The Ukraine Mission Team will be sharing about their trip this Friday, September 28, at 2:00 at SACS Cafeteria. They hope friends and family will be able to come and hear all about what God has done (and is doing) in their hearts.
If you supported this mission trip financially or prayerfully or both, we hope you will be there. You are sure to be blessed.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Vienna
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| Shopping! Gotta love this store! |
We stopped for sausages for lunch (a must) and of course worked in a little shopping for souvenirs and clothes.
We headed out of downtown to the hills surrounding Vienna to enjoy the beautiful views and eat some delicious Austrian food.
Gelato rounded out our wonderful day and we are all back at the hotel now packing, ready to head home tomorrow!
See you all soon!!
Friday, June 22, 2012
Vienna down time
The San Antonio Christian School Mission Team is in Vienna for their "down time" before coming back home. Please pray for restful nights and safety as they spend some time seeing the beautiful city.
We parents cannot wait to get our kiddos back and I know the families at home cannot wait to get their moms and dads or spouses back home again. We look forward to hearing all about what God did in their hearts.
I am pretty sure these pictures are taken at the hotel that the team always stay at. It looks like nice weather. When it rains there (and it always seems to rain) it's actually pretty cold.
We parents cannot wait to get our kiddos back and I know the families at home cannot wait to get their moms and dads or spouses back home again. We look forward to hearing all about what God did in their hearts.
I am pretty sure these pictures are taken at the hotel that the team always stay at. It looks like nice weather. When it rains there (and it always seems to rain) it's actually pretty cold.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Our Last Goodbyes
Carol sent this blog via a text from the bus on their way to their home from camp. The team just left after saying goodbye to the children and teenagers for the last time this summer.
Personally, Camp Viktoria is the hardest goodbyes because these kids are so "on their own" especially during the summer. Oh how they long for a family!
We had a great skit on David being anointed king and then fighting Goliath. Then small group discussions time and a fun time of balloons.
Later, after Mcdonalds, we returned to camp for their evening program which was a combination talent show and disco dancing. The orphans love to show their talents. Many of us exchanged small gifts and letters with the orphans. Afterwards, all too quickly we said goodbye.
We pray that our visit has impacted them for eternity and also for the here and now. If only one had accepted Christ as their Savior it would have all been worth it. But, we know many more than one did! Just in my group alone we had 15 accept Christ yesterday at Viktoria! Knowing this helps ease the pain.
Flying to Vienna tomorrow so we would appreciate your prayers. :)
Goodnight, Carol
(you can tell these photos were taken before the goodbyes)
Please continue to keep the orphans in prayer as they will have a very empty day tomorrow. We always hear about the many tears that they cry all night and all the next day after we leave. They desire so much to be loved and accepted. When people are there sharing God's love, they soak it up and do not protect their hearts from breaking when they are left behind. What we try to make sure they understand is that Jesus will never leave them. He is always with them and will always love them and take care of them.
Personally, Camp Viktoria is the hardest goodbyes because these kids are so "on their own" especially during the summer. Oh how they long for a family!
We had a great skit on David being anointed king and then fighting Goliath. Then small group discussions time and a fun time of balloons.
Later, after Mcdonalds, we returned to camp for their evening program which was a combination talent show and disco dancing. The orphans love to show their talents. Many of us exchanged small gifts and letters with the orphans. Afterwards, all too quickly we said goodbye.
We pray that our visit has impacted them for eternity and also for the here and now. If only one had accepted Christ as their Savior it would have all been worth it. But, we know many more than one did! Just in my group alone we had 15 accept Christ yesterday at Viktoria! Knowing this helps ease the pain.
Flying to Vienna tomorrow so we would appreciate your prayers. :)
Goodnight, Carol
(you can tell these photos were taken before the goodbyes)
Please continue to keep the orphans in prayer as they will have a very empty day tomorrow. We always hear about the many tears that they cry all night and all the next day after we leave. They desire so much to be loved and accepted. When people are there sharing God's love, they soak it up and do not protect their hearts from breaking when they are left behind. What we try to make sure they understand is that Jesus will never leave them. He is always with them and will always love them and take care of them.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Precious Times
Ukraine Mission Trip was possibly the best decision of my life... having a blast here! Miss everyone :)
Pray for Lainey, who is having an allergic reaction to the mosquito bites. The mosquitoes are awful there; especially where the team sleeps at night. One can get 50-100 bites in one night and even have then all over the face. Lainey is not feeling well at all and wants to serve, so please be in prayer for her health.
Below are some pictures just to share some precious times.
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| Roni and Ura at Camp Viktoria |
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| Maxim, Roni, and Pasha Roni, like many of the students on the SA Christian mission team, has been waiting for years to be old enough to go on this mission trip. Finally, this year, she was able to go. Praise God for mission hearts! |
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| Pasha and Roni |
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| Ukraine Flag....blue sky on top and yellow wheat field below |
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Tuesday update
It's tuesday night and the Ukraine mission team is on the bus on their way home away from home. Carol just sent me a text from the bus, giving us an update from their day:
Great day today! Fontanka and Victoria both went well. There was time to do the skits as well as the crafts and the games. Each day we remember more names and build closer relationships.
Many of the children were waiting at the Camp Viktoria gate when we arrived and they cheered when they saw us! So sweet!
This evening, we went to a church that some of our translator's are members of. This is the same church that we have been blessed to take the orphans to in the past. If you go to older posts on the blog, you can see pictures and video of parts of the services there. It's a beautiful sound hearing praise songs being lifted up to our Savior in both Russian and English. Tonight we had a great time of worship and a great message. Everything is in dual language so we can understand all.
For dinner, we went to the mall for pizza and then had icecream for dessert. Two scoops for less than one dollar :)
As I am texting this, we are in the bus listening to the Euro Cup Ukraine vs England game. Yes, our translators are still translating because it is in Russian of course and we are cheering Ukraine on with our translators! More of that cultural experience!
Tomorrow will be our last day with many of the kids at Viktoria because their camp session will be over. therefore we will be presenting the Gospel and we would really appreciate your prayers. These children are not orphans but they go to summer camp at the same place the orphans stay for the summer.
Carol sent two pictures from the church service. I'm also adding pictures that I "borrowed" from Erin's Facebook. They are precious pictures. I looked around Facebook and didn't see any others, but if you parents have some pictures, you can e-mail them to me and I would be glad to add them to the blog.
Great day today! Fontanka and Victoria both went well. There was time to do the skits as well as the crafts and the games. Each day we remember more names and build closer relationships.
Many of the children were waiting at the Camp Viktoria gate when we arrived and they cheered when they saw us! So sweet!
This evening, we went to a church that some of our translator's are members of. This is the same church that we have been blessed to take the orphans to in the past. If you go to older posts on the blog, you can see pictures and video of parts of the services there. It's a beautiful sound hearing praise songs being lifted up to our Savior in both Russian and English. Tonight we had a great time of worship and a great message. Everything is in dual language so we can understand all.
For dinner, we went to the mall for pizza and then had icecream for dessert. Two scoops for less than one dollar :)
As I am texting this, we are in the bus listening to the Euro Cup Ukraine vs England game. Yes, our translators are still translating because it is in Russian of course and we are cheering Ukraine on with our translators! More of that cultural experience!
Tomorrow will be our last day with many of the kids at Viktoria because their camp session will be over. therefore we will be presenting the Gospel and we would really appreciate your prayers. These children are not orphans but they go to summer camp at the same place the orphans stay for the summer.
Carol sent two pictures from the church service. I'm also adding pictures that I "borrowed" from Erin's Facebook. They are precious pictures. I looked around Facebook and didn't see any others, but if you parents have some pictures, you can e-mail them to me and I would be glad to add them to the blog.
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| They look happy and healthy :) |
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| Living Hope Church Tuesday night Bible study |
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| Erin and Arley at Camp Viktoria |
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| SO sweet! |
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| Erin with one of the kids in the village |
Monday in Fontanka and Camp Viktoria
Carol updated the blog during our sleeping hours and then she sent a text this morning with an update. We are so thankful that we have been able to hear so much from Ukraine. Years ago technology was not this advanced and parents sat at the edge of their seat waiting and wondering how things were going, although they knew their children (excuse me..GOD's children) were in God's hands.
Tuesday: 6/19
We had a great day Monday but we are growing weary. The heat and activities are draining so we are praying for renewed strength today.
Monday we were able to do our program at both places, having about 50 boys at Fontanka and 100 children at Camp Viktoria. Our students jumped in an interacted amazingly well with the orphans and the other kids!
We saw some kids who we have known for years at both places and it was great to reconnect with them. One of the teens we have know for many years is a15 year old named Sasha. Mrs. Gibson’s homeroom has been praying for him for two years now. When she told him about this he was clearly touched and could not believe that someone would do that for him. This is just one of many examples of our ongoing relationships with these orphanages.
Today we will be doing the same camps and then joining some of the translators at their Tuesday evening church service. Full day! Carol
I saw this note on Claire's, one of the US kid’s, Facebook this morning and I thought I’d share it: It has been amazing and we have seen how awesome Gods love really is. Please continue to pray for us as we finish out this week travel to Vienna on friday. God is great♥ His love NEVER fails.
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| Kolya and Rima |
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| Trent and Maxim |
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| Camp Viktoria |
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| Alyona playing with the kids at Camp Viktoria |
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