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Q Home Q TB Hospitals Q The Gift |
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We had been to both Yashkino and Solomotovo on several previous trips. What more could we offer?
I became convinced of the value of repeat visits on Day Three. Returning to orphanages provide wonderful opportunities to deepen friendships, build on previous interaction, and show them that we really care. |
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Yashkino-- One of our favorite orphanages!
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The Stowman Family plus! The children and their caregiver with whom we spent our time. We have watched the little boy Paul is holding grow up! |
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"Ootka, ootka, goose!" That's how you play the game in Russian. |
Girls around the world serve play meals! |
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They liked their gifts. |
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The kids loved having adults play with and hold them. |
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Decked out with balloons! |
We remembered them, and they remembered us. |
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Bill has his arms full! |
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On to Solomotovo we went...
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...accompanied by some government officials that have become good friends of our mission. When they saw our family, one of the men held up three fingers followed by five fingers followed by a thumbs up! "Three daughters, five in the family, and you came back!" That's what the sign language communicated. |
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A traditional bread and salt welcome from the children and director. |
We were thanked for coming in so many ways. A delicious meal with soup, mashed potatoes, stroganoff, bread and cold cuts, fruit and vegetables, cookies, candy, and tea have become a tradition. We even gave our interpreters a break so they could eat! Our Ksenia and all the others certainly deserved it! |
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Skits, dancing, and singing were part of the children's gift to us as well. |
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We brought gifts too! Each of the boys in our group got a haul. Gospel bracelets with a message, chocolates, Bible story books, and CarePacks of school supplies... |
The boys especially liked the letters from you! |
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Here's the way to the hearts of those boys-- through the soccer game they had been planning for weeks. The Americans played their hardest but were still no match for the Russian team. |
On the sidelines we made friends with the girls. Finger nail polish was the key! We had to grin when some music was turned on out by the soccer field. It was in English! They were playing a CD of our very own Kent and Jean, who were also returnees. Yes, it was good to be back! |
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Building on friendships... That's what we were able to do with this woman. We did not know her well, but we recognized her as a friend of some friends who weren't able to make the trip. It was good to touch base with her. As the only believer in the whole village, she was in need of a dose of encouragement. Pray for her to be joined by others soon! |
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Last Updated January 20, 2006 |