Camp's an Adventure...

Well, most of you guys know that we've been having serious problems
with health inspection while we've been at camp this year. Multiple
times the health department has tried to shut the camp down for all
sorts of fraudulent reasons (the most recent being the water) and
multiple times we've managed to keep having camps even when they've
said we couldn't or we needed their permission, etc. Radooga and the
camp we rent (Camp Promin) has had independent water tests done that
come out completely normal, but somehow the health department always
manages to come up with test results that have bacteria results off
the charts. A doctor in Kyiv looked at those results for Oleg and
told him that if those results were really true every person who had
put that water in his or her mouth at camp would be in the hospital
right now. And not one person is sick, so it's quite apparent that
the water is fine and someone above us (either Galina, Camp Promin,
the factory who owns the camp, or the construction company that rents
the other camp) is a threat to the health department and the health
department wants them out. Radooga is sort of the hostage in this
situation because it's a war between the campground and the health
inspection and we're just kind of caught in the middle.
Well, every time the health department comes they always tell Camp
Promin that they must give the okay before we can have more kids at
camp. We never wait for their okay, mostly because we may never get
it and also kids come to camp some from 20 hours away or more so you
can't really call them up and ask them to hold up for a couple hours.
Plus, waiting for the approval of a corrupted company who is only
doing all of this for the hope of bribe money and turning kids away
from hearing about Jesus at camp just really didn't seem like a very
good trade.
Yesterday health inspection called the office and said they were
coming today at 10:00. Galina, the director of Camp Promin asked us
to take all the kids in the woods and lock up their rooms when health
department came. So that's what we did this morning...
Everyone got up and we led about 250 people into the woods not knowing
how long we would be there or anything. It was so exciting! I felt
like I was a part of the underground railroad or something hiding kids
from health inspection. :0) Me and Veronica had to take some kids
who had lost their English class back to the amphitheatre and we had
to cross the road to get back on the trail and it was like this
scary/exciting/thrilling feeling.
Thanks for those of you who have been praying for us. The health
department came, took some water probes (for the upteenth time),
checked the auditorium (a place that we had discussed hiding
everyone...) and then left. We don't know yet what the results of
that test will be, but hopefully they will do it and then leave us
along for 2 more weeks so we can finish out our last two camps.
That's our prayer, anyway.
Please keep praying for us. Camp four is amazing and I'm really
excited about it. I love you all! I'll try to put pictures up here
soon.
Arrivederci!

Camp's Always An Adventure!

Hey, I wrote this a two days ago, but it never sent, so here it is again. :0)

Well, most of you guys know that we've been having serious problems with health inspection while we've been at camp this year. Multiple times the health department has tried to shut the camp down for all sorts of fraudulent reasons (the most recent being the water) and multiple times we've managed to keep having camps even when they've said we couldn't or we needed their permission, etc. Radooga and the camp we rent (Camp Promin) has had independent water tests done that come out completely normal, but somehow the health department always manages to come up with test results that have bacteria results off the charts. A doctor in Kyiv looked at those results for Oleg and told him that if those results were really true every person who had put that water in his or her mouth at camp would be in the hospital right now. And not one person is sick, so it's quite apparent that the water is fine and someone above us (either Galina, Camp Promin, the factory who owns the camp, or the construction company that rents the other camp) is a threat to the health department and the health department wants them out. Radooga is sort of the hostage in this situation because it's a war between the campground and the health inspection and we're just kind of caught in the middle.

Well, every time the health department comes they always tell Camp Promin that they must give the okay before we can have more kids at camp. We never wait for their okay, mostly because we may never get it and also kids come to camp some from 20 hours away or more so you can't really call them up and ask them to hold up for a couple hours. Plus, waiting for the approval of a corrupted company who is only doing all of this for the hope of bribe money and turning kids away from hearing about Jesus at camp just really didn't seem like a very good trade. Yesterday health inspection called the office and said they were coming today at 10:00. Galina, the director of Camp Promin asked us to take all the kids in the woods and lock up their rooms when health department came.

So that's what we did this morning... Everyone got up and we led about 250 people into the woods not knowing how long we would be there or anything. It was so exciting! I felt like I was a part of the underground railroad or something hiding kids from health inspection. :0) Me and Veronica had to take some kids who had lost their English class back to the amphitheatre and we had to cross the road to get back on the trail and it was like this scary/exciting/thrilling feeling. Thanks for those of you who have been praying for us. The health department came, took some water probes (for the upteenth time), checked the auditorium (a place that we had discussed hiding everyone...) and then left. We don't know yet what the results of that test will be, but hopefully they will do it and then leave us along for 2 more weeks so we can finish out our last two camps. That's our prayer, anyway. Please keep praying for us.

Camp four is amazing and it's going great. Team 5 arrives tomorrow. I can't believe it! I love you all! I'll try to put pictures up here soon. Arrivederci!

Hey Everybody!

Hey everybody! I know I haven't updated in forever...I'm really sorry
about that. Camp 3 is amazing! Today is our last full day so they
all go home tomorrow, but it's been a really good camp. The team that
came from the states was absolutely incredible. Mrs. Betty, Justin,
Derek and Katie were (for those of you who know them) and that means
TEA PARTIES! Heck yes. Derek brought Starbucks "Awake" tea and the
them of camp is "Wake Up" so we figured that was a pretty good find.

Stories from camp, stories from camp...

Well, the health department tried to shut down the camp again so on
Tuesday they called and said they were coming to inspect the camp and
all the campers needed to be out of the way so we had to take the
whole camp to the woods and play scavenger hunts and stuff. That was
exciting, let me tell you...Fortunately we're still allowed to stay at
the camp for the moment, so keep praying. Only 2 camps left to
go...hopefully we'll be able to have them. God is in control. I'm
not too worried.

This week me and MerriCameron were in a room full of girls from Kyiv
and we had so much fun together. We made big signs with all our names
to go on the door and gave everyone cards. It was so awesome. I love
those girls.

Jake and Taylor arrived yesterday with Team 4 and they brought
presents from Carli! YYYYEEEEEESSSSS! Presents from Carli are very
exciting. I love you, Carli. Jake and Taylor also brought me a pack
of gummi worms so they are my new favorite people ever. Last night we
had a coffee party in the lobby of building one with Oleg, Lena, me,
Lori, Jake, Taylor, Justin, MerriCameron and Derek. We had a blast.
Syoma the security guard kept coming upstairs and telling us to be
quiet, but we didn't care. :0)

I just got done teaching outdoor english class and we had some
sharing time today and that was good. I talked to them about
"mountain top" experiences at camp and how to take that with you when
you go back home. People had some really good things to say.

God is doing amazing things in Ukraine. Stay tuned for some more
updates. Until then, "Да прибудет с тобой сила." (Da preebudet s
toboy ceela. May the force be with you. :0) Arrivederci!

It's a Sad, Sad Day...

So, I don't know if this is actually going to send to my blog or not,
so it's not going to be very long but I got an email from Special K
with some very sad news. Apparently my self-portrait is no longer on
display at TCC enrollment services. Yes, yes, I know there were those
of you who couldn't wait to apply to TCC just so that you could see my
self-portrait, but sadly those days are over. Lori's behind me and I
think she shed some tears. She's reaching for her coffee right now.

C: Lori, did you cry?
L: Of course.
C: Wait, did you ever see my self-portrait?
L: No, but I did go back to look for it for you. Do you remember
that?
C: No.
L: About a week after you left it in there it was on the wall.
C: Oooooh. Well, I guess we'll just have to remember it from
pictures on Todd's blog and James's phone. I can't believe you never
saw my self-portrait. Now you will never get to see it.
L: When i told you I was going back to look for it you screamed and
said, "No! It's terrible! Don't go back for it!" I think it's
hilarious that you don't remember these things.
C: Well, like, I vaguely remember it, but it's kinda cloudy, you
know? Kinda like everything.

Okay, well, if you need details about the history of my self-portrait
or how it ended up on a bookcase at TCC enrollment services, don't
bother to ask me. Ask Lori, because she remembers. Lori@radooga.net
Okay, peoples, have a great day!