Your heart will heal. !

First stop for the morning was over to P Gregory's place to have a meeting with Ed and the workers. It was wierd cause this is where we stayed for a week, two years ago so there were hugs and kissses from the very sweet cooks and things were familier. Ed spoke to every one giving words of wisdom and encouragment, he is such a great guy. We shared some dreams and said hellos and the girls said goodbyes.
Ira and Olga along with Lena work to support children in orphanages and people liviing in invalid homes and rehab centers with teaching English, Bible studies, writing letters for sponsership situations, fund raising and organizing picnics and outings. Such an energitic group.

Ed and two of his daughters, Emily and Amy.

Team Ukraine, Emma, Aipery, Ira, Altynai, Olga and Lena

Then we went to the boys rehab center.  Lena has been working her for a awhile teaching English and spending time with the boys. There were only a few boys there because of the summer holidays so it was easy to take them all out to McDonalds.  A fun time was had by all and the boys seemed to really like all the attention.

All the boys and workers at McDonalds.

Aipery mentioned that it was a good idea that we had to have small groups of three go up and get food and sit together.  Then she explained why. The boy she had been sitting with and working with for the last couple of months told her that this was such a nice feeling to be out with us.  He said that it didn't feel like and institution, it felt like a family.  He said that he just wanted to be loved. And this is why we do this. 

This boy, even though it can be painful, felt connected and comfortable in a family like setting having a meal together.

It is sometimes funny how your perspective of things can change by your situation.  When we go out for a meal, we think it is special when we can all sit together and do things together... like family parties or celebrations.  most times when we go out for meals with kids,  we call ahead to arrange for us all to sit together, even today I was thinking on our way that if we were a little more connected or not so much jet leg, we could have aranged for us all to sit together... that would be for us... so that as we look over the group, we would see them all together sharing in the excitement of the meal out, rather then what happened here today... Today we were in small groups ... three or four, and the excitementwas not in the meal , it was in the intamacy of the moment... something far more important then a meal... a chance to know that if it was only for them... they are still loved....

I overheard one of our girls after we said good buy talking to Julie.. she said    "Maybe I should not have let myself get so close ?"  Julie simply responded    " If we did that , we never would have met you ! but don't wory your heart will heal ."