This month, we organized not only games and sport events for children at Rudenskij orphanage, 
but also communication one on one. Besides that, we saw that children are ready to meet us and listen to Bible lessons. For this reason, we had first Bible topic this academic year.
Obviously, more boys participated in
sports. Some of them played soccer, others volleyball and tennis. Girls were ready to have personal communication. They have missed us after 2 months summer break! We are glad that children have learned to communicate not only with us but with each other. Previously, we had to motivat
e them to talk. They are expressing their emotions freely, so they were willing to share about the past summer. Some children told us that they got to meet their parents, others were worried abou
t argument with a friend, and others passed finals successfully and spend summer vacation abroad.
Both boys and girls participated in other games. We love those moments when we can observe children and see their characters. W
e see how they react to winning and losing, what is their attitude to each other.
During our first meeting we had topic: “Friendship.” As the Biblical example, we used friendship between Jesus Christ and Peter. We tried to explain how important is to trust each other, spend time with each other, and to forgive. We hope that it will be useful for their lives!
Next month, we plan to emphasize human relationships. We will try to show how important is to be faithful to a friend, and how to build proper relationships between boy and a girl according to the Bible. We hope to be able to visit this orphanage new month as well.
Archive for September, 2013
-Sasha, look how fast I can run, – bragged a young boy named Nikita before the new member of our
team and ran away disappearing behind a corner. He is running so much to and from, from nowhere to nowhere. I do not know why he runs so much but it seems that there is no any better occupation for this boy. Because it is the only way not to think about his own life – the life one wants to forget about. All other orphans in the same way take “paints” and paint the day in their own “bright colors” – the most important thing is not to think about own life. Of course, who wants to think about the fact that nobody wants them?
My impression is that even when we say to orphans that they are dear to us, that we love them 
and want to help them, they still do not believe us. They do not know how to behave with us, with a person with whom they do not need to defend themselves, the one who says to them that they are precious. Thus when we communicate with orphans we have to deal with their double personality, one is public and the other is private.
The whole September we dedicated to personal communication with kids. To tell the truth I did not even expect that the kids would be so happy to see us after long summer ho
lidays. During September we wanted to become closer to the children, to become their older friends who they can ask for an advice during hard times. We wanted to show them God.
It was sad not to see some of the boys and girls who graduated from the orphanage. They stepped out into the sea of life to look for their own harbour. It is sad because I did not have enough time to say everything that I wanted to say to each one of them, that I did not have enough time to befriend each one of them. But I am glad that some of them are going to live in Minsk – we will have an opportunity to meet them.
In the orphanage I got closer to a girl named Vika (the 
author is a girl too). I like her understanding of life. She knows what she wants and she works hard to get there. I want very much that our relationship grow stronger. But simple fellowship and helping them is not enough and it is not the primary goal of our team. I really, really want for Holy Spirit to use us here so we would be able to communicate to orphans the real truth, that they do not need to run from nowhere to nowhere, that they can stop and realize that with their limited hands they can hug Unlimited God and know and feel that they have been adopted by Him!
At last we are in Septem
ber and we have an opportunity to visit our dearest children at the Grozovski orphanage. It was a real joy to see these kids again after summer break. Each time the children are waiting for our visit. They wanted to see us, to chat with us, and share stories of their summer. We played different games, had a chat. It really brought us closer together. Many of them have dreams that hidden deep in the heart. Therefore, we do everything possible to ensure that at least some of their dreams came true.
During one of our visits I managed to speak with one boy, whose name is Denis. We talked for a very long time. He told me about wh
at is 
happening in his life, and that in any situation, good or bad he prays to God. He asked to pray for him also. He was glad that he could speak to me on this subject, because many people ridicule him at the orphanage when he talks about praying. I sincerely rejoiced with him, that we could have a talk about what is important for him in a quiet atmosphere. It was amazing to see joy in children, whose life happens not in very good conditions.
On the 12th, 19th and 26th of September, our team visited Smilovichi orphanage. Now there are 12 children: 5 boys and 7 girls. They are in 5 to 15 age range. At our first meeting, we met with the children, played fun games to get to know each other. The children tried to get to know and remember us. We did the same thi
ng. We dedicated our second meeting to get to know children much better. We had paper hearts, which every child could use to write what he/she likes and does not like, and tell about his/her dreams. Some of the children wrote something interesting. For example, one of the dreams: to love mother and father, a world in which there is no evil, and to get back to my parents and others. Because some kids do not know how to write, we helped them, so we can get closer to them and to know them. We finished our second meeting with the song “Wav
e your hand to others.” Our dream: to use time, which God has given us, to become a part of their lives and to tell them about God. The third meeting was more devoted to the creativity and close personal con
tact with the children. While younger one were engaged in creative work, older children had personal conversation with our team members in a more intimate and personal atmosphere. We had a great opportunity to communicate with them in a quiet environment, to talk about their concerns and makes them happy, to get to know them, and give them a piece of our care and love! At the same time, the children had the opportunity to paint the plaster magnets and keep them as a souvenir.
Greetings, dear friends!
In August we had a camp for children from Grozovo orphanage. We are very grateful that you gave this wonderful opportunity to the orphans to be able to attend this camp! I came to the conclusion and I am very sure that a camp it is most wonderful time for the orphans. The camp went on for 14 days and during each day the gospel was preached. The cap attended the children from age 8 to 14. 
Despite the fact that I serve the orphans for a long time it was a new experience for me. During the camp I shared the room with the boys. Each one of them is different and everyone has its own pain, its own wounds. Despite their young age all of them experienced separation and even death of the close ones. When we first came to the camp we had evening where children told their stories. They shared the reason why they are in the orphanage. In their stories we could feel their pain and hopelessness. 
Before bed time we read the parable of the prodigal son and tried to apply it to our lives. Just as the prodigal son the orphans are far away from home without parents and without proper role models. But there is hope because God does not leave Its children and constantly knocking on the door of their hearts to tell them that He is near.
For 14 days we witnessed how God performed miracles and how the children were changing. But not all the children were open and because of this we prayed for them and continue to pray now that the seed that we sow will bring fruit at its proper time. The brightest moment of the camp was repentance of three children. 
I believe that the boys consciously came out and prayed the prayer of repentance. Praise The Lord! At that very moment I even remembered the statistics that teens of ages 14 to 16 more often accept Christ than the adults. Therefore there is hope for both – for those who already asked God for forgiveness and for those who did not reconciled with Him yet.
My prayer is for these orphans that every one of them would find a Christian family and would feel parent’s love in those families. Sometime the children asked me to seat next to them while they fall asleep – they deeply yearn for parental love – sometimes they would fall asleep in my hands. Many of them dream to see their parents when they wake up.
It is also good that the children had the opportunity to change their surroundings for a time. Many of them did not have an opportunity to spend this summer in a family or in other country therefore this camp has helped the children to forget the orphanage for at least 14 days. 
We also hope that this opportunity to get to know the children closer would help us in future meetings with them.
Also in this camp we had an opportunity to have some small medical checkups for the children. As the result we found out that two children have medical problems. A boy named Nikita has problems with breathing and probably he would need to undergo a surgery to fix the problem. 
And a girl named Ann has problems with thyroid. She needs a consultation of a specialist and farther treatment. Right now we are planning how to help these children in farther testing and treatment. Please pray that God would send all that is needed for their treatment (including specialists) and heal them.
I am very grateful to everyone who prays for us and for these children. I am especially thankful to those who helped financially in organizing this camp!
LOVE 4 THE CHILDREN 