Children's Hospital and Meetings

Welcome to the Children's Hospital! This trip is the first year The Russia Initiative was invited into the hospital after coming on 5 previous trips.

We were instructed to not say anything about God, Jesus, Methodist... So, the team got creative and decided to do a puppet show talking about the Good Shepard. The kids loved it.

The people with the name tags are our team members. From left to right is Christine, our translator ( I feel terrible but I can't remember her name.) and Holly. Holly is presenting "LiveStrong" bracelets to the nurse for the children. She explained all about Lance Armstrong and how he has pushed through, survived, and fulfilled his dream. This was very cool to all the children and I know the were deeply encouraged.

Just a little close up of their sweet faces. If only you could hear their voices!

After the Good Shepard play, one of the 5 crafts Holly and Nicole set up were sheep from a cut out of their hands. Everywhere we have gone the children LOVE THE CRAFTS!!! It is also sweet for us because we can sit close to them, use hand motions and broken Russian to communicate "how to", take pictures together and then look at them, pray over them while the concentrate so hard. Honestly, my favorite, is just laughing and smiling back and forth together. (This sheep was made to go back to some of the children that could not come out of their rooms. On the back reads..."I came all the way from Texas to tell you, I love you!")

Just another precious face we were able to love on all day!

The Pink Ladies. This sweet girl was so much fun to talk to in my very broken Russian, while we were making God's eyes. Later some of the kids had a little presentation prepared for us. She sang a beautiful song in Russian and had an outstanding voice!

The children waiting patiently for Bri and Janet to make animal balloons! BIG HIT!

I just went back through and read the post...I feel I haven't even come close to capturing all that is taking place here. I don't quiet know what to say to convey how beautifully the Lord is moving here. The comments that we receive from everywhere we have been are things like, "your smiles change the room, I've caught myself smiling watching you, you all are a ray of light to us, why would you come all the way from Texas to Vologda just to see us?, Do you have to go?, Do you remember me from last time? I remember you, when will you be back?, thank you for what you are doing for our children...and me." I could go on and on. IT'S ALL HIM. Seeds are being planted everywhere. I know that Christine, Holly, Beth, and Mark are also seeing fruit from previous years.

After meeting with the children we were invited back by the nurses for tea and conversation. I was so encourage by these beautiful ladies. The LOVE the children and love what they are doing. (For some reason I can not download the pictures of our tea. When I return home I will go back through the entire trip and drop in more pictures!)

Mom, Jessica, and Stacy, this one is for you. Bananagrams and chocolate chip cookies in Russia! Dasha, I have loved my time with you!