CBU-Novgorod: Saying goodbye…

So today was our last day with the kids and teens from the orphanage. It’s hard to pinpoint exact feelings but all we can say is that it has been an amazing experience. Over these past few weeks, we have grown closer as a team, as well as with the kids we have been working with. From playing games with the young ones and teaching them valuable lessons, to having in-depth discussions with the teens about grace and the meaning of life. As we had our final lesson with the kids and continued in discussion with the teens, it was … Continue reading

CBU-Novgorod: Finishing up the camp…

       The Lord has been blessing our team in amazing ways.  Not only are we sharing our faith and the truth with the teens but we can also see a marked difference in the actions and reactions of the children.  It is obvious to us all that our team was put together for a reason because we work so well together. The group working with the little kids, Theo, Matt, Lauren and Sarah have been making amazing progress in changing the attitudes of the smaller children. After putting on a Good Samaritan type of skit the kids were … Continue reading

CBU-St Petersburg: We have started our second week at camp!

Hello! Our second week has started with time to re-charge and learn more about the culture. We went to church on Sunday and heard the message in Russian and English and had the opportunity to sing familiar worship songs in Russian. It was amazing to hear everyone’s voices blending and lifted up in praise. We continue to have fun with the children through funny skits, stories, and crafts. The team has done a great job of planning and taking ownership of each day while remaining adaptable to any changes that occur. Each team member leads two camp days and the … Continue reading

CBU: News from the team in St Petersburg!

Hello all! We have finished a full week of our time in Russia and have already been blessed by all the opportunities we have had. Every morning we take time to prepare and pray for the day ahead through personal and team devotionals. Monday began our first day of our time with the children at the local transit center. As our team entered the center, we were blessed to see the wonderful facilities we would be working in for the rest of the week. The walls were painted with bright colors and the classrooms were full of supplies and art … Continue reading

CBU: First week is almost done in Novgorod…

Greetings from Novgorod We are having a blast here in this beautiful town; it is Thursday night at 11:30. We had a fun filled day; we got up and did our usual routine of breakfast, worship, and devotions. After that, we split into our two different groups and made a plan for the day. We were blessed with sunny weather, and got to meet some of the orphans at a sidewalk chalk competition at an IRS office here in town. As we walked up, the group of young orphans ran up to us with open arms and bright smiles. After … Continue reading