Our time in Russia has come and gone so quickly!  Not only have we had the opportunity to share the lives with these kids, but they have touched each of our lives in tremendous ways! It is evident that God has definitely been at work in the city of St. Petersburg long before we arrived, but it was truly a privilege to be a part of what He has planned for this area of Russia. All of our hearts have been transformed by the love of these children.

Today we said goodbye to the kids. A very sad day.  We trust that each one is in God’s hands and He will provide for each child and teen at this Transit Center.

The last couple of days have been great.  We’re really making a lot of connections with these kids.  Our favorite part of the day is when we arrive and they scream “Americantsy, Americantsy” and throw their arms around us to greet us.  There is a bit of sadness each day as we say “paka” (bye) or “dasvidania” to them.  It is hard to believe that tomorrow is our last day of this.

We’ve had a busy couple of days. Tuesday, we did a bit of sightseeing around this beautiful city.  We went to Spilled Blood Cathedral, with its gorgeous mosaics, and Kazansky’s Cathedral, down the street.  Our plan was to include the Hermitage, but due to the lengthy line, we chose to go to St. Isaac’s Cathedral instead, choosing to do the museum Sunday.  It was incredible.  The weather has been warm and clear, so we were able to go all the way up to the top and get some great shots of the city.

Sunday we spent a full day with the transit center talking about the house built on the rock.  All the kids loved making houses out of toothpicks and marshmallows!  Especially when they licked their fingers and realized the marshmallows were not cotton.  We also sang lots of songs which were also a big hit.