Guest Post - Camp Update!

It's been about a week and half since we wrapped up our Fall Graduate Retreat and we had so much fun! Thanks to everyone who helped make it happen. To fill you in a bit on how it went, we've got a guest blog from one of the team members we were blessed to have - Katy Catron.

Graduate Camp

In Ukraine, orphans graduate from the system at around age 17. At that point, they are connected with a trade school and sent off to live on their own. As you might expect, this system has some major flaws. Statistically, most of these precious orphans end up in lives of crime, addiction, imprisonment, and prostitution. Many factors contribute to these outcomes: trauma during childhood, trust/attachment disorders, lack of preparedness for the “real world,” lack of parental/familial support, and others. Open Arms’ goal is to give these children a hope for the future by helping them transition into post-orphanage life and providing them with a loving, stable family environment.

An important start to this relationship is Grad Camp, which was the focus of my trip. This camp occurs each year, shortly after the children graduate. Our camp was three days long and was designed entirely with the kids in mind. Outside of meeting times and small group discussions, the schedule was very loose and free. Since these kids have grown up in a very rigid, strict system (one where they're not really free to be kids), we wanted to provide a fun, retreat-like atmosphere. Breakfast was at 10:30AM every morning so that they could all sleep in, and there was no bed-time. Free time included the opportunity to play sports outside or do crafts indoors (two activities Ukrainian kids absolutely adore). Needless to say, the kids had a blast and we saw them blossom in a fun, loving environment.

The whole gang at Grad Camp!

The theme of the weekend was "Freedom in Christ." During our meeting times and small group discussions, we talked with the kids about what it means to live in Christ - what it looks like to be truly free. These children have all lived with heavy burdens on their shoulders for the duration of their young lives. We wanted to communicate to them that Christ wants to lift those burdens off of their shoulders and that He wants them to live in His love; completely free, completely accepted, and completely loved.  We also talked about the decisions, actions, and attitudes that displease God and hinder our freedom and only work to hurt us. At their orphanage, a very "rules-oriented" and legalistic Christianity was presented to them. Most of them have the misunderstanding that God just wants them to follow a list of "do's and don'ts" rather than submitting their lives to His love. We saw the kids processing through these concepts with great questions. It's our hope and prayer that they will really see that their hearts are what matter to God and that they will understand and desire the freedom and love Christ extends to them.

Lena: The difference a relationship can make

I want to highlight one of the incredibly important aspects of Open Arms’ ministry: consistent relationships. All of the children who end up in an orphanage have been betrayed by or have lost the people in life who should have loved them the most. It's heartbreaking to hear their stories and to think about what each and every one of them have seen and experienced. Because of their painful pasts, there are always deep-rooted trust and attachment issues resting right below the surface. For some of the children, however, these issues don't bother to hide under a happy exterior. For some of them, their hurt and pain is the most obvious thing about them.

When I visited Pravda two summers ago, I encountered Lena for the first time. Her attitude and external appearance screamed, "BACK OFF." She constantly terrorized other kids, never smiled, was always disruptive, and often resorted to violence in her dealings with others. Honestly, I was truly scared of her at the time.

With this image of Lena in my mind, I was absolutely shocked to meet her again on this visit, as she joined us for Grad Camp. The girl I saw this time was night-and-day different from that ferociously mean girl I'd seen before. She was soft-spoken, kind, participative, and was always happy to give me a smile. I had to ask, "What happened to Lena!?"

Lena has had a very tragic past. Years ago, her father murdered her mother right in front of her. She saw her mom die at her dad's hands. Lena was then placed into Pravda Orphanage, where the director thought, "she's been shocked, she needs to be shocked again to bring her out of it." This cruel director and her husband essentially tortured Lena, filing her teeth and doing other things that Lena won't talk about. It was at this stage in her life when I first met her - that mean little monster who was lashing out at anyone and everyone around her. Now it all makes sense.

Lena today - with a smile on her face!

But that still left me wondering, how did that girl become the sweet, smiling one who came to Grad Camp? The answer is: her relationship with Open Arms. The consistent love and kindness she has received through this relationship has truly changed her life. And this transformation with Lena, while extreme, is not a unique story in this ministry. These children who have been abandoned, abused, and rejected by their parents, who have lost (or never learned) the ability to trust, are slowly learning to trust again because of the love they experience through the faithful people of this ministry. What these children are really seeing is God's love displayed to them: unconditional and unfailingly consistent.