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A-OK's and
OLDER YOUTH
GROUP
Meeting and Activities Schedule
2008
A-OKers and Older Youth
The swim party at Keimigs on Friday,
June 13th, has been canceled.
kickeimig@gmail.com
410-343-2767
With the last meeting we had with Andrew Kassouf, there were a few
things that came to the forefront to proceed with on our end to begin
promoting our youth. The first thing was obtaining a space for our
youth. That has already been establishing at the area by the soda
machine will be a YOUTH LOUNGE. The lounge will be started after the
weekend of the Flea Market - so we are off to the races in moving along
with the youth being involved.
Now, to
help support the youth, another suggestion from Andrew, was to set up a
Youth Advisory Board of interested adults from the church to support and
promote future plans for the youth - this might include:
- establishing another - separate place - for the youth
- training of youth leaders - and later down the road - a youth pastor
(part-time/full
time)
- building the youth program at Redeemer
These are just few ideas
I would
like to know if anyone is interested in sitting on this advisory board.
If so, please let me know and I will keep track of the names and try to
find a
date and time that will work for us to meet.
Karen Keimig
The
ABRO program
November
2007
Families of Redeemer Lutheran Church - Within the next few months,
the ABRO program through Stewartstown Baptist Church will be beginning
the process of bringing children from Belarus to the United States for
six weeks in the summer of 2008. As you know, in the past, the Keimig
family has hosted both Raman Shalupov and Anastasiya Lishankova several
years. Last year Raman turned 16 and as of April 15th, he
will have aged out of the program, thus leaving a space for another
family to host a child through the sponsorship of the church. If anyone
is interested in knowing more about the ABRO program, there is a link on
the church’s website for more information. If anyone is interested in
hosting a child, please contact Karen Keimig (410-343-2767 or
kickeimig@gmail.com ) for estimated dates of meetings in
January/February to meet at Stewartstown Baptist Church. Thank you for
considering this outreach ministry of a child from another country.
Youth go
Go-Carting
On
Monday, July 24th the race began at 5:00pm at the Gettysburg All-Stars
Sports Complex, as twenty-one youth and one adult traveled at
“breakneck” speeds (yup, at least 8-9 mph) to see who would be in first
place at the end of the three minute ride around the go-cart course. Of
course, all were winners, because once the “race” started, everyone
drove in a circle and no one could tell who was first and who was last!
If you ask one of the drivers, though, you may get a different story.
Check for yourself! Just any one of the drivers: Tim and Beth Holle;
Kathie Linthicum; Kristen Thompson and her friend, Sam; Claire, Mac and
Claire Geddes and her friend Mitra; Jessica Siverd; Raman Shapulov,
Anastasiya Lishankova, Luke and Daniel Snyder (friends of Asa), Rachel,
CaraLisa, Brittney (friends from Gunpowder Baptist Church), Carly Ross,
(friend of Emorie’s), Eli, Asa, Kelsey, Emorie and Miss Kim. Regardless
of who won, all were winners because it was a great night of fellowship
for all these youth. Without
a doubt, all will agree it as a great night of fellowship for these
youth!
The Youth Visit the Corn Maze
DAY 1
The Adventure Begins
“This little light of mine. I’m going to let it shine. Let it shine.
Let it shine. Let it shine.” And that is just what the OLDER YOUTH did
on Friday night, September 8th at the Maple Lawn Corn Maze. About an
hour before dark, Kristen, Mr. Pat, Miss Kim, Tim, Beth, Mr. Wayne, Asa,
Daniel and Luke, friends of Asa’s, Kelsey, Emorie, Carly, a friend of
Emorie’s, Katie and Sarah, a friend of Katie’s were entering into the
mazes with excitement. There was a fierce race with the pedal karts
with the adults against the youth. Needless to say, the adults (yes,
the adults who have not grown up yet) won by a mere hair. With the
competition on, the adults and youth went into the maze with just
flashlights to see who could find the most clues, pictures, and word
puzzle pieces for an hour and a half. With having rain fall on the maze
not two hours before, the paths were a bit slippery and the maze visions
a bit damp. Maps came out shredded and torn, but “little Vikings” came
out smiling. There was an indecision as to the winners. Mazers then
became campers as they returned to Keimigs Camp Grounds for the evening,
only to have some parents repeat the process with the A-OKers.
DAY 2
The Adventure Continues A large group of A-OKers met at the maze bright
and early on Saturday with plenty of sunshine and almost dry paths.
Teams of Mr. Wayne, Deborah, Jacob, and Miss Sandie, and Kelsey, Emorie,
Anna, Annie, and Asa, Daniel, and Tyler, and Morgan, Amos and Miss
Karen. All teams were not long in the maze because the sun was
intense. (Mr. Rob and Ella were the wise ones – they enjoyed the breeze
outside the maze while waiting for everyone to finish.) No winners were
declared. After lunch all mazers explored the bamboo maze, the fence
maze, the mist maze, and finally the play maze. The play maze is a huge
playplace for all ages – even the “big kids” enjoyed the tunnels and
bridges and slides. This is where the day ended because no one wanted
to leave – besides being extremely fun – it was also cooler in the play
maze.
Congratulations to all mazers both at night and the next days. Fun was
had by all and all were ready to return again next year.
(As you may have guessed, many “corny” jokes surfaced during this a-Mazing
time)
ABRO
The six weeks are over and the time to say
good-bye came very quickly this year as Raman and Anastasiya return home
to Belarus. During their stay, they had their annual doctor checkups.
Both are in good health, have good eyesight, and have excellent dental
hygiene. Both dentists graciously put sealants on their teeth and sent
home a tremendous supply of toothpaste and toothbrushes. (These will be
shared with the other ABRO children and interpreter.)
As in past years, Raman was able to keep the children of VBS singing
along with the DVD as they enjoyed the music portion of the program all
week, along with helping with the set-up and take down of the
decorations. Anastasiya was a first time helper for VBS and she was an
asset with the pre-school class as well as with set up and take down.
Again this year, Raman and Anastasiya had an opportunity to go to
the beach (just for a day), and God had a perfect day planned. The
weather was great, the waves were perfect, and the water was just
right. They had an opportunity to visit Candy Kitchen and took home
those HUGE lollipops. (And no one went home sunburn!)
Both youth enjoyed a drive through Baltimore City to see our “city”.
Both were shocked that not all Americans were RICH. Their tour included
a drive by Johns Hopkins Hospital, Cathedral of Mary Our Queen and its
school, the Scottish Rite Temple, Harbor Place, the ghettos of the city,
the homes of Gilford and Roland Park as well as the homes of Sparks.
They were amazed that only one small family would be living in such
large houses, yet blessed of where they lived in Freeland.
There was time for relaxing by playing in the pool, playing on the
computers, shopping, going to the movies, getting emails from parents,
helping to mow the grass, reading, getting along with American siblings
and just hanging out. Raman even got to go to “The Computer Show” at
the Timonium Fairgrounds. A dream come true because he loves working on
computers.
The most interesting days were spent making and eating Belarussian
foods that were eaten when Eli, Asa, and Karen were in their country
visiting. Raman made his dad’s famous Shashlik (which was pork
marinated with spices and mayonnaise cooked over wood on skewers), and
Anastasiya made her birthday cake (which was tart shells smeared with
condensed milk that had been boiled in the cans for two and a half hours
and sour cream and other stuff, layered several times then covered with
fresh fruits and whipped cream.) YUM!
The new item for Raman and Anastasiya this year was to be just like
their American brothers and sisters and take part in daily meal prayers
as well as evening prayers. This was an uncomfortable thing at first,
but as the days went on, prayers for both came from the heart.
As always, it was sad to see them leave, but leaving only means
that there is a returning. So we bid them Godspeed with hugs and kisses
until next year.
- Karen Keimig
Gettysburg All-Stars Sports Complex
On Monday,
July 24th the race began at 5:00pm at the Gettysburg
All-Stars Sports Complex, as twenty-one youth and one adult traveled at
high speeds of about eight to nine miles per hour to see who would be in
first place at the end of the three minute ride around the go-cart
course. And who was that winner? Ask one of the following: Tim, Beth
Holle, Kathie Linthicum, Kristen Thompson, her friend, Sam, Mitra, (a
friend of Claire’s) Claire, Mac Geddes, Jessica Siverd, Raman Shapulov,
Anastasiya Lishankova, Luke or Daniel Snyder (friends of Asa’), Rachel,
CaraLisa, Brittney, friends from Gunpowder Baptist Church), Carly Ross,
(friend of Emorie’s), Eli, Asa, Kelsey, Emorie, Keimig, or Miss Kim. By
the end of the first two laps, these youth knew which car was the
fastest (car #31), which was the slowest (car #30) and which car they
preferred if #31 was taken and to avoid #30, (car #24). There was no
waiting in a long time, but merely jumping up out of the cars at the
signal from the staff member and zipping around the fence to get in line
and try once more for the favored cars. Some, though, chose to play
miniature golf if the favored car was not available at the time they
were near the head of the line. By the end of the evening, when all was
said and done, was anyone a winner??? F course, all were winners,
because once the staff member said “Go!”, everyone drove in a circle and
no one could tell who was first and who was last! A great night of
fellowship for all these youth.
Bike Ride on the NCR Trail
Congratulations to Tim And Beth Holle, Kristen Thompson And Sam, (her
friend), Jessie Siverd, and Asa And Kelsey Keimig for a successful bike
ride on the NCR Trail last Sunday, April 30. The group raised
approximately $550 for The Lutheran Mission Society. Thanks to
those in the congregation that supported these youth in their quest to
support Lutheran Mission Society. Job Well Done!
ABRO
April, 2008
Dear
Redeemer Family.
This year, as you know, Raman Shalupov will not be returning to the
United States because he has aged out of the ABRO program. We have
heard from him in the past several months and he has taken the SATs to
enter into the American university in Bulgaria. As of this writing, he
has not heard about his test results. Please pray that he will be
accepted.
Then Anastasiya Lishankova will also not be returning to the US
because the ABRO program through Stewartstown Baptist Church did not
have enough children returning to support an interpreter. There is a
group in the upper part of York as well as Virginia, but we have been
told that the interpreter must be not more than an hour away from the
children. She has been doing very well with her classical music classes
as well as her studies. She dreams of going to Minsk to learn at the
university located in this capital of Belarus to further her musical
talent. In her last email, she explained that her mother had received a
pay increase and that they were moving into a new flat that was a bit
larger than the one where they were presently living. She would then
have a room of her own. This was very exciting for both her mom as well
as her. Please pray that Ann will have an enjoyable summer in her new
flat with her mom and her cat.
And all of the Keimigs would like to thank the congregation of
Redeemer for supporting both of these children. It not only gave Raman
and Ann a chance to experience an American culture, but it has given our
family a chance to nurture two children who gave us such blessings over
the past six years. Raman has promised that he will, one day, make it
back to the United States. We pray that this dream of his will be
fulfilled and that once again, we will be amazed at God’s ability to do
all things. So from all the Keimigs, our most sincere appreciation and
gratitude for this mission of Raman and Ann visiting the United States
through the American Belarusian Relief Organization.
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