Orphan

Sorry I have not posted in so long. I did not have any internet access in Ukraine. So here's the update! Odessa is a BEAUTIFUL city. We did not stay in Odessa however. Our place was an orphanage about thirty minutes outside of Odessa in a village called Ushni. I have many, many stories about this place some of which I will get into on this blog.

I misunderstood Randy when he told us we would be doing a creative ministries camp. We did not teach children how to be clowns and do puppets. We taught middle aged people how to do things such as juggling, magic, face painting, balloons, and makeup. This part of the trip was fun, frustrating, and very interesting at the same time. We had a good time teaching and having fun with these people and teaching them to use their talents to minister to kids across the Odessa region in orphanages and hospitals.

Our housing conditions were incredible. We stayed in an orphanage in Ushni, which is a village about 30 minutes outside of Odessa. There are 10 children living there. Yana's gorgeous smile, Irra's tender heart, Natasha's precious attitude, Peter's adorable laugh, Vicka and Valea's stunning eyes, Valea's cute freckles, Marina's laugh, Sasha's incredible work ethic, and Masha's captivating quietness all captured my heart almost instantly.

These children found out that we were walking back from the church we were working at (its about a 30 minute walk) and ran to us to walk back with us. Each time we came back from a session, they were there to greet us with a smile and hug and take our bags upstairs. As we were packing and preparing to leave on Tuesday night, they all came up to our room and gave us something of theirs to take with us. There were two in particular that stuck rather close to me. Irra and Yana. Irra and I developed a secret handshake, and Yana taught me how to count to ten in Russian. Yana and Irra teamed up and gave me a picture frame with a picture and a note from them in it. "I be bored without you! Our home always open with you and your friends!"

These kids just wanted attention, along with the ones we visited as clowns. I am amazed by what a handshake, counting to ten, and loving them can do. Not just for them, but for me. I was scared and lost in the world, without a father who could protect me eternally, but rest comfortably knowing that God loves those children along with me.