Today entailed another trip to Kiev, this time to pick up an attendee of the upcoming weekend's conference on human trafficking from France named Michelle. I'm very excited to meet Michelle, because not only is she a French cook, she's actually won a TV cooking competition - and she's volunteered to make dinner tomorrow night!
We left for the airport quite early in order to stop at a house Jenny Kelly founded several years ago. This house is for young people (17 and up) who have "aged out" of the orphanages. Most of them have earned enrollment in local universities, but some work in the city. The orphanages do not do a good job preparing these young people for life; they come out with no idea how to cook for themselves, wash clothes, keep track of finances, and lots of other things we teach our children as a matter of course. Furthermore, though many of these orphans eventually marry each other, the only idea they have of what marriage or family should be is what they see on TV - a very scary ideal! I was blessed to be able to meet Bogdan and his wife Anya, who serve as houseparents, and talk with Anya at length. I gained a great deal of insight today on how a ministry like this might take shape in Sofia - a ministry not only geared to prepare these young people for independent life, but for a life in the Spirit of God and engaged with the church. There is much to pray about.
Tomorrow, I am told, we will be able to finish pouring cement for the new cabin! Father, give me strength tomorrow to finish this good work, and bless the children who will hear of You while spending a week here in Kolentsi.
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