New Website
You can find all Jono's news photos and more on his new website www.jonomiller.com
Tuesday, November 30, 2004
Camping outside the Presidential Palace in Marinsky Park in Kiev
Nov 30 2004 4:30 PM
I've just lit a candle cause its starting to get dark. Why do I need a candle? Because for the next few days I will be living in this tent outside the Presidential Palace in Marinsky Park. As I write it is -2 degrees.
I am in a camp operated by PORA, an organisation formed to fight for fair elections. This camp site is 3 days old & numbers 300 so far. Most people are sitll situated on Maidan Nezalozhnosti but there was no more room there for me.
Here everyone was very happy to have me. They gave me a tent, a pole for my NZ flag, warm food and offered me warm clothes.The cooperation and organisation is extraordinary. There are young and old - mostly from outside of Kyiv, working and living together.
As of today I have not heard the High Court's official ruling. But I'm here rubbing shoulders with people who care enough to see their country leave corruption and lies in the past. They want integrity from their government, pray that they will also want it for themselves. Pray for this country (and pray I don't catch a cold)!
Jono
I've just lit a candle cause its starting to get dark. Why do I need a candle? Because for the next few days I will be living in this tent outside the Presidential Palace in Marinsky Park. As I write it is -2 degrees.
I am in a camp operated by PORA, an organisation formed to fight for fair elections. This camp site is 3 days old & numbers 300 so far. Most people are sitll situated on Maidan Nezalozhnosti but there was no more room there for me.
Here everyone was very happy to have me. They gave me a tent, a pole for my NZ flag, warm food and offered me warm clothes.The cooperation and organisation is extraordinary. There are young and old - mostly from outside of Kyiv, working and living together.
As of today I have not heard the High Court's official ruling. But I'm here rubbing shoulders with people who care enough to see their country leave corruption and lies in the past. They want integrity from their government, pray that they will also want it for themselves. Pray for this country (and pray I don't catch a cold)!
Jono
Sunday, November 28, 2004
Kyiv Newspaper (in English)
For those who want an on the ground perspective here is a web address for a Kyiv Newspaper (in English).
Snowing
The first two photos are taken from my back porch, 1 two weeks ago and the second this morning.
The rest are various shots of the house in the snow.
Finally here is a shot of a number of guys who have just started coming to youth group and also attending a study with Ben for new believers or interested people.
The rest are various shots of the house in the snow.
Finally here is a shot of a number of guys who have just started coming to youth group and also attending a study with Ben for new believers or interested people.
An article on Ukraine Politics by Vlada
The following article was written by Vlada an Ukrainian friend. She is a 21 year old Christian and what she has written has summed up a lot of feeling of a lot of people here in this country.
Dear friends!
Ukraine needs your prayers so much!
What is happening here is incredible! For more than ten years our country has been submitted to criminal authorities. They haven't cared about people of Ukraine, all those deputies only robbed us and acted in their own interests; corruption has become something usual for us. At the end they decided to continue terms of their evil work and tried to falsify the Presidential Elections! People couldn't stand it. It was so clear that they forced and threatened people to vote for the candidate from the authorities, more then that they forged the bulletins we use here in our country to vote in several regions of Ukraine. The lie of the authorities is evident and clear.
That's why thousands of people all over Ukraine came to the streets of their cities to protest against such unjustness and lies. Our present president and his surrounding + the prime minister whom they want to be our president are responsible for all these. They try to convince the people that the elections were clear and just and they use everything to deceive people. Before that they used the Mass Media and told us stories, but one can't hide the truth. When all honest citizens of Ukraine shared their protest against this crime, journalists, militia men, soldiers whom evil authorities tried to use against us joined people and refused to fulfill criminal orders of liars and deceivers.
People are for the candidate from the opposition. They cry out his name "Yuschenko is our president" and "Kuchma get out" (Kuchma is our present president if some of you don't know). I haven't seen such unity among people of my country! Many of them have been staying at the central streets of Kiev for 5 days already and they won't go away till the authorities acknowledge that they lie to us. People came to Kiev from different cities and regions of Ukraine. They stay at the streets of Kiev days and nights and inhabitants of Kiev help them. They bring them food, water, tea, warm clothes, they all are so friendly. And this unity among them is something really incredible! But the authorities are still strong in deceiving people. Yanukovich (the candidate from the authorities) pays money to thousands of men to come to Kiev to support him. And it is dangerous because many of them are either drunk or look like they are criminals. Some people say, including the president, of a possibility of a civil war. But we all believe that the truth is on our side!
By the way, the candidate from the authorities was imprisoned two times! But he doesn't acknowledge that and promises it before God!
We don't know how and when it will finish. The political situation is very intense and criminal authorities try to divide Ukraine into to parts: the East and the West! They are ready for any actions not to loose their positions!
Please, pray for our country that piece and justness will dwell here. Pray for peaceful solution of this political crisis, pray for lives of people who stand for their rights and freedoms. Pray that there won't be any hints of a civil war! Pray for the hearts of the authorities so that they will realize their crime against their people. Pray that God's name would be glorified through this situation.
Nothing will change if we don't trust God. Let His glory be above our country, let His will be above us all, let His name be praised!
Please, pray for Ukraine!
With love!
Your sister in Christ.
Vladushka
Saturday, November 27, 2004
More Photos from Kiev Election Protests November 2003
I took some more pictures of Kiev yesterday.
The sun was out and it warmed up to +2 degrees
People are still out in force and trying to get to the Metro station was like cramming for the start of the Sydney City to Surf.
McDonalds is doing a roaring trade. Other shops (non food shops) are closing early. Universities are nearly all closed.
Pray that it stays peaceful, so far so good here in Kyiv.
Jono
The sun was out and it warmed up to +2 degrees
People are still out in force and trying to get to the Metro station was like cramming for the start of the Sydney City to Surf.
McDonalds is doing a roaring trade. Other shops (non food shops) are closing early. Universities are nearly all closed.
Pray that it stays peaceful, so far so good here in Kyiv.
Jono
Thursday, November 25, 2004
Pictures from Kiev post Election November 2004
I have taken a bunch of pictures in the last couple of days of the political rallies here in Kiev. Here are a few. This election stuff is just crazy.
Wednesday, November 24, 2004
Soccer in Ukraine below zero - Dynamo wins
Why do I do it? Because its fun.
I can name one Ukrainian soccer player. Andrei Shevchenko. I've been told he is the highest paid player in the world, but he doesn't even play for a Ukrainian club. Kyiv's club Dynamo is playing in the UEFA Cup and I can't name one player in the team. But that didn't stop me going to the soccer tonight. They call it football and they don't even use a football, they use a round thing and you aren't allowed to use your hands, but you are allowed to fall over and cry until the referee comes and wipes your eyes with his hanky. But this doesn't stop thousands of mad fans turning up in the freezing cold to watch their team play.
I put on two pairs of socks, thermal top, two beanies, gloves, scarf my thick jacket with hood pulled up and I still froze. It was 0 when I entered the stadium. There were people all over the field shovelling off the snow. It dropped to -1 and stayed there all game. Half way through the game the referee had to change from the white soccer ball to an orange one so it could be seen in the snow.
When I arrived I bought a 40 hr ticket from a scalper for 15 hr (less than $4). I was frisked about 5 times by police before even entering the stadium and then when I entered my bay there is one guy to check my ticket, two more police to frisk me again and about another 10 police for moral support or cluttering up the entrance or something.
The first half was boring 0-0. At half time I went in search of food, anything to try and warm me up. When I came back someone was sitting in my seat but I was happy to stand on the steps as sitting down gets your clothes all wet anyhow. A little while later a bored policeman tells me to sit down. I told him someone was in my seat. He said something else and I used the good old "I don't understand" line. He didn't like that and told me to 'come here' and motioned that he was going to send me out. But I wasn't going to him and he was too lazy to come to me so he sent one of his juniors who told me to sit in another seat. So I wiped the snow off the seat and perched on the edge of it. The guys next to me spoke English and welcomed me into their conversation and said to be careful with the police, because with the election they are all on edge and ready to make trouble for someone.
Two late goals to Dynamo saw the homecrowd of 50 000+ go home very happy (albeit cold and wet).
It's just because I love sport!!
I can name one Ukrainian soccer player. Andrei Shevchenko. I've been told he is the highest paid player in the world, but he doesn't even play for a Ukrainian club. Kyiv's club Dynamo is playing in the UEFA Cup and I can't name one player in the team. But that didn't stop me going to the soccer tonight. They call it football and they don't even use a football, they use a round thing and you aren't allowed to use your hands, but you are allowed to fall over and cry until the referee comes and wipes your eyes with his hanky. But this doesn't stop thousands of mad fans turning up in the freezing cold to watch their team play.
I put on two pairs of socks, thermal top, two beanies, gloves, scarf my thick jacket with hood pulled up and I still froze. It was 0 when I entered the stadium. There were people all over the field shovelling off the snow. It dropped to -1 and stayed there all game. Half way through the game the referee had to change from the white soccer ball to an orange one so it could be seen in the snow.
When I arrived I bought a 40 hr ticket from a scalper for 15 hr (less than $4). I was frisked about 5 times by police before even entering the stadium and then when I entered my bay there is one guy to check my ticket, two more police to frisk me again and about another 10 police for moral support or cluttering up the entrance or something.
The first half was boring 0-0. At half time I went in search of food, anything to try and warm me up. When I came back someone was sitting in my seat but I was happy to stand on the steps as sitting down gets your clothes all wet anyhow. A little while later a bored policeman tells me to sit down. I told him someone was in my seat. He said something else and I used the good old "I don't understand" line. He didn't like that and told me to 'come here' and motioned that he was going to send me out. But I wasn't going to him and he was too lazy to come to me so he sent one of his juniors who told me to sit in another seat. So I wiped the snow off the seat and perched on the edge of it. The guys next to me spoke English and welcomed me into their conversation and said to be careful with the police, because with the election they are all on edge and ready to make trouble for someone.
Two late goals to Dynamo saw the homecrowd of 50 000+ go home very happy (albeit cold and wet).
It's just because I love sport!!
Ukraine Elections
You Have To See It To Believe It
On Sunday Ukraine had its second round vote for President. The top two contenders from the first round are voted for. Yanakovich, the incumbent Prime Minister has been officially declared the winner. He has been in jail for assault and rape. The election has almost without a shadow of a doubt been rigged in his favour with 100s of false ballot papers premarked for Him. The opposition candidate, Yushenko has a huge following and 1000s of them have flocked to Kyiv in opposition to the unfairness of this election.
Today I walked down Kreshatik, the main street in Kyiv and the whole street is closed to traffic and 1000s of tents are set up with little booths and loud speakers and rallying points all over the place. The temperature had warmed up to a cool 0 degrees celsius but the spirits of the people are high and many want to stay there til they see justice done. I was just sorry that I didn't have my camera with me. It was a sight to behold.
But more than just a sight, from a political point of view it would not be an understatement to say this country is in a crisis and there are already reports of brutality and bloodshed.
I hope to get down town again tomorrow and take some pictures.
Please pray for Ukraine's government.
Love Jono
Keep Looking Up
On Sunday Ukraine had its second round vote for President. The top two contenders from the first round are voted for. Yanakovich, the incumbent Prime Minister has been officially declared the winner. He has been in jail for assault and rape. The election has almost without a shadow of a doubt been rigged in his favour with 100s of false ballot papers premarked for Him. The opposition candidate, Yushenko has a huge following and 1000s of them have flocked to Kyiv in opposition to the unfairness of this election.
Today I walked down Kreshatik, the main street in Kyiv and the whole street is closed to traffic and 1000s of tents are set up with little booths and loud speakers and rallying points all over the place. The temperature had warmed up to a cool 0 degrees celsius but the spirits of the people are high and many want to stay there til they see justice done. I was just sorry that I didn't have my camera with me. It was a sight to behold.
But more than just a sight, from a political point of view it would not be an understatement to say this country is in a crisis and there are already reports of brutality and bloodshed.
I hope to get down town again tomorrow and take some pictures.
Please pray for Ukraine's government.
Love Jono
Keep Looking Up
RPD 24 November 2004
Tuesday, November 16, 2004
RPD 16 November 2004
Apologies for missing a couple of weeks - the hard drive on the laptop died and I lost a lot of data. Oh for a backup! Sigh..
RPD for 16 November 2004.
RPD for 16 November 2004.
Wednesday, November 10, 2004
Monthly Newsletter November 2004
November Monthly Newsletter available in PDF format.
