Photos from camp

Here's a link to some photos from the first few days of camp: https://picasaweb.google.com/russelljanderson/KharkovCamp2011

And if you're on Facebook, Josh Carter's photos are breathtaking: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10100322959553355.2625393.9402543

Mysterious lost blog posts...

Day 3

Today is the third day of camp. It’s hard to believe that we are already halfway through our time here. I am very confident that God is multiplying our abilities as well as our efficiancy. We are at camp during a time when kids are arriving or leaving to and from seeing their families. I am very saddened because this year, more than last, I am encountering several kids who have families yet they are in an orphanage. In speaking with them you can see in their eyes how starved they are of attention and affection. It is almost as though they are afraid to seek approval, they just want to be acknowledged, yet at at the same time many of them become shy.

Yesterday as I attempted to have a quiet time to read my Bible and write, I was pleasantly surprised by a friendly voice greeting me with ::insert Ukrainian accent:: ‘Hi!’. I looked up and saw the most adorable boy staring at me with a big smile on his face. Thus began my friendship with Andre, a fourteen year old from the Nova Vadalaga orphanage. He has been to the States four times and we were able to talk with one another easily, and talk we did. Now everytime I see him he will say hello and give me a hug, which is not exactly common for a boy his age. This is such a blessing because the majority of the kids I got close to last year have graduated or will graduate next year. And it is nice to become close to a kid who will be here a few more years. This is just one of many ways God has shown His love and grace to me on this trip.

I will close with a prayer request. Please at every moment you can, pray for the spiritual climate at the camp. It is very clear that we are fighting a battle and that Satan is trying to get a foothold with this kids.

Thank you and God bless you, Marguerite Hogue

Day 2

Today marked the third day at camp and the second full day of programs and activities. I have adjusted to the rhythm of camp life and have begun to experience some amazing interactions with some of the kids. On several occasions kids have introduced themselves to me and have generally been excited to see the team. Their smiling faces are simultaneously uplifting and heartbreaking because of the potential for happiness they reveal and because they remind me of the reality that there will be no one here to elicit those smiles and that joy when we leave.

I have heard from many kids this week how much they look forward to camp. One particular girl told me today that summer is only fun when the Americans come and that she only had five more days of fun left. There are so many similar stories that our team can tell that are all very moving. Overall we are doing well and we are learning so much about ourselves. Please continue to keep us and these kids in your prayers as the week goes along.

- Carter Henderson

Day 1

We arrived at camp yesterday safely and so far so good. Lots of time spent in prayer and orientation. A lot of rain for the past few days, so pray for some sunny days for our recreation time with the kids. We are all very excited after our first meetings with our groups, the kids are so excited to see us and a lot of them remember returning team members. Some prayer requests from all of us:

Strength for the next several days.
Continued enthusiasm.
Openness from the kids.
Spiritual protection for the entire camp.
No technical problems with the stage or with the equipment that we have.
The continued safety of all.
Health for all.
That God would be working on the hearts of these children.
That the team would be able to convey the love of Jesus Christ.
That each day would get better and better.
That we could all get out of our comfort zones and love on these kids. We all appreciate your prayers!

We love you and we can’t wait to get back and tell you all about our adventures in Ukraine!

written by Daniel Baugh

Safely home

We arrived safely Saturday afternoon around 4 pm to a great welcome from friends and family. It was great to see many of you at church yesterday.

The journey home was long but relatively easy compared to some other experiences we've had traveling. Now begins the exciting adventure of re-entry, where we fight jet lag, reverse culture shock, and the pain of leaving our friends new and old.

Please continue to pray for the team as we try and take such a rich experience and apply it to our "routine" back here, or as we struggle to find one again, or recreate it altogether based on what we've learned.

Please continue to pray for the children, as we've already heard from some of them how "boring" camp is without us (we leave, but they will still be there another month or so). Pray they'd cope with their pain in positive ways (maybe turning to the bibles we gave them?).

Also, please keep Betsy Trent in your prayers as she travels a bit through Italy, and Val Morozov, who is traveling home today after spending a couple days in England.

In Christ,
Russell Anderson

The long journey home

Sitting on the plane to amsterdam reflecting back on our experience. Working with these teens it's impossible not to mourn their circumstances. The horror stories we hear about life in the orphanage, so much of it we're not sure we can even believe. There are so many good souls in this place. When God's love shines in this place it reflects back through the children - their smiles and their joy. These kids are jaded and hardened by life, and capable of some terrible things, but when we're there, they can put that identity down, even just for a week. They can love us and each other from another place - from Christ's love.  As we despair over their situation we struggle with our response. Who will save these children? Can we not do more? Must we not? If not us, then whom? I learned this trip that working with these kids over the past two years has challenged my trust in the Lord - in His divine plan for these kids and on this earth. I think this trip I finally acknowledged that it can't be my own burden, but that it's His, and though I don't see how exactly He cares for His children, I must trust that He does. Otherwise the weight of this will crush me. His yoke is easy because it is His, not mine.  By giving it to Him I am able to celebrate the fruit we do see,  like Oleg A singing his heart out during worship, or praying with my group of ten kids because they all believe in Christ. I am not sure how in the future God will use me in the lives of these kids, but I know He is after them. We'll be home today. Please pray that God would bless our travels and our hearts on this long journey home.  - Russ Anderson

Radooga blog post 7/7/11

I have not had a chance to read the blog posts by my fellow teammates throughout this week. But now that the camp is over and we are halfway back to Kiev, I will share my perceptions of the last day or two.

First of all, God's presence has been evident in may ways as we finished camp. To each of us, He has revealed this through different situations and observations. For me personally, I have experienced God's pleasure in seeing His children worship Him. God's presence in a Ukrainian orphan camp is a very powerful thing. I believe a lot of the kids recognize it when they see it. This team has seen God push back some solid boundaries of distraction and apathy and has really communicated with kids through this team.

It is difficult to leave the kids to the situations they are in. We are tempted to feel our work is incomplete. In many ways this may be true. But I do believe we have carried out the good work God called us to for this past week and that God is using this experience to work in the hearts of the kids now and in the future. Please pray over continued communication with the kids throughout the year because writing letters in our absence often has shortfalls in the aspect of getting deep into the lives of the children.

Please also pray for good rest for the team before they leave Saturday morning. We should arrive in Kiev between 1:00 and 2:00 AM. We will spend tomorrow doing some sightseeing and return to the topic of orphans via a debriefing session in the evening. God will surely bring up a lot of emotions and challenges and lessons through this discussion.

I have enjoyed speaking on behalf of this entire Radooga team (both Americans and Ukrainians) in presenting my observations and requests.

Josh Ingram

Sent from my iPhone

These past few days at camp have far exceeded any expectations I could have dreamt up in my mind. No words can describe the sorrow. No words can describe the joy.

Day 4 at camp actually landed on July 4th (Independence day!). We all rolled out of our moist beds and headed to the cafeteria for breakfast. We were told to go straight to the auditorium after breakfast (unusual) because we needed to hear morning announcements; after a few minutes we were excused and headed to the front of the cafeteria to see if we could spend a few extra minutes with the kids. As we all  left the auditorium we could immediately hear clapping and shouting; the kids had made a huge rectangle and in the middle was a circle of kids holding our flag. One of our amazing translators, Julia Strotska, sang our national anthem for us and afterwards Robb Pring ran around with the flag. We had about 30 minutes before the start of the morning program so a few of us decided to go on an adventure to some sketchy tower just a few hundred yards from the cafeteria. We were just walking around and ran into a few of the kids at the camp; a few minutes into the conversation the subject of cigarettes and drinking came up and it was amazing to see these kids opening up to us about something they obviously try and hide from us. Our time was cut short because we had to get to the program, but it was truly miraculous to see how God turned our time-killing adventure into a glorifying experience for His Kingdom.
After program we went to our group activities, back to lunch, and after lunch it started raining- and I have to admit, I have never heard thunder like that before- it was the most breathtaking storm I have ever heard. The power went out in our building for a short time and we gathered as a group in our  common room and prayed that God's will would be done; indeed, God is truly working for the good of those who love him. The power came on within a few hours- our prayers were answered and we were still able to spend time with the kids. Our recreational time was obviously cancelled since the storm had completely flooded the field; luckily, most of us are still kids at heart and changed into some dirty clothes, grabbed a soccer ball, and headed to the field. What started out as a group of 6 quickly turned into a group of around 20. It was the funnest, most impossible game of soccer I have ever played. Everyone was sliding all over the place, splashing in the water, throwing mud...it was a beautiful thing- to see the kids actually being kids- it was such a blessing. Every muddy second of it.

Day 5 (today) was a little more emotionally draining than physically draining. A handful of kids left the camp early this morning. Even though so many kids are still here, that handful was missed today. That unspoken silence lurked around every corner. Their laughter wasn't here today. Their smiles weren't in the auditorium for morning program. They're gone, and we don't even know if we'll see them next year. Gone, just like that. And in less than two days, we'll be gone. It feels like we just got here. So many amazing things are happening; the kids at the camp, the Ukraine team and the American team have been woven together so effortlessly. This was not by chance.  
Our evening programs are closed by a short sermon from a man named Sergei; so far he has touched on sin, justice, mercy and Jesus Christ as our savior over the past few nights. Our prayers for these kids have been bold, but we know our Father hears our cry. I feel secure in knowing that God is in control. We are his saints, we are his messengers, but we are blessed in that we don't have to carry the burdens of this world on our shoulders. They have already been carried for us. The weights of this world have been lifted. What freedom we have in Christ's love. What abundant joy we have in knowing we have been lead to be a part of this beautiful story. We may be some short chapter- or maybe even part of the preface- but we are a part of a story that is happening in and around each and every one of us.

I'm currently sitting in the hallway of our building writing this. I can hear a guitar and singing down in the common room; a few people are gathered at the end of the hall talking about today. Kenton, one of the members of the American team, just came and sat by me. We chatted for a minute (he's awesome). I asked him how he was feeling about today and this is what he said, "I don't think I've ever felt more comfortable about who I am in my entire life." There's something to be said about all of the things that are happening here...and even though I can't find the words to say, I'm pretty sure they would be awesome if I could.   

-betsy trent

These past few days at camp have far exceeded any expectations I could have dreamt up in my mind. No words can describe the sorrow. No words can describe the joy.

Day 4 at camp actually landed on July 4th (Independence day!). We all rolled out of our moist beds and headed to the cafeteria for breakfast. We were told to go straight to the auditorium after breakfast (unusual) because we needed to hear morning announcements; after a few minutes we were excused and headed to the front of the cafeteria to see if we could spend a few extra minutes with the kids. As we all left the auditorium we could immediately hear clapping and shouting; the kids had made a huge rectangle and in the middle was a circle of kids holding our flag. One of our amazing translators, Julia Strotska, sang our national anthem for us and afterwards Robb Pring ran around with the flag. We had about 30 minutes before the start of the morning program so a few of us decided to go on an adventure to some sketchy tower just a few hundred yards from the cafeteria. We were just walking around and ran into a few of the kids at the camp; a few minutes into the conversation the subject of cigarettes and drinking came up and it was amazing to see these kids opening up to us about something they obviously try and hide from us. Our time was cut short because we had to get to the program, but it was truly miraculous to see how God turned our time-killing adventure into a glorifying experience for His Kingdom.
After program we went to our group activities, back to lunch, and after lunch it started raining- and I have to admit, I have never heard thunder like that before- it was the most breathtaking storm I have ever heard. The power went out in our building for a short time and we gathered as a group in our common room and prayed that God's will would be done; indeed, God is truly working for the good of those who love him. The power came on within a few hours- our prayers were answered and we were still able to spend time with the kids. Our recreational time was obviously cancelled since the storm had completely flooded the field; luckily, most of us are still kids at heart and changed into some dirty clothes, grabbed a soccer ball, and headed to the field. What started out as a group of 6 quickly turned into a group of around 20. It was the funnest, most impossible game of soccer I have ever played. Everyone was sliding all over the place, splashing in the water, throwing mud...it was a beautiful thing- to see the kids actually being kids- it was such a blessing. Every muddy second of it.

Day 5 (today) was a little more emotionally draining than physically draining. A handful of kids left the camp early this morning. Even though so many kids are still here, that handful was missed today. That unspoken silence lurked around every corner. Their laughter wasn't here today. Their smiles weren't in the auditorium for morning program. They're gone, and we don't even know if we'll see them next year. Gone, just like that. And in less than two days, we'll be gone. It feels like we just got here. So many amazing things are happening; the kids at the camp, the Ukraine team and the American team have been woven together so effortlessly. This was not by chance.
Our evening programs are closed by a short sermon from a man named Sergei; so far he has touched on sin, justice, mercy and Jesus Christ as our savior over the past few nights. Our prayers for these kids have been bold, but we know our Father hears our cry. I feel secure in knowing that God is in control. We are his saints, we are his messengers, but we are blessed in that we don't have to carry the burdens of this world on our shoulders. They have already been carried for us. The weights of this world have been lifted. What freedom we have in Christ's love. What abundant joy we have in knowing we have been lead to be a part of this beautiful story. We may be some short chapter- or maybe even part of the preface- but we are a part of a story that is happening in and around each and every one of us.

I'm currently sitting in the hallway of our building writing this. I can hear a guitar and singing down in the common room; a few people are gathered at the end of the hall talking about today. Kenton, one of the members of the American team, just came and sat by me. We chatted for a minute (he's awesome). I asked him how he was feeling about today and this is what he said, "I don't think I've ever felt more comfortable about who I am in my entire life." There's something to be said about all of the things that are happening here...and even though I can't find the words to say, I'm pretty sure they would be awesome if I could.

-betsy trent