Savva Delegation Update

Posted by Victoria Charbonneau

The American delegation arrived Tuesday after an exhausting two days of travel, but all were in good spirits.  The team of 15 people is made up of folks from Oregon, Indiana and Virginia.  Most of the team members have traveled numerous times to do English Camp for local orphanages but 3 team members are here to experience it for the first time.  It is always fun to see Kazakhstan through their eyes.  

After lunch and orientation each team member went to spend the night with a host family.  This is how to really experience life in Kazakhstan.   There is always an English speaker in each of the host homes and if it is an American's first trip they are paired with another American.  Kazakh's open their home and show hospitality unlike you ever experience in America.  It is humbling to see how they value relationships and genuinely want to get to know the American who is staying in their home.  

Wednesday morning all of the Americans arrived back to the office looking refreshed and rested.  All of the supplies were loaded onto the bus that would be driving them to Savva Orphanage about 3 hours away.  This team has planned and prepared for this 9 day camp for months.  The children start looking forward to the Americans arrival the day after camp finishes the previous year.  

When I was in Texas I had the opportunity to hear from two children (ages 15 and 13 years) who participated in several of these camps.  I know sometimes people wonder what difference in a child's life a 9 or 10 day camp can have.  I got to hear first hand from these two children that were adopted two years ago.  It was a ray of sunshine coming into their lives.  Like Christmas morning with all the joy and anticipation.  They shared the hope that began to bloom in their hearts that someone cared for them and loved them.  It was hard to comprehend that strangers from so far away would come and love them, but it also touched their hearts igniting a hope that maybe they were of some value.  They shared how all the children talked about all the fun they had over and over and over again.  

Sometimes I think these short term trips are just as much for the Americans who come as they are for the children.  To get out of your comfort zone, experience something so different, and become like a little child again totally dependent on others for all of your basic needs opens your heart to learn more about what is really real.  

The Americans are now in their 3rd day of camp and we will post more pictures and adventures from their time there soon. 

Time with Savva youth

Posted by Olya Cherevko, Youth Impact Manager

Once a month we go to Savva orphanage to meet with the graduates and talk about something that may help them after they leave the orphanage. Last month we talked about good manners, listening skills, bullying, and how to deal with boredom and loneliness.

This month we held a seminar about trust with graduates. We asked Tursynai, one of the orphanage graduates, to help conduct the seminar. We started with trust building activities and had a discussion. Some kids overcame their fear and showed trust, others found this more challenging- explaining that it depended on a person and situation.

Tursynay led another activity that required team work. It was a very difficult activity since it required organization, leadership and energy. One team won because they were well organized and some were really ambitious who helped those who were tired and together they reached their goal.

This activity helped youth realize that a person sometimes is not able to reach the goal alone, it requires a team effort of people who can help and support. Tursynay also shared about her life when she left the orphanage and the difficulties she went through and how she overcame them. She told about her strong and weak points, failures and successes in her study and life. She explained that anyone can reach their goal with or without parents if they work hard and believe it is possible. One child asked Tursynay, “How did you stay strong going through all the difficulties?” Tursynay replied, “What kept me from giving up is God and my persistence.”