My Other Kids

We recently got to spend some time with kids visiting Birmingham from Poltava Orphanage in Ukraine. This was our second year to be involved with Reach Orphans With Hope. They are an orphan care ministry that helps kids in Ukraine to understand that God has a purpose for their lives. Last year when we went the only words I knew in Russian were yes, no, and juice. This year I visited a website called Mango Languages for free Russian lessons. I knew how to say hello, how are you, what is your name, my name is Kelli, and goodbye. That is still soo not enough. My husband and I have decided we are really going to make learning Russian a priority. It would be so great to really get to talk to these kids. They are so precious. I wish that we could adopt several of them. There were some last year that i just wanted to bring home right on the spot. This year was no different. I have a few pictures giving a glimpse of what we got to do.

Our youth that went


Andriy sharing his ring pop with a DOG!!!! (the dog was behind the picnic table)


Sergiy showing off the blue mouth he got from his ring pop


The guys from our group got STOMPED at soccer


Samuel and Artem on the slip and slide


Artur was cold when the water hit him


Everybody liked the slip and slide


More slip and slide fun


It started to rain so we went inside for some indoor fun


Tanya shows off the hat she made


I think Jordan and Matt had as much fun as any of the kids


Vlad


Benjamin and Matt


Vicka with an interpreter


Tanya painting a wooden box


Vlad creating


Look what Vlad made!!!


Artur hard at work long after everyone else


Mark and me with Andy


Playing the piano


Sometimes I wonder why we take them places


Legos- the universal language of little boys everywhere



Artem dominating the chessboard, Chris is observing and taking notes


Atrem beating Jordan, Chris is praying that he does well


Aha! Checkmate. Mulah dietz, Artem!!!

There are so many things that pictures do not tell, like how precious the children are, how they are so appreciative of just little gifts like pillows and yo-yos. They love it when you smile at them or just talk to them. I wish I had a camera that could capture their expression when I said some of the few words I could in Russian. I wish that I could find homes for all of them. They are flying home as type these words. Some of them will once again get to experience what it is like to have someone say "I love you, you are special, " things like that. Unfortunately, most of them will not. Please pray for these children, as well as the rest of the over 100,000 other orphan children in Ukraine.