The trip is getting close

Nineteen of us are now waiting for our invitation to Russia so we can submit our visa applications.  Those should come in a week or so ahead of our trip.

Plans are moving ahead with curriculum using characters from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.  We'll have lessons and skits along with the story.  We'll be viewing the movie with the kids!

Other plans involve kids at the ministry center on parenting, relationships and jobs.  We'll also talk about how to treat the opposite gender.

Keep praying and if you'd like to donate, go to www.covenant-pres.org.  Thank You!

Trip planning and fundraising

As an update, we will be flying Delta again this year.  Between the better customer service as well as prices being very competitive this year, we chose Delta.  We are excited about landing in a familiar airport and having lunch at our favorite mall. 

We'll spend much of the first afternoon in Red Square and the Kremlin.  We have a number of first time travelers so it will be good to take them through some of the sights.  I imagine we'll hit cathedral square this year, but we don't have firm plans.

Saturday and Sunday will begin our time with the graduates in Vladimir where we'll spend fun times and provide lessons on life skills and attitudes. 

Monday we'll be at the orphanage and we'll stay through Friday.  Our plan is to have lessons, games, crafts, and skits.  There is lots of planning to do between now and May. 

Again, if you'd like to donate, you can send a contribution to:

Covenant Presbyterian Church
2845 Parliament Drive
Colorado Springs, CO 80920

Or www.covenant-pres.org and click the donate button and specify that it is for the Russia trip.

Thanks, and there will be more to come. 

We have an indiegogo page!

Here is a new way to contribute and raise funds for causes.  Check us out at indiegogo, send us a contribution, and you get a prize as well as knowing that you've helped Russia orphans in their quest to become confident young people.

Here is our page at indiegogo!

Yoga in Pokrov

While we did far more than yoga today, that was the big hit.  Julieanna Keenan, a high school student and new member of our team,  decided to try a yoga class just for girls today.  It was our way of connecting and also encouraging the girls to exercise.  It was standing room only in the yoga room with barely enough room for all of the mats.  Tomorrow we will likely have more girls as Julieanna was a HIT.  

The day begin with our teams being set up and developing their slogans and their posters.  I was asked to write the text of our poster in English.   The kids decorated the poster in English.  The theme for the week is a positive attitude and the theme for today was do a good deed.  We were encouraged by the orphanage staff to do a good deed and to also compliment people, especially orphanage staff. 

We also played soccer and did crafts.  We didn't have time to do our lesson, but Chari thinks that she can get two skits into one lesson and combine the two themes. 

We also had an orthodox priest come to the orphanage today.  Some of our team members met with him and some kids and had an interesting time learning more about the orthodox faith.  In addition, some went to the local Grace home.  The Grace home is an apartment, supervised by Svetlana and her husband.  Five boys live in this transitional housing apartment while they adjust to their new roles in college, technical schools and universities. 

So, now we have to make plans for the talent show on Friday.  We have to provide 5 acts.  I have to find one.  ARGH.

The trip starts with a delay

So, we all arrived on time at Denver International Airport this morning for our 10 a.m. flight.  Unfortunately, United Airlines had to cancel the flight.  After about an hour and a half, we were rebooked onto a Lufthansa flight for 5:50 p.m.  That means that some of the things we were going to do in Moscow will not get done. 

So, we had lunch here at DIA and now some are playing cards, some are walking around the airport and I'm chatting with friends on VK.com.  Now, they are all going to bed. 

We managed to get almost everything in our suitcases, but had to leave some things behind.  We are excited about our trip, even though this delay is frustrating and it was not clear at first whether our new flight was confirmed.  We had about ten minutes at the Lufthansa counter trying to find out if we really had seats.  We had a big sigh of relief when they changed from saying that the flight was full to printing our boarding passes.  Still we sit.

On your mark, get set...

Well, we are only a day and a half away. We will be in Russia soon. Tonight we had our last meeting to pack and to pray for each other and to make sure that everyone gets to the airport on time.

It is exciting, yet scary. There is so much to do at home, and yet so much need to travel to Russia. I'm looking forward to seeing old friends and making new ones. We have new team members coming and experienced ones as well.

So, Covenant Presbyterian Church in Colorado Springs, we are almost gone. We just need to get to the airport on Thursday morning on time with all of our passports.

Then...GO.