Hey guys! Sorry that it's been a few days since we updated the blog! This past week has been crazy! We have done so much, and we have learned a whole lot! I think that we are finally getting adjusted and getting into the swing of things. Friday was the last day for the children's English camp and we reviewed all of the things that we had taught them this past week, and they did so well! They are so smart, and are picking up English so quickly, it is truly a blessing to be able to teach them and spend time playing with them. Along with phrases, we are also teaching them some songs in English; they all love the Hokey Pokey, and they laugh and laugh and laugh when "you stick your booty in, and you shake it all about." Rodja and Natasha said that the kids all say that they love going to the English camp, and that they were sad that last week was the only week, so the week after next we are going to do it again! We're so happy that they like it as much as we do, and we pray that even more kids will come!
Saturday morning was very exciting! We went to the market at 7:30, and when we got there, it was packed! There was a whole empty lot filled with people selling everything imaginable: old tv remotes, Kinder Egg toys, clothes, and jewelry. People everywhere were digging through piles of clothes, and bargaining with the vendors over everything. While it was very exciting, and it was very fun looking through all of the things that they were selling, it was also sad. There were a lot of little Roma kids roaming around, and they all wore looks of despair and defeat. These were not the first Roma kids we had seen, though. We have seen them begging in the street, and wandering around downtown, asking for money. Little kids, no older than 10 years old, and a lot who are much younger, who are homeless and are being taken advantage of. Rodja told us about them, and said that giving them money wouldn’t help them at all. They being forced to beg, but they do not keep any of the money that you give them, because at the end of the day, all of their money is taken from them by a kind of pimp. They are forced to beg and humiliate themselves because of someone else’s greed. He said that it is a huge industry. It’s heart breaking when you look at them, and you don't know how to help them.
Just to end on a little bit lighter note, here are some of the pictures from the children's English camp:
This is Nikola and Daniel playing the airplane game
Tonight we start the English group for the adults in the church! We are very excited, and we're praying that God will use us to give Himself glory through these groups, and everything else we do for Him! Thank you for all of the prayers!
In Christ's love,
Caitlin
Any ideas on how we can help the Roma people in a way that would be lasting, and of benefit to the children?
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