Hope Center III

If you have been following the blog you should be somewhat up to date
through the end of camp. On Monday the kids started going home in groups
based on which region they were from. The first group actually left late
Sunday night and the last on Monday night at 11:00 to catch a midnight
train to Lviv in far Western Ukraine.  Lots of final hugs, goodbyes, and
waves and camp officially ended. A sad but satisfying time as many lives
were changed, both children and adults. The counselors who were
entrusted with the children most of the day, the interpreters, the camp
staff, and the international team all combined to be a great team that
had as its main purpose to show the love of Christ to hurting and needy
children.
As the children left the international team turned into a work team as
they started to ready the camp for Camp 4. Some cleaned buildings,
washed and ironed sheets, organized the craft room, and the biggest
project of finishing the flooring and final touches in Building 4. We
laid vinyl in the entire building, installed base molding in all rooms,
put up curtain rods, and did final cleaning of windows, walls, floors
and trim. All in all a team effort that was done by late Tuesday.
Wednesday we went to two villages in the morning to distribute
humanitarian aid such as clothing, walkers, and wheelchairs. The people
were so appreciative, with some crying they were so happy to receive
these things. The Global Action staff at Hope Center does this  as an
ongoing ministry and forms a bond with the people and can minister to
them spiritually as time goes on.
This afternoon we are going to a fortress  here in Kerch as an
excursion. It was a military defense facility that guarded the Strait of
Kerch during wartime. Then tomorrow we leave for Simferopol to fly to
Frankfurt where we will stay overnight. Friday we fly home to decompress
and readjust to life in the U.S. Please pray for out final days here and
thank you for all your support, it means so much to know you are holding
us up in prayer.
Barry