Teachers don't need classrooms

This past weekend I spent two days at my favorite place in Kazakhstan, Savva Orphanage in the town of Merke. The Interlink team goes each month to celebrate birthdays with the children for that month, deliever sponsor letters (see link if you want to write a letter) and pictures, and sometimes watch a movie with the older kids.

During our visit, I spent some time with two boys we very fondly refer to as "hooligans." I love them dearly, but like most boys they too often find themselves wrapped up in mischief and trouble whether or not they intended to! In this case, the boys and I were taking lots of funny photos (see below) and they showed me a hand gesture they assured me meant "friend." Well, it didn't I came to find out! The next day I was able to sit down privately with the two of them (and a translator) and explain that I knew they had lied. I offered them my forgiveness and assured them that I still loved them. But then we were able to have a conversation about trust and integrity. Both boys seemed to hear and respond to what I said. I'll follow up with letters encouraging them to have integrity in other relationships and I'm looking forward to speaking with them next month.