3 WEEKS!!!

Wow!! I can't believe that it has been 3 weeks! It's craziness! For now I will just post about today...
Today was the first day that I went to visit the orphanage. It was not at all like I expected actually. I thought that it would be like one big room with all the children and their beds. Pretty naïve of me only thinking of what orphanages look like in movies. Actually the outside was a lot like I imagined. It was pretty run down. It looked like it had not gotten much attention, basically it was a building with off white bricks and kind of scary windows. As we walked in things began to change. It was bright, with some color and actually very clean and well kept.
My teacher went with me and we met the director who only spoke in Lithuania so my teacher did the translating though she said that she understood simple English sentences if there ever was an emergency. We talked about the basics of the home. There are 54 children that live in this large four floor building. It started out as a boarding school then shifted to a school and an orphanage, now it is only an orphanage and all the children go elsewhere to go to school. The children are broken up into for different groups called families. About twelve of the children are what we would think of as typical orphans because they have no parents. A little over thirty of the children are here because their parents have lost their parental rights. Seven of the children are hopefully only here temporarily until their families can get more money and take them back. All of the children here are between four and eighteen years old.
I will be working with a caregiver named Alina who also speaks English (I am so thankful for her because originally we did not think that any of the workers spoke English). She was very sweet and I am excited to get to know her. I got to meet a few of the children, but they were in the middle of watching television so probably not the best time for any children. A met two little girls in the hallway that were really sweet. I will be working with ten children ages 8-15.
One thing that will be interesting is that many of the children have not seen a black person in real life or at least not talked to one since Lithuania is not exactly the most diverse place ever. My teacher was a little concerned that some of the children would poke fun or say mean things. In my few minutes there, that did not seem to be an issue, but we will see come Thursday. I assured her that I was a tough cookie and I could put them in their place, in a loving way of course. Though I was a little nervous walking in there I was filled with peace as I began talking to the director (well kind of). There may be challenges, but I am excited. Like I always say sometimes the best things in life are the hardest. Once again I am stepping out trusting that God’s love will flow through me to these children and that I would be able to reach them even with my minimal Lithuanian. I am very excited to see how God will use me in this place. I would love continued prayers as I begin my time there on Thursday.

More to come on
what I've been learning
new adventures
exciting activities
pics!

Much love!

~Chrissy