October Trip

Below are some photos from my October trip to Primorsky Krai. For the teens in the detention center, I did not post any photos that showed many faces:



Day #1
Went to Hope for Life Home #1. It started snowing as soon as we pulled off the main road. House parents are great and our home assistant is very sweet. She helps with the kids and the cooking. They prepared lunch for us which included a salad with beets, berries and other items finely chopped. A little sweet, but very good! In addition to the salad, we had crackers, cheese and sausage. After lunch, I helped the house dad disconnect the outside water lines to prevent them from freezing.

Went to bed hearing Mig jets scream across the sky...

Day #2
Got up early and we drove to Spassk to meet with the parents and kids in Hope for Life Home #2. Beautiful drive in the country! We stopped in Usseryisk to visit the orphanage where Polina, Dima and Nastya stayed. In the lobby I found new postings on the wall with some pictures that included my kids! I looked at one photo and said, "That's my Polina." She was in a dance costume, but I knew it was her. I then looked at another photo and noticed Natsya and Dima. We arrived in Spassk and I met the house parents of Home #2. I learned Misha had just arrived at home following a two week stay in the local hospital due to a heart attack. He and his wife were incredibly sweet and genuinely loving. We have been working for several months to purchase a new home for them, but the process has been very difficult. We went to church that evening and I was asked to speak. We took some clothes for the kids and one of the children was so happy she tried on about 8 outfuits and modeled for us. I got pretty nervous, but the Lord got me through it! I met a 19 year old orphan named Christina that was very sweet. She has had a difficult life and appears to still suffer some attachment issues. She is currently enrolled at the technical training center and is living in a dormitory. We spent the night at a local hotel. TINY bed that was hard as a rock. No heat because the government has decided it isn't cold enough yet. It was below 32...

Day #3
We drove to Pokrovka and I met with Polina, Dima and Nastya's Aunt Tatiana and cousin Vladik. We had a great visit that I truly enjoyed and I wish we could have spent more time with them. I hugged Vladik and told him I was his fat uncle from the United States. He laughed. Had lunch with them. Tatiana had prepared borscht and it was the best I had ever had! We left and drove for a few hours to a detention center and orphanage. Spent some time with the children - young and old alike. We left some toiletries and gifts for the kids.

Day #4
Visited another detention center in Vladivostok. So sad to see the kids here. The guards were pleasant, but did not leave the room. I really do not think the kids were dangerous. We worked a craft with them and gave them some toiletries, gloves and small gifts.

Day #5
Drove to a small village and met with a young woman (21) that used to live on the streets in Vladivostok. Nice young girl - mother of two little boys. She works delivering mail in her village. She accompanied us to an orphanage we planned to visit. Unfortunately, the kids were under quarantine due to chicken pox.

Day #6
Went to church that night to attend the youth meeting in Vladivostok. The church facilities are so small that the adults and teens can not attend at the same time. There were 35-40 teens there and it was great. Their energy for worship and their true sincerity impressed me. And they were dressed to the hilt!

Day #7
Returned to Home #1 for church. Spent some time with the kids playing with them. Helped the parents unload have a metric ton of potatoes for the winter. Ate lunch with them and it was delicious - pelmini, tomato and cucumber salad and crab salad.

Day #8
Drove back to the small village referenced in Day #5 to the home of the young mother I spoke about. We took her a used refrigerator (she did not have one)and she was so excited (we take so much for granted)! We worked in her kitchen for many hours trying to install paneling. Unfortunately, we did not finish. For tools I had a broken hack, a home made knife and another saw blade. Try cutting a hole for an outlet with those tools! A worker was going to be hired to finish the job for us. As we were leaving,she reached over to shake my hand. I laughed and hugged her and she smiled.

I wish I could have spent more time there. So much work to do...