Jrogerdavis’s Weblog

Chris Kinsley and I arrived yesterday in Ukraine after some fun travel and lost luggage through Paris. Yesterday was a long day as we worked through the final details (mostly Radooga staff and volunteers worked through those details.) Upon our arrival into Kiev we visited a former camp location that Radooga was able to use up until 2 years ago when a construction company took it over to use for their workers. Well the good side of the bad economy according to Oleg V is that that campsite may now be available to them again this summer. So we went on a walking tour of the facility.
During the height of communism students would attend camps during the summer that were called “Pioneer Camps.” They basically were one of the primary ways that the Communist Party would indoctrinate the next generation of leaders and people. Was told that there were about 900 of these camps in a 60-mile radius of Kiev. About 20 of the camps still exist offers some form of summer programming. In addition orphanages (many of you know Randy and Val Hall have been very involved in Orphanage relationships and ministry here in Ukraine) they actually receive government funds to send their children and students to camps for majority of the summer. Last year Oleg said he got a $50K gift by the government paying for orphans to come to camp….and according to him they had know clue of the magnitude of that. Thus instilled in the Ukrainian mindset is a camp mentality. That style of experience is not new to the people and even the churches here.
We then visited the Radooga offices, which is on the 8th floor of a big blue building here in Kiev. Lots of activity at the building as the staff of 6 and volunteers get ready for the Conference on Saturday. Was great to finally see their home..
The team was not able to begin loading into the auditorium until 9:30 pm so it has made for a real late night. Everything seems to be coming together, but we are all tired. And now after 37 hours of being awake I am going to sleep for a whole 6 hours before we have to get back the auditorium for the conference.