Teaching Children about Sports and Friendly Competitions
July 16, 2019It was a great day for Anenii Noi orphanage as we held an event called “Fun Starts”, a friendly sports competition between children and volunteers.
We joined the children as they played their favorite sports and cheered for their team members. It was truly heart warming to see the children express their passion and desire to win. They learned about camaraderie, team work, and friendly competition.
Afterward we returned to the orphanage center to teach, sing, and play with the children. Dima, an active volunteer in the church and orphanage, taught the children about the importance of forgiveness by narrating a parable of Christ. We prayed and then distributed gifts to the children.
To close the event, we distributed certificates of participation to the children who actively participated in the sports. For Vitalik, one of the children in the center, there was another reason to celebrate — it was his 14th birthday. We celebrated with him and sang happy birthday.
Two new brothers in the center caught our attention – Dima and Katalin, who are five and two years old, respectively. Before they were sent to the orphanage, they were living with their mother. However, their little family didn’t have a permanent home and was unstable and unpredictable. They were forced to live on the streets off and on. Some social workers heard about their situation and took them to the orphanage. We were excited to get to know them.
This visit was an exciting and humbling experience for us volunteers. We enjoyed interacting with the orphans, learning more about their life, and sharing valuable lessons that these precious children can use as they grow up.