Orphanage

Zlata and Allyssa taking a little break

Katya decorating her box.

We made our boxes on the ping pong table. It seemed like the best place.

You can see even the older kids and teachers got involved.

Yesterday was a long and great day. 9 people from our church went to the orphanage again. When we went last month the kids were fairly quite and we were just getting acquainted. This time as soon as we pulled up we looked in the upstairs corner window to find many faces waiting for us. A few minutes later the children ran out the front door to us in the snow without coats or boots. Needless to say they were excited.

We started with tea. Tea here means cake, cookies, fruit, candy, and of course tea. We all spread out to get to know different children. I was with the boys around the age of 10. I kept asking questions: "What do you like to do?" "How old are you?" "Do you play sports?" Np one would answer my questions. They were extreemly shy around me.

After tea we went upstairs and played varrious games getting as many people, including staff, involved as possible. Then it was my turn. I had prepared a craft. Thinking up the craft was not easy. It had to be interesting for children ages 8-16. Not too hard or too easy. Interesting to both boys and girls and I had to have all the materials at home. After hours of searching on the internet I found the perfect, simple craft. We made boxes out of construction paper, folding it oragami style. Then they decorated their boxes with glitter glue, stickers, foam stickers, and foam glittery stickers. Thank you everyone who sent stickers and paper. After the craft the kids watched a movie. Their favorite part of all was the craft! I'm not tooting my own horn. I'm saying thank you because it wouldn't have been as big of a hit without the foam stickers, which I can't buy here.

Yesterday was great and I'm looking forward to going back. I love that the church is behind this and we have a group that runs the program. It's just as it should be. I love giving my advice and working alongside my church family here.