NEWS
Kompas Park Surprises

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Last summer I spent a week at Kompas Park at a children's summer camp.  I'd like to share with you three instances which shaped my memories and challenged my expectations.

I was placed with a team of teenage boys, a daunting prospect, but definitely the team God wanted me to have.  It presented new challenges to me, who'd arrived prepared for lots of craft activities, to adapt to being a first-class cheerleader on the side-lines of the soccer field and riverbank.  But despite my team's boundless energy during the day, my most treasured times with them were evening prayers.  I couldn't understand the words they spoke but the passion with which these young men prayed was so powerful and inspiring.  I could really see God working in their lives and felt so privileged to see that side of them.

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I'd arrived at Kompas Park with some trepidation about the language barrier so was surprised to find most of the camp spoke at least a few words of English and we could communicate.  One afternoon one of the older girls sat down beside me.  I tried many ways to start a conversation but she didn't speak any English.  Eventually she simply turned me around and began to braid my hair.  It was something so basic yet this was our "conversation", no words were needed, and it really touched me.

While at Kompas Park my husband, David and I had our 4th wedding anniversary.  Word soon spread around the camp and we were soon overwhelmed with best wishes, cards, specially written dramas and a lovely bunch of sunflowers.  To have such love shown to us by people we'd only known a few days was very special and very humbling.

I'd gone to Ukraine with many pre-conceived ideas, and totally focused on what I could do for the children.  It never occurred to me that they would do things for me and inspire me in the way that they did.  Being there challenged my attitudes towards so many things; food, prayer, possessions, language, teamwork and stepping out of my comfort zone.

My lasting memory of Kompas Park will be the friendship, love and feeling of family demonstrated by everyone without exception.  We were all made so welcome by the Ukrainian leaders, and the children were so affectionate that it was incredibly hard to say goodbye even after only knowing each other for one week.
Liz Mildenhall


2010.03.31   
To Our Hope Now Prayer Partners

At the beginning of April, we rejoice again with the message and celebration of Easter's resurrection. As spring bursts and cheers the heart after a long hard winter, for the Christian, the cruelty of the cross gives way to meaning, salvation, and hope for the future.

2010.03.31   
And then there were Ten…

Life was very hard for the two Kratkii brothers.  The boy's fathers are unknown, for they were the result of their mother's lifestyle.  She lived in a smoke filled, dirty hovel with her constant companion, the bottle.

2010.03.17   
Making a difference video

Making a difference video

2010.03.02   
Dear Partner in Hope

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2010.03.02   
You Made a Difference

You made a difference! It was summer of 1994, and I had just completed my first year of studies at Bath University.  I forget what I studied.  And that was the problem.

PRAYER DIARY