Team Arrival and Prayer Updates

Today the team arrived. Sergey and I picked up the majority of the team from the airport a little before 4 pm and then waited for the remainder of the team who arrived about 2 hours later. This picture is of us waiting by our bus. While waiting we had ice cream.

We then traveled almost 4 hours back to Hope Center. With two "interesting" restroom stops. The team is very tired although super excited to be here. So after arrival and eating supper at 10pm they are going to sleep.

Prayer Updates: Praise God and thank you for your Prayers! Matt and Sarah's Extension has gone through so they do NOT have to leave tomorrow. As for the team member who had medical problems almost restricted her from coming, the medical issue has seem to melt away. Please Continue to Pray for Arianne, she would like to join us. however all the flights are booked for 2 weeks. Pray for her to decide if she would like to come with the next team if they can find flights at the time.

Prayer Updates

Thank you for your prayers. Especially for Arianne, she has decided to come to Ukraine after the Funeral. She is a trooper and really still would like to follow God's calling to be here. However now we need prayer for openings on flights as all flights are full. I will keep you updated on the status of this. However, please continue to pray for her throughout the trip, as I'm sure it will be a very difficult time.

On a different note in the last two days, I have just been prepping for camp stuff. I am almost ready, which is good because I only have one more day to prep.

Pray! Pray! Pray!

From the beginning of this trip, I have seen God work in amazing ways. He has hand picked amazing people to work here and be here, and I know that He is going to do miraculous things at this camp this summer. However, the spiritual warfare very real and very evident and your prayers are greatly needed. Please pray for the things that God places on your heart as often he lays something on your hearts before I can even tell you about it. But in any case just Pray, pray as often as you remember us. Here are a few things to pray for.

1) The Gaws: Matt, Sarah, and Campbell: First, You can only stay in Ukraine for more that 3 months if you get an extension. The person who is in charge of this and who has been working with us quit. We now have to deal with someone who is new, doesn't know us and apparently likes to do things by the book. On Thursday, Andrey goes to Simferopal to get this extension. However, if it is denied, the Gaws must fly hope on Friday. If they choose to stay and pay the fine, they will be black listed and once they leave they will not be allowed to come back to Ukraine for 5 years. Pray for God to miraculously grant this extension. Second, pray for their health. Satan has been trying to physically break them down all year, as they are repeatedly dealing with illnesses. Which is a rare thing for them.

2) Pray for the team: We have had many unexpected situations change the dynamic of the team. First, one person's job changed unexpectedly and could no longer come. Second, one team member received some medical news that may still prevent her from coming. Please pray for this to be a false alarm, or pray for God's miraculous healing, or pray that at the very least the timing is still OK for her to come. Third, pray for Arianne! Arianne has just lost her sister due to a car accident. Do to this she will not be leaving with the team on Wednesday. Pray for her and her family and her sister's five children in this very hard time. Arianne, was looking forward to this trip so very much. Every time she talked of her her eyes would beam with excitement. Pray for her to make a decision if she will join the team after Friday, or if she needs to stay home.

3) Pray for the staff at Hope Center: Pray for them as they still are dealing with the lost of their coworker last week, and also to protect them from all the other things that Satan is distracting them with. I don't know all the stories, but Sarah tells me that this year has been especially hard on many of them for various reasons.

4) Pray for the Kids: I truly believe that God is going to do amazing things in these kids lives this next camp. For many months now I have had the conviction that God is going to move in these kids live in ways I can only imagine. With that often comes some of the most challenging camp experiences. Last camp was very difficult - and God moved in amazing ways and many kids made first time professions of faith. Pray that God starts softening these children's hearts today. Pray that He protects them from all of Satan's distractions. Pray that they will clearly hear God's voice. Pray that they will respond and join God' Royal Family.

5) Just Pray! We need your help, you are just as important in this ministry as those of us who are here. God can do anything. Even though he doesn't need us to work, He wants us to rely on Him and therefore often waits for us to reach out to Him in prayer before acting. Please join us in praying that God displays His power in these kids lives at Hope Center this year. And please join us in Praising Him for all that He does and is doing already!

Water Park

On Sunday we went to a water park in Sudok. Of course I don't really know where this is. Somewhere between Feodosia and Simferopal on the Black Sea, for those of you who are more familiar with Crimean Geography. Which means that we drove 2 1/2 hours to play in the water for 3 hours and drive back for 2 1/2 hours. However it was a blast. We joined many of the counselors or Hope Center Staff and their families. Total their were 28 of us. We rented a bus. Ate lunch, which mostly was snacks, on the bus, and played cards to entertain us on our ride. Just as we arrived the clouds came rolling in. But we weren't about to let that stop us.

It was a joy to spend this time with our Ukrainian friends and build those relationships. I think everyone reverted by to childhood as we ran from slide to slide. Of course the favorite slide for everyone had a long line. It was also a partner slide so one person would stand in line while the other ran to another slide. They would come back while you ran to another slide, and this continued until everyone it was their turn to go on the partner slide. In fact one time I got in line with no partner at all and by the time we were done, I had 3 partners and on person in our line grew to almost our entire group. Apparently cutting in line is no big deal here. As long as the person lets you in it is fine. I felt bad for the people behind us, but they didn't seem to mind. So all day long we just found someone we knew in line and cut in. This was the tallest slide and at the top you could see that we this place is set in a cove at the bottom of mountains on the edge of the black sea. It was beautiful, but I can't take a camera down a water slide so I don't have a picture.

They had a total of 8 slides, 1 pool with fountains, and a kiddy pool with 3 slides plus fountains here. On slide went so slow, I got stuck in the middle and had to push myself down. But still got hit by the person behind me. Another slide (the kind that just go straight down). The guy at the top was trying to give me directions. I understood sit, but the rest I didn't understand. A soon as he realized I didn't get it, he shrugged his shoulders and shoved me down the slide. Another slide (innertube slide) they told us to keep our butts up, so we don't bottom out. Of course that was also in Russian and I didn't understand so I didn't follow those directions. I got yelled at for messing with the fountain in the pool, and although I didn't know all the words, I totally understood - but almost pretended not to. In any case even though I didn't understand a lot. I had a blast! And most importantly, build some stronger relationships with some of the Ukrainian staff.

4th of July Celebration

Sorry I haven't posted in a couple days. The first couple days seemed just more of the norm. On the 2nd, we continued deep cleaning the craft room during the days and then played games in the evening.

On the 3rd, we went to the sea in the morning. This actually had a couple of purposes. First to relax. But most importantly, the other organization that is here now is hosting a camp for the kids from the Kerch Internat. This is the big, "state" run, orphanage in town. Many of these kids have come to one of our camps in the past and know some of us interns or know Matt & Sarah from different ministries that were done throughout the year. The kids had a hard time figuring out why we have not been involved in their camp. Why Matt doesn't come to do bedtime stories, etc. They have been asking for time to spend with us. So we went to the sea during their swim time to spend time with them.

On the 4th we went to the super market to get our celebration food for later that evening. In the afternoon we held our church service because Sunday we are going out of town. Tommy was our music pastor and Matt again did the "sermon." We talked about Forgiveness. Next we will have a little more of a bible study formate as each of us is going to do some reading about selflessness and bring to the group what God has put on our heart.

In the afternoon, we prepared for our evening cookout. In addition to preparing the food, we decorated with an American Flag, and a red, white, and blue paper chain. We had marinated chicken, and veggies on the grill. Sarah, Meghan, and Tommy made a fruit salad. I cut a watermelon up to look like a basket. Sergey was in awe has he had never seen someone do something like this to a watermelon. It wasn't even done well, but I guess it is only something we do in the States. Perfect for a 4th of July celebration. We made Ranch Dressing, which also doesn't exsist here. and I made Punch. Normally we make this with Kool Aid, orange juice, and Sprite. But at the store we accidentally grabbed the grapefruit juice instead. It made it a little interesting. But it worked.

After dinner we invited the Ukrainian Staff for ice cream with raspberries and some type of berry that is "blue." Not to be confused with blueberries and they definitely were not that. They wrote up a small "speech" to congratulate us on our celebration. Then requested that we say our pledge of allegiance and national anthem. So we did. Apparently this is quite amazing as no one here can sing their own national anthem. And they joked about the fact that their president may not even be able too. Some of us struggled a little with our words, but together we figured it out just fine.

We played a game waiting for it to get dark, and then pulled out the red, white, and blue glow sticks (which all night long I kept calling glue sticks -- I guess I have been spending too much time in the craft room.) And build a fire to make s'mores. Only we didn't have any cookies (which we use instead of graham crackers - they taste similar). So it was just marshmallows and chocolate. Worked for us.

Funeral

Today I attended the funeral of a precious woman. When I think of her Matthew 5:5, 8 comes to mind, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth...Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." She had such a quiet spirit, and beauty that radiates from inside. I wish I had a picture of her to show you, but I do not. 

The funeral was unlike ours in many ways, but then again the funerals at our church are unlike most even in the states.  It was a very silent time.  There "visitation" is outside their house.  People come and pay their respects in much the same way we do, but their is no one going to the back to talk about memories, or really to comfort each other, just silence. After, we went to the cemetery.  There was a whole row of dug graves. A pastor said a few words and then prayed. People closest to her kissed her forehead before the casket was nailed shut and lowered into the grave.  The women all put handfuls of dirt over, and then all the men grabbed shovels to close in the grave. The whole time silence.  I understand this respect, but I found myself missing desperately our celebrations of life.  And being able to celebrate that our loved ones are with Christ, even while we mourn.

I was told that her son was at our first camp, but I didn't know who it was until I was at funeral.

 At camp he was often off by himself.  During interest groups once he came to mine, but wouldn't participate.  He watched us for almost an hour, before joining in. In small moments we found him truly enjoying himself. However, because of his behavior and severe disrespect for his mother he was sent home early.  Please pray for him, especially, as I can't even begin to imagine what effect his Mother's death will have on him. At the funeral he was very somber, as one would imagine, and yet he mustered a small smile as he said, "Hi" to me.  He was very polite to all, but needed to make sure that his counselor from this camp and I received some food.  As far as I could tell we were the only two he served. I am glad that I went if only to encourage him a little simply by being their - as I had no words to express my sympathy for them.

Please pray for this family, for her husband, son, mother and siblings.  Pray for understanding of this unexpected death.  Pray that some how God's light and hope shines through this dark situation. 

Life's Impact - (Renae's Helen)

Tuesday the camp that was renting the facility out left and the new team comes in the afternoon. We got a break from raking to franticly clean buildings again.  However, by the time I changed a few beds I was told that they had all the help they needed in that building, so I went to the next building to see what I could do to help. And lucky me, all they needed help with at the time was raking!  So I started raking again :o)  At least until...

I got a visit from a camper from my first trip!  Her name is Helen and she came by and asked, "Where's Renae?" She came to bring a letter for Renae who she connected with 6 years ago.  I am amazed at how much these camps mean to these kids.  She is now 20 years old.  She still has the friendship book that we made in craft time.  This is like a yearbook, where people write wishes and notes to you.  She turned to the page that I wrote and said "this is your hand." And she then pointed out all that Renae wrote then and to the letters that Renae sent afterwords that she taped into this book. She asked that I write in it again. And then she asked if I remember... as she listed many people from that camp 6 years ago that impacted her life. It amazes me how much God can do to make lasting impressions in just a few days.  Truly this is a miracle.