CHAPTER 8: YAKIMA, WASHINGTON

It was a beautiful drive through Montana, Idaho, and into Washington. I had forgotten that the eastern part of Washington is desert.  When we came over a hill, Mt. Rainier was visible against the blue sky. It was like a huge white volcano against the horizon.

In the middle of this desert, nestled in a valley was the town of Yakima. We were giving a concert at the West Valley Church of the Nazarene, where the pastor Holland Lewis, was a former college friend of Roger’s. From the moment we entered the church, there were people there to greet us and help us.  They showed us spacious rooms where the choir and orchestra could leave their suitcases and dress for the performance.

The arrangement on the platform was quite unusual. The choir was off to the right on permanent risers. The orchestra was on two levels in the center of the chancel. The church had set up a screen in the large narthex to broadcast to an overflow crowd, but it was not necessary as the spacious sanctuary was enough for all the crowd that came that night. 

The dinner was served by the church in a large fellowship hall: roast pork, applesauce, corn on the cob, peas, potatoes, and homemade borscht.  Blueberry cobbler crowned the delicious meal as dessert. The choir and orchestra applauded the chefs who were led by Mrs. Carpenter. They were delighted with the food, though they didn’t know what applesauce was.

We were out of calendars tonight, as we had sold all the ones shipped express from Orlando. I signed many books at my signing table. Many people were interested in helping the widows.

As Roger came to the podium, the congregation stood up and clapped. That was a first! In fact the standing ovations continued after almost every number.

One of the young female singers came to me and said, “Why do Americans like their air so cold?”  I had not even noticed the air conditioning. “I don’t know,” I said. “Maybe because it feels cleaner?”  The girl told me she had a sweater on her chair in the sanctuary, so it was okay with her. It was just that air conditioning is not something she is used to.

As the night progressed, my coughing got worse and worse. I tried alternating water and cough lozenges.  During the intermission, I had to turn away several times in fits of coughing. By the end of the concert, I was miserable. Holland and his wife Mary, took me home, and prepared some hot tea and a warm bath for me. Then they took Roger away for a dessert party. I was happy to soak in the tub, breath in the steam, and then retire to bed with a handful of cold medicine tablets, some store-bought and some homeopathic.  I hardly heard Roger when he came home, and I slept like a log all night.

The next morning the KSOC sang in worship at the Nazarene and Presbyterian churches.  I stayed home in bed trying to get well.  Roger and his friend Holland shared the preaching and told the story of how Roger and I went to Kiev in 1992 and were called to move there in 1993.  The theme was “God Moves in Mysterious Ways His Wonders to Perform.” The congregation usually sings worship songs without hymnals, but since the KSOC was leading the congregation in the hymns, “All Creatures of Our God and King,” “Rejoice the Lord is King,” “Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah,” and “Praise to the Lord the Almighty,” the needed to use their hymnals. Roger held up the hymnal that was in the pew and told them, “Get out your hymnals. This is your history.”  Valentina Yenichek, one of our singers, prayed in worship. It was a great service, and the KSOC was impressed with the heart-felt singing of the congregation, something unique in American churches.

Holland’s wife Mary is a concert pianist, and his daughter is a famous contemporary Christian music singer.   After church, Mary entertained us with the song “Happy Birthday” in the style of various classical composers.

We left Yakima, so thankful for the hospitality of the West Valley people. They certainly know how to make a group feel welcome. The love they gave our Ukrainians is already showing on the countenances of Ukrainians. There is nothing like love to soothe the tired heart of the traveler.

With Eleanor driving, we were on the road again, through the mountains to the apple capital of the world, Wenatchee, Washington.

CHAPTER 9: WENATCHEE, WASHINGTON

As we entered the town of Wenatchee, we had passed through acres and acres of apple trees, peach trees, and cherry trees.  The town was an oasis in the middle of a forest, surrounded by desert. Eleanor dropped us off at the hotel. I was still ailing from my cold, and I was grateful that I was the only one who is sick. Better me, than a Ukrainian!

When we reached the church, I heard that one of our singers, Max, had broken his wrist playing tag at one of the rest stops, and was still in Yakima having surgery. Irina Loktionova had stayed behind as his translator. They would be meeting up with us in Oregon.  The doctor and the hospital had waived the fees of the operation. God is so good! We will choose some nice gifts from our sales tables to show our appreciation.

Again, Roger and I arrived just before the concert. Brenda, Marcia, and Eleanor, with the help of the Ukrainians had everything set up and ready to go. What a team!

Tonight we had an extraordinary audience. The Wenatchee Free Methodist Church had a wonderful sanctuary for music, with a large balcony, and the place was packed! The congregation was well acquainted with Ukraine as many of their people had traveled to Rivne, Ukraine, to help with a mission there, and a brass group from the church called “5^th Street Brass” had performed in Ukraine.

Dozens of people came to me at my table, to say “Thank you! Thank you for bringing this quality music to our town.” Roger also reported that many came to him after the concert saying, “This was the greatest musical experience of my life!” 

The next morning, we received a desperate call from Dick Beckman in Mesa, Arizona. He is having serious problems finding homes for our people on October 3 and 4.  Dick is the treasurer of Music Mission Kiev, and the concert is at the Love of Christ Lutheran Church.  If you are in this area, and could keep a couple of Ukrainians, please call us at the office 1-800-467-5051 and help us out.

We met some supporters of Music Mission Kiev at the hotel, Jim and Millie Mosher, who are retired, and they were so excited about keeping two of our basses in their home last night.  They had such a good time together, even exchanged e-mail addresses, and promised to write.  Concerts are great times, but that is only half the story. The times shared with Ukrainians in your home is the other half of the joy!  Don’t miss out! 

Eleanor arrived at the hotel at 11:30, and we began the trip west. The buses were already on their way to the great western city of Seattle, Washington.

 CHAPTER 10: SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

As we neared Seattle, we could surely see that we were out of the desert. Green lawns and beautiful flowers were everywhere, and the sky was clear blue, something unusual for Seattle’s rainy reputation. In fact, the city of Seattle was in a heat wave, so they say.

We arrived at the University Presbyterian Church, near the University of Washington. Our Ukrainians had a good time walking the streets near the university and enjoying the pleasant weather.

Luba Kanuka, our alto soloist, finally had a black dress to wear in the concert. They had found it on a Nordstrom’s clearance rack, and after a few alterations, it looked fabulous on her. We can thank Marcia Johnson enough, wife of our U.S. Administrator Randy Johnson, for finding what Luba needed.
Roger and I were staying at the home of Gene and Diane Lemcio. Gene is Ukrainian, and this lovely couple had been instrumental in introducing the KSOC to Seattle eight years ago.

There was a huge crowd at the concert, and the sanctuary was the largest yet. The acoustics were wonderful. The audience warmly received our musicians. Many of them already knew us from visiting Music Mission Kiev two years ago when the choir came to perform with our musicians.

Also present was our principal guest conductor Wes Jensen, and his wife Kim, and their three children Johnny, Kristina, and C. J.  Wes and his family are from Vancouver, Canada, and they will be coming to Kiev in January for their sabbatical from college teaching to conduct the KSOC and lead the mission, while Roger and I travel the United States, fundraising for four months.

Wes brought a busload of Canadians to the concert from the various choral groups that he conducts. They had also been in Kiev and gave a concert there with our orchestra. It was good to see them again.  In many ways, this concert was like a reunion.

Our niece, Michelle McMurrin Park, was there with her daughter Bethany. They live in Seattle, and we rarely see them.

Roger’s college roommate Darrell Grothaus came to the concert, and a former student, John McGilliard.

With all of these friends it is frustrating that our time is so short to visit. Therefore, Roger invited all of them – the Lemcio’s, his niece and daughter, his college roommate, his former student, and Wes Jensen’s family to join us for pie and ice cream afterwards.

We were in six different cars, and formed a caravan to find a place for dessert.  It was after 10 pm and almost every place was closed. But Roger and Gene Lemcio headed up the brigade and led us up and down the hills, across the bridges, round and round the streets of downtown for about 30 minutes. Nothing was open. And miraculously we all made it through green lights that seemed to bow to our presence. Finally we gave up on dessert, and pulled up at a Dick’s Hamburger Place.  Dressed in formal attire we took over the restaurant, as the young people with tattoos and backpacks, were repulsed by our friendly conversation. They disappeared into the darkness.

The boy who was working at the counter said, “Wow! This is a great night!”  I guess it was because he had some customers who really wanted to buy something.  Dick’s Hamburgers have been in business longer than McDonald’s, and the burgers were delicious.  Roger had three hamburgers, an order of fries, and a vanilla milk shake. 

Though it was only 11 p.m. when we got out of the restaurant, the street looked like it was it was 3 a.m. People in Seattle must go to bed at least two hours earlier than the rest of the country.  A row of taxi cabs had parked at the restaurant which stayed open until 2 a.m.

We said goodbye to our friends. Wes and his family would be driving back to Vancouver that night, as Kim had to teach in the morning.  It was all too short, and when you are with a group of friends you rarely see, it is hard to have a meaningful conversation with any of them. But we will return to Seattle someday without the KSOC and be a little more “focused.”  But we are glad that we had this time together.

The next morning Roger was still sleeping at 8:30. With only three hours to our concert site near Portland, we would take some time to relax. Eleanor was with the buses touring the city, and Roger and I were on the road by noon to Tualatin, Oregon.

 ***For more Tour Tales go to the home page and click on Chapters 11-13***