I promise more tomorrow...but these are what I got today!
//Stephanie//
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Monday, November 7, 2011
Team meeting...photo!
We are going over the schedule for tomorrow while Linds is typing tonights' blog post!
It was a whale of a day...photo!
Here we are trying to communicate that the wale must be guarded if we have to really go to tea...the kids cannot jump on it or play rough so we can return it to WCC Children's ministry!
A Whale of a Good Time
We started today in family groups at the orphanage, making thank-you notes and other gifts for sponsors back home. The kids were very excited to write back to their American friends, especially since they opened their sponsor gifts last night. Lots of kids chose to show off their artistic abilities and drew pictures for their sponsors as well.
Many of the kids brought little toys, jewelry or other gifts from their sponsor packets to play with and show off during the day. Several even carried their letters with them once they'd been translated. Though each kid is very different, you can really tell how important those little connections are for each of them.
In the afternoon, we broke out into rotation groups and taught the kids about Jonah and the whale. In activity, Shawn and Lindsay learned an important lesson about translating American sports to Russian kids. After a very fun game of whale tag, they decided to play baseball with the kids. The kids said they were familiar with the game, but it became apparent pretty quickly that they had no idea what was going on. It ended up being Shawn and Lindsay playing all positions while the kids watched in utter confusion. Who knew baseball was so hard to teach?!
In craft, Mel and Kathy made whale pillows with the kids out of felt and it turns out they're better at sewing than the Americans. The whole team spent yesterday's team meeting attempting to sew example pillows and complaining about how hard it was. Steph in particular was horrible at it and worried the kids would have a hard time. The kids, however, had absolutely no problem and ended up loving the craft.
In lesson, the kids got to sit inside an actual whale--well, not a real whale exactly, but a very large one made of trash bags that the team borrowed from the VBS team at Woods Chapel. It was a HUGE hit and so much fun for the kids.
Tomorrow is a new experience for the older kids--we're taking them bowling! We can't wait, and we're hoping they pick it up faster than baseball.
Many of the kids brought little toys, jewelry or other gifts from their sponsor packets to play with and show off during the day. Several even carried their letters with them once they'd been translated. Though each kid is very different, you can really tell how important those little connections are for each of them.
In the afternoon, we broke out into rotation groups and taught the kids about Jonah and the whale. In activity, Shawn and Lindsay learned an important lesson about translating American sports to Russian kids. After a very fun game of whale tag, they decided to play baseball with the kids. The kids said they were familiar with the game, but it became apparent pretty quickly that they had no idea what was going on. It ended up being Shawn and Lindsay playing all positions while the kids watched in utter confusion. Who knew baseball was so hard to teach?!
In craft, Mel and Kathy made whale pillows with the kids out of felt and it turns out they're better at sewing than the Americans. The whole team spent yesterday's team meeting attempting to sew example pillows and complaining about how hard it was. Steph in particular was horrible at it and worried the kids would have a hard time. The kids, however, had absolutely no problem and ended up loving the craft.
In lesson, the kids got to sit inside an actual whale--well, not a real whale exactly, but a very large one made of trash bags that the team borrowed from the VBS team at Woods Chapel. It was a HUGE hit and so much fun for the kids.
Tomorrow is a new experience for the older kids--we're taking them bowling! We can't wait, and we're hoping they pick it up faster than baseball.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Remember that eight degree weather we told you about yesterday? Well, we all started this morning taking a leisurely stroll in it to get to church, but with gusts of added wind. That is, the Americans took a leisurely stroll--our Russian friends were practically running, with us lagging behind at every turn.
We were waiting at a bus stop and Shawn borrowed Gina's earmuffs so he wouldn't mess up his hair with his hat. A Russian man behind us suggested Shawn wear a plastic bag on his head to stay warm, or let all the ladies around him each give him a kiss. Stephanie thought it was funny that a Russian man initiated conversation with us, especially on a public street. Apparently he couldn't resist making fun of Shawn either.
We enjoyed the Orthodox church service because it's such a multi-sensory experience. From the icons on the walls to the incense in the air to the angelic singing, it made the experience truly spiritual.
After church, it was back out in the cold to three different restaurants for lunch. We were trying to find a place that opened before 11 so we could meet the kids early, and we ended up in a German-themed sushi restaurant. Our lunch started with Greek salad, then sushi (don't worry Ryan, Lindsay didn't eat any), then borscht. Eclectic, but very yummy!
We rushed to the circus next and found the kids eating ice cream outside in the cold. We got to sit with the kids this year and experience the show with them. Everyone's favorite was the tigers at the end. They were equally scary and fun to see.
We headed to the orphanage next to pass out sponsor gifts, which is always one of our favorite moments of the trip. The thing the kids covet most is the letter in each packet. There was a line standing behind every translator as they all patiently waited for their letters to be read. Sergei brought up the new Sergei in his family group to Gina and asked if there was a gift for him too, because 'he doesn't have a an American friend yet since he was new.' We love seeing how excited they are about their American friends. An older Maxim surprised Steph when he pulled out his letter and wanted her to translate it for him. Once Koss was able to translate it, he was focused on the words coming out of Koss' mouth instead of the 'cool' older boys being distracting next to him. A younger Maxim had only his letter pulled out in front of him on the desk, patiently waiting for a translator to get to him. They also poured over their photos and wanted to know everyone's name in the photo, mostly so they can feel closer to their American friends. These are just a few of the amazing things we were blessed to witness while giving the kids their gifts and being an extension of their friends.
For the first time since starting to sponsor Velikoretskoye we were able to stay late after dinner. We watched Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of Dawn Treader in Russian. Several of the kids were very concerned that we wouldn't be able to understand it. We shared popcorn and spread out to love on our kids! Snuggling was all around, yet some Americans wished the kids would have sat still better instead of using them as a cuddle jungle gym...again. On a serious note, it is even more obvious this year how much some of our boys crave male attention and we are very grateful for Shawn on the team, even more so our new discipler,Koss.
We are very excited for our full day with them tomorrow, and are daily feeling your prayers for us, the kids and our time with them!
We were waiting at a bus stop and Shawn borrowed Gina's earmuffs so he wouldn't mess up his hair with his hat. A Russian man behind us suggested Shawn wear a plastic bag on his head to stay warm, or let all the ladies around him each give him a kiss. Stephanie thought it was funny that a Russian man initiated conversation with us, especially on a public street. Apparently he couldn't resist making fun of Shawn either.
We enjoyed the Orthodox church service because it's such a multi-sensory experience. From the icons on the walls to the incense in the air to the angelic singing, it made the experience truly spiritual.
After church, it was back out in the cold to three different restaurants for lunch. We were trying to find a place that opened before 11 so we could meet the kids early, and we ended up in a German-themed sushi restaurant. Our lunch started with Greek salad, then sushi (don't worry Ryan, Lindsay didn't eat any), then borscht. Eclectic, but very yummy!
We rushed to the circus next and found the kids eating ice cream outside in the cold. We got to sit with the kids this year and experience the show with them. Everyone's favorite was the tigers at the end. They were equally scary and fun to see.
We headed to the orphanage next to pass out sponsor gifts, which is always one of our favorite moments of the trip. The thing the kids covet most is the letter in each packet. There was a line standing behind every translator as they all patiently waited for their letters to be read. Sergei brought up the new Sergei in his family group to Gina and asked if there was a gift for him too, because 'he doesn't have a an American friend yet since he was new.' We love seeing how excited they are about their American friends. An older Maxim surprised Steph when he pulled out his letter and wanted her to translate it for him. Once Koss was able to translate it, he was focused on the words coming out of Koss' mouth instead of the 'cool' older boys being distracting next to him. A younger Maxim had only his letter pulled out in front of him on the desk, patiently waiting for a translator to get to him. They also poured over their photos and wanted to know everyone's name in the photo, mostly so they can feel closer to their American friends. These are just a few of the amazing things we were blessed to witness while giving the kids their gifts and being an extension of their friends.
For the first time since starting to sponsor Velikoretskoye we were able to stay late after dinner. We watched Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of Dawn Treader in Russian. Several of the kids were very concerned that we wouldn't be able to understand it. We shared popcorn and spread out to love on our kids! Snuggling was all around, yet some Americans wished the kids would have sat still better instead of using them as a cuddle jungle gym...again. On a serious note, it is even more obvious this year how much some of our boys crave male attention and we are very grateful for Shawn on the team, even more so our new discipler,Koss.
We are very excited for our full day with them tomorrow, and are daily feeling your prayers for us, the kids and our time with them!
Saturday, November 5, 2011
We're So Excited (and we just can't hide it)...And So Are the Kids!
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.
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.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Today's Wednesday, Right?
It's been the longest day ever. We got on our first plane on Wednesday morning and still haven't slept in a real bed. We'll be very ready for the twin beds in the hotel tonight. Thankfully, we did get a nice shower this morning so we smelled much better when we got to meet the translators for the first time.
We got to Moscow with all 21 bags (for our six-person team), but lost Lindsay's coat somewhere in the airport shuffle. She was excited about getting a stylish Russian coat though, so it all worked out.
We toured Christ the Savior church and Shawn was intrigued by the Russian open display of faith while praying with the icons.
Our first bonding experience as a team was on the rush-hour-packed Moscow subway. We all got a little closer than expected, literally. Melanie also learned to always keep your arms up when on a packed subway while around Russian gentleman. Also, Lindsay thinks the baby kicked someone from in utero.
We also went to the market to buy snacks and Shawn was a little disturbed by how familiar the rest of the team was with delicious Russian treats. Praise the Lord, he's now seen the light. He insisted on "hating" yogurt and is now talking about how delicious it is.
On the train, Shawn got to room with the nine checked bags weighing in at 50 lbs a piece while the rest of us roomed with live people. We all slept like babies, except for Steph, who discovered one leg is longer than the other. She swears from now on she'll be sleeping in the left-side bunk only.
When we arrived in Kirov and cleaned up, we visited a local tech school and new Children's HopeChest ministry center. Our team in Kirov is very excited about the ministry center and so our we. This is a huge step for this region because they're going to be able to reach orphans even after the kids have left the orphanage and are out on their own in the world. This could include many of our kids from Velikoretskoye.
After the tech school visit, we ate lunch at the team's favorite cafe in Kirov. We all had whatever Stephanie was having for dessert, except Shawn, who branched out and asked the waitress for the most enticing dessert on the menu, which just happened to be named "enticement."
We then bought the team supplies with limited rubles and declining credit cards. The workers at the second store thought Gina was crazy when she wanted to buy a fan in subzero weather, but they found one, and we were quite the sight walking down the streets of Russia carrying a fan and several large jugs of water.
We spent the rest of the day getting ready for the week, our bags spread out in the hallway to organize. A little boy from across the hall came out at one point and asked us a very well-rehearsed "What is your country?" We think his sisters put him up to it.
And now, we're off to bed. Our new discipler, Koss, who mentors the kids three times a month and brings them our letters, told us how excited the kids are to see us and we can't wait until our adventures with them start tomorrow.
We got to Moscow with all 21 bags (for our six-person team), but lost Lindsay's coat somewhere in the airport shuffle. She was excited about getting a stylish Russian coat though, so it all worked out.
We toured Christ the Savior church and Shawn was intrigued by the Russian open display of faith while praying with the icons.
Our first bonding experience as a team was on the rush-hour-packed Moscow subway. We all got a little closer than expected, literally. Melanie also learned to always keep your arms up when on a packed subway while around Russian gentleman. Also, Lindsay thinks the baby kicked someone from in utero.
We also went to the market to buy snacks and Shawn was a little disturbed by how familiar the rest of the team was with delicious Russian treats. Praise the Lord, he's now seen the light. He insisted on "hating" yogurt and is now talking about how delicious it is.
On the train, Shawn got to room with the nine checked bags weighing in at 50 lbs a piece while the rest of us roomed with live people. We all slept like babies, except for Steph, who discovered one leg is longer than the other. She swears from now on she'll be sleeping in the left-side bunk only.
When we arrived in Kirov and cleaned up, we visited a local tech school and new Children's HopeChest ministry center. Our team in Kirov is very excited about the ministry center and so our we. This is a huge step for this region because they're going to be able to reach orphans even after the kids have left the orphanage and are out on their own in the world. This could include many of our kids from Velikoretskoye.
After the tech school visit, we ate lunch at the team's favorite cafe in Kirov. We all had whatever Stephanie was having for dessert, except Shawn, who branched out and asked the waitress for the most enticing dessert on the menu, which just happened to be named "enticement."
We then bought the team supplies with limited rubles and declining credit cards. The workers at the second store thought Gina was crazy when she wanted to buy a fan in subzero weather, but they found one, and we were quite the sight walking down the streets of Russia carrying a fan and several large jugs of water.
We spent the rest of the day getting ready for the week, our bags spread out in the hallway to organize. A little boy from across the hall came out at one point and asked us a very well-rehearsed "What is your country?" We think his sisters put him up to it.
And now, we're off to bed. Our new discipler, Koss, who mentors the kids three times a month and brings them our letters, told us how excited the kids are to see us and we can't wait until our adventures with them start tomorrow.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Soon, very soon...
I just met with Marca Quinn and Michelle Cunningham who picked the short straws (just kidding, that actually volunteered!) and are in charge of making sure we have all the sponsor packets before we pack the bags next Monday. We leave in 16 days, and I can barely contain myself! I have missed these kids so much over the last year, and I cannot wait to see how much they have grown.
Our last team meeting is tonight, and we are talking about Fields of the Fatherless. If you haven't read it, you should! It is written by the president of Children's Hopechest, Tom Davis.
As our team prepares, we can still use your help. We still need donated items, and prayer partners for the team. If you are interested, please let me know!
I also wanted to let you know that on November 6, while the team is gone, Nadezhda Crew will still meet. Marca & Michelle are going to organize lunch, then you all will be praying for the kids, the team and any updates that I have sent them the night before. Please join them, because when we are out on a mission trip like this prayer is integral to our mission. There are so many elements that work together while we are ministering to these kids, but without prayer support, so many things would become chaos!
Baka!
//Stephanie//
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