Keeping up with Hope Center

We are finished with camp, kids left yesterday.? It all happened very fast, but we had time to say and hug good-bye at breakfast.? I think most kids are kind of in shock, this was like a "Disneyland" experience for them, and now they go back to their lives in institutions or in homes with abusive situations?or non-existant care due mostly to alcoholism.? We heard some extremely sad stories from the counselors last night?what the kids shared with them what their lives are like.? Since we don't speak Russian we don't understand when they try to tell us.? One boy's father killed his mother.? One boy was beaten continually and?tried to run away?twice.?He?lived with an alcoholic father.? One day he beat his father with a rod and thought he killed him so ran away again.? They put him in prison for 2 weeks at age 14.? Many of the kids get very little food and tried to hoard the bread we have at each meal.? Some of them said they get no food at home, only from neighbors who try to help.They also tried to hoard craft supplies, like beads or wiggly eyes in their pockets.? They don't know better and have nothing.?We are glad we didn't know those stories while they were here.? We just loved on each one, watched for the ones who stayed on the fringe and tried to draw them in.? Even though it seemed like they weren't listening at times, it was obvious at the end that most of them understood the message of God's love for them, His desire to protect them and live inside them.? They learned how to talk to Him wherever they are.? We are trusting now that the message through God's word, the songs they sang repeatedly, and our love will stay with them and God's spirit will continue to speak to them.

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Gretchyn and Caleb did great with their first time in Ukraine.? The food is not always what we are used to eating.? Lots of noodles, potatoes, white bread.? We did get a piece of fruit each day, along with tomatoes and cucumbers at every meal.? And we could walk to the sidewalk market to get more fruit if we wanted. And ice cream, that happens to be the closest little shop to Hope? Center.? Wonder why they put that there!

Caleb was involved in everything, he volunteered whenever they asked for volunteers for a skit or to be at an activity station.? He was amazing!? And the team and kids all loved him.? Gretchyn always had girls hugging her as they walked from place to place.

It has been hot and humid, but we slept in cooler rooms. so that helped.? Today we leave, but the few that are left will head to the beach for one more swim.?? I hurt my knee so yesterday and today I am resting it for the trip home.? Barry is meeting with Andre today about some renovations, what is the next project, etc.? He does so well with all of this because he has been here so many times.

For those of you who know Mama Natasha, we get to have dinner at her home in Simferopol tonight and fly to Kiev early in the AM.? She and her husband have a family style orphanage- what a gift to those kids to be in a Christian family setting.

I have loved the experience of being with the children.? What an amazing God, to provide this time and these people and this place!!!? May He continue to use it for His Glory!

Love Barb

Source: http://fluthathopecenter.blogspot.com/2012/07/we-are-finished-with-camp-kids-left.html

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