Visa applications and English lessons

This morning one mother and son came to a decision that coming to England isn't right for them, which will be a disappointment for the sponsors who have invested time and emotional energy. Unfortunately, it's not the first time this has happened to them but sometimes people make decisions that seem right at the time but are not what every family member wants.

However, 4 visa applications were completed in about an hour by the MAD volunteers, for 2 women and their sons (aged 12 and 13) who will live in in our 3 bedroomed house. We've made an arrangement with a group of people who wanted to rent a 3-bedroom house and sponsor a Ukrainian family, but could not get beyond the demands of landlords, e.g. for references. So they are renting our house in order to make it happen. We're really looking forward to these 2 lovely families joining our local community.

So, on to classes today. The UNICEF volunteers say that the children love Bob's twice weekly lesson so much that they ask every day when he's next coming! 

We have a very different class of young adults, aged about 21, who have recently finished their equivalent of college/university here. Most of the last few years will have been online due to COVID and, now, the war. But they have been given the opportunity by a church group to do some learning and discussing face to face. We did the shopping list memory game, which was fun. It included, for the first time, a long range cruise missile, which is a sign of the times.

I love quotes from Ukrainian guests. This is from Y, who had a traumatic journey from Kharkiv with her sister and 2 sons a week ago:
"we settled in well, we like everything, we have a wonderful family, good and nice people!
I cooked borscht, everyone liked it)))" She looks forward to cooking borscht for us!

And, yesterday, R Iin Colne celebrated her birthday:
"Happy Birthday to me!
 I am 50 years old today! I am in shock! I am 20 in my soul! 
I want to say a huge thank you to my parents, who gave me everything!
THANKS to the girl who was traveling with three children in the evacuation train!
THANK YOU to the Baptist Church for hosting us for the night!
THANKS to the eldest son and his wife for making every effort to get us to Krakow! For support, for help, for your love!
THANKS TO KRAKOW for the reception, for the school, for the beauty, for the people!
THANKS to volunteers from England
Bob and Fiona for sponsors!
THANK YOU to my Vova, for the fact that he, in his 50+, followed me wherever his eyes look!
THANKS to the youngest son, for the fact that despite all the difficulties, he did not whine, did not demand anything, but always calmed and made me laugh (I sobbed all the time for the first month)!
THANK YOU to our sponsors for the warm welcome, for the house, for the care! (I don’t know, I could take complete strangers into my house!?)
THANKS for the help and support to the Ukrainians in UK!
🇬🇧 Thank you UK for your support! Thank you for your work, for the school! We still have a lot to learn, and maybe teach you!!!
PS! I absolutely love Ukraine, I even write that I am a huge woman of Ukraine! I love her hug! Everything will be UKRAINE!!!"

I think this is probably the greatest tribute I've ever read and I hope she doesn't mind me using it.

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