Wow.
Month 10…
Done.
I don’t think I could have imagined this day to have come. Heck, I may have half expected this to never end. Bah!
My time in Ukraine has been pretty good. My team and I spent the first week or so doing some manual labor and preparing for summer camps.
Our cool gloves!
work break with some Ping Pong!
Our first camp came. We worked with some pretty amazing leaders. They organized many games for the kids, bible lessons, and some fun adventures for them. On the race I’ve learned to basically have no expectations of ministry. It is never what I think it will be and something always comes up unexpectedly. You just have to go with the flow 98% of the time. So ministry this week was relaxed a bit eventhough the leaders of the camp worked so hard and dilegently to make things happen for the kids. I’ve never met a more compassionate and fun group of young people. 
us at an over look of the black sea.
us at an over look of the black sea. 
Then we had a day break to get ready for another camp. During this break time I realized how much I love camps. The kids for the first camp weren’t the age group that I love but I saw them have fun, hear about Jesus, and enjoy some time with other kids. For the next camp we packed up our stuff to move locations. I really had no idea of where we would be going but most of the World Race is trusting strangers! We arrived at our new place and I was so excited. We were right in the middle of some of the most amazing mountains, fields that stretch for miles, and the best night sky ever.
Before arriving here we took some time to sight see our town of Yalta. 
Nothing better than a boat ride on the Black Sea!! 
Piggy Back anyone??
I made people smile by blowing bubbles at thier kids while walking down the boardwalk.! Camp number started and it was camp at it’s finest! We lived in the woods, slept in basically a tree house, and enjoyed where God had us. It was here that I realized how much I love camps. I realized through cooking a lot and talking with the leaders that camp has a special place in my heart. I think it always has and always will. I love community, building relationships, pouring into people, and the fact that camp allows you to be free to have fun. I haven’t felt fully free like that in awhile. As a team we mostly helped prepare meals and teach English. During free time we hung out with the leaders who by this point were becoming good friends. Each of them most definatly have a special place in my heart.
Every night we had a bonfire, worship, and good snacks. Eventhough we had language barrier, God connected us. Somehow we understood things and could communicate. I ate a lot of sunflower seeds…’Semki’. I think I’m addicted…oops. Somehow relationships were formed and if I need a place to stay in Ukraine I know I always have a place. Something cool that happened was God really gave me HIS heart for this group of leaders. I realized that I wasn’t there for kids, I was there for the leaders. As I prayed for them God said many things for them. He has something really exciting for them in their lives. They all have such a hunger and a joy that just pours out.
I think God has re-kindled a love in my heart. I love camps. I love enjoying life and where God has us. I don’t know what this looks like or anything but I’m excited to see what could be…Yea I just love it. I hope to see these people again one day.
The leaders…they were blocking the road so we didn’t leave!
So yea that was basically my time in Yalta. Beautiful places, real good people, bonfires, shooting stars, sunflower seeds and bubbles. God was good and just allowed us to be present, enjoy HIS creation, and HIS people.
