Lesozavodsk Day 5

Final day of camp was completely opposite from the previous day. Somehow the kids just seemed better behaved and fun to be around. Part of this may have been because we were outside for 90% of the day. We walked across the bridge and made a campfire on the other side of the river. There we went swimming, played some sports, ate lunch, and made s’mores. Maybe it was the big chocolate bar or maybe it was the cookie we used to hold it all together, but that was the best s’more I have ever eaten. Who would have thought I would go to Russia and get the best s’more ever? Props to Tyler and Victor for making the perfect s’more roasting fire.

            The water was still ridiculously cold. That’s all I really remember about the water.

This is the team with the campers outside the church

            Here’s where camp got sappy. The whole team on the last day really made an effort to connect with the kids and love them and go the extra mile for them. For me, I met and bonded with two of the little girls, Paulina and Merina. Since the guys and girls had been separate all week, the girls were wanting to hang out with the male team members, and vice versa. For some reason, Paulina, who is nine, wanted to hold my hand; additionally, she insisted that Merina, her close friend, hold my other hand. The girls were both really cute. They tried to teach me some Russian—I failed miserably! We walked to and from church holding hands and laughing as we tried to avoid the mud puddles. Back at church for the last round of songs, Paulina insisted that my one arm be around both her and Marina. I complied, as I had with all of their requests. When I got my hand over onto Marina’s shoulder, she reached up and just held my hand. I realized from the look on her face and the grip on my hand that she just wanted to hold on to that moment, and the whole week with all of the team. I don’t know about her home life at all, but it seems that she and Paulina and most of the little kids really felt safe and at home with us. I don’t know how this is possible, but after only half a day together I developed such a strong bond with those two little girls. I could practically feel Jesus pouring his love for them through me.

            I know a lot of the team had similar experiences with other kids on this day. Saying goodbye got really difficult. The kids all gave us hugs and high fives and a few of the girls cried. Part of what made it so hard for the team is that we have no idea what those kids are going home to or where their lives are going. We will probably never see any of those kids again or know how much of an impact we made on their lives until we get to Heaven. That was sort of the theme of Father Steve’s homily that night. We had an impact on those kids, but from here on out all we can do is just pray for them and have faith that Jesus will take care of them in our absence.

            This hardly captures the day that we had. I can’t put into words how amazing this last day of camp went. The whole week, and especially this last day, will stay with me forever. But of course after the kids left it was back to business: cooking, cleaning, and organizing stuff. I fixed up all of our leftovers with Tyler while the rest of the team cleaned up the church and apartments for our departure early the next morning. We were glad to return to Vladivostok to be back with the brothers in our larger rooms with more toilets and clean water.