Camp 4 Day 1

Today the kids came. We have 91 with 4 more coming tomorrow. I think today was a difficult day for a large number of our kids. The first thing that they have to do is get checked out by the doctor. Mostly for lice. And a large number of children had lice so bad that they couldn't get rid of all the lice without buzzing their hair. So they had to choose buzz hair and stay or go home. We always have a couple of kids who have to buzz their hair, but today I saw over 6 and 5 chose not to stay. It is sad to turn kids away, but apparently this not a choice we have if they choose not to be treated.

On a more positive note. We have many kids who have been to camp last summer, and they remembered me. Asking immediately if I remember them. The good news is that mostly I do remember their faces, the bad news is I don't remember their names. I couldn't wait for us to finish the craft (name tags) so that I could see their names without having to ask.

Today we had many kids who were withdrawn, I tried to talk with a number of them, only to have them walk away from me or refuse to talk. Yet by the end of the day they were already opening up. One boy (who I asked his name 4 or 5 times and I still couldn't say it correctly) refused to talk with me, play in the games, and physically walked away a number of times, started participating in the games after a few hours. Another skinned up his knee, but refused to let me bring him to the doctor. But by the evening he allowed me to check his wounds to make sure they had been attended to (which they had) and he even volunteered to show me all the rest of his bumps and bruises.

I found craft time very interesting. I did most of the gathering of the kids attention in Russian, so when we started craft the kids just kept talking to me. And to my surprise I understood! What I though was so interesting is that they need so much assurance. The common theme in their conversation was, "Can I...?" They needed assurance. One part of the craft was to start a friendship book where we write messages to them in it. After I wrote in one, the child asked if it was OK for him to get another signature. Others asked to be dismissed. These may seem like little things, but here this is so uncommon for me to hear. Most often they just do. These children seem to need so much reassurance that what they are doing is OK. Maybe this hints as to their past.

For bedtime stories I go to the second oldest girls. We have about 13 girls, of which only 3 have been to Hope Center before (all three of those girls are called Nastya). The rest are all here for the first time and range from 8 years old to 14. I love the kids who are here for the first time! And to add to the blessings God brings. The girls invited me to sleep in their room. Although this request happens from time to time, I can't think of a time that it has happened on the first night.

I can only imagine how God is going to work in amazing ways at this camp. Please pray for all the children. Pray that they open up quickly and that they choose to make a commitment for Christ. Pray for the team, who is already doing a wonderful job. Of the 22 of them 19 are first timers to Hope Center. They are excited for camp and yet the days here get long very quickly. Pray for physical endurance, but most importantly pray for spiritual endurance, and to make the time to daily dive into God's word for strength and encouragement.