SPU: Goodbye, paka, dosvidaniya…TB Center…

Today we had to say our final goodbyes to the children that we have spent the last three weeks with at the TB Center. All of the children have touched our hearts in many ways and it was really difficult saying goodbye. We have made memories that are going to last a lifetime. Our time here is Russia has been full of laughs, love, and joy. Russia will always have a place in our hearts because of the beautiful children, generous people, and tasty food. We knew we were going to see God’s work here before we came, but we … Continue reading

SPU: Camp is over and we are back in St Petersburg…

Dear Family, Friends and Loved Ones, Hello! We are back safe and sound in St. Petersburg and are currently starting to get ready to come back home on Sunday. We know that you guys are as excited to see us as we are to see you, but to be honest we’re definitely going to miss Russia. But we know that we are here for the amount of time that God wanted us to be and we are looking forward to sharing our experiences and stories when we get home. Yesterday was the last day of camp with the disabled youth. … Continue reading

SPU: Last week in Novgorod…

Privet, This weekend we had the opportunity to relax and explore our home here in Novgorod. On Saturday, we went to a Russian village museum where we got to see how Russians lived centuries ago. Our favorite part was a huge wooden slide that we raced down, go figure. Also, there was a craftsman who made authentic birch items: like hats, shoes, bookmarks, baskets and so much more. As we talked to him we found out his story; he is one of the last people to know the way the ancient Novgorodians would work with birch. Getting to know the … Continue reading

SPU: Enjoying our time at camp with Disabled Youth!

Since there is no internet, or any electricity, at the camp, the update will be through the phone. 🙂 The team is doing great, getting to know the teens and the workers of the camp. It has been a blessing to be able to love the kids and teens and show them that they are very important to us.  We have gotten to know the workers a bit more, especially since we hang out with them each evening after the kids are asleep. It has been challenging in sharing about our faith with the workers of the camp, but slowly … Continue reading

SPU: We went on the boat with the kids in Novgorod!

The past couple of days have been filled with fun adventures and awesome memories continuing to be made. Yesterday, our team began the day with a skit about “How to Cope” – one of the most serious and important topics we’ve talked about with the kids yet. It is encouraging to see them continue to react to what we’re trying to teach them, and even the smallest ones have input to give and stories to share. After making journals with the kids, we left the TB center early yesterday because of the fact that we hadn’t showered in five days! … Continue reading