Woman Made for Me

                                                                                 By Mark Koehler
                                                                                 copyright 2005

Where are you, woman made for me?

I have come across an ocean, and also a sea,

Where are you, woman made for me?

For five long years you have been my search,

Are you waiting for me, possibly in a church?

Or maybe you have run away,

I am not a bad man, most will freely say.

I am not perfect by far.

But I don’t think that you will find many who are.

When will we find each other, or may it never be?

And if we do what will you see?

Will you see only my flaws?

If so, I have broken no laws.

Will my emptiness stare you in the face?

Or might you see me with God’s healing grace?

Many questions I have asked you,

Answers I have few.

My life is about uncertain pain,

With glimpses of joy, only a moment in the rain.

You could change the state that I am presently in,

I know that it is possible, though the probability might be thin.

But only if your heart is sure,

Should you even consider opening the door.

As you look in the mirror, if perfection is not what you see,

Don’t worry, what I want from you is a passionate love for me.

I say a passionate love, that is what I need,

I have a passion for you, indeed.

Is it something upon which your soul could feed?

Is this something that you want or need?

I know that if you accept my passionate love,

I know that you will find completeness that fits like a glove.

Come share my life with me,

Change my life to happiness, from misery.

Fill my emptiness with your love and life so free,

Where are you woman made for me?

Romance in a Relationship & The Healing Power of Massage

                                                            Written by Svetlana Kucher
                                                            Translated from Russian

     Romance – it renews feelings, provides a breath of fresh air. Romance inspires and puts a spring in the relationship between two people. A man or a woman must create a romantic situation for his or her loved one, the beloved.

     Romance – It is not only dinner by candlelight. Romance – it is work, and because of this, it reveals your true love for the other person. This love sacrifices itself, its own comfort, to give joy to another! Your efforts and your work will be rewarded when you see the eyes of your loved one shining that sparkle of love.

     For me, this magic moment occurred as I anticipated Valentine’s Day. Mark created a romantic rendezvous, a surprise meeting. I could not believe it. It was a wonderful experience.

     Do not let the hustle and bustle of your days overshadow the spring that romance adds to your life. Create for your favorite person a romantic situation. Let it bring joy and renewal to your life and that of your loved one.

The Healing Power of Massage

My mother has been sick and was feeling weak for some time. Last week she would not get out of bed. When Mark arrived, I told him about my mother. He suggested that I give my mother a massage. Immediately after the first massage, mother said that she felt better. This was very surprising! For such a long time I had not heard anything positive from my mother. With each massage, she felt better and better. For me, this was a first hand example of the importance and value of massage. There was no healing from medical pills; rather, this wonderful result occurred from a simple medical massage.

A Valentine Weekend

As Svetlana and I were saying our goodbyes after a wonderful weekend together, with sadness in her eyes she asked, “When will I see you again?” She was anticipating the beginning of her massage courses for recertification, and knew that this would require her full attention.

One week of nightly phone conversations inched by as I heard her low-spirited voice tell me, “I miss you, my Mark.” Learning that her course was not yet scheduled to begin, and realizing the upcoming day of romance, Valentine’s Day, would fall on Monday, after what would begin another week of “I miss you,” phone calls, I decided to surprise my Svetlana with a visit to her on the following weekend, preceding Valentine’s Day.

Under normal circumstances, I would have planned to visit for more than a weekend, enabling me to be with her on that romantic day. Unfortunately, I was in the middle of receiving a ten-day massage and needed to be back in Illichevsk for massage number six on Monday. I began making my plans. I would, of course, take my zero degree sleeping bag, a must for any of my winter travels in Ukraine. My new lamb’s wool sweater and long johns would be changed into after my Friday massage. In my mind’s eye, the process of my travel passed by, step-by-step. At 2:30 PM, I would take the bus from Illichevsk to Odessa. This late of a beginning would require the 4 PM rather than the 3:20 PM bus to Nikolayev, arriving at 6:30 PM. The final two steps would be, a 30 minutes ride on bus number 12, crossing Nikolayev, and then bus 102 to the village. It was a plan!

In our conversations, I asked Svetlana a number of times, “Will you be in the village at your parent’s home or at your home in Nikolayev on Friday?” It was settled; she would be at the village. But had she caught on to my plan?

Friday arrived and my emotion was high with excitement. So high, in fact, that after my massage I forgot to change into my warm clothes. All of my thoughts were focused on getting to my Valentine. Well, as fate would have it, I did not anticipate any problems or need for adjustment in my plans. Many things could have gone wrong in this journey encountering four different buses. And, of course, something did go wrong. I did not realize my dilemma until it was staring me in the face.

I had made every connection, and had arrived at the correct location to board my final bus number 102, but as I looked across the street, (the time being 7:55 PM), where this bus should have been waiting, the street was empty. I had missed the last bus to the village by about thirty minutes. Had my big surprise failed?

Helpless in the very cold temperature, there was nothing else to do. Unaware of what possible solution may be available, I called Svetlana. My LIFE phone service is not so good when calling to the village, and such was the case on this windy and cold night. When she answered, of course she thought that I was calling from Illichevsk. Svetlana answered with her normal “Hello my Mark, how are you?” After the normal reply, I said, “Svetlana, I have a problem; I missed the last bus to the village.” The signal was not so good, and we were cut-off a few times. In the process, she was thinking, “What is he talking about?” Finally, I explained my location and she understood, totally surprised and jumping with joy, as I learned later.

She arranged with her nephew to drive her to collect me at the Foxtrot store on the edge of Nikolayev. Svetlana has a smile that will light up a room, such is the meaning of her name, “light.” That night, as she walked to me from across the small parking lot, her smile was radiant! As we rode back to the village, we held each other tightly, expressing how happy we were to see each other! - Happy Valentine’s Day to all!

Friends and Family

During the past 7 years, I have developed an acquaintance with a shop owner here in Illichevsk. Igor spoke nice English, giving him a good start in business after the fall of the Soviet Union. He previously worked in Odessa outdoor markets and traveled to other countries to buy goods for sale in Ukraine. His family began to grow sixteen years ago, first with his daughter Marina, (now passionate about the English language) and then, a number of years later, a second daughter, and a little over a year ago, a son. His business has also grown, starting with one shop that provides a variety of products. I could buy items such as sandpaper, nuts bolts and screws, or light bulbs and extension cords. As his business grew, he separated the two major product groups, renting the shop directly across from his first.

Our friendship began when I needed to buy some building materials for a bookshelf. Not long after, I built a bed with drawers, and when the massage clinic began, I built a wooden ladder. Over time, I would stop in for one item or another, and we would chat. He was very proud of his growing family, particularly his first daughter, Marina.

When I visited the market last week to buy some light bulbs at Igor’s first shop, I walked across to the second shop to chat with him. We talked about a number of things, including his family, and finally our conversation turned toward my work. He wanted to understand exactly what this pleasant America did that kept him living in Ukraine for so many years. I did my best to share with Igor what my job was all about. I gave him my web address to see what I do.

Upon returning home, I realized that I had bought the wrong wattage light bulb. Realizing that I would see him again the following day, I prepared my business card, adding my blog address that has a blog translator gadget. This would enable Igor to read my blog and website in Russian.

The following day Igor was away when I arrived. I asked his clerk across the way to give my card to Igor, explaining that the web addresses were on the back. He, understanding my poor Russian, said that he would.

That night, I received a comment on my webpage from Igor’s daughter. They invited me to visit with them on Sunday, thinking that a walk by the sea would be a nice atmosphere. We set up the meeting time and place and were ready for a nice, well-translated conversation with the help of his soon to graduating daughter, Marina.

It was a beautiful day to be by the sea. The sun was shining brightly while an ordinary sea breeze scurried by; we tried to ignore the 40 degree F temperatures, talking above the sounds of the lapping waves. We talked of many things, all trickling down to one essential model. The family structure is the strength that will cause a country to succeed or fail. Family must be the heart, the foundation of every community.

Life for Others - A Wonderful Life!

                                                      Written by Svetlana Kucher
                                                      Translated from Russian
Six months ago, I met with Mark and immediately saw in his eyes, God's love. Love for the children of Ukraine.

Our first meeting occurred in the city of Nikolayev. Mark showed me pictures of children who are in the orphanage/boarding schools in the cities of Marganets and Dobromel. In addition, he showed me children suffering from cerebral palsy who receive massage treatments in the cities of Illichevsk, in the Odessa region, and Froonza in the Crimean region.

Mark showed me photographs of children and talked about each of them for almost 5 hours without a break. He knows the names of many of the children, their life situations and their problems. I wondered: how can he remember so many children?

Children of Ukraine are located in the heart of Mark. When he walks down the street and sees a child, he says, "Hello, how are you?” The children looked in amazement - a grown man to notice and take interested in them! Mark has devoted his life to the children of Ukraine. He gives them love, attention, time and financial support.

Mark is very fond of children. His is true love - sacrificial love. Mark shows his love giving his hearts to children in Ukraine.

Together with him, his Board of Directors and many sponsors are proof of the love for the children of Ukraine. These people live in America; they have not met with these children personally; they can see the children only in the photo. However, the American people share their hearts with the children of Ukraine. Part of who they are is devoted to the children. Their love for the children in Ukraine appears as financial help to meet some of the needs of the children living in the orphanage/boarding school. They have opened and operate massage clinics, where children who have Cerebral Palsy can receive massage through the qualified hands of medically trained masseuses, and masseurs.

Many Ukrainian people also care about the fate of these children; working together as a part of the MUCH team, they impart their love with the children of Ukraine. I think that this team becomes God's dream team when all team members, as a single body, harmoniously and selflessly are working for the future of the children. You too, can be on this team!

Life for others - it is more wonderful and beautiful than to live for yourself! The happiest people on earth are those who invest their time in others. The great psychiatrist, Karl Menninger, once asked what you could do for lonely, miserable person. He said, "Go out of the house; lock the door; go into the neighborhood; find the person that's suffering, and help him." Even if you think that you are happy - helping others, you will be even happier. Can you give a piece of your heart for children who need your love, children who are waiting for you?

Starting the New Year

Everyone begins the new year in a different way. Some make resolutions to improve their lives in one way or another; others may throw out the old year of disappointments and bring in the new year with a celebration. After celebrating so many new year days over so many years, this year was different. Minutes after the clock struck midnight, New Years Eve, bending down on one knee, I asked my Svetlana to be my wife. As I slipped a ring on her finger, she smiled and said, “Of course I will, my Mark.”

I have been looking for my Sveta for a very long time. She is more than I had imagined, but that is how it is when God provides. Sveta is a wonderful woman with many fine qualities. Most of all, she loves God first, me second, and the children of Ukraine third. Yes, what a blessing it is to marry a woman who wants to work by my side, helping the children of Ukraine improve their lives and learn about how God loves them.

Sveta also has a background in massage, wanting to use her knowledge to broaden the outreach of our work. As you can read in the newsletters and the MUCH website, massage for children with disabilities is a big part of our outreach. In the meantime, she practices her medical massage skills on me, having some similar needs as the children.

If our great adventure interests you, please follow our newsletter by clicking on the MUCH Newletters link on this page!