Hygiene Center in Sačurov

LDS Charities is committed to lifting burdens and providing hope in one more Roma village. 

Over 700 residents call Sačurov home. It is said to be one of the worst Roma villages in the region with few utilities. A outdoor hand pump is located several meters away as their only water source. 

Every day, hundreds of small children play outside and most spend hours among filth and trash in the streets. Roma kids are dirty, stinky, unkempt, and carriers of head lice. Diseases can spread from one person to another because they lack

regular hygiene practices.

With limited opportunities, the community 

center is working closely with children who have the support of their parents to teach and practice habits that prevent the spread of diseases and infections. The children are encouraged to come to the community center where they can use the toilet and wash their hands. They are also taught to brush their teeth.

A permanent hygiene center was approved and with the mayor, the project is moving forward. Sometime next year we hope showers and toilets are complete for families to properly bathe and clean themselves. This will be an improvement overall for the health and wellness of so many residents.

His hope is to encourage the Roma men to help construct the new structure. The mayor took this proposal to the village council for approval, funding, and permits.  

This project is awaiting permits and our replacement couple will ensure the completion of the project to meet the agreed upon measurable outcomes and objectives.

It's All About Leaves

For a couple of precious weeks in October, Slovakia is bursting with ruby, amber, and gold. Autumn leaves are at their peak.

One of the things that makes Slovakia so great is the natural beauty of the seasons. 

All around us, the trees are changing color and leaves are falling to the ground. I can't help but notice the brilliant displays of golden yellow. 

Autumn is a second spring, where every leaf is a flower.

Some trees have not begun to turn but these cherry trees are spectacular colors.

The best of Autumn is all around us. 

One of the best ways to enjoy nature is a brief hike through the scenic wooded forest.

Sometimes, you just gotta get out and take it all in. October is my favorite color.

A spectacular fall foliage experience for sure!

It Happens Every 9 Weeks

Missionaries, for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, number about 67,000 and serve in 421 missions world wide.

The Elders volunteer to serve full-time for 24 months while Sisters for 18. Some arrive soon after high school graduation and pay a stipend to help cover mission expenses. They leave the comforts of home to dedicate themselves to "the best two years of their life" sharing the message of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Missionaries are transferred around the mission every few months to live and serve with new companions in new areas. In our mission, transfers happen every nine weeks. Usually, this occurrence sends one packing while the other stays behind to welcome another companion. Transfers are necessary to provide blessings and new opportunities for growth in these young men and women.

With each transfer, the rotation continues, new excited "greenies" arrive from the MTC and effective and experienced missionaries return home to their families who are eager to receive them.

We love to be included with them and have watched them grow as they live away from home, act in faith, and develop Christ-like attributes.

We've watched these great young missionaries go out into freezing winter nights, sprint to catch the last train, struggle with the Slovak language, face rejection over and over, look into an empty refrigerator, step into holey and worn out shoes, but most of all, they are happy to do it. They lose themselves to a greater case.

Missions can change everything. Missionaries return home steeped in new cultural appreciation, groomed for higher callings, and feel undeniable love and concern for the people of whom they serve. They look back with greater faith and love for their Savior and the Atonement of Jesus Christ. They commit to follow Him and keep His commandments. We are proud to serve alongside them and to be part of their journey filled with struggles as well as joyful experiences.

These are the fine missionaries of the Košice District. 

May 27 - July 17, 2017 

Elder Harp & Elder Cragan in Košice

Elder Hammer & Elder Mueller(DL)in Prešov

 Sister McDonald & Sister van Langeveld in Košice

July 17 - August 9, 2017

Elder Smith & Elder Harp in Košice

Sister McDonald & Sister Spencer in Košice

Elder Mueller & Elder Hammer(DL) in Prešov

August 9 - September 18, 2017

Sister Spencer & Sister McDonald in Košice

Elder Hammer (DL) & Elder Johnson in Prešov

Elder Smith & Elder Harp in Košice

September 18 - November 20, 2017

Elder Jackson & Elder Smith in Košice

 Sister Agnew & Sister McDonald in Košice 

Elder Akina & Elder Hammer(DL)in Prešov

November 20 - January 22, 2018

Elder Katrnak & Elder Jackson in Košice 

Sister Brown & Sister Agnew in Košice

Elder Johnson(DL) & Elder Akina in Prešov

January 22 - March 26, 2018

Elder Brennan & Elder Katrnak(DL)in Košice

Sister Agnew & Sister Stratton in Košice

Elder Akina & Elder Klabaska in Prešov

March 26 - May 28, 2018

Elder McCallister & Elder Rasmussen in Spišská Nova Ves 

Elder Brennan & Elder Katrnak in Košice

Elder Klabaska & Elder Fuqua(DL)in Prešov

Sister Pulley & Sister Stratton in Košice

May 28 - July 30, 2018

Elder Goddard & Elder McCallister in Spišská Nova Ves
 Elder Graff(DL) & Elder Klabaska in Prešov
 Elder Papenfuss & Elder Brennen in Košice Sister Pulley & Sister Likes in Košice

July 30 - October 1, 2018

 Sister Sawyer & Sister Likes in Košice
Elder Webb & Elder Papenfuss in Kosice
 Elder McQuivey & Elder Graff(DL)in Prešov
Elder McCallister & Elder Barton in Spišská Nova Ves

October 1 - November 15, 2018
Elder McCallister & Elder Barton in Spišska Nová Ves
Elder Papenfuss & Elder Nelson (DL) in Košice
Sister Likes & Sister Payne in Košice
Elder McQuivey & Elder Aillery in Prešov

More Than Just Apples

Slovakia roadways are often lined with apple trees, and this time of year the apples are sweet, crisp, and ripe. 

The apple is so versatile and healthy, it pains me to pass by so many loaded apple trees wasting perfectly good fruit decaying away on the ground. 

We have been picking and eating free tree-ripe apples everyday for at least the last month now. And they are simply delicious and sweet. Apples never tasted so good right off the tree!

Beyond snacking and apple pie, there are so many ways to enjoy apples like this rustic apple galette. Our kitchen has been filled with the sweet aroma of cinnamon, nutmeg and apples. I'm loving it! It makes something to come home to.

One day, after baking up some delicious apple pastry puffs, I wrapped some to take to my new friend, Maria who owns the notions shop down the street. She was more than delighted to be the recipient of such baked goodness, she gave me two free zippers.

But this week, we joined some young men and women at a backyard orchard to pick a couple bushels of apples and pears. 

After washing them we quartered them and placed them in the juicer to create apple cider. It was amazingly fresh, bold, and delicious and even better mixed with pears.

The orchard belongs to a man who missionaries are sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is an opportunity to help harvest his apple trees and make good use of the fruit.

We brought home several kilograms of apples and made our family favorite, brown bag apple pie. We also cut apples for our morning oatmeal. 

Celebrate autumn by finding some cozy flavors to warm up to. Apples are delicious any time of the year. What apple creation will you pull out of your oven?

Velke Kapušany Garden Project

LDS Charities is working a humanitarian project the past several months. For some reason, this project is slow moving and will not be completed by the time we leave Slovakia. 

Spojená škola, a combined 

school in Velké Kapušany, enrolls 200 children in all grade levels who have physical and mental disabilities. The school shares the building with an orphanage on the bottom levels and the upper four floors is where the school and classrooms are located. 

Students come from all around Eastern Slovakia and are prominently Roma. The school teaches basic education as well as work training and limited skilled trades to help students become self-reliant and assimilate into society. 

The NGO is requesting LDS Charities help fund an “educational garden” in the back lot. Staff members plan to teach students horticulture cultivation and management including soil composting, landscape design, planting, gardening, and harvesting vegetables and herbs. Students would be involved in every possible opportunity for hands-on learning and skills.

In favorable weather, classes would be taught on wooden benches around fruit trees and small fish pond. 

The staff have wood working tools to teach basic skills in constructing the benches. A large wood lattice covering will be built as well as for shade and rainy weather for outside classes.

Mildly disabled children can learn to become self-reliant and do helpful service or wood work. 

This project is already in progress and more work will be completed through the coming school year. Our replacement couple will follow up and oversee that the objectives are met on this project.

A Slovak Souvenir

A sewing machine can be a tool for creative handmade gifts. 

Serving a mission allows opportunities to use whatever talents and skills you have, and to give to others. 

Cathie was able to locate a sewing machine and she was determined to create a beautiful Slovak apron. After seeing all the patterns, fabrics, and ribbon she began creating aprons with the idea of making her daughters a Slovak souvenir. I watched as the fabric and colorful ribbon met together under a sewing needle and became a work of art. 

Cathie then wanted to create aprons for a few of the wonderful young women who were serving a mission in eastern Slovakia. After a couple aprons were sewn together, I was amazed how beautiful they were and how unique each one was. Before long, more aprons were being designed and sewn together in our kitchen for all the female missionaries in Slovakia.

Cathie even determined to send aprons to a couple of young women who served with us but had returned to the USA.

Cathie also made aprons as gifts for some of the wonderful Slovak people we had become friends with. 

A few of the young men serving here in Slovakia noticed these wonderful souvenirs and wished they had something made from Slovak fabric. Cathie came up with the idea to add colorful Slovak ribbon onto a tie they could wear with their white shirts.

During a Zone Conference Cathie brought twenty Slovak ribbon ties and let each young man pick one out. They all immediately put the ties on and expressed just how grateful they were for this creative Slovak gift.

Cathie bought fabric or ribbon from a small fabric shop. The lady owner and her husband only speak Slovak, but through “charades” Cathie was able to get what she needed.

Over time this relationship grew warmer and friendly and now they look forward to Cathie’s visits. They have expressed interest in why she is in Slovakia and loves her passion for sewing. A sewing machine sure has created gifts of love and friends all over Slovakia.

What Impact Will You Make?

Jane Woodall once said, "You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make."

We drove two hours towards the Ukraine border to visit the Anna-Maria organization. We were warmly greeted by the mayor, Maria Andričiková, and several clients. 

Dr. Andre, who started this NGO a couple years ago noticed his elderly patients suffered from depression, isolation, and inactivity some were dying early. He rented building space and created locations in three villages for the elderly citizens to socialize and create handicrafts together. He received help from NGO Anna-Marie to operate the center and provide activities for the communities.

The mayor shared his gratitude to LDS Charities for the hundreds of art supplies provided for upcoming months. Maria said to the group the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are kind-hearted wonderful people. She than asked us to provide a magnifying headlamp to a man who is nearly blind and needs it to see what he is doing like putting jigsaw puzzles together.

A few of the talented ladies hand-crocheted beautiful lace doilies and were presented as gifts. 

These elderly folks then sang with their hoarse and crackly voices but it was so appreciated. Upon request, one performed a solo song and dance.

Maria asked the group to think of Jesus and how they had been blessed. She then asked Greg to pray while Antonia translated it. Although, we were a bit surprised, we were grateful to offer a prayer of thanks for all our many blessings and this opportunity to work together. We were so grateful to create a partnership with these wonderful people. 

Maria told us that some of these seniors didn't want to participate in crafts because they were not little kids. But over time, they have come to appreciate the benefits of working with their hands and to create beautiful art. During a ceramic workshop, one complained of shoulder pain and she wasn't able to roll clay dough.

Maria told her if she could roll pastry dough she certainly could roll clay. She considered this and soon found great enjoyment working with clay and forming simple shapes. She later reported that she had forgotten all about the pain in her shoulders.