CBU – Novgorod: Saying goodbye…

Hello again. Thank you so much for all of your prayers for our ministry here. We had a fantastic day of camp on Wednesday with a lesson on encouragement. Everyone on the team really came together to plan, organize and execute the lesson and activities for the camp so well after a more difficult previous day at camp. We were all so pleased to see all the kids come up to write multiple examples of encouraging words on the poster board–it was such a pleasant surprise that the lesson was so well received by the kids.

After our fun day at camp, we got the privilege of putting together backpacks full of toiletries, school supplies, and clothes for the children at the baby home. We were able to give the backpacks to the kids on Thursday morning and it was one of the most amazing experiences both for the children and for our team. We were able to watch as Sean presented one of the 3-year old boys, Dmitri, with his first pair of glasses. Dmitri, the teachers, and our whole team could not stop smiling after the glasses were placed on him.

After our time in the preschool center, we headed back to the church for some lunch (which was delicious, as always) and a little bit of extra planning time for our afternoon at the orphanage. Our lesson that afternoon was on patience, and it was so fun to see the kids really soak it in. For our craft, each of the children planted a flower in a cup that they had each decorated, and now they get to practice patience as they wait for it to sprout! They really enjoyed the activities, and were so careful to plant them, water them, and place them in the sunshine by the windows!

That evening, most of our team embarked on a shopping adventure, while Sammy, Jhasamin, Mirranda, and Robyn stayed back to bake some cookies! The cookies were a bit of an experience, as we had to convert all of the measurements for the ingredients, as well as the temperature for the oven; not to mention the fact that we could not read the labels on the packaging! But we had such a fun time figuring it out, and we all agreed that it was one of the most fun times we have had together.

Friday was such a bittersweet day for all of us, as it was our last day with the kids at the orphanage. Our lesson for the day was friendship, and we were able to express to them that we wanted to be their friends and keep in touch with them after we head back home. Then we had a “yearbook” signing party and spent the afternoon playing Uno, painting faces and fingernails, and creating balloon animals. Then we spent some time outside playing tag and jump rope, and… ahem… some of us climbing trees.

We headed back inside for our final awards ceremony for each of the teams. Brazil won third place, England second place, and China won! The kids were so excited to receive their prizes (ribbons, medals, and goodie bags), and they were all such good sports.

Once they all settled down a bit, we presented each of them with a gift of a backpack full of all kinds of necessities and fun things. It was such an incredible blessing to witness their sweet faces light up as they opened them up to discover what was inside! We were showered in hugs and thank you’s in Russian and in English.

Then it was time to say goodbye. For many of us, that has been the most difficult part of our time here. The kids were having a really tough time with us leaving, which made it even more difficult to leave. There were lots of hugs, a few “I love you’s,” and a few tears. What a powerful joy we have, though, in knowing that we are leaving them in the hands of the Father, who knows their needs perfectly and loves them infinitely more than we ever could. It has been such an awesome and humbling experience to be able to be a part of what He is doing in the lives of His precious children here in Novgorod.

Once we arrived back at the church we ate a delicious dinner and moved into team time. We rated our emotional, spiritual, and physical well-being on a scale from one to ten after such a draining day. About half way through our time here we started “the encouragement chair,” a time during which one teammate is chosen to sit in a chair and be completely loved on. Friday night was Alyssa’s turn. After having a rough beginning of the week, being affirmed by everyone around her was just what she needed to feel encouraged and refreshed.

Saturday morning, our team had the opportunity to visit the old Russian Village a little way out of town. It was one of the few villages near Novgorod to survive the mayhem of World War II! It was, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful places any of us had ever seen. The location was like an enchanted forest, and we agreed that it was the perfect backdrop for a fairytale with its beautiful trees, flowers, and a sparkling lake to top it off! It was so fun to explore the homes, and we were even able to go into a few of them that were set up as they would have been when the village was still inhabited. Our time there made for a lovely morning.

We spent this afternoon beginning the debrief process. We had a picnic down by the river and began discussing the ways that God has changed us and moved in our lives during our time here. It is such a great opportunity to be able to talk and share thoughts with one another, as the members of our team are the only people who will ever fully understand what we have experienced here. We all love each other, and have already begun to plan bi-weekly team reunions during our next school year.

This trip has been such a life-changing experience for all of us. We appreciate all of you who have followed us on our journey via blog, and we cannot wait to share with you the things we have been learning when we get home. In the next few days we will wrap up our time here in Novgorod and head back to St. Pete’s to visit St. Isaac’s Cathedral and experience the Russian ballet! We can’t wait to be with you all soon!

Love,

Russia B Team (written by Robyn, Mirranda, Sammy, and Alyssa 🙂