As reported by William R.:

This morning the chocolate bus headed back in the direction of Kremenchuk and pulled off into a side road and a few other little roads until we arrived at Kremenchuk Area Boarding School where we met with 100 elementary age school children.  Forty of the children were orphans and the remainder were from farms too far from any school to stay with their parents.  The director, Valeriy R., has been in that school for 33 years and is now beginning to receive the children of his earlier students.  We divided into five small groups according to age and made classroom presentations of songs, introductions, explanation of why we come all the way to Ukraine, and then made the gospel presentation with the use of the gospel bead bracelets.  Children were invited to repeat the sinners prayer and those who responded were welcomed into the family of God.  Gifts were then distributed: teddy bears and carepacks had already been given out before our arrival, but we gave out the Bibles and “More Than a Carpenter” books.  This was also a poor facility in need of repairs to their outdoor toilets and septic system.

In both the morning site and again in the afternoon site of Novosanzkarskaya Boarding School, gospel presentations were given to the cooks in the kitchens, and as at yesterday’s site, each one of the cooks prayed the sinners prayer with conviction and  joyfully accepted the gift aprons and gospel of John.  This ministry to adults at each site is shared with another GAiN volunteer each day; it will be one of the memory highlights of this mission trip.

The afternoon site wanted an assembly style presentation for their 112 students; the directress, Oksana B., thought that would be a better method for her students.  We began by singing “Lord, I lift your name on high” in both English,  and with the help of our six interpreters, in Ukrainian.  Individual volunteers led the gospel bead presentation and sinners prayer.  As is the custom in Ukraine, all stood to their feet for the prayer, and many listened and repented.  We gave out Ukrainian explanations of the plan of salvation to help them explain their bead bracelet to others.  Then it was time for gifts of carepacks, Bible books, balloons, stickers, bears, and candy. 

As  we left this site, the sun was dipping in the west, bringing another sunny day to conclusion.  We returned the young youth pastor and his wife to the nearest village where they live; he visits this school and another one each week, so follow up mentoring will take place.  The humanitarian aid from GAiN of books, clothes, shoes and socks to each of today’s sites will continue to provide reminders of God’s love as this pastor tends these tender seeds.