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Today was a lot of fun! We played with the kids in numerous ways. The younger children did crafts making toy sail boats out of wine bottle corks and a wind chime with sea shells and sticks. We set up a ropes course element for the older kids. Check out the pics! They got such a kick out of this! In the afternoon we put on things for the kids called "master classes". Jon taught Kung Fu to the kids... Many of them are now running around and think they are ninjas! Other master classes include volleyball, photography, make-up and nails, and art. The kids are especially enjoying the arts classes... Some of the team members have even received some of their masterpieces. Uno is also quite big game here! Unfortunately the kids have their own rules... Arguing with them about it is pointless! Although, Janine has proven to hold her own at Uno for sure! One of the older kids' favorite pass times is volleyball. While they are waiting for their time to eat they will usually gather in a circle and hit the ball around. If they are feeling especially playful they will play a special form of volleyball where anyone who makes a bad hit or pass must get in the middle and the only way out is to get pegged with the ball. Let's just say a few of us have some bruises. And, of course, there is soccer (but don't call it that here, people won't understand you. Here it is football). Jon T. and Nate have gotten a kick (haha) out of playing with the big boys, and the rest of us have a great time playing soccer with the younger kids and teenage girls. If there is one priority in this camp it is football! It has been so very fun to play with them!
We are so thankful for the Ukrainian and Russian speakers on our team! They have carried the rest of us in terms of communicating verbally with the kids. This has made this particular trip unique! Too many conversations to list have occurred... Make sure to check out the Stories of Mission Night to hear them!
Last night it set in that we have built some really special relationships with these children and we will soon be leaving in four days. That will be a hard day to say the least! This brings up many different emotions that we will post on the blog later...
A few of us are a little sick (nothing serious). Please pray for sustained health and energy for those not feeling 100%. The Gospel has and will continue to be discussed with the children. Our prayer is that they would come to know Christ as their Lord and Savior! That they would understand what it means to be saved by Grace alone! That their skewed view of what a father is would be reclaimed as a title for their Father in Heaven who loves them and will never forsake or abandon them! God first loved us... Therefore we love these kids.
Blessings!
-The Ukraine Team