Monday, July 7, 2008

Camp Day 8 - Friday

- Today is Benjamin’s birthday. As a special gift I have allowed him to take all the pictures he wants with my camera. All the kids, especially the younger ones love digital cameras because they want to see the picture right away. They also love taking pictures, especially Benjamin. Usually, I will let them take one picture each and then make them give the camera back. I told him he can’t take it to meals – I can’t imagine how to clean kasha from a camera.

- Today has been a difficult day. Today, feels like camp will never end and I am super tired of dealing with all the foreign things. I praise the Lord for my proficiency in Russian, but often I am not able to be understood and don’t fully understand. It can feel quite frustrating.

- Today I spent a lot of time with the girls, swimming and doing hair. Then we played a game where they would quiz me by saying a word in English and I would have to say it in Russian and then I would say a word in Russian and they would have to say it in English. I am happy to say I won. I really am thankful to be here at camp.

- Americans smile. That is something I like about us and it is something I very much enjoy doing even though it isn’t really cultural here. As I am walking along the paths here at camp, I always try to greet anyone I pass by name and smile at them. It turns out this is a contagious behavior. I had a couple of boys stop on the path as I approached, paste on giant cheesy smiles, wave a greet me. Now, I hope I don’t look quite as silly as they did, but I thought it was really nice. Allosha, one of the teen boy’s counselors, smiles and waves every time he sees me. I know my Ukrainian friends don’t always understand me, but I know they always love me.

- Tonight we had a campfire with the older groups and talked about relationships. Each kid shared about what they look for in guys or girls and we talked about what things are really important and how to behave in a relationship. Then Veta and Leana shared their testimonies and how God brought them together. It was a really wonderful time.

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