was about to begin. She told us her son usually cried a bit when he discovered her absence, but would calm down after 2 or 3 minutes. Well this sounds rather typical. True to form, little Danielko began to cry. His big eyes with big tears revealed not only his desire to see his mom, but his frustration in not being understood. We tried to comfort him in Russian, then Ukrainian and in last resort English. Finally, a good 20 minutes later after he managed to get his coat and hat on did he stop crying and began to play.
But, where ever two or more are gathered and one begins to cry, a chain reaction begins. Now little Eva began. The time certainly was flying by, but seemed like an eternity. I can only imagine what it was like for these kids.
Like every good nursery, there was a TV. This was a special TV which was very temperamental. Fortunately, one of the fathers returned and explained in Russian the idiosyncrasies of this particular set up. I just watched and nodded as if I completely understood. After all, I knew how to operate a video player in English.
There was a small bag of toys, a couple of cars for the kids to ride on in addition to the TV to watch. Then it happened a little boy who befriended me came up to me and said “peeset” which sounds quite similar to another word which means to write. So I asked him if he wanted to draw. I told him we did not have any crayons. He repeated it again with the tell tale hand motion over his private parts. Ohhhhh, you want to go to the bathroom. Off we went to the men’s room. Mission accomplished. What a sense of accomplishment. Unfortunately, several other little guys were not so lucky and they were not able to communicate nor did we think to ask them if them needed to go to the bathroom. People train their children earlier here because the diapers are expensive.
The time really did fly by and soon it was 10:30 PM. The memorial service had ended and the parents were picking up there kids. As we attempted to communicate with the parents they were clearly appreciative, but I wonder what they were really thinking. Would you leave your child in a nursery with someone you never met before who could not communicate with you completely even if he said he was a pediatrician? If there is a silver lining in this story, it is the fact we would not even have offered to do this service when we first arrived in Ukraine and here we were actually doing it. I guess we have learned some language skills and we thank God we are able to serve and be used for His glory.
I’ve never been so happy to be able to say, “Your parents are in church. They will return soon.”
What an amazing ministry you both served at the Memorial service last Friday!!! Thanks for your perspective on this.
A question has come up with two of my students who are interviewing a famous Ukrainian surgeon (he has a patent on “welding” tissue together, less blood etc.) I’ll find out more at the History Matters event and their eventual research papers but just wondering if Ukrainian doctors take a Hippocratic oath before they go into practice? During the Soviet era, were there doctors who took this kind of pledge to save lives?