Tim & Cheryl Boyd Family: Perechin Puppet Show and Woman's Day Service

Weeks of praying, planning, and building came to culminate in our Saturday afternoon youth and children's service in Perechin. We planned the service in relation to Woman's Day, observed in Ukraine March 8th. We had sought to make special invitation to the mothers of those youth and children we minister to each Saturday first, and then to community people as well.
We arrived several hours prior to the service to finish preparations and allow Stopia time to rehearse the presentation. When we neared the facility where we had the service we were so pleasantly surprised to be greeted by eight youth, who were so excited that the "big day" had arrived. But their excitement was not only witnessed by their early arrival, but it was written all over their faces. They were lit up with joy and excitement. In addition, they had conceived and developed completely by themselves a nice, artistic advertisement and announcement which was fixed to the fence outside the building. They had also made some paper flowers. We were so happy and encouraged with their sense of self-motivation. Wow! Praise the Lord!
Other youth and children arrived in time and we had 14 of those who we see most every week. Cheryl made some tea and was preparing to finish the cakes for refreshments to have to honor the mothers who would come. During this time, she had both eager boys and girls to help her. Girls helped finish decorating a cake and the boys--well Bro. William Gale used to tell us, "boys will be boys." They were intensely interested in the popcorn Cheryl made in a microwave! And once Cheryl and the girls finished the decorating the boys soon learned that that left over icing had to go somewhere. Yep, efficiently squeezed through the decorating tube into either hand or even directly in the mouth!
Service time came and we were absolutely astounded at the people who gathered! We were so thankful that God helped us to plan, prepare, and announce the special service. Altogether we had 30 children, 10 adults, and one dog squeeze into the little building. We were shocked that double the number of kids came which we usually have on a Saturday. We did not have as many mothers as we had hoped, but several mothers of those children we minister to came and were sincerely thankful. You might see in the photos below that numerous older people came. This was interesting, but for us we just thank the Lord for having had the opportunity to progress the witness that we are here to minister the Gospel.
During the program the children sang some songs, Stephen shared what we do on normal Saturdays, Tim shared the vision of our Hope in Perechin, and then the kids did an outstanding job with the puppet show. It was so cute and funny. But it really had a serious perspective as it related what happens when a child disobeys parents. It was great!
Afterward we served some cake that Cheryl had prepared and soft drinks.
Of the artwork the youth did on the puppet stage, we just had to share one photo of a true piece of European art. Tim suggested in their scenery that they needed some kind of an animal. The youth seemed to be reluctant to paint anything, so that day when we were painting we saw Stopia pick up a brush and go to work. When he finished Tim laughed so hard at his cow--but purely in fun. It was really good, and far better than we could do. But just the portrayal of its stance or something seemed somehow humorous.