Week 2 Update

WEDNESDAY 6.12.13
Our patience has been tried a little more this week. When we arrived on Monday, we found out that the kids would not arrive at their camp until the next day. Later on that day we were told that they would not arrive until Wednesday. They arrived this evening (Wednesday), and we got to meet a few of them before supper. Most of them weren't very receptive, but I hope that will change tomorrow. They are from the city and this is their summer location. One of the girls said she doesn't like it at the summer location, that she feels like it's a prison.

One good thing that came out of the messed up schedule was that we got to work with another orphanage while waiting for our kids to arrive. While there, we saw two familiar faces; two of the children we had met at the "hospital" during our first weekend in St. Petersburg. (The hospital is where the children are first taken after being removed from their homes.) They "happened" to be placed in the orphanage we "weren't supposed to" work with.

The food at this place isn't as good nor as plentiful as the orphanage we stayed at last week. Also, it was nice to have all week with the kids last week, and stay in the same building as them. We got to form deeper relationships and were treated as guests. The place we're staying this week is a summer camp for kids with families. There wasn't room for us where our kids are staying, but it's just right down the road. We're treated a little more like intruders here except by a few of the kids that treat us like celebrities because we're Americans. We share two bathrooms with all of the kids and can't shower until they are all done, and the warm water is turned off as soon as it is our turn to shower. It's one thing if there is no hot water - we had to take cold baths our first weekend and I was fine with it, it felt like I was on an adventure - it's another when they turn the hot water off knowing we still have to shower...

We're a 10 minute walk from the Bay of Finland. We've been there twice and have taken some cool pictures and waded in the water. Hopefully I'll be able to upload some of the pictures when I get to France, if not before.

THURSDAY 6.13.13
Today went a little smoother than yesterday. We got to know the kids better and several of them actually seem to like us! Wish we had more than one more day with them. I also got a little warm water for my shower tonight! It got turned on just as I was about to get in the shower. I guess someone important needed it turned on.

FRIDAY 6.14.13
Well, we just left our 2nd week orphanages. I think we all got a hard dose of reality this week. It seems like nothing went like we planned, but I know none of it was a surprise to God. I'm very proud of my team! It's very humbling to be in a group with 6 amazing team members who are all 2-6 years younger than I am.

We did get some good conversations going with the kids. The group that was late arriving is used to a Buckner group coming every year and they had lots of questions about the Bible stories. Pray for all the kids that we've worked with - that God would send more laborers to follow up with them and continue to teach them about Christ's love for them - that they will one day trust Him as their Savior.

 I briefly mentioned Peter in the post I did last weekend. He is a great example for all the kids at the 1st orphanage. He is a big brother to all of them. He had a lot of good questions and we did our best to answer them. He's so close to trusting Christ, but is still mulling it over in his mind. I think we've all been praying for his salvation, not just for his sake, but also because we know what an amazing impact Christ would have on the entire orphanage through Peter. If you've been wanting something specific to pray for, pray for Peter to realize his need for a Savior, to recognize Christ as the only one that can fill that position, and to put his trust in Him.