Camp 4 Day 1-2

Camp has started! We have about about 102 children. And they are so excited to be here.

My role has changed a little bit this camp. We have a very qualified team of 20 people. So less help is needed to run the programing of camp. I help out with camp whenever I'm free. However I also have been helping the staff of Hope Center in a number of administrative way.

The day before camp started I helped with all the passport documents, and practiced my Russian Numbers (they are the same, but some numbers look a little different. 1's have the top flag, and 9's look like g's).

Then on day 1 I worked on writing my testimony about Hope Center. It will be translated into Russian and then posted on the Hope Center Website for both the Russian and English version. However since the English Version isn't up and running yet. Here is what I said.

How do I even begin to tell the story of how Hope Center has impacted my Life? Do you have a few hours? No?! Well I’ll do my best to sum it up, but this can’t really do the whole story justice.

I am a teacher and have my summers free, which gives me freedom to use my summers to serve God in a unique way. In 2004, I felt God’s calling to go on a missions trip. I specifically told God that I wasn’t going to work with kids (after all, I work with them all year round), but He had another plan in mind and sent me to work at Hope Center Ukraine for one of the summer camps. I fell in love with the people and the children of Ukraine instantly, which launched me into yearly trips to Ukraine. I have now been to Hope Center, Ukraine seven times, totaling 40 weeks, and have been part of 19 camps. I have had many different roles over the years. For some camps I was simply a team member, for others I was a leader or co-leader of a team, and other times I have been an intern. God has connected me to this place. I am as much home here as where I grew up.

The more I return to Hope Center, the more I want to return. There are so many reasons, I don’t think I can write them all, but I’ll at least mention the most important. The biggest reason I return is that I’m addicted to watching God work. I know that He works all around the world, in many ways and places. But here at Hope Center, I can physically see the way He changes lives. I can see him plant seeds in peoples’ hearts and watch them grow. I have seen so many lives before they were living for God and then see the fruit grow in them, radiate from them, after giving their lives to Christ. I have seen eyes once filled with hopelessness, depression, and anger fill with hope, love, and forgiveness. I have seen people literally stunned by the love of God and how it is expressed at Hope Center in action not just words. Oh what my eyes have seen here. I have seen the most closed, cautious, angry people open, melt, and rejoice freely in their new lives. What God is doing in this place is nothing short of awe inspiring. To be able to watch God move unhindered, in amazing and miraculous ways. I have seen Him change lives in a single day or a single camp. At yet some people take longer, but because of the consistency and duration of Hope Center, I have also seen God work to change people over the course of the many years it sometimes take. However, I have not seen anyone come to Hope Center and not be changed by the love of Christ.

Who wouldn’t want to see that? Who wouldn’t want to be part of that? I can’t seem to get enough of it. And yet there is so much more that goes on at Hope Center, than just summer camps. Since 2006 it has been a dream of mine to come back during the school year and work with the other programs of Hope Center. God has not yet revealed to me His timing for this and so I wait in anticipation for the next step in my adventures with Hope Center Ukraine. Until them, I continue to support Hope Center and the people here through many prayers and praise for all God is doing!

Then in the afternoon we started working on some documents to be used for people who would like to come to Hope Center next year. To better prepare them and to give more of a job description to the different roles we have here at camp. This however is a project that I'm still working on.

Today mostly I just participated in camp. My main role is the "up front" person. The MC of camp I guess. I help get the kids attention at large group gatherings and sometimes do directions. This morning one of our signing ladies was out (because it is Sunday) so I helped with the signing the morning Bible lesson songs in Russian. And in the evening Lori and I MC'ed the Opening Ceremony: 100% in Russian and without translators! The theme was mostly make fun of Naomi for her bad Russian. At one point Lori was going to help me so she taught me to say things like, I eat toilet paper and I look like a monkey. The kids really liked it which is good. Lori and I thought it was hilarious - which usually means it will not be funny to Russian's - We dressed up in traditional Ukrainian outfits, or at least as close as we could find. I'll try to post pictures later.

Tomorrow I think I will be back to a number of administration things, pray for wisdom and guidance. And that the things with the camp run smoothly. And for God to start moving in the kids lives already.

Between Camps 3 and 4

I wish I would have wrote earlier because I really have a hard time remembering much of anything. So you will get a very brief synopsis of the 4 days between camps.

I went with Olya on a little adventure to get some errands done. She needed to exchange some money Global Action had give Hope Center to buy tickets for the train to Belarus (4 of the Ukrainian Staff are doing a mission trip to Belarus after our camps are completed). But no bank would take her old money, so I gave her money that they would exchange, and I'll take the old American money home to use in the banks that don't care how bad the bill is. On this little adventure I bought a new swimsuit and I got to see the train station and Kerch jail for the first time. In the evening I helped Olya translate some stories to put them into the Hope Center News letter (or at least I think it was this day.)

The next day after trying out my new swimsuit on the beach in the morning. I went with Babs to the market as her translator to buy her one too. Apparently when I asked the lady how much, she said 210 rpH I'm not very good with big numbers so I said it a couple of times to clarify if it was correct. Apparently she thought I was bartering, as I must not have been saying 210 at all but something less. I really have no clue, but we ended up buying the suit for 100 rpH. Apparently stupid American trying desperately to use the local language is appreciated (I think the fact that I bought my suit from the same woman the previous day for 125 rpH might have helped). In the evening I help Olya Translate some reports that needed to be sent in.

After that I again went to the sea in the morning to work on my tan. This is like the first time I have done this in ten years so 2 days in a row is weird. But being at the beach without 100+ kids to entertain is nice. In the afternoon EVERYONE seemed to leave. I worked on some computer stuff and then Tanya and Andrey invited me with their family to go for a "walk" down town. They wouldn't let me pay for anything even though I offered may times. It was their gift to me I was in tears. The evening was so relaxing, I loved it so very much. So besides just walking around here are some pictures to show you what we did.

I have seen this church (With green roof) many times before but never realized it is a church. It isn't your typical Orthodox church.

Alosha really wanted to play air hockey. But before I knew what was happening Tanya and I were playing. She beat me twice :o( Then Aundrey and Alosha played. After a while Alosha wanted to play again, so this time I got to play against him. I finally won, but not by much.

Then Alosha asked to go on a ride (that went in circles), and before I knew what was happening Aundrey was buying 3 tickets. I said "NO!!" I get sick in circles, then found out that instead they bought tickets for the Farris wheel. I figured I could wait for the family and hold Illusha, but apparently that was not an option. And Aundrey stayed behind. This Farris wheel has buckets to can turn with a wheel in the middle to look at different things. Alosha was showing us his muscles by doing it without help.

The ride gave us some beautiful view of down town and the Boardwalk.

After this we had ice cream as I watch these kids attempt to walk on water and Alosha played in this gym thing.

Later Alosha and Andrey tried some target practice. They didn't ask me, apparently it isn't a very girly thing to do, but if I'm going to try hunting someday I think I need to start practicing sooner than later.

After this we walked to Lenin Square. I'm sorry it was getting dark and I didn't take any many pictures. But we did see three people that Hope Center's Humanitarian Aid gave them each motorized wheel chairs. When they got them they were so excited because it meant that they could actually leave their homes to go to town and hang out with friends, some that wasn't possible before. It was fun seeing them do just that... and later we saw them on their way home.

After this Alosha wanted to go see the animals. I wasn't really sure what was going on, but then I have money in my hand and Alosha and I are on our way in to a mini (by min

i I mean 1 room) museum/zoo. Alosha and I had lots of fun taking many pictures. Alosha was really good at posing for picture inn front of glass cages.

And he even enjoyed taunting the Alligator or Crocodile (I have know idea which it is.)

But when it came to sticking his head in the Sharks mouth he wasn't so sure so I had to help him out, and show him how it is done.

So by this time, He has warmed up to taking pictures in front of very slow moving creatures. Even if he wasn't so sure about me picking it up and moving it so we could get a good shot with me.

But then we tried really crazy stuff and Alosha refused to take his picture with some animals. The first was this bird. I'm like don't get too close just stand by it and I'll take the picture. But he would have nothing to do with it. So I was going to show him how. Ever time I got within a foot the bird was like doing to attack me. So Alosha was the wise one. I was so scared.

So I though I would have a better picture with a monkey in the cage. I asked Alosha to stand by the cage. His eyes got huge and he said, "No, Naomi." Apparently the sign says something like this monkey will reach out of his cage and grab you. So I stayed a safe distance and asked Alosha to take a picture. He was so scare for my life it was kind of funny and a little sweet, but he finally took the picture.

And the whole time there is a random monkey running around and yelling at people...very funny.

After this we went to the top of the Metradat. To look out over Kerch at night. I was amazed to find out as late as 1995 Kerch has so little electricity that only one street had lights. And all people were given electricity for about 2 hours a day. I can't imagine this only 15 year ago.

Lastly we got to stop by Tanya and Aundrey's flat. It is very big compared to the other flats that I have seen, but it is the first home that I have been in where I have felt comfortable enough to ask if I could take pictures.

This is the double door to keep them safe. What I don't understand is they are also padded. I'm assuming for issulation, but I kind of made me feel like I was in a Psyciatric ward.

And if you turn around you would see the frig and storage area, becasue there is no other place big enought to hold them.

This is the Masterbedroom/LivingRoom/Nursey all in one.

This is Alosha's room which leads to the Patio area (a 2.4 foot by 6 foot walk way to dry clothes in and allow plants to get sun)

And this is the kitchen, and bathroom (which used to be two rooms, a bath and a toilet. I'm not sure how people get in and out of this room let alone add a wall in here to make it two.) But the tile work is absolutely beautiful!

Day 10 - The official End of Camp

Today is the official end of camp, however all we do with the kids is eat breakfast and then start our good byes. It is a very emotional day for both the team and the kids. We hate sending them back home as much as they hate going home. While the team helps hang out with the children, comforting them as they prepare to go. The interns get to help clean the buildings with the counselors. Not a very glamorous job, but one that has done huge things to bridge the gap between the cultures. Apparently Americans have a repertoire to not want to do the "dirty work" which is interpreted that we are still guests and not here to serve in the same way the Ukrainians do. Cleaning is a start to ousting that stereotype.

The Other part of this is not trying to fix the way the do things. But if it isn't going against your beliefs just join in the culture and do it your way. SO I swept a very dirty 2000+ square foot building with this...(Sorry the picture is a little blurry I took it on timer)

Which means that I spent the better part of two hours like this...

Actually getting under all the beds with this made it even more interesting. I guess to be Ukrainian means to always have a back ache. But I'm happy to learn and help out.

After cleaning we had a meeting to talk about some of the stories of the kids. I'm still working on translating this and putting it into the Hope Center News (one of my new Jobs.) I'll try to figure out how to attach it to this later.

Then I helped run the Hope Center Store; We sell Items with Hope Center's name on them: T-shirts, bandannas, money holders, notebooks, pens, postcards, buttons, stickers. All profits go to help Hope Center. It is a small way to help earn a little money to help support the programs here.

In the evening we where to have Shashlik (like kabobs, but much better).

A nice quiet meal would be nice after along camp, but this is not really allowed in Ukraine. We had to create silly games that we could play to see which team would win. Since Tanya's Day filled with a number of different things she asked me to plan all the games. I got a lot of help from Lori and then Sergey also added some of his own.

This first game consisted of eating a cup of yogurt with no hands.

Then we had to make our team flags:

The Mosquitos vs the CocaCola drinking Elephants.

Then we had to paint with only our mouths a sign of love to our opponents.

Later we had to shave a balloon. Then take turns dressing up in a clown outfit and eating chocolate with a fork and knife.

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Last we had to see how many puff things we could get stuck on our team member chest, that was filled with shaving cream.

Silly games made for a fun evening.

"Last Day" of Camp 3

Today is not officially the last day, but it is the last full day. All we do tomorrow is eat breakfast and then see the kids off.

Today Girls Morning exercise consisted of a conga line designed as a disguised water balloon fight with the boys. Out of no where did they were attacked and didn't know what hit them. Kind of funny.

It has been so hot and traveling up from the sea is hard so many kids didn't want to go. So instead we did interest groups in the morning. One option was still the sea, However they could also choose Soccer, Volleyball, Friendship bracelets, Learning English, or Face paint. After interest groups, Kim did the last Bible Lesson on the Helmet of Salvation - focusing more on what do we do now that we have it...How do we live our lives now?

In the afternoon, I made a new game up. We called it quest. The kids had a series of clues that lead them in the direction of the next clue. Also at each clue they collected one word to later unscramble them and make the correct sentence to win the prize. Most of the kids found it very interesting. I even had one boy who refused to end the game after it was all over. And yet a few people were a little upset with the clues I gave, like "Birds live in me" meaning tree, but there are hundreds of trees at Hope Center, and "Sit on me" but there are hundreds of benches and chairs. The rest of the clues were less crazy, but I though that with those two this could take hours, however 30 minutes later the first team came in and shortly after the rest of the teams.

After the game they practiced for the closing ceremony. Which was after supper, followed by the bonfire (This Camp it was 8-10 feet tall). And the slide show (I was in charge of making this for this camp - which means that I've spent the last two days on the computer).