In the Tiniest of Hands

In many ways it feels like our team has been in Russia for just a few days. We are still learning many things about the culture, the people, and simply how to get from one place to the other.  Each day we are with the kids, they teach me something knew. But in just the two weeks we have been in Russia, the children have opened up their hearts to us. I’ve learned to really treat every day like it is my last with the kids. Each morning we arrive at the center we can never be certain who will … Continue reading

Seattle Team: Leaping by Faith

Coming here, I can’t say I really knew what I was getting myself into.  I expected to come to Russia and spread God’s love to his children. It’s not that I haven’t done what I planned to do, but God had something so much better in store.  In my time here, I have been so blessed.  It began with the instant bond with the awesome people on this team and I have felt God’s arms wrap around me. He never fails to use the children to teach me about His incredible love. Every morning, the most precious mass of adorable, … Continue reading

Seattle Team: Color me Russia

Living the story is always better than hearing it. I’ve been hearing about this story for several years now. My girlfriend, at the time, talked about visiting Russia to work at an orphanage. She talked about every kid and the love she had for each. She talked about happy stories but also sad and heartbreaking stories. She was living out a good story and her emotion and enthusiasm led me to want to one day experience it with her. Move ahead three years to now and that girlfriend I had is now my wife and that story she told is … Continue reading

Seattle Team: We have met the kids!

Preevyet!  Mean-yah zah-voot, Lacey Martin!  (For those of you wondering, yes, this is one of the team members writing.) 🙂 I just wanted to take a moment and share a little bit about our experiences from the past few days upon arriving in St. Petersburg.  Although my personal beginning started out with a few bumps, (one flight delay which totally altered my entire day of departure/flight schedule),  I safely landed on Russian soil–praising the Lord for the evidences of His hand throughout it all, and being welcomed by the director of SunErgos–a sight for tired eyes.  I was then transported … Continue reading

Sand, smiles and sunshine

Camp is over and Amanda is back in Saint Petersburg. Here is what she writes: It’s been a crazy, yet beautiful week and a half at the camp for disabled youth! It’s right on the Gulf of Finland and the beauty of God’s creation is everywhere. I was without technology the whole time and it was a beautiful thing to just be in the midst of nature without outside distractions. Living in a tent and camping for 10 days was very difficult, but God taught me so much. During the course of the camp I helped with two different kids … Continue reading