Trip Recap - Betsy Trent

Here's a great recap of our recent trip from Midtowner Betsy Trent. Betsy was only introduced to this mission back in November when we asked you all to begin to pray for these kids. She was able to go with us and meet the boy she committed to pray for. Here's what she had to say:

"Going to Ukraine and spending a few days with the kids in the orphanages was an amazing way to start the year. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I had no clue what the group of people from Midtown would be like, nor did I know anything about the Radooga team in Ukraine, and more than anything I had no idea what to expect from the orphanages upon our arrival. We had been told it might take a while for the kids to warm up to us, to trust us, and to realize we were there for them, not out to get them. On top of that we had the language barrier, new city, and different culture- it felt as if anything could happen. One of my prayers before going, and even while we were there, was to be in the moment. What a blessing that turned out to be.

The first orphanage we were able to visit, Nova Vadalaga, was absolutely amazing. For the most part, the kids were so excited to see us. They would run up and hug us or hold our hands, without even knowing our names. Within a few minutes of being there, it was painfully obvious how much love and affection these children need. I had prepared myself to get the cold shoulder from them, but in fact it was the opposite. There were times when it became difficult to divide my attention evenly, as I'm sure many others felt, but what a beautiful thing. Knowing these orphans, because of their trust built with Radooga's ministry, felt comfortable enough to come up to strangers (like me) and become vulnerable. Those moments will not be forgotten.

The second orphanage, Zeleny Gai, was a similar mixture of emotions. The kids were ecstatic to have visitors and activities for the day, even though some of them might have been a little stand-offish in the beginning. At first they were a little more skeptical of some of our activities- especially making icing and putting it on some cookies- but they ended up loving the icing and going to get extra spoons so they could eat it straight from the bowl. And yes, they did double...quadruple dip. What a wonderful thing, though, to see them engage in something together, and especially with us. Trusting us, warming up to us, and becoming more and more vulnerable as the day went on

I still cannot believe how fast the week flew by. The Radooga staff was so helpful; from the translating every minute of the day to making sure we had blankets on the bus, snacks when we were hungry, and chocolate to spoil us after almost every meal. We were given far more than we needed to be comfortable, but more than anything, I am so grateful to have met the individuals who were with us that week. I am so thankful and I feel so blessed to have been a part of the trip, and I thank the Radooga staff and everyone from Midtown for being a part of it as well. It is truly amazing how sharing a week like that with everyone can bond us all together in the hope that our common goal, as Jesus is our Savior, will be reflected through our own words and actions. I pray those moments will not so quickly be forgotten."