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Visit Ukraine with Edgar Stoesz

September 19 - 28, 2011

Remains of Alexanderwohl Mennonite Church

With tour leaders Edgar Stoesz & Audrey Voth Petkau

This tour takes you to Ukraine to explore the Mennonite story from the past, through the present, and into the future. First, you will explore the past history by visiting some of the Mennonite colonies in the Zaporozhye district. Then the present will be seen by fellowship with the Zaporozhye Mennonite Church. Finally you will see the work of Mennonite Economic Developments Associates (MEDA) in Ukraine and will have the opportunity to dialogue with MEDA staff, visit MEDA clients, and learn about the MEDA Agricultural Marketing program designed to move Ukraine farmers from poverty to self-sufficiency. It will be interesting to see how Mennonites were involved in agriculture in the colonies, and now are once again involved by helping Ukrainian farmers become self-sufficient.

Click here to read past blogs about this tour.


Monday & Tuesday, September 19 & 20
The group will depart from Washington/Dulles on an overnight flight to Vienna and then connect on to Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine. We will arrive on Friday afternoon and drive to Zaporozhye and our hotel.

Chortiza historic oak tree
Chortiza historic oak tree
Wednesday, September 21
This morning we will visit Zaporozhye and Chortiza, beginning with storytelling under the historic oak tree where Mennonites first settled. We will visit the cemetery and then will enjoy traveling by boat around the Island of Chortiza. We will also enjoy fellowship at our hotel with members of the Zaporozhye Mennonite Church.

Thursday, September 22
Today we will set out on an exploration of the Mennonite story in Ukraine in some of the former colonies in the Molotschna area including Petershagen, Halbstadt, Gnadenfeld and others. We will see former estates, churches, mills, factories and schools, as well as visiting the newly-established Mennonite Center.

Friday, September 23
This will be a free day to explore Zaporozhye on your own. You may choose to shop, meet with Mennonite Central Committee representatives, have a rest or travel with a local guide to one of the Mennonite villages of special interest to your family.

Alexander's roadside stand
Alexander's roadside stand
Saturday, September 24
Today we will be introduced to Mennonite Economic Development Associates’ Ukraine Horticuluture Development Project (UHDP). This is MEDA’s agricultural production and marketing project targeted towards poor farmers. We will visit MEDA clients on our drive through the farmlands on our way to Yalta on the Crimean Black Sea coast.


Livada Palace in Yalta
Livada Palace in Yalta
Sunday, September 25
We will enjoy a tour of the historic city of Yalta, and will see Roosevelt Street, Livadia Palace, Chekov’s house and other sites. Yalta has a warm Mediterranean climate with many vineyards and orchards in the vicinity.

Monday, September 26
We will depart from Yalta and travel to the city of Simferopol this morning, visiting the mosque and the monastery among other sights and will learn about Tartar culture. In the afternoon, we will fly to Kiev, the capital of Ukraine.

St. Sofia's Cathedral, Kiev
St. Sofia's Cathedral, Kiev
Tuesday, September 27
Today’s tour of Kiev will take us to St. Vladimir Cathedral, Kiev’s Perchersk Lavra, and the Museum of World War II. You will have some free time this afternoon to explore on your own, to rest or pack your suitcase. Kiev’s history and beauty will be a nice way to end our visit in Ukraine and in the evening we will have our farewell dinner.

Wednesday, September 28
On Wednesday we will depart Kiev for North America via Frankfurt. Our journey in Ukraine will be a trip to be long remembered.

For further information regarding the complete tour fare, please This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . We would be happy to be of assistance.
 
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