We could not wait to get to the orphanage today to see the kids for the first time. When we hit the last stretch of the ridiculously bumpy 1 1/2 hour drive, Steph, Mel and Linds shared a knowing look. The kids were only minutes away!
Our arrival was nothing short of a Hallmark moment, with the kids eagerly waiting for us and rushing to wrap us in hugs as soon as we walked in the door. The reunions were fantastic, especially for Steph, whose sponsor child, Kostya, showed up, even though he's already left the orphanage for tech school. That reunion in particular left most of us in tears--even Steph. It was a truly monumental morning.
This afternoon's VBS rotations started off with a bit of a hiccup. None of us paid attention to the time and we weren't sure what kids were supposed to be where, but the kids still had a blast, and one group even got extra lesson time. We've vowed that we'll do better on Monday.
One group of kids was particularly inquisitive about the Noah's Ark story told in lesson today, and asked questions like: "Why didn't the animals eat each other?" "Were there any baby animals born on the ark?" "How did the ark not break apart when it landed on the mountain?" Gina says she has a whole new appreciation for what Steph does in Club 56.
Partner tag went really well with every age group, and Shawn learned what a human jungle gym feels like in activity. Craft also went well, and we managed to protect the brand new desks from paint. As usual, the teachers also had fun making crafts with the kids.
We tried to get the kids to go outside for a walk but it was them who insisted it was too cold (it's 8 whole degrees here--we're not sure what the problem was).
In other news, we drank a LOT of tea today. It seemed that every time we turned around, our Russian friends were serving us tea. They're very hospitable, and we're so thankful.
On the ride home, Kathy smacked Stephanie in the chest with her bag because it was so dark. Thankfully, Stephanie is not injured and thinks she'll be able to participate tomorrow.
We spent the rest of the evening getting ready for tomorrow, including making sponsor gifts for the three new kids we met today. We're really looking forward to tomorrow with the kids. Good night, and keep praying.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Is Andrei Perminov there? We were told he graduated and left, but we wondered if he came back for this visit?
ReplyDeleteKelly and Alan Schmelzle
It sounds like you had an amazing first day, one filled with all the Love of God you could hold. He is good all the time and you are experiencing some of that good! Keep up the great work! Love the picture, Mel, of the little lamb that Nastya made! Hugs for her & all the other kiddos!
ReplyDelete