Last Few Days

We went out to the Camp on Friday, and have been without internet the whole time we were out there. We came back into town today to check email, work, and so Shane could communicate with his job, etc.

Friday, we got out to camp a little after lunch. We hung out with the girls for most of the afternoon, which was a bad precedent because after that Marina NEVER wanted to be with her group - which I could tell started to make "Big Lady" (the lady who is like #2 at the Orphanage, and also Marina's dorm mother) frustrated. We need her to like us, so we tried to not distract Marina during groups times, etc.

Saturday morning some of the Americans that were here for Camp left, so that days some of the groups were going to be without teachers/leaders before "replacement" Americans came in on Sunday. Shane and I, mostly Shane, led a group of boys that day. Sunday was kind of a break day, and is visitation day at the camp for children who are there that have families, etc. Also there was a "dance" on Sunday night, which was super cute. I don't know where some of these girls get the elaborate dresses that they have, but they get totally decked out. The ones with the elaborate dresses are mostly village children, etc. There were also several choreographed dances by various kids and leaders.

The past couple days have been in the 70s and it has actually gotten cold at night - which was a welcome change from the previous week. It is starting to warm back up though.

Yesterday, Shane came into town for church with Shane Duke (missionary) and also went to the Chinese church in town. He spent part of the day with one of the interpreters, Yeagor, and Yeagor's mom. Yeagor helped him find several Pixar movies, etc., in Russian.

We are hoping to go back out to Camp tomorrow, it depends on Shane's work, etc.

My stomach has been acting up over the past day or so, and I am not feeling that great today.

Here are some pictures for you guys. The first few are of our apartment in Lugansk... and most of the rest are from camp.

This is a ginormous grape vine that covers part of our living room window (we are on the 3rd floor).

living room.

kitchen

our bedroom

wallpaper on one of the ceilings (all of the ceilings and walls have ornate wallpaper on them)

 bookcase

 cafe where we have done a lot of waiting (and sweating). yes, that is a cat in the background stretched out. (it was an outdoor cafe).

The girls playing w/ hoola-hoops.

shane and the girls the first afternoon out there.

shane duke (the missionary running camp)

some of the girls dressed up for the dance, and a special performance they did.

Same girls... with Shane and Marilyn Duke, and a few others. "Big Lady," the one that stays aggravated with Marina for running off is in back on right.

At the dance. A couple of the other Americans let me borrow a skirt, etc., because I didn't know about the dance and had left the dressier clothes I bought in Lugansk.

boys...

Marina and a feathered fan...

Shane and Sasha dancing.