Under the Umbrella
HEART SURGERY
As most of you know I had open heart surgery on Oct 5th. I'm doing well, but it's long road to recovery. More on this in a coming newsletter. Meanwhile, our programs continue...
Grace and Peace to All,
Robert and Oli
FINDING HOPE UNDER THE UMBRELLA (this is new)
Imagine you are at the beach. Your children play with friends, running in the sand, gathering shells and swimming in the cool, clean water. They slept well, ate well and are now having fun. You listen as they laugh and call to siblings and friends. Your heart is happy. For life in America, it may seem just another weekend, but for mothers and children of Ukraine, life in a summer camp on the beaches of Bulgaria, is the gift of hope in a time away from war.
Calvin and Lee Gittner* attended this camp for a week. It was a week free of the danger in drone attacks, free of waking at night to hustle children to shelters where sleep is rarely solid, free of fear and angst. Can my child have a childhood, one that they will remember with fondness, when this war is over?
They fell in love with the children and formed natural bonds with the moms ....
(See more below)
ENGLISH CLASS, LEVEL TWO (of 5 classes)
Angelina, our Teacher, knows how be with students, and how to teach
ONE CLASS, ALL IN 90 MINUTES
STUDENTS AT MENAUL SCHOOL IN ALBUQUERQUE
Daria Graduate of Menaul at UNM; Kostiya Sr Menaul; Dasha Sr at Menaul; Jenya Graduate of Menaul at UNM; Veronika SR at Menaul
Congratulations to our 2026-2027 dorm prefects: Dasha, Nazar and Kostya. These outstanding students have demonstrated exceptional leadership, motivation and character both in the dorms and in the classroom. They truly represent the best of Menaul.
FURRY FRIENDS AND FIRST AID
Our lastest project. We are aiding a clean and well organized home for pets displaced by the war. By visiting regularly and assessing needs for food, medicine, and treatment, supplement the help provided. Our staff person Ira maintains this connection.
FINDING HOPE UNDER THE UMBRELLA
(Continued from above). They were moved by stories the moms shared: stories of occupation, escape through battle fronts, and life as refugees. This Child Here is making an impact on lives displaced by war.
When the Gittners said goodbye and boarded a plane for home, they began to think as passionate Presbyterians with a lifetime of ministry, but also as educated counselors and therapists. They sketched a 9-month Life Story initiative, “Finding Hope Under the Umbrella” where they would walk with the moms, via zoom calls, through these chapters of their lives.
Twelve moms have signed up for video sessions on four separate weekends. Calvin and Lee are listening to their life stories, offering encouragement, a brief time of peace, and the experience of knowing that people from America, Presbyterians, do care.
For Calvin and Lee, spending time with these ladies is a blessing. They are smart professionals, all working hard to support their families (often including extended family) while trying to maintain some sort of “normalcy” for their children. They are brave, resilient and hopeful, but also anxious, tired and scared. With their life coaching skills, Lee and Calvin hope to provide added support for these moms through the work of This Child Here.
*Lee Gittner taught school for 37 years. Calvin is a retired PCUSA pastor, focusing on congregational transformation and spirituality. They both received master’s degrees and worked with families in Marriage and Family Counseling. Through their program, “Finding Hope – Under the Umbrella,” they will listen to the stories and guide toward hope, mothers displaced by the war in Ukraine.
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