Summer Ministry in Poltava
I took this sunflower picture while on a VERY OLD bus as we were literally inching our way up a hill. I thought that I might have to get out and help push, finally the bus did make it up the hill without my assistance, (I think the Angels were the ones doing the pushing 
…and then the singing once we actually made it up the hill 
) in the meantime I took advantage of the time to take a few pictures of God’s scenery.
ENJOY 
Ministry in Poltava has picked up for the summer.
For a couple of weeks as a church we traveled to several different summer camps for orphans. The government, each year, spends money to send the kids to camp, mostly so the orphans can get some fresh air and come out from the confines of the orphanage. “Spread their wings” you might say. We had a great time getting to know the kids in at each camp. Most of the stories they share about their families are the same, heartbreaking to say the least. Mom or dad is an alcoholic, they lived with mom or dad for a while, and finally, because that parent was drinking too, or perhaps that parent had the responsibility of other siblings as well, the parent could no longer take care of this particular child. So the parent, or a neighbor, or the government, put the child in an orphanage. Sometimes the child’s parent(s) visit often, sometimes not at all. This is all very sad, but true. I had several conversations where I shared that instead of looking at what you don’t have, look at what the Lord HAS given you, a roof over your head, a bed to sleep in, clothes on your back, food in your stomach etc. This was a hard concept for them to understand, but I feel that it gave them something to think about.
I also had a conversation with one girl about where is God. She said asked me how do I know there is a God if you can’t see Him? We talked about this for a while, she listened intently with all I had to say, but was not ready yet to make a commitment to the Lord. We shared photos, of her times spent with different people (foreigners) who have visited her at the orphanage or camp, and have stayed in touch. I shared some pictures I had of my family.
The way to and from the camps was beautiful. The Lord blessed us each day with GREAT weather. Just looking at the scenery reminded me so much of how He loves us and created all that we have around us for our enjoyment.
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Next week I will be attending a training seminar with the Pregnancy Center in Poltava. Many volunteers from the different Pregnancy centers around Ukraine will be at this seminar. I am not sure if the teachings will be in Russian or translated. If they are in Russian, I pray that my language skills will hold me through the duration of the seminars. I’m not fluent, but I can carry listen to a sermon in Russian and carry on most conversations. However, there are times when my brain gets tired and it wants to shut down…all that to say is, pray for me please.
I’ll write again after the seminars are finished. In the meantime, you never know when you might need assitance of an Angel, if you listen veryquietly, you might even hear the sound of Angel wings…
