From the Society's Work in the year 2000

• 90% of the people are unemployed. The average income is between 30 and 60 dollars a month, A decent pension is 18 dollars a month. A few examples of prices will bring the daily problems into focus: 1 kilo of sugar, for example, costs 60 cents. 1 kilo of flour is 30 cents, and 1 loaf of bread is 48 cents. They pay 54 cents for a tub of margarine, 21 cents for a liter of milk, and a kilo of oranges costs between $1.20 and $1.50. A pair of jeans will cost $24, the better part of a month's wages, if one has a job.
• At the moment there are almost daily interruptions of electrical power for varying lengths of time, but usually lasting several hours. Even the supply of natural gas is not continuous. This may be due to the fact that Ukraine is behind in payments to its Russian suppliers. Fortunately the weather this season has been mild, as it has been in Germany. This results in a saving of heating material. With coal prices at roughly 60 dollars per ton, many can only heat one room as needed. Moreover there was a considerable increase in the danger of flooding due to heavy rainfall.
• Beginning in November there will be--initially on a trial basis--a soup kitchen in Vári. Initiated by the parish and the mayor, at first 35 people will get a warm meal daily.
• The Ukrainian government has so far given hardly any information to the inhabitants about the extent of the contamination of the Theiss River in the region of Transcarpathia due to heavy metal runoff from Romanian mines in the spring of 2000. Effects on the health of the population may not be possible to estimate.
• Medical care is catastrophic. We were able to give a glucometer to a woman who is diabetic. She was extremely thrilled. Until now she had to make a special trip to a specific doctor in the county seat every time she checked her blood sugar--the doctor had a glucometer--and naturally each time she had to pay.

Picture1: little Ukrainian child is happy at his gift Picture 2: A child's drawing

In 2000 we organized 6 transport units, in which clothing, medication, spare car parts, bicycles, household articles, candles, eyeglasses and adult diapers were delivered.
Many helpful items are not listed on the books in terms of dollars and cents, since the donation cannot be measured by its intrinsic value. The page of expenditures clearly shows the rising costs of fuel in Germany, in the transit states of Austria and Hungary, as well as in Ukraine.
Beginning in 2001 the price of a superhighway pass will rise in Austria. It may look like a small amount, but will accumulate over a year and signify higher expenses.

We donated funds to support the young man training to be a doctor in Kiev. He successfully finished his basic studies in 2000. Now he is doing his required internship in Kiev, for which he must also pay. Péter Szeghljánik likewise is receiving support from friends of the Benefit Society for his theological training in Germany. Insofar as he is able and time allows, he enjoys assisting with our transport units and other activities of the Benefit Society. It helps us a great deal and we are very grateful that things are going somewhat better at the borders. The very presence of a person with a Ukrainian passport and a knowledge of Hungarian and Ukrainian makes things much easier.

The construction of small cheese factory in Vári is continuing, although from our point of view sometimes rather slowly. The cheese presses to mold the blocks were delivered during the spring. Pastor Sándor Zán as the inititator has usually little time to force events and accomplish and organize the many little things. Most of the technology was bought or bartered, after which one thing or another was discovered to be broken and had to be repaired. The Benefit Society has also funded the purchase of a cooling trough for 2000 liters of milk.

In conjunction with the partnership inaugurated between the Saxon youth organization Christian Endeavor Union (CEU) and the work with young people in the Reformed Church in Transcarpathia, at the end of June the first joint celebration was held in Aklihegy. This was the unanimous opinion of the participants from both countries: It was a very blessed time and a great step forward for our mutual relationship. Another effort to move forward with this contact is being planned.