Beyond Borders & Reason

A group of kids left yesterday but several are staying here the whole summer.  This is the only place they have to go right now.  There’s a seven year old I play UNO with.  He doesn’t speak any English but he likes games.  This camp also assists a nearby hospital that rescues babies that have been abandoned (sometimes they find them left in dumpsters).  I’ve asked to go visit but they’re very protective of who interacts with the babies as they aren’t very healthy. 

 

Most of the older women (“babushka” = grandma) run the households.  Unfortunately alcoholism is a pandemic and most men are busy drinking (as well as many women too).  Two nights ago I watched a man arguing with a family member outside their home across the road.  He was blantantly drunk.  I found out the next morning he was cursing at us because our evening program was too loud. 

 

The past two Sundays we’ve attended a church that meets in a school about ten minutes from camp.  They’re excited that we come worship with them.  Today they added english words to the worship lyrics so we could sing along.  They’ve also invited us to a youth concert that we unfortunately couldn’t make it to.  They definately have gone out of their way to welcome into their community. 

 

If often seems silly to me why someone would go around the world to a place he’s never been to, to talk to kids that don’t speak his language.  I know in my heart God has a reason for calling me here.  I’ve realized these three things (if not more) of why I am here…

1.  To direct these kids to the living God.

2.  To teach that God loves them and has not abandoned them.

3.  To show there’s someone on this Earth that still cares and loves them for who they are.