Update from each CBU team member!

Holly: I am loving living in St. Petersburg. I’ve enjoyed touring the city and spending quality time with the children. I was feeling a little under the weather over the weekend, but thanks to your prayers never fully got sick. It has been so neat to see the progress in the children’ attitudes. Each child has a special story and I’ve enjoyed hearing various details from them. I also love when it’s not raining and we are able to take the children outside. I am sad to leave soon, but know the Lord has placed us here for a reason and we’ve already been able to see the fruit of our labor through Christ. I am so appreciative of your prayers! Let’s finish strong!

Janice: I second Holly, I really enjoy living in St. Petersburg, it’s an incredible city. I’ve been really loving our sightseeing days! Also, we get to go to see a ballet, Swan Lake to be exact, on Friday. I leave all my energy at the orphanage during the week, and come home tired. It’s lots of running around and playing games with the kids, I absolutely love being there. I really feel as though God has put me there for a reason. I’m sad about it being our last day at the orphanage tomorrow. I’m going to miss all the children so much! They are all so cute and special. But on the other hand, there are some things I miss from home, so going back will be lovely. Prayers for energy and just being able to finish strongly, would be amazing!

Luke: Hi family. I don’t think I gave you the link for this, but I hope you are still seeing this. Tomorrow we have our last day at the orphanage, and then just debriefing and a little more sightseeing. Can’t wait to tell you guys all about it. Love you all.

Katrina: I love St. Petersburg. It’s so beautiful here!! Well another trip is about to come to a close, and all I have to say is wow. God has shown me a lot through this whole trip. The Transit Center that we go to has my heart now. Coming in, I had a heart for youth. These past couple of days, I have been hanging out with the little kids and I absolutely love them!!! I love all of the kids there. They show so much love, even though they have gone through so much. I have realized here that I have so much, and they have nothing, yet they are still so happy. That has really convicted me. On another note, I’m doing fine, just ending a scratchy throat, nothing too big. I don’t want to leave this place, yet I’m ready to be home. Please pray for energy for the last few days that we are here and for us to finish us strong.

Ruthie: Privyet from St. Petersburg! Everyone’s already mentioned how much we love it here, it’s so easy to fall in love with the city. Sightseeing is the real thing here! Our time at the orphanage has been so blessed. Working with the younger children is such a joy and the highlight of my day is getting to hug these precious children who only desire to be loved and taken care of. Their stories are heartbreaking, their personalities are sometimes tiresome, but their smiles make it ALL worth it. On a personal note, I did catch a cold and had to miss a camp day on Monday. But after a day of rest and lots of sleeps, I’m up and running after the kids again! Prayer is powerful, so keep praying for continued health! God has been using this trip to teach me so much. I’ve been learning about God’s purpose for my life, His plan for the nations, His love for His people and so much more about myself. It makes me sad to think that our time in Russia is almost over! I love my family and miss you all, but I’m not ready to leave yet! 3 weeks is not long enough!! I know what we’ve done here in this short amount of time will continue (hopefully) for eternity. Continue to pray for our team as we FINISH our project and ministry. Love you all and spasiba for the thoughts and prayers!

Lailani:  Hello from Russia!  I’m happy to report that the team and I are doing well, and we love it here.  Working at the orphanage has been an amazing experience and I am going to be sad to leave.  I could have spent the entire summer with these wonderful children.  All the kids have responded so well to us, thanks in part to the ground work that “Russia A” had laid for our team by being such wonderful Christ bearers to these children and staff members.  The greatest glory to God for His divine love and help.  I cannot be more thankful to everyone who has been praying for us and especially to God who has honored, in amazing ways, all of those prayers.  Praise the Lord!

Chris: Privyet! I have really enjoyed it here in Saint Petersburg. The city is beautiful and full of energy (which I love). We have had so much fun exploring it. The hermitage art museum and the Cathedral of Spilled Blood were both awesome, but what I’ve enjoyed most is the time we’ve spent with our kids. They are funny, sweet, and full of love. We have made great connections with them, and it makes me sad that our time with them is almost up. I love them all and am so grateful God gave me the opportunity to get to know them. Please keep us in your prays during our last few days here, especially for our last day at the orphanage. I love you all, God bless.

Ana: Hola. I have been having a wonderful time these past weeks with the kids, with my team, learning about the culture, and exploring the city. J The kids- they are all beautiful and every morning I look forward to seeing their smiles and laughter. It saddens me to look at them and watch them play and wonder how anyone could not love such precious children. I have seen much improvement on many of the kids- for some I have seen that they’re not as shy, some are less violent, some talk more, and all of them I see are having fun with the team playing games and singing and coloring. Last week I had so much energy and this week I have been pretty tired. Still I keep going and showing those kids the love of Christ and running around with kids in my arms. I have loved getting to know them and I will really miss them all.

As for the city, I love it. 🙂 It has been pretty neat walking around and seeing all the beautiful buildings. I love the metro- I am now able to ride it without holding on, I read on it, and I almost fell asleep on it just like a Russian. 😉 Oh and the escalators in the metro were super fast when we first got here, and now they seem slow. I am wondering how the ones back home will seem.

Keep praying for us! God is really working here! Both with the children and with us. One more day at the orphanage, Swan Lake ballet on Friday, um idk for the rest of the weekend.. and then back home. <3

Dionne: Our time here has been very rewarding. We come home each day from the transit center very tired, but know that our labors are not in vain. The children and teens have all continued to respond to our interaction positively and their attitudes and actions have improved. Our last day with them is tomorrow and I am already beginning to be sad about our leaving. It will be very hard to leave those we’ve come to love over these past two weeks. I wish we had more time to pour God’s love into these ones who need it so much, who have been neglected by parents and caretakers. Please pray that the children would realize the true love that is knowable through relationship with the Father, a love that is perfect and never fails. I am still enjoying the time in the big city and will be sad to leave. I miss you all and covet your prayers for the remainder of our trip.