Interns in Guatemala!

Hola from Guatemala City!

My name is Allie Maultsby, and I am an intern from Dallas, TX.

We have just completed two weeks in the city of Xela, it was quite an adventure! Lots of children to love. We had the opportunity to work with the individuals team, who was made up eight different people from all over the United States. It was such a delight to work alongside people with similar hearts and passion. They brought several fun crafts for the kids to make, including T-Shirts, sugar cookies to decorate, and some fun necklaces. The kids had a great time!

The schedule was a little different this week. We had one cleaning day where we helped clean windows and walls of the orphanage in the morning, and in the afternoon we got to visit the second orphanage. This was quite a treat because we thought last weekend was the last time we would get to see them. They were so excited to see us again! The last day, the First Lady of Guatemala was expected to visit. A lot of preparations were taken to welcome her. Unfortunately, she did not make the day we were there- that would have been a great cultural experience!

We spent a restful weekend at a beautiful lake and shopping in Antigua. It provided for a much needed refuel, and we are ready to finish up our last week traveling to different orphanages in Guatemala City and Antigua.

Thank you very much for your support and prayers- the trip has been incredibly successful because of your efforts.

Peru Interns..."Beauty for Ashes"

It has been a beautiful week for us here in Peru. We had the opportunity to spend time with some precious girls who left a deep imprint on our hearts...we were supposed to be ministering to them, but they in turn ministered to us with their joy and how they shared their love. Each one of them have been hurt by others, but that didn't stop them from loving us.

We began the week by showing them how BAD Americans are at volleyball (well, at least these Americans), so they got a good dose of laughter. We shared our testimonies with them, did crafts, played endless games of partner tag (they LOVE it) and shared secrets and gifts. But most importantly, we (well, Giuli, our in-country staff) told them the story of Esther, which they had never heard, and shared the gospel with them. Our prayer for them was the memory verse that we taught them, that God would give them a crown of beauty instead of ashes (Isaiah 61:3). And for one of these sweet girls, that is already a reality. This is my friend Norma...she has experienced more than anyone ever should in life, yet she dreams of becoming a nurse so she can help needy children. She gets up at 5 am every morning so she can lead prayers for the little girls there, and she loves God. What a testimony of "beauty for ashes."

It was very hard for us to leave on Friday, and we really had no idea that we had made that much of a difference to them, but as we loaded our van, they clung tightly to us. Then, as we were pulling out, they all lined up across the gate with their caretaker so we couldn't leave, chanting "You won't leave!" When they finally parted, they all sang the worship song we had taught them this week. So beautiful.

Interns in Latvia!!

Ramie Stewart
Lejasstrazdi, Latvia

Our team is just about to embark on our last adventure in Latvia. We will get there this afternoon and start our VBS program tomorrow and continue until Friday, when we will head back to Riga. We left with broken and burdened hearts from our stay at Lejasstrazdi. We were there for a week and a half, interacting with the kids from 8:30am-11:00pm, and we experienced God moving more than we could begin to explain. We left sad to be leaving those that we grew close to but more importantly we left filled by the Holy Spirit from things He has put in our hearts through these kids and their joy. We got to see one kid, Gatis, come to Christ and several others that seeds were either planted or watered from previous mission groups. Tate Springs, a church from Arlington Texas, mission group came to Lejasstrazdi, and this year makes their 6th year in a row to come and serve orphans here in Latvia. I can’t explain what a blessing it has been for our team to serve along with them and learn from their leadership and their experiences in previous years. Tate Springs came knowing several of the children from years past (some for all 6 years), which made it really neat to hear the changes of the kids. Last week we did a VBS program with them, and taught about Jesus’ power and the power we have through Him. We had around 15 kids everyday. We also had the opportunity to go bowling with the kids, take them to the beach and go to “Cineville” where a Latvian historical movie was filmed. At Cineville we dressed up in the soldier costumes (the picture showing) and played fort of a hide and seek game. It was so touching to watch even the 17 year old bys play like little boys, they enjoyed all the fun experiences, and it was such a gift to watch their faces of excitement. “Paldies” (thank you in Latvian) for all the prayers!! We have one more week of this amazing opportunity and can’t wait to share more with all of our families and friends, but we will be sad to leave! God bless!

Interns from Russia

Good Afternoon,

Another great week in Russia, this week by far has been our hardest camp. Orphanage number 14 was full of rough boys that love to hit one another and be very mean bullies. Our ultimate goal as a team was to love them and that was difficult at many times. VBS with this orphanage went great as the kids were interested and participated which was a great answer to prayer, something we thought would be impossible. We also were able to give the orphanage more balls, candy and craft items. Continue to pray for Team Russia as we meet up with a group from Amarillo and leave La pohinka on Saturday morning. Also continue to pray for our safety as we leave to come home on Saturday!

Julie Pride

Interns in Kenya

Hello from the Java house in Nairobi. We safely flew into the city on Sunday night on a slightly larger plane the than the last flight we took to Kitale, which was a PROPELLOR jet!!! Oh the adventures of Africa!

We have been so taken with the different culture that Nairobi offers, its diversity is head spinning. You need only drive five minutes within the city and you will have passed an area of slums, the luxury hotels where business men converse and negotiate, as well as a thousand market vendors selling fresh mangos, school uniform socks and an abundance of Nike swooshes ☺

We consider it our great joy to be serving two areas while here in Nairobi. On Monday we visitited our two sites for the coming week and a half. The Korogocho Slum, our 1st site, is a quick 30 minute drive from our apartment. It’s sickening to describe the contrast. It’s so hard to paint a mental picture of the destitution. Within the 3 sq miles of shacks constructed from metal tops of oil containers and sheet metal, one million people make their homes and lives. Driving into them was like entering into a different world where survival etched the faces of the old men smoking hand rolled cigarettes, and fearlessness characterized the young ones who wonder the alleys of their “neighborhood” with a practiced totter.

After driving through what seemed endless faces and stares, we arrived at the gates of the school! I was reminded of the passage in Matthew 5:13-16, Jesus’ parable teaching on salt and light. The school is a blinding light into their world of deep darkness. Its students are by far the most motivated that we’ve encountered so far. They understand that education is their only hope of ending the devastating cycle of poverty that they were born into. The youngest learn English and the alphabet, while the older students are taught trades such as woodworking and hair dressing.

The sweet children, clad in their matching, yet disheveled uniforms, furiously wave their greeting to us as soon as our matatu pulls into their sight. Its humbling to realize how great of a privilege it us to be sent, and enabled to minister to the least of these. Scripture has come alive to our team as we pray to become the hands and feet of Jesus to these orphans, students, and teachers - all who are so welcoming and so desperately needy.

Our second site is The Baptist Children’s home, which is set further outside downtown Nairobi, on a beautiful spacious campus. It houses a clinic, church, technical learning center, orphanage and school. Simba, their social worker, explained to us that they have a thriving ministry within the surrounding community because of the physical need that they are able to meet.

Some of our favorite moments of ministry spent at the BCC, happened at 2:00 in the Technical Learning Center with the beautiful young ladies of the tailoring class. Zipporah their teacher glows with an inner beauty and joy, as she described to us that she is simply, “A worshipper.” The girls blossom under her instruction, not only in sewing but also in their faith journey. We were blessed to be able to participate in their worship time, which can only be described as literally heavenly. They all tightly close their eyes, and open their hearts as they bellow in both Swahili and English how faithful their Father has been, how He provides and protects and how worthy He is of praise. Although they lack in resources, riches and titles, they have gained much in their worship of the King.


We continue to learn so much more than we teach, and grow so much more than we can ever nurture. I will leave you with these lyrics by Sara Groves from her song, I saw what I saw, that she wrote after a trip she took to work with orphans in Uganda. It has been our hearts anthem for this trip and will remain as we continue to pursue Christ’s call on our lives.

I saw what I saw and I can’t forget it
I heard what I heard and I can’t go back
I know what I know and I can’t deny it
Something on the road cut me to the soul

Your pain has changed me
Your dream inspires
Your face a memory
Your hope a fire
Your courage asks me, “What am I afraid of”
And what I know of love.

Peru SOS Trip Final Update

Well, after several late nights and early mornings, I finally got internet connection again. I am sad we have not been able to write an update until now, but I will try to catch us up to today. After the Sagrada Familia Home, we started our third day at Hogar Reyna de La Paz. This is a











wonderful home for thirty-five single moms and their babies. This was a special home where we were welcomed with open arms. We completed our regular vbs schedule (compared to our all day at Sagrada) and the girls had such a wonderful time as did the team. For many of these girls, they get pregnant at twelve or thirteen years of age, so they miss out on much of their childhood such as jumping rope, playing games, and just laughing. We heard lots of laughing from these girls. Near the end of our time, we walked to the baby and toddler area. Here, the team spread out and held babies, fed them, and played with them. It was a beautiful time.













Following the mother's home, we drove to a new orphanage called Hogar El Nino Emanuel. This was a very poor home and a very hard home to leave. Nino Emanuel housed about forty orphans, but also provided a shool for the neighborhood with about one-hundred children. They spent the first minutes with us doing tradtional dances from the region. They were very precious children.


On Wednesday, the team spent the morning seeing some of the cultural sights in Lima and taking time to shop for gifts from the local market. In the afternoon, we visited another new home outside Lima, called Nuestra Senora de La Misericodia Home. This home housed one hundred twenty-nine girls, aged five to seventeen. This was a blessed home for our group to work with. They were so receptive to the team, activities, and shoes. This home was run by nuns, and they were so thankful for the team coming to share Christ and deliver shoes. We were blessed at the end of the day to be served hot tea, sodas, and sweet bread for our drive back to Lima. This home was a special place for us all. We were treated to some special music. As we were headed to the bus, the girls surrounded us and began to sing. It was like angels from heaven singing. Several in our group dropped a tear or two from the kindness of these girls.




Our final day as a full team was Thursday. We visit two ophanages during this day. The first was called El Mundo Libre which housed 35 boys ages ten to seventeen. These boys were full of energy, and they were ready to play sports! They also presented to our group several traditional Peruvian songs using drums and pipe flutes. It was a great picture of their culture. We then stopped for lunch at a park overlooking the Pacific ocean, and then departed for our next home. We finally got our team photo, so please take a moment to meet them. We also want to mention the outstanding Buckner Interns to Peru! Six of the most wonderful young ladies became an imporant part of our team as they carried boxes, set up craft supplies, assisted with activities for color groups, and so much more. They were truly a blessing to our team, but more importantly to the kids we served. Please continue to pray for the interns as they continue to serve through the end of June.




The last home we visit was the New Life Children's Home. This home was for twenty-five boys/girls, ages one to twelve. The facility was built by missionaries from the US. It was a clean and beautiful home. The children were very happy, and they enjoyed the activities our group brought for them. This was the perfect home to end our time in Lima.
















Part of our team headed home Thursday evening, and they have been missed greatly. They were an important part of our team and we thank them for their dedication throughout the trip to love the children of Peru.

A large portion of our team and the interns flew to Cusco, Peru to serve at two orphanages, and to visit the famed Inca ruins, Macchu Pichu. When we arrived in Cusco, elevation over eleven thousand feet, we took some time to rest and acclimatize to the altitude. We then drove to the first home of the trip, Jesus Mi Luz. This home was for fifty boys, ages 8-15. They greeted us with a show of traditional dances from the Cusco area, and treats made at the orphanage. We then revised our schedule, and started our rotations for the boys. These boys were so excited for our group to be there. They enjoyed every activity, and they loved the shoes our team put on their feet. They ran, jump, and played for the rest of the afternoon with our team. We could not have had a better time!







Our travel day to Macchu Pichu was a wonderful day of seeing the lost ruins of the Inca's. The weather was perfect. Enjoy a great photo of the ruins.















Our last day was spent in Cusco visiting another orphanage called El Buen Pastor, a home for fifty-five girls ages 6-17. We were prepared ahead of time to prepeare our day to be short. The girls presented many traditional dances, songs, and talents to share with our group. They were such a joy to be with and see the love of the caretakers at the home. We also had time to visit the Buckner Girls Transition home. Five girls from El Buen Pastor live here with a "mother" to help guide them as they attend school, recieve tutoring, gain spiritual trainig, and many other life skills so they may be productive members of society. It was a beautiful place! daw

At this point in the update, the team is in the air returning to the US. Please pray for their safety as they travel and reunite with family, friends, their home church, and the daily life they took a break from. Pray that God will use this experience to change their lives and to help draw other people to be a part of making a difference in the lives of orphans.

Blessings,
Jeremy

Interns in Guatemala

Hi! This is Lydia VanDerStoep and this week the interns are in Xela, Guatemala. We have been working with two different orphanage. One orphanage is a government orphanage and we work with this one in the morning. The other is a family based orphanage and we have been blessed to be able to visit this one in the afternoons.

I could spend much time talking about so many of the kids, but I want to focus on just one of the little girls at the government run orphanage who is special needs. I first met her in the morning when I was out of breath after running to chase a kid in the game pato, pato, ganzo, or as we know it, Duck, Duck, Goose. This particular group of kids love this game and we played it for a very long time. As I sat down beside her, out of breath, I asked her her name in spanish, and she replied, Lidia! I was taken aback because I do not meet many people with the same name as me. We began talking and I soon discovered that she was a sweet sweet girl, about 10 years old. She has short hair, a thin frame and a huge smile. All at once I began to think about how we were both named Lydia and how God cares for each of us. Why am I able to live with a family? Why have I been blessed so much? Why am I not the Lydia with autism? Why am I the one who is priviledged to go to college? Why did my parents love me and care for me? I know that I may never know the answers to these questions but I did learn so much from spending time with her.

The following day, I was able to be in crafts with her and as we talked in Spanish, I discoverd that she loved to sing. I asked her to sing me a song, and she very calmly began singing a beautiful melody of praise to her God and Lord, Jesus Christ. It was one of the most beautiful sights to see the room get progressively more quiet as she lifted her voice to her Savior. After one song, she did not stop. Other children began to join in with worship songs, and a spontaneous worship time in craft time broke out.

One thing that I have learned is that I am not God. I am not the one who ordained me to live and grow up how I did, and her to live in a different situation that has been much more difficult. Yet we both praise the Lord, and we both find peace and joy from praising our Lord. No matter how hard our life can be, when we praise God, He is so faithful to bring us into his presence and into his loving arms.

Peru Interns Checking In...

Pairs of shoes : 1300

Pairs of hands: 45

Deliriously tired/happy interns: 6

Two-way plane tickets to Cusco: 6

Llamas named Eugene: Only one

The smile on a child's face when you find the perfect pair of shoes: Priceless.

If you have been reading the blog this week, you already know that a fabulous Shoes for Orphan Souls team has been here in Peru with us all week. We have had the joy of tagging along with the group and visiting eight different homes from Lima to Cusco, distributing brand new shoes and God's love and hope. Everything was a piece of cake after Monday, when we put 730 pairs of shoes on little (and sometimes very big-and stinky! :) feet!! We were somewhat like a traveling circus/whirling dervishes as we traveled from home to home on our big bus, with unending boxes of shoes, candy, toys and crafts. The children treated us like celebrities-they threw confetti on us, served us refreshments, and put on concerts for us. For us, it was such an honor to be on this end of the "shoe chain." There are so many of you who buy shoes, sort them, pack and count them....but we have the joy of actually putting them on the feet of these children. We want you to know that whatever part you have played in the chain, know that the end result is a joyous one and you are making a difference...we have seen it in the smiles as we replaced tattered shoes with brand-new ones.

The Arab Christian Voices

Here are some of people we met this week. I think their words describe the daily life of an Arab Christian in Israel better than I ever could.

Mannal Haddad, Chaplain
Baptist School in Nazareth
One of the best schools in the country.
Made up of 80% Christian, 20% Muslim.

“As Christian believers, we are the minority: the minority of a minority religion (Christianity) of the minority of this country (Arab). This is our calling – to tell about Jesus in his homeland. We’ve been here since Pentecost. People think we converted from Islam, but we’ve always been here. So many of the Arab Christians have emigrated. They say, ‘We only have one life and we want to live without these restrictions.’ So they leave.

“It is difficult (when leading chapel) to share the Gospel. We know the Truth and they (Muslims, nominal Chrtistians) don’t. But we have to be so careful in the way we present the information to the students – it’s very difficult. But my heart goes out to those kids. They hear so many difficult things at home… such violence. So they come to me and ask questions about the things they are hearing here.

We are the only school in Israel that is able to teach the Bible. I do not know how much longer we will be able to do this, but we will keep on doing it as long as we can. It’s our calling. There are many things that work against what we’re doing here, so your prayers mean so much to us.”

Amer Nicola
Director, Nazareth Village
Non-profit ministry that provides a real-life first century replica of Nazareth.

“About 70 to 80,000 people have visited Nazareth Village since it opened in 2000. I would say 80 – 85% percent of those are Muslim. When they come here, they hear about Jesus’ way of life in Nazareth and many of the children hear the story for the first time.

“We don’t try to come as a contrast to their beliefs; we have to be very sensitive and wise. For instance, Muslims believe Judas was crucified on the cross, not Jesus. So if we said, ‘Here is the cross that is a replica of the cross Jesus was crucified on,’ they would be upset. Instead we say, ‘Christians believe this is the size of the cross…’ then they cannot argue. It’s factual. It is our job to plant the seed; we let the Holy Spirit do the work.”


Bader Mansour
Business Owner, Secretary of the Baptist Association
Board Member for Nazareth Village, Baptist Hospital

“On the whole, people living here are meeting their basic needs. They don’t show it, but there are many poor families. It’s a very sensitive issue to show you need help. So these aren’t the poorest of the poor, but we need Christians to stay here. We need to encourage them and help them have a good life so they will stay. There is a lot of unemployment. It’ts hard to get a job as an Arab in Israel. But this is our heart – to try and keep Christians here – to be a testimony, the salt and light amid all the fighting and unrest.


Bryson Arthur
President, Nazareth Evangelical Theological Seminary

“Israel is a throbbing and exciting religious place and so vital to the world. But it is politically and economically very difficult. The West Bank is another state – it’s country – and they are not at peace with Israel. They do not share the same world view. It’s easier to look at us and think of us as one when you talk about the Holy Land, but it’s really two places.

There is a rising evangelical movement here, but pastors are untrained. That’s why we’re here, to provide good theological training, to demonstrate servant leadership, and to seek unity among evangelicals themselves and Messianic Jews. If we don’t train the pastors, the people will starve.

Our work is very missionally minded, but we do understand that you can’t fight culture. You have to understand it and work within it. I do not think the Palestinian people in the West Bank should have fired missiles into Israel, but to send bombs and white powder into villages killing women and children… we think the wall is an atrocity. What does a wall say to people living on both sides? It’s horrendous. You don’t wall people in. We think there’s hope for the people of Israel and Palestine. We think peace will come in Christ.”

We are living in a difficult country. People are wounded. Everyone thinks he is oppressed and the other is the oppressor. People here have lost their hope in each other and in the government. We don’t love each other, and we are afraid. The Gospel is relevant for us in this time and we want our students to carry this message around with. We want to keep the Christians in this country and help them see they have a role here.

Azar Ajad
Dean of Students
Nazareth Evangelical Theological Seminary

“There are 10,000 believers in this country. This number can disappear in the next 20 years to Islam… and the window will be closed. Now is the time. We have a role here. We speak the same language, we eat the same food, we have more in common than not in common. I don’t care if we have 30 students or 10, as long as I can see them working here and know that in the next three, four, five years they will be doing ministry in Israel. This is our challenge, but it is also our hope.”

Palestine: Nation or Not?

If you were to look for the nation of Palestine on the map today, you wouldn’t be able to find anything. At least not from the United States’ perspective. That’s because Israel does not acknowledge it as a nation – or even a state – and neither do we.

What makes a country? A government. An anthem. A unified people group? If these are the markers of a nation, then Palestine is its own country. They have their own people (both Christians and Muslims); their own national anthem; their own flag; their own language. They also have their own wall. A wall so obstrusive that the average Palestinian living on the Israeli side will rarely travel into the West Bank because of the scrutiny they receive. And the average Palestinian living in the West Bank is hopeless – they are unable to travel anywhere without special permits, which are rarely granted. Only on holidays can they leave to visit family only a few miles on the outside of the wall. Even the taxi cabs are different colors if you're from Israel or Palestine.

Arab Christians living in Israel are unable to travel freely and unable to fight in the army. They earn 2/3 the income of the average Jew and are readily discriminated against for jobs. Our brothers and sisters are being persecuted in the land where their families have lived and worshipped Christ since he walked on their streets. And they are struggling.

I learned a lot over the past few days, talking with Arab Christians who work day in and day out to support schools and seminaries in Nazareth; Arab Christians running an orphanage in Ramallah and Arab Christians supporting social services through the largest Christian hospital in Israel. All of them say the same thing: “We need your help.”


I wrote a recent blog post for Buckner Children and Family Services President Albert Reyes on the topic of social justice in the Middle East. It quotes a story from this month’s National Geographic about this very topic. When I read it as research for this trip, it disturbed me. But not as much as it did being here in the flesh.

Historically, American Baptist missionaries played a huge role in this area – especially in Nazareth, a city made up of 25,000 Christians (about 1/3 of the population of the city). But in the early 1990s, they all left when the Southern Baptist Convention changed their policies. So these minority Christians are left to find their own support and are doing the best they can.

I cannot begin to describe the difficulties and complications these people are facing. You really do have to be here to understand. I’m going to try to do this as best I can in a separate blog post so you can hear from the voices of the Arab Christian living in Israel. You will probably be shocked to hear what I heard … shocked and heartbroken.

I understand that this is a very politically charged part of the world, and I do not dare pretend to understand fully all of it. However, I think it’s important we open our minds to hear the voices of our Palestinian brothers and sisters and to come to their aid. I feel certain that we are called to be here to support the generous people in this country who are doing everything they can to meet people’s needs and to share the truth of Jesus Christ.
- Jenny Pope

Interns in Russia

I'm Patrick McDonald and I am in St. Petersburg.

Heping the orphaned kids is really great. Some of them don't seem to understand, and while we want them to accept Jesus it is more important that they see Him in all of us. A lot of them just seem to have been without a type of love for a very long time. Its miserable some days, but I love it!

Peru SOS Update #2

Well, it's been a few days since I last wrote, and alot has happened since our first day of shoe deliveries. So, to catch you up, I will try to write in two postings. The last prayer request was for a home with over 700 children. It is called Sagrada Familia Home. What an incredible day it was!!! It was a LONG drive from Lima although just outside the city. Traffic delays, construction, stop lights (that actually work), and traffic policemen extended what would typically be a 30 to 45 minute drive to a 1 1/2 hour to 2 hour drive to reach the home. Lima typically has no rainfall. It is either high humidity and overcast, or high humidity and a very light mist. This day was quite overcast, cold, and misty. As we pulled of the main highway, we pulled on a dirt road, and the dust began to fly. It was uphill, and with a 45 passenger bus with boxes of shoes and many bags of vbs supplies, the ride was quite interesting to say the least. We pulled through a gate, and found ourselves in a very narrow strip of land with several buildings. We exited the bus and met the director, and said a quick prayer. As we unloaded the bus and hauled our shoes and supplies up the hill to the chapel, we saw very few kids. The ones we did see said hello and asked to help carry our items. Each time we made a trip to the bus to get supplies, we would see a few more kids, but not the 700 we were told about. Then, just past the chapel, as we were checking the facility to see where we could house vbs, we saw the multitude of children headed to classes, or other locations. We quickly located a place for the vbs activities, and I headed to the chapel to start to sort the shoes. Our Peru staff separated the kids into groups. The older kids attended class in the afternoon, while the younger ones were in class in the morning. And then it began! Our first group of teen arrived and for some reason, we thought it would be a good idea for all of the group to come in to get shoes...not the best idea. Sixty or more teens were in each group, and with 8-10 people fitting shoes, it was crazy! We were moving as fast as we could to get five groups of sixty or more teenagers through the shoe station. After the second group, someone finally brought wisdom to our shoe team and suggested we only bring in ten to twenty kids at a time. What wonderful wisdom indeed! This help our stress level and allowed us to visit with the teens with out rushing. And then, we realized what was about to happen. Most of the teenage girls wore the same size shoe, and we were running out of the size we needed. Our Peru staff had the forethought to bring along the shoes from the previous day in case we needed more sizes. That helped tremendously, but we still were running out of shoes, and it wasn't even lunch time. We continued to try on shoes knowing God would provide, and then he did! Our Peru director, Claudia, had left mid-morning and had hired a truck to go to the warehouse to get more shoes. Of course we didn't know this, so just before lunch, she arrived with forty to fifty boxes of shoes. It was the answer to our prayers! We had still not completed all of the teenagers, who were to head to school after lunch, so we quickly ate our lunches, and pulled the remaining teenagers into get them shoes. Finally, about 2:00, we finished with the teens, and we then realized we had the younger kids to go. We understood that the groups size would be about 50-60 kids in each group. Now the real fun began. As the small ones came in to get shoes, the excitement and joy on their faces was contagious. It spread to all the team members. You could see how excited the little ones were when hearing the vbs story, doing crafts and playing games. Then they realized they were getting new shoes. The smiles were unbelievably huge! Many of the small ones ended up with spiderman shoes, shoes that lighted up, movie theme shoes, and even Miley Sirus shoes, the young girls really liked those! Each child would thank us and give us a hug after getting their shoes. When the perfect pair of shoes finally fit after three or four tries, the joy from the kids was uncontainable! It is quite the scene to see ten to twelve young boys jumping up and down to see thier shoes light up. The laughter from our group filled the chapel.

We arrived a Sagrada with the understanding that we would not see all of the kids, so we did our best to see as many as we could. As the afternoon turned into evening, I constantly checked the clock to see what time we needed to leave. As I did this, Claudia would come to tell me we have fifty more kids and then we needed to leave. Again, after those fifty, she would say there were forty more, then we need to leave. I finally caught on to the fact that more and more of the kids at the home were coming to get shoes. Two of our team members, Phil and Angela, asked if they could take the infant shoes to the baby home. We said that would be great, so they put the shoes on the thirty or more infants and toddlers. As they were doing this, Claudia came to me and said,"I think we only have forty more children." I responded, "Forty more and then we need to go, we can leave the shoes for the kids who were not here." Claudia smiled and said, "No, Jeremy. You don't understand. Forty more and then all the kids have shoes!" WHAT!!! I could not believe it. This incredible group of people placed about 730 pairs of shoes on all the kids at this home. What a blessed day for our team! In addition to the shoes, we also gave each child a small bag with school supplies and hygene items. Here is a great photo of Donna receiving a hug from one of the little girls after getting her shoes and gift bag.

This day was a very humbling day for our team. We saw God in so many ways. We saw him meet the needs of each child we met. We saw God meet our need for more shoes at the exact time he wanted us to have them. Not sooner and not later. We saw God use willing hands and feet to share his love with 730 children.

This post is getting long, so I will close with one final story. As we packed the bus to leave and return to our hotel, Claudia gave me a quick tour of the orphanage, and she told me the story of the director. I believe his name was Carlos. Before Carlos started this orphange, I believe he worked in the business world. He had a young child. The child passed away unexpectedly, and Carlos grieved dearly for this young child. After burrying the child, he was returning home, and saw several young children living on the street. He took these children into his home. After a few days at his home, the childen disappeared. Carlos was very sad that the children left. But to his surprise, the next day the children returned...with all of their friends living on the street. Carlos sold his home and started to build this orphanage. Now he has a home with 730 children from infants to teenagers. What a picture of grace!

Blessings,

Jeremy

El Salam, Egypt: The Working Children

By Jenny Pope

There are three types of children at risk in Egypt: disabled children, street children, and working children. In El Salam, an industrial community located on the outskirts of Cairo, Charity Shepherd Organization is doing it’s best to support the working children.

El Salam’s streets are lined with garbage, construction supplies, and small workshops. A number of mosques sprinkle the scene, popping up from the filth like an oasis, sending out daily calls for prayer.

The streets of El Salam, Egypt

It is estimated that more than 50 percent of the inhabitants of El Salam are under the poverty level – meaning they struggle to earn $2 a day. With an economy built on small businesses, most children work with their families or elsewhere to help provide. Child labor laws in Egypt are put in place to protect these children, but like the lines separating lanes of traffic, they are mostly ignored.

Charity Shepherd started working in this community two years ago through a community center. One of the first projects they undertook was to put more than 290 light posts in the streets to prevent crime at night. They also planted more than 300 trees to help stop the littering and pollution.

Samouel Izhah, the director of the center, said they have achieved “a lot of progress” in this community – helping both Christians and Muslims. They provide job skills training for children and adults, help teach small crafts, arrange sports and activities for children in a nearby field, and install hygienic toilets and faucets in neighborhood bathrooms.

Families benefiting from the community programs at El Salam

One of the most successful things they have done in this area is to connect people with local businessmen for job skills training. For just 400 Egyptian pounds (equivalent to about $150) they can provide two months of one-the-job training with local businesses. This gives them the skills they need, and many times helps them become employed with the business after they complete the training process. More than 350 individuals have been trained, with 270 receiving jobs upon completion.

“Their lives have been changed completely,” Izhah explained. “One of the most successful jobs in this area is hairstyling for women and cell phone repairs for men. There is great demand for this type of job.”

As they help people with physical needs, they are able to teach them about their rights and help them learn to protect themselves. Children who work have been empowered to speak up – and the center has helped them earn rights to medical care by helping them receive an official identification card (a requirement for social services in Egypt).

Changing the culture takes time, and it is unlikely that children will stop working anytime soon. Magdi Shaker explained to us, “We used to fight against child labor. But then when you go to the families and tell them their children shouldn’t work, they say, ‘Give me some money.’ Child labor is a reality, so we must do what we can do to make it better.”

Current and future child workers of El Salam.

There are many other projects the organization wishes to expand, explained Charity Shepherd’s Board Chairman Nabil Kamal Hanna. “There is not limit in Egypt for work for charity, but of course we have limited resources. We can do better to improve the lives of these people. We’ve been praying for a long time for God to extend our work, to cover more area and to help more needy people.”

It is our hope that Buckner can help this community in the best way possible. Please be in prayer for our leaders as they make some important decisions that may impact the lives of hundreds of citizens of Egypt.

In this video, Nabila, one of the mothers of El Salam, explains to us how her husband abuses her, but she has learned to speak up for herself at the center. She has also learned how to make good food for her husband and children, and has been able to start a small business selling food from her home. She wants to make a better life for her children.

Interns in Kenya!

Jambo again!

I am writing this after our team's day of ministry at the Reynold's center! We said goodbye to those precious little children as it was the last time we would see them before we head back to Nairobi! Tomorrow we head back to our great kids at Seed of Hope orphanage!

Our team has been learning so much about what it means to sacrifice. And how so often, what looks like sacrifice for us in the States, or even for what we think we're sacricifing while in Kenya, is normal everyday life for the kids we minister to and the people in Kitale in general. Giving up our preferences for the food WE like, and not sleeping on our normal soft downy pillows has been such a valuable lesson. We read in Romans 12 today where it says, (message version) " Don't become so well adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on GOD. You 'll be changed from the inside out." That has been our prayer. That our ministry with these beautiful children of God would not be ME focused, but that by loving them in simple ways such as: blowing bubbles till we're blue in the face, singing silly songs, giving lots of squeezes, and opening our arms to the forgotten of Kenya, somehow we will be changed from the inside out.

We have easily become attached to certain children that especially scream, I need attention and love!! On Sunday, we got to see all of these great kids that we've been with for a week now praising and dancing their HEARTS out at church! They've got rhythm AND soul! It was such a good reminder that the Lord takes pleasure in the praise of the orphan, widow, mother, sister, and teacher! We are all equal and of such great worth to HIM! Its incredible to imagine the Lord looking across the world he created, on Sundays, to hear His praises being sung in every tribe and nation. I know that he looks down in love on the orphans on Kenya, and smiles at their sweet baby voices that passionately sing, "Father we adore you.." And think how it must break His heart to look at certain unreached places around the globe, and hear silence. Because they do not serve our God.

Great memories from the past few days:

Field Day at the orphanage. We held races....note to self...there's a reason the Kenyans ALWAYS win running at the Olympics :)

"Italian Night" at the house. We cooked spaghetti and found REAL Ragu at the store. We paired it with some nice italian music from Mandi's laptop and we had a regular Macaroni Grill:)

Receiving notes from the kids throughout our time with them that ask for different presents such as: Nike "swooshes", sweeties (candy), or a ball from town :)

Thats all for now! We love and miss you much! Peace to you until next time!

Interns in Latvia!!

Ramie Stewart
Liepaja, Latvia

Today was our last day being in the Naval Port Center. Zanda, our in-country Buckner staff leader, told us a story about a girl today at camp...the little girl acted very nervous all day and Zanda wondered if she was just stressed from the business and needed to go home. It turns out, she was worried the day was going to end soon and she was going to have to go home sooner. For whatever reason, she either didn't want to leave the church or didn't want to go home to something. These are the kind of stories these kids have, they want to be at the church, in a "cared for" environment. We are going to miss this place. I think we are filled with mixed emotions, but overwhelmed with God's goodness and blessings! The kids were having craft time near the end of the day, where they made really cute foam bookmarks. Well, nearly all of the bookmarks ended up being given to us as gifts! Those kids just wanted to give us things. We got piles of colored pictures and letters translated into English saying, "I love you" or "I'm going to miss you". Of course, I cried like a baby, from this sweet goodbye. Even the rotten little boys mustered up enough courage to give us a colored picture and sneak a short hug before anyone could catch them. We gathered with the staff workers at the end of the day to discuss how the day went (because this week is their camp), and they even cried with us, asking us to hide here and not leave. We came to serve their kids and help them with their program, and we may have done that, but we left humbled and feeling served ourselves! Not only did the preacher and staff offer prayer and encouragement over us, a few kids prayed outloud in our farewell from Liepaja. I don't think we did anything worthy of these sweet blessings, but I pray that at least half the footmark left in our lives was left in those kid's and in that church. -- And now we have great anticipation about what God has for us here in Latvia. We will be working with a mission group from the US in an orphanage close to Jelgava. I can only imagine how different everything will be compared to this past week, but we have faith that it is in God's hands and it will be good! Thanks, always, for your prayers!

Interns in Russia!

So we just officially had our first week in Russia! My team and I are taking everyday as an adventure as we try new foods, learn more russian, and love more kids. We have already seen so much of St. Petersburg and travelled to the countryside to spend time with the kids while they are at camp. They are precious children full of smiles and they LOVE climbing on us and getting our attention! It is so great watching them really listen to the Bible stories and learning the memory verses as well. They ask such deep questions about faith and what we are teaching, it amazes me.

The orphanages in St. Petersburg just have numbers since there are so many of them. We spent this past week with orphanage #2 about 2 hours outside of the city. I can't even describe how wonderful it was or how blessed I am to have this opportunity. We can't understand most of what they are saying, but we can smile and hug them, and show them that we are there for them, and somehow I think that is enough. We had to leave them yesterday, and as I knew it would be that was so hard. Our team is just praying that they won't feel abandoned again and that they can have hope that God will be there with them.

I see their faces smiling in my mind and its so hard knowing that I won't see them in person again, but I know we are headed to love more children at the next camp and that is pushing us forward. Everytime I get a hug from one of the kids, or we make goofy faces at each other, or they want me to help them draw their pictures, I am filled with God's awesomeness. He is so good and I know that even though we have to leave them at the end of the week He never will. We have gotten the chance to tell them that and I know He will continue to watch over them even when we can't.

Please keep praying for us as we continue this adventure. We can't even imagine what these kids have seen or have been through. Please pray that we will give them as much love as we can, and that we will cherish every moment of it. God is teaching each of our team so much and it such an incredible journey. Thank you all for the prayers and support and we will hopefully update again next week!!

--Liz Andrasi, Russian Intern Team

Peru Shoes for Orphan Souls Trip

Greetings from Peru!

I'm Jeremy Copeland, and I am a trip leader for the Buckner Shoes for Orphan Souls Peru Trip. A group of 30 individuals from all over the United States have dedicated the next 10 days to loving the children of Peru, and what a team this is! Our first day started out rough with flight delays, storms, and half the group arriving without any luggage, but God was faithful, and even with these trials, He led us to fulfill our first days ministry for His glory.

Our group spent our first afternoon doing crafts and placing shoes on children's feet at El Buen Pastor Community Center just outside Lima. We arrived to small room with a speaking platform to minister to more than 220 children in the community between the ages of 6-15. For several of our team, this trip marks some firsts in their lives, first time to fly overseas, first time to see the ocean, first mission trip, and first time they have seen the shoes they donated placed on a childs feet. What a blessing for them and for our team to see circle completed on this trip.As we unpacked the shoes, many of the team removed the rubberbands, and found the notes from children, families, and churches from the U.S. stuffed in the shoes to share with the kids. To see the face of a child light up as the perfect shoe is placed on their feet, or receive a thumbs up and a big smile, almost nothing compares! This was a special first day for us all, and the adventure has only just begun.

The adventure takes a big step tomorrow. Our group has taken on a challenge from Heaven. Tomorrow, we will spend the entire day at the Sagrada Familia Home. At this home, there are over 700 children from infants to 18 years of age. Although we may not see all 700 due to school and other commitments, our hope is to spend time with as many kids as we can. This is a very poor home, and with the workers spead so thin, the children are looking for attention. Please pray for our team as we seek to share with each child we see about the love of Christ. May we be the physical presence of Christ to these children and even those who daily take care of these precious children. Our team is excited about this challenge and ready to answer the call.

Blessings,

Jeremy

A New Relationship

Today was a big day for the future of Buckner’s ministry in Egypt. We spent the morning visiting the pyramids (AMAZING!) and then went to meet with the Board of Directors for the Charity Shephard Organization in Cairo.

Charity Shephard started nearly 17 years ago as a vision of local Christian businessmen. They wanted to reach out and help their community, so they started an unofficial service organization to serve children. In 2002, after many successful projects, they became an official NGO in Egypt and now serve thousands of children each year through a number of successful projects – job training, mobile medical clinics, improving sanitary conditions for the poor, supporting safe workplaces, and reaching out to at-risk children.

We met for lunch at Board member Magdi’s house. After eating the feast Magdi’s wife prepared for us, Buckner contract-worker for the Middle East, Magdi Shaker, began his introduction.

Magdi, who is on staff at Hope Church in Las Vegas, Nevada, is Egyptian and formerly served as a diplomat for U.S. and Egyptian relations. Magdi began speaking by outlining our similarities – our passion for children, our hopes in working together to do something more, and most importantly he outlined the definition of partnership for this relationship.

“This is not a partnership between Buckner and Charity Shepherd,” he said, “but the beginning of a new relationship. Our partnership is with God.”

Randy Daniels, vice president of international operations for Buckner, affirmed Magdi’s words by assuring the group of Buckner’s longevity, commitment to serve orphans and passion for God’s work for the poor, the orphaned, the widowed and the oppressed. It was a powerful moment across the table, where you could see the meeting of minds and hearts – in two languages – taking place. As Randy recited James 1:27, Nabil Kamal Hanna finished the verse in Arabic. Nabil, who is an engineer and president of the Board, said the Bible is his “life.” That was very clear.

We spent the rest of the afternoon learning more about Charity Shephard’s work in Egypt, and we will spend the next few days visiting many of their projects. Please be in prayer for the rest of our time in Cairo. The time we spend with our brothers and sisters here will be critical for determining our future work in this country, and it is important for all of us to be open to God’s will for these children.

- Jenny Pope

(Had to put at least one pyramid picture in...)