Older kids (more like young men)

Back to inventing topics off the top of my head.

Well, on what I recall to be a Thursday -- Yeah, Thursday -- Anya and I went to the park, and I think Mark and Michelle were to meat us there shortly afterwards, (probably after a shower or something.). Anya and I had just finished a little run (little for her, little killer on me; the girl has some serious stamina!) and we sat down on the steps, the same place where I had my rain shower and Marina hurt herself. We talked briefly, and eventually, a few older boys came along, perhaps early twenties. They asked me questions, through Anya, as to why I was there, weather I did drugs, slept around, smoked or any of that. When Anya finished telling them I had not done any of these, the one who had asked seemed surprised, and his answer to that was something along the lines of: "how can you live like that?". I had Anya tell him that it was in Christ that I felt fulfilled and did not need any of these. I was still tired and overheating from my run with Anya, but we talked a bit, some kids arrived and somehow, it got around to my being asked to race them on their motorcycles (or motorscooters, not sure which it would be). I declined, but shortly afterwards, the younger boys on their pedal bikes said they'd race me on that. I won the race, and the boys were fairly impressed. later that day, the one who had done most of the talking, the one who had asked me how I can live this way, came over when M&M had arrived. He parked there and kind of watched for a bit. Seeing as Mark and a few kids and I were playing Frisbee, I did a tentative swing to show him I was going to toss it, he shook no but shortly after, I did toss it to him, and he caught it and returned it. Put his phone down and stayed there a bit, a few more passes and he was playing with us almost as enthusiastically as the 12 year-olds. It was cool, for sure. It looked as though he were trying to hid a smile at some points, and that was rewarding. We invited him to the camp tomorrow, but he didn't show up. But I do believe we have a slight bond between us, a young man who talked to a mid-teen out-lander. 

Well, hope that was interesting. Not sure I told anyone this story...

PS: I'm thinking of posting my Journal entries on here... Just wondering on if you are interested. if so, please leave a comment, or e-mail me at: scott.simpson.scythers@gmail.com and put Uky as subject (so I don't mix it up with my Ukraine team mail) and let me know if you would like me to post your comment for you, as I hear many are having difficulties posting comments...

--Scott

Why are kids on the street? (according to my limited knowledge)

So, this was another request, Sounds like a good one too, seeing as it IS the reason we were out there.

Alright, before I begin, this is from my limited knowledge; I do not live there, I do not know all, I did not do a study, I simply heard and saw a bit. This is what I learnt, more by word of mouth and without any real evidence. Let me put it this way: family values aren't the same as here; there is a large gap. Yes, here families aren't perfect either, might I add, but let's just take an average count, alright? Okay, now family ties aren't always as strong out in the villages as we might have here. The future of the family is a more desolate and there are parents, like here, who live much of their lives drunk, angry, secluded, high, and or many other things that don't particularly appeal to children... or anyone for that matter. Money isn't always easy either. Some kids at the camp got one meal a day, the one we served them. Also, there aren't as many kid help lines of that sort of thing, if any, like we have here. Seeing as they are in a village, many don't necessarily have a high education either yet, or plan to. Okay, what does this have to do with street kids and human trafficking? Well, you can see how this is not very appealing correct? Many of these kids agree. And hey! the city is civilized! THEY have money! THEY have televisions and electricity! THEY can BUY most of their food! And cinema's? You can see perhaps how this point of view, added to a hard life at home might bring the child/teen to run away... Often these kids end up on the street... or on the market. Why? because they have no money to make money! They have no friends, no help, live there illegally, what can they do? Go home? NEVER. The freedom is too much. These kids can get hooked on drugs, often do, or glue, or something.

Okay, so that's how they get THERE. now the question arises: "WHY in the world were you not helping THEM instead of hosting a silly Bible camp?". Well, as stated in a previous post, we were there on a preventative measure. There is a place called First Step, where street kids can go to get food and education first-aid, and help. This place is not a fabulous structure unfortunately. This is because the government has already confiscated two previous centers, right after renovations were complete.

Sorry for all the round about, sorry for a caps and stuff, but I think they help get the message through.

--Scott

Shyness

This should be short as it is late at night and I'm tired. The kids and the towns people were relatively shy in our regards, not really daring to look at us in the eye or we in theirs. We weren't sure how to act or were expected to act. A few of the villagers were very glad to see us, so a little less shyness, but those were mostly from the Church. The children were very timid and did as told (except the little boys who wanted to play soccer). It was not noticeable to me, but even in the first day of camp, people simply flourished with forwardness and trying to play with you (mainly the kids) and grab a translator/interpreter. By the end of the week, I felt a kindred to them as to my youth group, Unashamed, that I have been attending for nearly seven years with people who went to kids club, Pioneers, with me, another three/four years. We felt, or at least, I did, felt like we had known each other for far longer than five simple little days. It felt like weeks, months, even years or friendship in some cases.

First Day of camp/Game

So, I'll let food drop for now, but I'll come back to it later.
One Monday, our first day of camp, we arrived late, by about 5 or ten minutes, the children did not seem to mind anyways, the perhaps 40 kids in a very large room (you would have thought 20). So it was alright, we got things ready and things went smoothly. As I was one of the two Games leaders, this is what I will talk about for the time being. The theme was on how God guides us and how he leads us. So, since God is our mighty shepherd and we are his simple minded sheep, we played a game of sheep and wolves. Not all the groups understood and the little boys only wanted to play soccer. But it was still played to the best of their knowledge. The rules were these:
--Version one: Wolf or Wolves=one or two people Sheep=everyone else. Wolves have soccer ball and try to kick it at the sheep, if a sheep is hit, it becomes a wolf. Last one standing idea.
--Version two: The same, but there is one Shepherd. The Shepherd could free the wolves into sheep. Which ever team had everyone on their side one (therefor everyone wins, except the Shepherd if the wolves win).

It was nice, but we quickly understood that a game that might seem simple to us was a little more complex, especially after being translated through people who didn't quite understand either. So we played a little then we played soccer or frisbee.

--Scott

Food -- Part Three --

So like, I like food... Whatever! XD

So, this one is more about lunch with the kids. Most of the kids came and ate with us at what they called the local Church, though it was not much; they are in the midst of building a new one by hand. Anyways, most of the kids cam and ate with us, and for a number of them, it was their only meal. when some dry food came around, some of the kids would start stuffing them away and other kids would join in making it a contest. It was funny to see, as they usually were smiling or teasing each other, but sad if you really thought about it... Also, what we ate was considered a feast to many in the village. Perhaps even to most. but to us, it was a satisfying meal, just enough to keep us very happy and from being hungry until the next meal.

--Scott