We arrived in Russia last tuesday and have spent the week in St. Petersburg. On Wednesday, we walked around the city a little and after lunch got to go to the crisis center. The crisis center is where kids are brought when they are new to the system. They go there when either the parents cant take care of them, someone finds them in the city without parents or any other situation which would cause them to be orphans. Once we got there, we first got to play with the babies. We took them outside for an hour, then went back inside to feed them. The center is extremely low on workers and volunteers so if no one comes to hold the babies, they are stuck in their cribs all day. After spending time with the babies, we went into a room with 3 girls and 1 boy (probably all in between the ages of 4-7). One little girl was crying and Olga, the lady in charge of us asked her what was wrong. She said "I want to go home, we all want to go home." We brought balls to play with and stories to read them. I played catch with one of the girls, Paulina while the others read a story and colored. They had such deep questions about God and the story they were reading. Before we left, Paulina gave me a sticker, which was all she had in the world to give. She didn't care that I couldn't understand her, she just wanted someone to love her and play with her.
Thursday morning we took a small tour of the city and went to the Hermitage (an art museum). After that, we went to lunch and back to the Crisis center. When we got there, we spent time with the babies and then went to the older kids. This time, they were getting ready to go play outside so all the kids (about 18 of them) were all in the hall. As soon as the four from the day before saw us they got really excited! They said "they moved us to a different room so we didn't think you would find us." Once we got outside, Paulina and I went to catch grasshoppers. Other kids would come up and try to talk to me then Paulina would tell them "she doesn't speak Russian." I asked her her to say 'grasshopper' in Russian and she tried to teach me a lot of words-many I could repeat but if I could she would just laugh and try again. We made gift bags for the 4 kids we played with the day before so we didnt know how handing out the bags would work with all 18 kids. They didnt care who got what from the bags, they were all just so happy to receive a gift and share it. Our team really enjoyed going the the crisis center and hope that we have time to spend one more day there before we leave.
Orphan Outreach has a graduate program for older kids coming out of orphanages to help get them settled and on their feet. On Friday, we got to meet one of the girls and on Saturday, five of them came over to our apartment. Both days we were able to talk to them, ask them questions about what they are doing and they asked us a lot of questions. Then we were able to cook with them. After lunch, we played games and talked. They wanted to learn some English words and they taught us some Russian words. We had some ice cream and before they left, we gave them gifts. I have a friend, Sarah who graduated with a degree in Russian and she translated a few recipes for me to give to the graduates. We also gave them some measuring cups and spoons so they would be able to use their new recipes (Russia uses the metric system). They thought the word "snickerdoodle" was very funny. Also, in snickerdoodle cookies, you use cream of tartar. They thought it was tartar sauce and thought that was so funny. But the really enjoyed the gifts (Thanks so much Sarah!!). They even asked if they could come back before we leave. They said if we get the chance, they want to make the snickerdoodles.
This morning, we got to go to a Russian Baptist church. The whole service was in Russian but it was really amazing to sit through. I was really looking forward to hearing them worship in Russian and it was so cool to to know that I dont understand what they are saying, but God does. We also got to take communion at the church. I really enjoyed taking part in that and knowing that we are all part of the body of Christ no matter where we are from or what language we speak. At the end of the service, they asked any visitors to stand up and say our names and where we are from (I think they could tell we weren't Russian). We all got up and they welcomed us and said "God bless you." After the services they came and talked to us but said their English was bad but were glad we came.
Next week, we will be traveling to two different orphanages with a team from the United States. We will be at one until Wednesday morning, then at the other one until Friday. The other team will be leading all the activities, our job will be to serve the team.
Prayer Request:
-Serve the team well the next week
-We have been a little discouraged with the language barrier-we do have a translator but it is still more difficult to make a connection
-The graduates need funding to find a building to meet. The building would be used to have meetings, teach the graduates how to cook, etc.
-We can stay in touch with the graduates and form deeper relationships with them once we return to the United States.
-The kids we spent time with at the Crisis center find good orphanages (or homes) where they will be able to hear more about the Lord
Thank you so much for your prayers! Should be able to post next weekend.
Thursday morning we took a small tour of the city and went to the Hermitage (an art museum). After that, we went to lunch and back to the Crisis center. When we got there, we spent time with the babies and then went to the older kids. This time, they were getting ready to go play outside so all the kids (about 18 of them) were all in the hall. As soon as the four from the day before saw us they got really excited! They said "they moved us to a different room so we didn't think you would find us." Once we got outside, Paulina and I went to catch grasshoppers. Other kids would come up and try to talk to me then Paulina would tell them "she doesn't speak Russian." I asked her her to say 'grasshopper' in Russian and she tried to teach me a lot of words-many I could repeat but if I could she would just laugh and try again. We made gift bags for the 4 kids we played with the day before so we didnt know how handing out the bags would work with all 18 kids. They didnt care who got what from the bags, they were all just so happy to receive a gift and share it. Our team really enjoyed going the the crisis center and hope that we have time to spend one more day there before we leave.
Orphan Outreach has a graduate program for older kids coming out of orphanages to help get them settled and on their feet. On Friday, we got to meet one of the girls and on Saturday, five of them came over to our apartment. Both days we were able to talk to them, ask them questions about what they are doing and they asked us a lot of questions. Then we were able to cook with them. After lunch, we played games and talked. They wanted to learn some English words and they taught us some Russian words. We had some ice cream and before they left, we gave them gifts. I have a friend, Sarah who graduated with a degree in Russian and she translated a few recipes for me to give to the graduates. We also gave them some measuring cups and spoons so they would be able to use their new recipes (Russia uses the metric system). They thought the word "snickerdoodle" was very funny. Also, in snickerdoodle cookies, you use cream of tartar. They thought it was tartar sauce and thought that was so funny. But the really enjoyed the gifts (Thanks so much Sarah!!). They even asked if they could come back before we leave. They said if we get the chance, they want to make the snickerdoodles.
This morning, we got to go to a Russian Baptist church. The whole service was in Russian but it was really amazing to sit through. I was really looking forward to hearing them worship in Russian and it was so cool to to know that I dont understand what they are saying, but God does. We also got to take communion at the church. I really enjoyed taking part in that and knowing that we are all part of the body of Christ no matter where we are from or what language we speak. At the end of the service, they asked any visitors to stand up and say our names and where we are from (I think they could tell we weren't Russian). We all got up and they welcomed us and said "God bless you." After the services they came and talked to us but said their English was bad but were glad we came.
Next week, we will be traveling to two different orphanages with a team from the United States. We will be at one until Wednesday morning, then at the other one until Friday. The other team will be leading all the activities, our job will be to serve the team.
Prayer Request:
-Serve the team well the next week
-We have been a little discouraged with the language barrier-we do have a translator but it is still more difficult to make a connection
-The graduates need funding to find a building to meet. The building would be used to have meetings, teach the graduates how to cook, etc.
-We can stay in touch with the graduates and form deeper relationships with them once we return to the United States.
-The kids we spent time with at the Crisis center find good orphanages (or homes) where they will be able to hear more about the Lord
Thank you so much for your prayers! Should be able to post next weekend.
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