August 2006
Dear Friends,
Summer vacation is in full swing here in Galati. Even though our camps will have come and gone by the time you receive this letter, I'm writing it the day before we leave. That means you'll have to wait until next month for the good report.
Our daily program for the summer includes Bible studies, worship and prayer, reading time (both time for the kids to read on their own and time when we read to them), lots of fun art time, watching movies every now and then, and plenty of good play time. That's what we do Mondays thru Thursdays. On Fridays we take a field trip of some kind. This summer we've gone to McDonald's (to celebrate the past school year), the swimming pool, a couple of parks, and, this past week, to the botanical gardens here in Galati.
There is also a planetarium in the botanical gardens. They put on a good show talking about our solar system, complete with pictures and movies. We checked it out with the kids and they, of course, loved it. During the show I was sitting between two of the children, a first-grader and a third-grader. I really enjoyed the two conversations I was having with them. Talking with the third-grader went something like this:
“Hey, Paul, did he say that's Mars?”
“Yeah, he did.”
“Wow, it's really pretty, huh?”
“It is.”
“And it's rotating and also revolving around the sun just like Earth?”
“Yes, much like Earth. Wow! Good job! Where did you learn that?”
And so on. I really was impressed that she knew some of the basic science of our solar system. Much less scientific, but a good bit more humorous, was my conversation with the boy on my right, the first-grader:
“Hey, Paul, is that where we live?”
“No, we live on the Earth. That planet is called Mars.”
“Oh, Mars.” [pause] “So that's not where we live?”
“Nope.”
[Pauses again] “Well, who does live there?”
“I don't know. I don't think anyone does. But we don't really know for sure.”
“Nobody?”
“Probably nobody. In the movies they say Martians live there.”
“Ooo, cool, Martians.”
He knows those Martians from television. Of course, making the whole situation even funnier is the fact that those two conversations were taking place simultaneously. So I was being impressed and entertained at the same time. There's never a dull moment with the children.
These field trips with the kids have got me really excited for camp. This year will be the first that I go with the school children to camp. I've gone with the street boys the last three years. So I'm looking forward to telling you all about it next month.
Thank you for your continuing prayers for Moise and Marius at the boys home. Both boys are doing very well and are having a great summer. They will be joining us for the children's camp. They are officially coming along as “helpers” for the staff, but I feel confident that they will get in plenty of fun time, as well.
I would also ask for your prayers for us in general this month. August is the main time during the year for vacations around here which means we spend the entire month short-staffed. Of course, it's expected and it works out ok since we all get some time off and share in carrying the extra burden when other are away. Please pray that the children and boys will not suffer while we take time to rest. Pray that those on vacation will be truly rejuvenated in their time away. Pray for them to be filled with the power of the Spirit. Please also pray that those “holding down the fort” in the month of August will be given strength and energy to serve the children, the boys, and each other.
Love,
Paul