Oh. How He loves us, Oh...

Again, I will be doing a Top 5 because of time restrictions. I promise I will go into more detail when I arrive back in the states :)
5. Blow away. I can't tell you how I've been blown away by God and everything He has done this summer. He literally is melting this heart of stone. Last summer I heard every one of my campers stories and was hardened to everything I heard. It was like I had no emotion. This summer, the connection and overwhelming sense of emotions with these campers and their stories is crazy. I didn't know I was capable of the emotions I have been feeling. God is so good.
4. Going out with a Bang. We are in the middle of our last week of camp. These kids are great and I'm learning so much from them already. I am so happy and blessed to be ending out time here with another group of kids.
3. Unity. God has provided such unity amongst our group here this summer. I love our team and I will miss them in this life to come, but an comforted with the knowledge that if I don't see them in this life time, I will be reunited with them in the next.
2. Mama Ducks birthday. While celebrating BSue's 23rd Birthday, I felt such a connection with Jesus. In preparing her gift of 24 encouragement notes...I dove into the word. After I finished about half of the letters, BSue saw me and said that I was glowing...I had no idea the word could have that effect on me. How cool.
1. Orphaned. While we were meeting in the park one day, some kids ran up and just sat there and watched us. Finally they asked Gabe "Are you godly people?" (I didn't know what they were saying at first because it was in Bulgarian). He said we were and they continued to watch us. I got up and started to play with them, and later our translator and new, dear friend and brother, Backo (pronounced Vasko)  joined me and the little kids. They started calling me "aunt" and taught me a lot of new games. Someone called for them and they ran off....then Vasko turned to me and said they were from the orphanage. It broke my heart that these children didn't have a home to call their own. My heart continued to break to find out that these 7-8 year old kids were already wrapped up in drugs and alcohol. I continue to pray and ask you to pray as well for these kids. They are God's children.

Awesome ending note: There has been a group of woman BSue and I see almost everyday. They work at the coffee shop and we have grown to love them very much. I decided to write them a letter and Bsue included a picture of the four of us. Our picture is now hanging in that coffee shop and then next time we went in they gave me free coffee and wanted to trade contact information. HOW COOL IS THAT!!!!

GOD BLESS, Y'ALL. I love you guys.
Sammi