It's so hard to believe that we finished Day 4 of camp especially since Monday, I thought this was going to be the longest week ever!! It has flown by. Of course, there is not much time to be bored...I think we've been on the move every second of every day. Today brought on several minor injuries...Pablo pulled his hamstring muscle and was out for the day after the morning games, LeAnn pulled a groin muscle and while trying to catch a kid who climbed a wall, Avis was stung by something (it's a funny name but I can't remember it) and had welts all over the lower part of her legs. Overall, it was a good day. Cosmina decided to run again today. At one point I had to have Lynda catch her for me and then both of us literally had to carry and pull her through the door. I had to have the "head guy" have a talk with her. She straightened up but wouldn't have anything to do with me. Then at the Memory Verse station, she came and put her arms around me and gave me the biggest hug.
Tomorrow is Day 5 - Field Day!! We are really unsure about the number of kids we'll have in our groups or who they will be. We all had some new kids today and we had some that either weren't allowed to come back or they couldn't fit on the bus. We were told if kids didn't come today because of behavior, they wouldn't be there tomorrow. So I guess we will just have to wait and see when the bus arrives. We've picked out blankets for each one and we will give those out tomorrow along with goody bags.
After camp, we split up...some went back to the Livada office to organize the goody bags and bring the blankets back to the hotel and the rest of us went to the Baby Hospital. The babies are adorable; Lisa and Rachel have done an amazing job with them this week! The babies were given their blankets along with Gabi and Mira (not sure about spelling). We will have those pictures up in the next day or so. Today was Rachel's last day because she's going to camp with us tomorrow. Lisa will spend one more day at the hospital. It was really hard for Rachel to leave today and I remember that feeling last year. It doesn't take long to become very attached to them especially when they do something special like Emma running into Rachel's arms with her arms wide opened. It's hard leaving them in their current situation and so badly wanting to change it.
The prayer focus for today's devotion was for all of you at home that made this trip possible for us and for those that might have wanted to come on this trip but couldn't. This trip would have never happened without your support...either through your prayers, making and snipping blankets, helping with luncheons and dinners, working on the cookbook and/or financial support. We are especially missing those that were with us last year but not this year. You are all a blessing to us.
Tomorrow is an early day for us so in the words of Tabitha...I'm gonna peace out!! We pray that all of you feel the blessing you have been for us!! You are as much a part of this trip as we are!!
Love to all of you!!
I want to echo Paige's sentiment that indeed the 23 that came were blessed to be a part of this mission trip, and that so many of you contributed by keeping children or dogs, by helping in fundraising, by taking us to the airport, buying cookies, making blankets... We have all then been blessed to be a part of what God is doing in Romania. Even as we remember that we worked all year to get ready for our one week here, we also need to remember that God's work here continues every day. If you want to learn more about Livada, the Foundation with whom we worked in Romania, please let me know. We saw the faces of those children this week, and their lives are more than a picture on a sponsorship card. They are real boys and girls with love, fears, hope...
ReplyDelete