We made it safely to Kiev, and have been on a whirlwind, non-stop adventure.
Yesterday, Saturday, was our first day visiting the orphanages. The first was what I believe will be the "gold standard" of those we visit. It has a number of sponsors currently, including the Ukrainian national soccer team. There were bright colors, a happy play ground, and a display proudly sharing the pictures of their children which had been adopted into their forever families.
I was a part of a group of 5 that went into the first room with the 2 year olds. And there I met Sveta...a precious, precocious little girl with crazy curls pulled back into pony tails, big glasses, crossed eyes, colorful tights, and a smile and giggle that would not stop. She loves to laugh, hug, and was fascinated playing with the balloons we brought. One could not help but feel brighter being with her, even though she lives in an atmosphere where she there are not many high expectations for her future...and her name, appropriately, means "light."
Today I met Olga. Olga + Balloons = Joy. Olga is 2 and lives in an orphanage outside of Kiev in an area filled with pine trees. We entered into Olga's room which was filled with toys, bright colors, and nanny's which have an obvious love for her and the other children under their care. Olga and her friends were seated at their table and when tossed balloons erupted into contagious laughter which could only be described as pure joy. While Olga and her roommates all have Down's Syndrome, it is not what you first notice when you enter the room. It is the joy that radiates from the inside out, completely unaware of the limitations that her life might hold. Certainly a lesson that we can all learn from.
Tomorrow we depart for Ivanick (not sure if I spelled that right, but that's how I hear the name to be). We'll be in a small village, visiting a maternity hospital, and staying at a Christian camp that a missionary I was introduced to via Facebook is building.
Yesterday, Saturday, was our first day visiting the orphanages. The first was what I believe will be the "gold standard" of those we visit. It has a number of sponsors currently, including the Ukrainian national soccer team. There were bright colors, a happy play ground, and a display proudly sharing the pictures of their children which had been adopted into their forever families.
I was a part of a group of 5 that went into the first room with the 2 year olds. And there I met Sveta...a precious, precocious little girl with crazy curls pulled back into pony tails, big glasses, crossed eyes, colorful tights, and a smile and giggle that would not stop. She loves to laugh, hug, and was fascinated playing with the balloons we brought. One could not help but feel brighter being with her, even though she lives in an atmosphere where she there are not many high expectations for her future...and her name, appropriately, means "light."
Today I met Olga. Olga + Balloons = Joy. Olga is 2 and lives in an orphanage outside of Kiev in an area filled with pine trees. We entered into Olga's room which was filled with toys, bright colors, and nanny's which have an obvious love for her and the other children under their care. Olga and her friends were seated at their table and when tossed balloons erupted into contagious laughter which could only be described as pure joy. While Olga and her roommates all have Down's Syndrome, it is not what you first notice when you enter the room. It is the joy that radiates from the inside out, completely unaware of the limitations that her life might hold. Certainly a lesson that we can all learn from.
Tomorrow we depart for Ivanick (not sure if I spelled that right, but that's how I hear the name to be). We'll be in a small village, visiting a maternity hospital, and staying at a Christian camp that a missionary I was introduced to via Facebook is building.
Pray big...believe big...big things happen!
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