LOVE 4 THE CHILDREN

I welcome you!
October 7, 2012 in the capital of the Republic of Belarus – in Minsk, in the church building “Bethlehem”, the annual Christian Conference “You are not alone”, dedicated to serving orphans and adoption was held.
Objectives of the conference: 1) To Enable, i.e. to attract many churches, organizations and individuals to work together to help children. 2) To Shell, i.e. to increase the capacity of the Christian community through the training of leaders and experts and dissemination of best practices in working with children. 3) To Change, i.e. to make the change of the situation of orphans through the incarnation of joint projects aimed at solving the most pressing problems.
All in all the conference was attended by over 142 participants. All the participants were divided into three groups.
The first group of people – people who have adopted orphans, but need encouragement and support. As of January 1, 2012 in the Republic of Belarus in the families of citizens there are 18,875 orphans and children left without parental care. Meeting with foster families throughout the year, we have seen how many families give up, that is why this category of people in need of support and encouragement. Therefore, we invited mothers and fathers, who for some time engaged in foster children. We also invited non-believers foster parents for them to get answers to their questions. As this conference is Christian, there sounded the good news of Christ. After all, only with God you can properly raise a child, putting him in a good foundation. The second group of people: the people who want to adopt orphans, but do not know how to start. The conference was attended by representatives from the National Center for Adoption. I am very pleased that, despite the fact that the conference was organized by Christians, state guardianship also took part in it. People who attended the seminar, get answers to their questions. People who attended the seminar, wrote that they were now ready to take orphans into their family. For me, this is the answer to prayer. After all, if Christians fathered the child, they have done the will of God. (Matf.18 5) “And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receives me.” Thank God for that, thanks to this seminar mothers and fathers were thinking about taking children into their family. The third group of people: the people who want to engage in the service of orphans in orphanages, shelters, work with alumni after their finishing the orphanage. The seminar was structured in such a way that the participants of the conference were able to get much information about the child fatherless and orphaned quality care. There were also asked a variety of programs for more effective ministry. This seminar was attended by seventy persons, who are ready to start work in boarding schools or orphanages in our country.
The conference was organized by the Union of Evangelical Christians of Belarus, the National Network of Christian organizations working with children at risk and The Commission for Children at Risk. Among the speakers and leaders of master classes were the following ministers: Pastor of Minsk Church “Bethlehem” Jacob Timofeev (Belarus), the pastor of the church “Light of Truth” and the adopter Lazuta Dmitry (Belarus), president of the Alliance “Ukraine without orphans” Malyuta Ruslan (Ukraine) . Also there was representative of the Belarusian Charitable Association “With Love – For Children” Barbara Latyshevich, psychologist and coach Alexander Zhuravlev and his wife Vera, and district psychologist in social and educational centers Natalia Korolkova. Also, the coordinator of the project “The lessons of independence for young people” Galina Schaefer and the representative of Christian Center “Recovery” in Moscow Nadezhda Maybogina.
Conference was a spiritual support and encouragement to continue the ministry to orphans. Personal example inspired the participants and attendants and led to practical steps to work with orphans. Participants have an idea of who is engaged in ministry to orphans in Belarus, exchanged contact information, experience, service and resources.
Only united can we respond to the challenge that is thrown around the world, including the Belarusian people. We believe that Belarus could become a country without orphans.
Conference “You are not alone,” the ministry to orphans in Belarus. Minsk on October 27.We believe that on the conference people could found the answers for their questions, and the sweltering received encouragement.
The conference brought together ministers and helped each participant to feel that “He is not one,” prompted to continue the ministry , so that every child – an orphan realized that “He is not one.”
Unfortunately, in recent years, the Christians began to appear hidden return of children to boarding school, this year more than 25 families returned the children to boarding schools. So we have work to do! I thank God for what He has allowed a conference and allowed people to reconsider their attitude to the orphans. Thank God that some families were told that they would not return the child to the orphanage and will reconsider his upbringing and attitude.
For us it is a great result! We thank all who participated in the conference as prayerfully and financially!