I will be traveling back to Ukraine in January of 2014. But this time I will be joining a mission group called, “Mercy Projects”. It should be an amazing time and I am looking forward to seeing what the Lord will show me on this trip. Please keep me and the team in your prayers. There will be about 12 of us. Here is a link to what they have done in recent trips. Thank you for your prayers and support. Well, I am ready to leave for my mission trip, a special thank you goes to everyone that help me financially to get there. This trip could not be possible without your help. Thank you, everyone, for always being a great support to me from the people I work up, my friends, and my church family. All of you played a key role in my mission to serve in Ukraine. Thank you again and stay tuned for updates while I am in Ukraine. Keep me and team in your prayers as we will be traveling tomorrow.

My trip started out by meeting the team at the airport. They were all very nice and it was a great way to start the trip off. The team consisted of Zach Bell, the trip coordinator, Jason, Maddie, Jonah, Aaron, Jennifer, Brandon, and Bailey. We also met up with Michael Fullmer, Richard Wannal, Michael Irish and a young woman Sam from the United Kingdom. Part of the team was from Mercy Projects in Murrieta, California. Everyone was very loving and kind to me. The Lord has definitely placed me with such a great and loving group of people to work with and serve to him.
We had a great first day on the trip, and we all got to know each other and I knew then that we would have an awesome trip and become really good friends throughout the duration of the trip. We finally arrived in Kiev, Ukraine, and it was snowing a little with flurries.
The staff from the camp met us at the airport. It felt good for all of us to meet at the airport and then we jumped into the van and headed to the camp in Klavdievo, Ukraine. On the way, we stopped for lunch at McDonald’s and arrived at the camp later that day. We finally were assigned to our rooms and we had dinner and later that evening we were given a short overview of what was expected of us while we were there. The next day the kids arrived at the camp.

I was in awe over how the kids just ran to the counselors as soon as they got off the bus. I knew then that this camp was going to be amazing! The kids were smiling and laughing, and I knew that they just loved being there. We helped the kids carry their bags to their rooms and then they got settled in. We were then assigned to groups. In these groups, there were 2 Ukrainian counselors, 1 translator, and 2 Americans. We met with the kids in our group and they told us where they were from and how old they were. I was amazed at the fact that some of the kids were very young and could play 2 or more instruments and even some of them could speak English and Spanish. We then had prayer time and talked about the next day of events. The next day was a full day at the camp.

This day started off with devoting time to all the counselors, translators, staff and Americans. We then woke up the kids and got them ready for breakfast. We ate every meal with our group. We shared conversations with each other and my translator was with me the whole time. Then, the kids played some games and just had a great time. I felt a great connection with some of the kids in my group. They are very open and one little boy named Roman liked sitting next to me. So I got to know him very well. He told me he loves very much to come to this camp.

This day was busy but amazing! The chapel service has been so incredible and they put on a great show there. My days were filled with so much fun and excitement! I played a form of Russian basketball with the kids, where I held a bucket, and they tried to make a basket while their eyes were covered. Some of the kids made all 5 balls and they cheered very loud when they made the basket and they shouted out my name “ROBERT” each time they made the basket.
We put the kids down for a nap or rest time from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Then, we were given an assignment as a team to perform an act. Somehow I got tricked into becoming part of it, but once I said I would do it, there was no turning back. So we met and discussed what we would do next, and I have to say that they really know how to put things together here fast! I did an act with 5 other kids– Masha, Alina, Liz, Eliat, Nikita and Natsya. The act we did was a Ukrainian dance with my dressing up as a snowflake and it was amazing!
After the performance, everyone in the stands applauded for me. It will be a day I will never forget and everyone at the camp just loved it. Afterward, all the counselors, staff and Americans got up to dance. Now everyone and all the kids kept telling me that I did a great job and that made me feel very close to them. The night ended with prayer and then I just got up and told all the counselors and translators that it was a great pleasure to be a part of their camp. I also told them that they do such a great job here and I see how happy the kids are when they are here. I even took part in playing a game of Uno with them. Of course, they have their own rules here. Today is my turn to watch the kids and make sure they are sleeping.

This was another day of great fun and activities. The chapel service was amazing and Jason did a great job in the sermon with the kids. I am learning a lot from the Ukrainian counselors, staff and from the other people that I am serving with.
This day is extra special because a little girl by the name of Valeriya (Lera) came up and started talking to me in Spanish and that was amazing because she speaks better in Spanish than I do, but we can communicate. Then, after the kids got up from their nap, I had to give my group of 9 kids the bible study. This is where serving in children’s ministry has paid off. So I just pictured in my mind all these kids and how to reach them and give them hope.
After the bible study, they smiled and said thank you. Every time, I seem to get amazed at how God can show his love through these special and precious children. The Americans, Ukrainian counselors, and staff were asked to go into the auditorium so we all formed a bridge and all the kids dressed in their Ukrainian Christmas clothing and ran through the bridge and then we saw a famous Ukrainian cartoon. We then had a fabulous Ukrainian dinner with music and dancing. Our night ended with prayer and the staff thanking us for all of our hard work, but I think we should be the ones thanking them for all they do all year long. As we were praying, I could hear some of the kids feeling the Holy Spirit with little sniffles and crying and even one little young child was holding my hand a little tight as I was praying for her. We prepared for Christmas the next day. I cannot wait to see what will happen next.

Today, we had a good devotion and prayer. We will now prepare for the children to exchange Christmas gifts and then we will have a game. They do a lot of games and activities here and I never realized how much fun camp can be. I played some pool and other games with the kids and staff, and I even joined a master class–making marshmallows dipped in chocolate, some M&M’s, and some pretzels for making a reindeer. We played hide and seek with the kids, and all the counselors were to hide anywhere in the forest and all the kids were to try to find us.
Once they found us, they would form a chain link fence around us as though we were prisoners. It was pretty cool. We had a great Christmas here, and I thank God that we were able to spend Christmas with these kids. I was touched by the Holy Spirit and even shed tears, myself. I also prayed for the boys in our group. I even got a Christmas gift and I was so happy to get one, but I ended up sharing my gift with the kids in my group. We had a great time in prayer, and these kids are really getting me to pray out loud to them, and that is great, too!
After the kids went to bed, the counselors, Ukrainian staff, and the Mercy Projects team had time to just fellowship with each other. This is when I presented them with the scarves that Gina and Esmeralda made. They were so thankful and we had a great time eating cake which the staff provided and it was delicious! They made me feel as though I was family and that was amazing. I am so grateful to God for being a part of this team and organization.

The last day at camp, a lot of mixed emotions, and I just hope for the best for these kids. We had a great morning chapel service. I played some pool with some of the counselors and kids. Just being a part of this has been so remarkably good for me. Having meals with the kids was a wonderful and beautiful thing. It just amazes me how fast and easy they can put decorations together, and everyone here is working very hard together. Let’s see what fun the evening will bring us tonight!
None of this would have manifested if it were not for the Glory of the Lord working his SPIRIT in all of us to make this happen. Even with the language barrier, we all communicated well and got along together. Aaron is an amazing young man. It was a great evening with the kids at the camp and we played a final game before it was all over. We had to find prizes in the forest, and I felt like a kid again, running around the forest with kids to find clues and other things. We came in the last place, but we had a blast.

The final night was really wonderful with dancing, singing and just having a lot of fun. It was quite emotional because we were going to be parting our ways soon. We took a lot of photos with the kids, the Ukrainian staff and counselors. So many memories and I will not forget the special moments I spent with these kids. They all will have a special place in my heart.
As we had our last candle night, we were very emotional over the kids, especially the girls. Some of them were weeping so much, and tears were just flowing throughout the room. I felt tears running down my cheeks as well. I will continue to pray for the American team, the Ukrainian staff, counselors and the children. Because of the manifestation of the Lord’s Spirit working throughout this camp, 5 kids turned their lives over to Christ and several other kids just opened up their hearts to us.
had found prizes in  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3Exq3uOR_4&list=PLhbpp8yGZD3NU9ryKtKZLJ3q7Zc43TYkj