Since 2005, people from Christ Community Church and other local churches have come together with Safe Haven International in Ukraine to put on camps for kids at an orphanage boarding school called an “internat” in a small city. This year, again I have the opportunity and the calling to go on this trip.
There are about 130 kids at the orphanage from ages 5 to 18 and we put on the camp during their school vacation. For the children who do not choose to return home, or cannot return home, during vacation we take them for a week of games, sports, crafts, and sharing the Gospel. The leader of the team in Ukraine put it this way: our purpose is to love the kids to Jesus - to be His hands and feet. This will be Bethe's fourth trip to Ukraine, as she went in 2014, 2015, 2016. As the result of her trip and God opening the doors, she declared a Russian major at Hofstra University in New York. This is her 7th year of studying the Russian language and I began Ukrainian lessons with one of her professors in Spring 2015. Inevitably, this will increase her ability to communicate with the children and in return they will assist me in my studies of the languages. This will be Kyle's second trip to Ukraine. He is a mathematical business economics major at Hofstra University. Kyle loves to serve the community, no matter where he is located, from Florida to Connecticut or at school in New York. This trip has only furthered his love of service. Last trip was his first time outside of the country, while it was a scary thought, he felt his calling from God that it was the right move and has not regretted a second of it. This year he will be able to communicate more with the children, and be able to make more of an impact on each other. The tentative dates for the trip are March 22nd through April 1st. |