H2H International

I've asked Summer Camp team members to share stories and memories from this summer. If you are posting a story, please reply to this thread. I thought I'd start it off:


Alexandru is around seven years old and all boy! Unable to sit still for long lengths of time, Alex seemed to be everywhere all at once. One time, while the camp teams were suppose to be busy with various activities, one of our counselors, Jen, caught Alex running towards his cabin. She grabbed his arm and asked him where he was going. He urgently told her that he had something important to take care of. She asked if he would return to his team if she helped him with his important business. He quickly agreed and led her to his cabin. Once inside he dropped to his knees and reached under his bunkbed. Carefully he dragged out two small plastic buckets. Inside one bucket were nine large, live frogs, climbing on top of each other. Inside the other bucket was one tiny frog all by itself. As Jen tried to stiffle her laughter, a large frog managed to escape the bucket and quickly dove under the bed. Alex screamed to grab the frog before it bit one of them. They hunted the frog, finally managing to return it to its bucket. After the frog buckets were carefully returned to their place under his bed, Alex returned to his team, ready for the next adventure!




Alex, imitating a team member's braces.

Madalin arrived at camp with a black eye and I immediately got the impression that he was looking for a way to get another one. He teased younger boys, pushing them roughly and even coming to blows with those brave enough to stand up to him. He disrespected our staff and threatened to throw a rock at one girl. After several days of bad behavior, he ran away from the group while hiking. He was dragged back to camp and sent to his cabin for the rest of the afternoon.

After several hours, we announced that the entire camp was going to the river to swim for the first time. The kids were so excited as they eagerly changed into their new swimsuits and grabbed towels. Madalin sat glumly on the porch, watching the commotion. Jen and I approached him and asked if he thought he should go to the river with the group. He replied that he probably didn’t deserve to go and should stay in his cabin for the rest of the afternoon. Seeing that he understood the consequences of his actions, we realized that a unique opportunity had opened up in front of me. I agreed with him that he didn’t deserve to go to the river but that I would let him go if he promised to behave. He eagerly shook my hand to seal the deal and took off to catch up with the group.

Over the final few days of camp, an amazing change took place in Madalin. Instead of fighting with others, he looked for ways to help the younger boys. When I stood in front of the group, trying to get the camp’s attention, Madalin was the first camper to respond. He eagerly participated in the games and other activities.

The final night, I stood by the campfire with the all the campers gazing into the dancing flames. I announced that there was one camper I wanted to recognize who had made drastic changes in his behavior over the week’s time. I said how proud I was to know this camper and then called Madalin forward. His smile stretched from ear to ear and his eyes sparkled as he jumped up to kiss me on the cheek.

The next day, as the kids climbed into their vans to head back to the orphanage, Madalin hung back to give me a tearful hug. I smiled as I hugged him back- realizing that a change had taken place in his life. Not only was his black eye almost gone, but he had seen grace in action and had been transformed by it. This teary-eyed but smiling boy stood as a reminder of the transforming power of God’s grace in my own life. Every time I think of Madalin, I think of a life changed by grace- and the great gift God has given to each one of us.





Madalin proudly displaying the cross necklace he made at camp.

Thanks for sharing the memories from camp. It sounds like prayers were answered and God worked through you and the other team members to bring these kids closer to Him. We can't wait to hear more....

hi im jillian. i spent this past summer, the summer i graduated high school, in romania on a missions trip. i spent a few days in bucharest, but the camp was located in the southern part of the carpathian mountains in a small town. the summer camp was for the orphans of the country to have a week out of the orphanage, learn about God, and meet people who loved and cared about them. we took them on hikes through the mountains, sang songs, made crafts, played games, and took trips to the river for swimming and bathing.

it was the most humbling experience of my life. i was beyond anxious and worried as i prepared, but once i arrived i was filled with excitement. i met some of the most amazing kids and team members. i miss it everyday and feel God calling me back there, which is exatcly what i am planning on doing. i will return next summer, and the summer after that. i am so motivated to learn the lanugage now. when i complete my education, i am hoping to be able to go more often, and until then, i will hang onto the memories i have, and have faith that God will lead me where he wants me.
♥

The first day of the last week of camp we took the kids on a long hike and ended up by the soccer field. Some kids didn't want to play soccer and neither did I because it's too competitive so we played frisbee instead. We played in circles throwing the frisbee to the next person, and after a while there weren't many kids still playing. One girl that I ended up playing with was Elena. We had lots of fun. Through the rest of the week I didn't really see her much because I was leading games and she wasn't on my team.

By the end of the week I could hardly remember what we did at the beginning, and I was really tired. There was going to be a long hike to the monastery, and I didn't really feel like going. But at the last minute I had a thought, this was going to be the last hike I could go on with the kids, so I really should go. So I went and somehow ended up talking to Elena through Sarah the interpreter. I asked her what she liked about camp and she said everything, especially the games, and she said she liked having me run the games. Then she talked about us playing frisbee and I remembered. I couldn't believe that I had forgotten about that. So we talked some more, I asked her more questions and we had a lot of fun talking.

She told me that her favorite subject was physical education and that she likes to run, so I suggested that maybe we could race when we got back. She was so excited! She said that she had wanted to ask me to race the whole week but was too shy, and that she was so happy that I wanted to race her. She said that racing me would make camp so much better for her. And then she said what I'll never forget: that she would love it if I was her dad. My heart totally melted and I felt a such a strong connection with her. We talked more and enjoyed exploring the monastery together.

Later that night we had a dance party for the kids before the campfire. Elena was standing off to the side and I really wanted to talk more since it was the last night. So I asked her if she wanted to talk and she did so we went to a cabin porch with Sarah and Rebecca came too. Rebecca had been in Elena's cabin for quiet time so they had talked a little too, but Elena is quite shy so she hadn't opened up in that setting. So we talked for a long time, telling her all about us and she told us all about herself. She told us that she had gone home to her mom from the orphanage once and it was so bad there that she ran 25 km until she could get a taxi back to the orphanage. She has had a really rough life. But she said that she enjoyed going to church and singing in the choir and that she has accepted Jesus into her life, which made us overjoyed! She also said that she was so excited to see the Americans and that she could tell that we were different from the way we acted, as in how we lovingly interacted with eachother. She told us that she would like both of us as her parents which just made us so overjoyed. When we were done we told her we would keep in touch and be praying for her a lot, which we already have been doing. Saying goodbye to her the next morning was so hard, knowing that she is going back to her orphanage and that we can't be there for her.

It's so amazing that a relationship this deep can be formed in such a short amount of time. It really goes to show how starved these kids are for true love that they are missing from not having loving parents. It was such an awesome feeling to know that God was pouring out his love through us and I can only have faith that he'll continue to use people to pour love into the kids' lives.


Elena and Mark on the hike to the monastery.


Elena standing by some pretty flowers by the monastery.


Elena with both of us looking a lot like a family.


The epic race, guess who won - she is really fast!

Mark- I met Elena last year during a summer team in Rosiori... she is such a neat girl! At the time, she said her dream was to one day be a H2H missionary! I'm so glad you and Rebecca had the opportunity to meet her and spend quality time with Elena!

Andrea is six years old. Too young to fully understand why she lives with a dozen other children and a teacher and not with a family, yet she still yearns to be cherished and delighted in by an adult. I slept overnight in her cabin a few times and had the job of tucking her in at night. With sleepy eyes she would gaze up at me and then out of nowhere, her tiny arms would grab my neck pulling me down to her so she could smother me with kisses. After finally pulling away from the ‘kiss-fest’ I would wish her a good night and quietly blink back the tears in my eyes, realizing that on a normal night, this sweet little girl does not get kissed goodnight. On the final day of camp, Andrea climbed up on to my back and whispered in my ear, “Stay with me- please?” Words failed me as I turned to gaze into her sad eyes. It took a great effort to carry her to the van that would return her to her orphanage and wave goodbye as she peered out through the window.




Andrea playing by the fish ponds.

Romania has taught me to appreciate all that God has given me, especially my family. The children were greatly inspirational, and truly opened my eyes and broadened my life. Throughout my whole experience I have created golden memories and great stories. One in particular stuck to me the most. It was the first week and everyone went on a giant hike.
During the hike I had a young boy, at the age of 6 or 7, named Marius hold my hand throughout the hike. While we hiked up the mountain Marius talked to me the whole time. Keep in mind my Romanian vocabulary only extended up to about 20 words, and all the translators were either behind or way in front of me. Not knowing how to respond, I just looked at him and smiled and he would smile back and continue our conversation.
At that moment, I had realized that you don’t need a language to love someone and give then the attention that they deserve. Marius just loved being able to talk to me, and I loved being able to give him my full attention. I was not only able to reach out to Marius, but to many other children as well, and show them that God loves and that He’s always there for them no matter what. Thank you, everyone for all that you have done! You ill always be in my hearts and prayers! I can't ait to see the same faces and even some new ones next year!

God Bless,
Kelsey