Post Orphanage fun..

Summer camp is probably one of the most anticipated events of the year, for grads and leaders. Just this week, we had multiple kids ask us when camp would be. Sadly, we had to tell them that there would not be a camp. Ukraine has had and is still in much turmoil, which has caused there to be many families displaced all over the country. We searched for places to have camp but all were full with refugees who had to flee their homes.

Camps are such a huge part of our Post Orphanage Ministry. We may not be able to have camp but we plan to still get these kids together, have some fun, share about Jesus, and feed them some good food. We are going to have a lake day on the 4th of July. This will include games, swimming, a bonfire with s'mores, a bible lesson, fellowship, and fireworks. It may not be the camp we were planning for but we plan to pack a lot into this day. 

If you would like to help cover the cost so we can shower these kids with some great food and lots of memories, then click the donate button below. Any amount will help. Thank you so much!

Spring Grad Camp 2014

Spring Grad Camp... These kids are pretty amazing :)

The last 2 months

I am embarrassed to see that the last time I wrote a blog was in April :( I guess I wasn't kidding when I said I am terrible/hate writing blogs... So I will give no excuses... But since the last one, life has been full of craziness good and bad. Let me give a quick overview of what our life has been:

-Spring grad camp
-Chelsea came back
-Annie came back
-bought a van
-celebrated birthdays
-took the van to the shop
-Vala's pre-school graduation
-took the car to the shop
-Orphanage graduation
-took the car to the shop
-Orphanage camp
-took the van to the shop again
-went and hung out with refugees at a camp here in Sumy
-took the van to the shop again
-Helped at a camp for village kids with our local church
-starting to the think the van lives in the shop (you get the point, we bought a lemon)
-Have had many village days ministering to Dusya and her kids
-Went to a village to spend time with one of Losha, his girlfriend, and adorable son (he used to live in the Open Arms home)

I know I left out many things... quite honestly, not much has gone as we had planned but we have realized that God's plans are always better. So there is a quick update on the past 2 months :)

Celebrating Vala at her graduation

Orphanage graduates

A day in Krasnoply doing outreach with our church

Some of the cute kids at orphanage camp

Vika is TOO cute...

My amazing group at camp

Village camp

Some really awesome kids

Our lemon we call Dusty(he looks like a dust buster)

My heart is full!

I cannot believe that it has already been 3 weeks since Anika and I have been back in Ukraine. It seems the time always flies but this time I can't keep up. Life has been incredibly busy but full of so much goodness. Sometimes I think my heart is going to explode it is so full. In the mere 3 weeks since we have been back we have had fall camp, had one of our grad families who have an almost two month old stay with us, Dus and her kids have stayed with us, a baptism of little Melissa (I became a godmother, that is a whole other story lol), birthday celebrations,  a big Easter picnic, helping the church with an Easter celebration in the main square of the city, met with the department about our visas, and the list could go on. There have been many nights where I am seriously overwhelmed with how cool my life is.  I have the most incredible family here and in America... I am blessed beyond words. Now, do not get me wrong.... there have been so many good days and I am thankful but that does not mean there are not days where I am ready to pack up and leave. Just had one of those and as I write this, I feel drained and emotionally raw. But I know it is all part of the cycle of this life.  I have to go, as we are about to celebrate two more birthdays tonight. Just wanted to give a quick update and show some pics of life here. Thank you all for your support and prayers. Please continue to pray for Ukraine. Things are quiet here in Sumy and we feel very safe but, I know this is not the case in other parts of the country.

Fun times at camp. Love these girls!

Our amazing camp group.

Outside the church with Alina, Vova, and Melissa

Little Melissa... Love this little girl!

Celebrating Alina's birthday!

Leaving...

Well, it seems I have been in this place before... It feels a bit like deja vu. But Anika and myself are leaving on Wednesday to head back to Ukraine. That is the plan anyways. It seems we take life literally one day at a time. We heard that Lufthansa is having a strike starting tomorrow so that affected our flight getting into Ukraine. But Anika talked to the airlines and they were able to reroute us so that is good. Thank you all who have been praying and supporting me/OAU. We also moved the date of our Spring Camp to the following weekend of April 11th-13th. It would have just been a little too crazy for us to get in the 3rd and try to start camp the very next day. We are not as young as we once were ;) I will keep you all updated as I can. Please continue to pray for us as we head back and for Ukraine.

Fall Fundraiser Tea

$10 each to reserve your spot at the tea.
Contact Melissa for more information.

Click here to donate $10 to reserve your ticket for the tea. 

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Uncertainty

It is so crazy how life can change in an instant. It seems as though my life has been in limbo for the past month. I was supposed to be going back to Ukraine March 5th. And it was not until I think, 2 days before that I knew that was not going to happen because the unrest there. It was such a hard process. To this day, I hold so much guilt about not being there. Ukraine has been my home for 6 six years.  We have worked hard to rid ourselves of the "American" stereotype and to build trust with the kids there. I feel as though we had finally gotten there and when things got hard or unsafe we left.  Now, I know there is so much more that went into it. It was with a lot of prayer and discernment from others that we came to the decision we did. But it doesn't make it any easier.  Okay, enough of my rambling. The plan right now is to fly back on April 2nd. This is of course if there is not a full blown war and we are still able to go. I know this makes many of my family and friends uneasy. But I have to believe that God will protect me in the way He sees fit. I still feel called to Ukraine for now and this includes when things are in chaos.  My time is not finished yet, at least I hope not. We have escape/evacuation plans we are working on if need be.  I do appreciate everyone's support and love. And please keep the prayers coming. I will try and keep the updates coming as I know what the plan is.