The Voices of Ukrainians

I was thinking back and I realized that for the most part I write two types of stories.  I write stories about the kids in the orphanages.  I write about how they touch my heart.  The struggles they face.  The special moments with them and the heartbreaking moments with them.  I try and help people understand how much I love the kids in the orphanage and hate the orphanages.  I write about how much I wish I could change the life they live.  I try as hard as I can to convey how heartbreaking it can be to work with the kids, not because I’m trying to play on peoples emotions but because it is really heartbreaking.  I always feel like these stories are depressing, because, well, it depresses me. And then I write stories about what I see God doing through his people in Ukraine.  I write stories about thkids from Safe Haven and how they help us.  The joy and the growth I see in them.  I write about how what we see Anya and Bogdon doing...

Safe Haven has been working with the orphanage in Khanev for over 10 years.  Every Spring and Fall break they put on a camp for the kids who don’t spend the break with family.  So last week, Janna and I got to go with them and a group of American who came to help put on the camp.  We aren’t allowed into the orphanage in Komarivka, so we thought this would be a great opportunity to see what Safe Haven does and try to learn from them.  Anya and Bogdon, house parents at Safe Haven, have told us that camp is when they develop relationships with the kids that eventually come and live at Safe Haven when they finish school.  So I expected Anya and Bogdon to be in the middle of everything all week long.  But they weren’t.  Bogdon emceed during the talent show, and Anya said something to the group the very first day and the very last day.  Other than that, they stayed out of the spotlight.  (Except when Anya played the beautiful girl in a skit with 5...