Help *Pamper* Russian Orphans!

Say, care to help *pamper* Russian orphans? A nearby orphanage in Rostov-on-Don is home to 100 abandoned babies from birth to four years of age. Caretakers there buy disposable diapers for the children out of their own meager salaries. During the daytime, they economize with cloth diapers but use disposables at night.



Recently one of the caretakers sat me down, fixed me a plate of sweets and told me how much they would appreciate help with diapers. So, several of us jumped in and helped out. You might enjoy the video of diaper delivery. You can see for yourself how thrilled the caretakers were! I'm telling you, I felt like a rock star leaving the orphanage that day, even though the contributions were from our whole church there in Rostov.

Would you care to join us in this effort? I figure that we can diaper one group of children for a week for $30. There are 10 groups, if I'm not mistaken but my immediate goal is to help with three groups, the older children. So that runs about $100 a month, including taxi transportation to the big discount store where diapers are sold cheapest.

If you would like to make an end-of-year donation, here's how to do it: Make out a check to Prestoncrest Church of Christ and make a notation on the envelope and on the check "Rostov Orphanage Donation." Mail it to the Prestoncrest address: 12700 Preston Road, Suite 210; Dallas, TX 75230-1824. (Oh, and in the near future, I'll want a photograph of you or your group - so that we can post that at the orphanage and give credit to whom credit is due. You can easily contact me about that at eileen.emch@gmail.com.)

Thank you for considering *pampering* Russian orphans! It's the one thing the orphanage really needs.

Silent Monks Sing Hallelujah!

Just in case you've missed it, here's a super-creative take on the Hallelujah Chorus! This is worth watching several times!

Insomnia: While Angels Watched Their Flocks

This song and the fabulous a cappella harmony absolutely thrills me. And that's a good thing. Because it's 3:32 a.m. local time and I'm awake with this song going through my mind. . .



Oh, what absolutely magnificent harmony. Presented by the Church of All Nations Singers of Boca Raton, Florida (2005).

Of Masks, Furs and Frosty Reflections

Does the staff at your McDonald's wear masks? Just wondering. Because in Kharkov, Ukraine the current McD's uniform includes face masks. And I knew that you would want to know about this. But first things first.

(Click photos to enlarge) So they're featuring this neat menu item Grill Lavash, which looks very much like what was dubbed the Greek Burger, as I recall, during the 2004 Olympic games. At least at Russian McDonald's. Makes perfect sense, right?


Here's a close-up look at the Grill Lavash. Figured we'd better shoot it quick before any more disappeared. And yes, I'm quite aware of what this bite reveals about orthodonture and such, another topic altogether. . .


So here's McDonald's staff en masque. It's something to do with swine flu. Or politics. Or maybe it's about keeping warm on a very cold day.


After lunch, or maybe before, I happened upon this sculpture just outside McD's. Bet those two kiddos wish they'd worn their knickers. Or even a strategically-placed mask. Or two or three.


In the same spot are architectural feats of local buildings. You'll forgive me for not researching the names of these places. Because, for one thing, what is more interesting is the street scene in the background. This was around 2:30 pm, approaching dusk local time.


Another local building. More traffic backed up. Oopsie: Remember to turn off your flash, gypsy girl.


Later, picking my way along Pyhskinskaya, a store window with winter hats. Each degree the temperature drops, the fur hats with ear flaps look that much more fetching.



Speaking of fetching, here's a lovely blue coat in the window. Oh, and mercy me. . . there's a familiar face too. Say, the idea of a face mask sounds pretty wonderful right now. Just simply for keeping warm. Later learned that it was -6F.

While (Scottish) Shepherds Watch Their Flocks

Amazing the artistic feats Scottish shepherds, sheepdogs and sheep can pull off ~ with the high-tech help of cell phones, digital cameras and LEDs in a pastoral setting. If you're like me, you'll watch this again and again.

This creativity is so worth sharing. And so. . . a very Merry Christmas to you, dear blog-reading friends!