You just never know

We've been getting some flack for not updating you on life here at the camp.  Lately, I've been feeling guilty for this, and wondered why this is so hard for me to do.  I guess it's just because life seems so... normal here.  We don't have any miraculous stories to make you feel good or to make it sound like we are doing "God's work" overseas.  But God reminded me that he works in the "normal" of our days.  

So here is the "normal" of our day.  Since last summer we've gotten connected with two boys who live near the camp... Sergey and Misha.  Nearly every weekend these two come to visit.  I'll be honest with you... some days I just want to be by myself, but every time God changes my selfishness and shows me that it was worth it.  

            (Sergey)

Here's a little background on the boys.  Sergey is 15 and Misha is 14.  We've been told that their mom died in childbirth with Misha, and their grandparents did not want them living with their dad so they took them in.  Although for the first 11 years, it was hard for them to provide for boys so they went in and out of the orphanage.  The last 3 years they have been solely living with their grandparents.  When I first met Sergey at our summer camp, I thought he was a punk.  He strutted around with his friends, and when I first said hello he shook out his wet hair in my face.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       (Misha and Cam)

Misha is always coming over drinking all of our powdered drink packets and (now that we are in winter) all of our hot chocolate. :) But, now that I've gotten to know these boys, I love them like they are my nephews.  They are very sweet and Sergey has shown himself to actually be very polite and considerate... and even tries to teach Misha to do the same.  Misha is always helping me to clean and loves playing with Campbell.  They have become fast buds.  

Last Saturday, we went to see Sergey compete in judo... of which he took first place in all of Crimea!!  They came over on Sunday... we made cookies.  Yesterday they came over again and we hung out... and yup, now that it's Sunday, they are coming over again.  With our limited Russian and their limited English our hangout times are just that... hanging out.  No deep theological training... no life changing revelations... just hanging out and laughing. 

What is God doing through this?  Not a clue.  Will I ever know?  Probably not.  Hebrews 11 talks of all the "greats" in the Bible... Abraham, Moses, Isaac, Jacob... who were given promises from God.  "These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised." (Heb. 11:39) It all happened outside of their lifetimes.  So who knows what will come out of the normal of our day.  God has just asked us to befriend these kids, to demonstrate Christ to them... and only through our actions.  

I will try to keep you updated more on our "normalness".  Who knows, maybe it will encourage one of you, and at the very least you'll know what we've been up to.  All I know is that when I am conscious that God is working in everyday things, the days become more purposeful.  Take captive every normal aspect of your day... you just never know.