The team arrived on time with all luggage on Saturday evening. There were no problems with customs or having bags arrive late. Together we checked in the hotel and went out to get a quick dinner at the "Mouse Cafe".
On Sunday the team headed to the Logos church worship service starting at 10am. The service on this Sunday is called "Thomas Sunday" as it was a week later that Thomas believed in the reserection of Jesus! After church we met with some of the new translators for our group as we ate lunch. We also spent some time shopping in this mall/grocery store. Mike and Amy had some great ideas for crafts for the kids at Hospital #15 since we had no supplies, due to one member not being able to make the flight. He was carrying the ministry bag for that site.
On Monday our team started with a devotional and then headed out. We started with touring of the Savior on the Split Blood Cathederal, which is the famous "onion top" church in downtownn St. Petersburg. There is also a flea market next to this site that has many Russian gifts to buy and take home.
After lunch, we all travelled to the southeast part of town to Orphanage #24. All the translators were to meet us at the top of the esculator. Soon we had 9 translators along with our team of 6 trip participants, and 3 American volunteers I was able to recruit to be part of our minsitry this week at the Orphanage. I wasn't sure how all this was going to come together but somehow by the grace of God it did! God did have a plan and it all worked out despite my worry and planning! Of course I knew this would happen, but I still wanted to know that all things were coming together. I think God just wanted to see if I could trust Him to make it all work. It did and praise God!
The kids in the Orphanage are sweet and polite. They put on a show for us and had some wonderful singing. After their performace I interduced the team and the translators to all the kids. As I called the groups forward, the kids led the American and thier translator to the room were they would have activities. All groups seem to have a good time getting to knowo one another the first day.
On Tuesday, we spent the morning at Children's Hospital #15. It was a beatuiful day and warm so we spent the entire monring outside. There were 3 or 4 older kids and they wanted to play soccer. The younger kids enjoyed a swing were they could all get on and we would push. The kids really enjoyed the time together and of course being outside in the spring.
That afternoon we started our first day of structured activities with the kids. Our theme is "transformation" so today the activities surrounded making a catapillar pencil and an edible cataplillar. It was peanut butter, dried milk and honey mixed together that can be formed like playdough. All the groups seemed to enjoy this, although some would not want to eat the peanutbutter after they had formed it into a catilillar! All the groups seemed to love to play UNO and the ESL Bingo that we had brought.
I can say that the team is tired. We are doing a lot of walking. Verda said her legs were about to fall off! :-) Nevertheless, the team is pressing on for the mission at hand.
Tomorrow we will do both Children's Hospital #15 and Orphanage #24 in the afternoon before going to "The Harbor" in the evening. The ladies will have tea and the guys will be buoding a shoe rack! In a few days I hope to update you on the progress of our week. For the moment, things are going well and the kids are asking some hard questions! Please pray for our energy and our efforts as we work to share Christ with all these kids!
On Sunday the team headed to the Logos church worship service starting at 10am. The service on this Sunday is called "Thomas Sunday" as it was a week later that Thomas believed in the reserection of Jesus! After church we met with some of the new translators for our group as we ate lunch. We also spent some time shopping in this mall/grocery store. Mike and Amy had some great ideas for crafts for the kids at Hospital #15 since we had no supplies, due to one member not being able to make the flight. He was carrying the ministry bag for that site.
On Monday our team started with a devotional and then headed out. We started with touring of the Savior on the Split Blood Cathederal, which is the famous "onion top" church in downtownn St. Petersburg. There is also a flea market next to this site that has many Russian gifts to buy and take home.
After lunch, we all travelled to the southeast part of town to Orphanage #24. All the translators were to meet us at the top of the esculator. Soon we had 9 translators along with our team of 6 trip participants, and 3 American volunteers I was able to recruit to be part of our minsitry this week at the Orphanage. I wasn't sure how all this was going to come together but somehow by the grace of God it did! God did have a plan and it all worked out despite my worry and planning! Of course I knew this would happen, but I still wanted to know that all things were coming together. I think God just wanted to see if I could trust Him to make it all work. It did and praise God!
The kids in the Orphanage are sweet and polite. They put on a show for us and had some wonderful singing. After their performace I interduced the team and the translators to all the kids. As I called the groups forward, the kids led the American and thier translator to the room were they would have activities. All groups seem to have a good time getting to knowo one another the first day.
On Tuesday, we spent the morning at Children's Hospital #15. It was a beatuiful day and warm so we spent the entire monring outside. There were 3 or 4 older kids and they wanted to play soccer. The younger kids enjoyed a swing were they could all get on and we would push. The kids really enjoyed the time together and of course being outside in the spring.
That afternoon we started our first day of structured activities with the kids. Our theme is "transformation" so today the activities surrounded making a catapillar pencil and an edible cataplillar. It was peanut butter, dried milk and honey mixed together that can be formed like playdough. All the groups seemed to enjoy this, although some would not want to eat the peanutbutter after they had formed it into a catilillar! All the groups seemed to love to play UNO and the ESL Bingo that we had brought.
I can say that the team is tired. We are doing a lot of walking. Verda said her legs were about to fall off! :-) Nevertheless, the team is pressing on for the mission at hand.
Tomorrow we will do both Children's Hospital #15 and Orphanage #24 in the afternoon before going to "The Harbor" in the evening. The ladies will have tea and the guys will be buoding a shoe rack! In a few days I hope to update you on the progress of our week. For the moment, things are going well and the kids are asking some hard questions! Please pray for our energy and our efforts as we work to share Christ with all these kids!
3 comments:
http://blogs.mail.ru/mail/neesesergey/
please cheak just now,my blog too!I'm start just today,and i will put more information every day!and when i will be in Rostov-on-Don it will be same!
Love you!
P.S. my blog address is here: http://blogs.mail.ru/mail/neesesergey/
"Serch" is my son Sergey. He has created a Blog too and probably diesn't realize that others can see these comments!
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