Radio Silence (+ Mustache Bonus Feature)

Tomorrow we set out on a big adventure!

Our family will be participating in Mission to Ukraine’s (MTU) two summer camps and tomorrow the fun begins.

Every summer MTU holds two different summer camps for children with disabilities and their mothers.  The first camp is for young children and the second camp is for teenagers and young adults.  The children and youth each have varying levels of needs and abilities and all are welcome.  These are all kids who receive services at MTU, whether it be special needs preschool, physical therapy, occupational therapy, or life skills classes. Not only do the kids get to have a blast playing games, doing crafts, and learning about Jesus at camp, but the moms get a week of respite and fellowship with each other.  We’ve heard it’s just amazing and we can’t wait to see it for ourselves.  🙂

The campers are put into small groups according to their ages and then each camper is paired with an adult volunteer who helps them and cares for them during all the camp activities.  During the first camp, Jed will be in a group with the little little kiddos.  Havalah and Seth will also be in his group.  How cool that all our kids get to be campers too!  Addy and Ezra will be with their age groups.  I’m not exactly sure how it will work with our kids during the second camp…but I’m sure we’ll figure it out.  Twelve older, high-functioning boys from Romaniv get to come for the second camp.  YAY!

Originally I was supposed to be with kids, but there was a surprise need for someone to work with the moms, so I’ll be doing that.  There is an American woman who has come to camp faithfully, for like 12 years straight and she always serves the moms, but she was unable to make it this year.  Sooooo…I guess I’m up!  Every morning I’ll be doing a small group with some of the moms of the campers.  I feel pretty nervous and completely out of my element, so if you could pray for me I would so much appreciate it!!!  I really just want to hear the Lord and His heart for these moms.  I can’t even imagine how it is to raise a child with special needs here.  It must be so isolating and difficult.  I don’t know all that these moms need, but God does and so I’m just praying He speaks through me.  Who knows, I might even make some new friends in the process!  🙂  I hope so.

Our goal for this camp is just to be the hands and feet of Jesus to these families.  May they experience joy and love at every turn.  May they be refreshed and their hearts filled to overflowing.  May those who don’t know Jesus meet him during this camp.  May each person truly understand that they are seen and they are known by God, and if they will only glance in His direction, He will meet them there.  By the way, did you know those things are true for you too?

We’ll be out at camp pretty much until the end of the month with only a couple of days home in the middle of the two camps, so we won’t be posting any updates during that time.  Email responses will also be delayed, FYI.

Radio silence commencing….now.  Catch ya on the flip side!

*So, we got some mustaches in a package from the US…and one thing led to another…