Paul and Joana Lasante teach at the Bible College in L’Viv and provide pastoral mentorship to the students during their studies and after they graduate and return to their towns and villages. Just over a year ago Paul and Joana adopted 2 brothers of Ukrainian descent, Sasha and Dima. Not only have they faced the challenges of becoming new parents but of learning to guide two young boys who have never experienced the stability of a healthy family life during their formative years. The boys are already becoming conversant in English, are developing their athletic and manual skills, and are settling into the routines of a loving and responsible family. Our highlight was caring for the boys so that Paul and Joana could have a break – an afternoon and evening of relaxation and conversation with each other, their first in many months.
Once we discovered how close we were to the town and village area where Dan’s maternal grandmother and grandfather grew up, Paul and Joana were kind enough to take us for an excursion to see the area and meet some of the local residents who remembered when the ‘German-speaking families’ had once lived in the village.