Just Give...Any Way You Can...

We spent our last day in the Big K at a special needs orphanage that our church has become very involved in. Saturday, the 13th had to have been one of the most humbling days I have ever experienced. I spent a few days at an orphanage in Mexico while on my Senior Trip in high school, too. When you spend a day with children who have nothing that they can call their own, you feel as if you've been cut off at the knees.

How have I been living all this time and not spending my time with these children?

Our church had been collecting gifts for the children, as an Angel Tree project. The first Sunday they announced it, Stephen and I went directly to the table during coffee break and immediately picked up pictures of three children. At first, we were going to get one child for each of us, but Stephen said he couldn't stop picking up pictures. How could he not pick them all up?

So, we went home that Sunday, wondering how we were going to purchase pajamas or track suits for these three angels. We don't know Russian enough to go to the Green Bazaar or the Baraholka, where they sell these items at a reasonable price, and without expensive name brands on them. So, we headed to the Ramstore, in hope that we could find something.

No such luck.

So, the next Sunday, we asked if we could give the money to our pastor's wife to purchase the wanted items for us. She more than willingly obliged and we thanked Him that we can at least financially give.

The Sunday after that they announced that they still had 20 children without supporters. We immediately picked up four more children. Well, we gave the money to the lady in charge. To know that seven children would be getting pajamas and track suits to keep them warm during the day and night just feels right.

So, the following Saturday, we helped with the party for the kids.

Stephen and I were immediately asked if we could be Mary and Joseph in the Christmas story that we shared with the 150 children.

They had a band from another church come and play lots of songs. The kids loved it! They were dancing and waving their arms, and sometimes singing along. They got to have pizza and homemade cookies, which was a real treat! We helped pass out food and made sure we helped them drink from the straws on their juice boxes. I have never seen so many smiling faces!

Then, we headed back to their assigned rooms, where we met Santa Claus and his daughter, Marie Noel. The girl is one of our pastor's daughters, Emily. She's a nice girl, teaching at one of the International Schools in town.

We went to the teenage boys' room, where there were about 15 boys, ranging in age 12-20-ish. In a typical orphanage in this country, orphans are basically sent out to live on their own at 18, since there is no more room for them. They usually have a very minimal education and lack in life skills, so they have a bleak future. Since this is a special needs orphanage, you really can't just push them out on the streets, so there are some kids that are older than 18. Above, you can see them waiting very patiently for their gifts to be passed out.

Even when they got their gifts, they were just so happy to hold them, wrapped! And they loved getting their picture taken. I was very busy with the camera! I took about 100 pictures this day, but I chose the best ones for you.

Looking inside his "stocking." The church had put in things like deodorant, socks, and some little treats, like cookies!

This is Zair and Stephen. Zair just loved Stephen. We were amazed at how we know so little Russian, but were able to communicate just fine with the boys. Zair kept shaking Stephen's hand and patting him on the back. He also fancied kissing the top of my hand! He was very proud to be wearing his new black track suit! He also got a "zeloni futbolka", which means green t-shirt.

Zair and this other boy posed for a great picture! Modeling their new clothes...

We also had to make sure we put their name in every piece of clothing to at least try to discourage theft as much as possible.

This is me with the youngest boy. I never heard his voice, but he was so darn cute and sweet.

He sat Stephen down on his bed and proceeded to open the package of cookies he had received from his stocking and gave one to Stephen! Could he be any more generous? Talk about humbling...

Here is the whole crew that was in that room. The ladies who look after these boys are on the end on the left, in the black shirt and on the right side, between the two boys, standing.

It is certainly a day that I will never forget. Hopefully, we will be able to help in additional ways when we get back to the big K. It is the least we can do, right?