This month we had several meetings with the kids from Vileyka. We were talking with them about how it is important to watch your thoughts and keep your heart clean. As an illustration to it, we used three hearts of different colors (black, red and white). 
Black heart symbolized sin slowly destroying person’s heart and making it dirty. Red heart symbolized God’s love to people, who showed it through Christ dying on the cross so that we could restore our relationships
with God and receive salvation. White heart – symbol of purity and righteousness, which people can receive if they repent and let God into their hearts.
Next topic was “Habits and desires”. Here we talked about sinful desires that may be in our hearts. We talked about why sin attracts people and what to do with it. Apart from our program, the girls prepared a dance for us. After that dance, we congratulated those who had birthdays, this month there were 3 of them. 
After hugs, presents, taking pictures, we organized a little sweet treat.
As the world celebrates Valentine ’s Day, we decided to use this opportunity to talk with older kids about relationships between boys and girls, showing them God’s point of view for that. We talked about purity and chastity and about biblical picture of the family.
On Saturday 24 Feb, there was another culinary club in Vileyka together with Valeri Strigotski, who is well known to kids as uncle Valera. The team was small and that turned to be a good thing: the atmosphere was home like where kids could be open. It was great to see that this time the 10th grade girls were allowed to be with us, as in previous times teachers did not let them go. The girls joined in with passion as if they were trying to catch up on everything. It was an amazing experience as some of them are planning to be cooks and bakers in the future. 
Uncle Valera gave them some useful advice. They all had a chance to talk with him about their future profession.
Children themselves cooked a salad, stuffed rolls, they set the table, prayed together, ate it all, talked and cleaned after that. 
As usual, there were presents from uncle Valera. In addition, Yuliya Kashko prepared a few active games. We hugged a lot, took many pictures and somebody tried the role of the photographer. The most precious thing in meetings like these is fellowship. Every time you meet new kids, and those who we know reveal their new sides of their personalities, because they feel they can trust us. Every time you do not want to leave, the time flies so fast. You want to come again as soon as possible, especially when you get a feedback like this: “You were with me, I had fun, and you became dear and special to me”, – the girl called Liza wrote it, and she visited our culinary club the first time.
Archive for March, 2018
For me, February was a very difficult month. It hurt me to look at the guys in the orphanage. Many were sick; they told me how they were placed in an isolation ward and treated. 
They worried that they would not see us. Some guys could not find a common language among themselves, quarreled and offended each other. Someone was not happy that life is not fair to them. 
And I was able to reassure one boy, because he cried and cried, and said that all the people around him are bad. In addition, he was angry with God. I am grateful to God that I could be at that moment and comfort him. Thank God that we have the opportunity to come to meet children’s in orphanage and talk to them about their difficulties, empathize, hug and talk about God, and teach them how to pray and trust in God their problems!
When we come to the guys, 
they are enthusiastically running to meet us. Perhaps for someone we have become close, for someone just friends. Yes, they, like most people, 
have their own experiences I pray that the time spent with the guys will not be in vain! How I want the guys to find the meaning of life in God and change their destinies with God’s help!
This month, older children began to get acquainted with the history of David’s life. This Biblical hero is a good example of loyalty and trust in God, and this is exactly what so many people lack! Quite a young boy, who was a shepherd and musician, was able to defeat the giant Goliath and in due time God made him king. One of the actual topics for the children from this orphanage is friendship. 
Unfortunately, most guys do not know how to be friend, do not know how to trust, forgive, children are more consumers in friendship. 
That is why we devoted a whole meeting to the example of the friendship of David and Jonathan. We come to the guys to show God’s view of those or other moments.
At one of the meetings we organized sports relay races for high school students. Relaying is not only a sport and a fun pastime, but also an opportunity to teach children to correctly accept both victories and defeats, and also to unite for the sake of achieving a common goal.
Younger children continue to get acquainted with the miracles that Jesus performed during life on earth. They already know the biblical story of how Jesus fed five thousand people, how thanks to Jesus, the fishermen caught a large number of fish, and that even the sea obeyed Jesus. We hope and believe that God is already now, working in children’s hearts!
Good afternoon!
In February we have visited the Smilovichi orphanage. This month there were more children than last month. 
Each of them has its own unique story. The girl Luda, who has been there for several months, at the last meeting said that she is going to be taken home. And this is a great joy for us! Because the family reunification is our dream!
Despite cold weather and various life circumstances, all the meetings with the guys took place. 
Among the children there were new children, whom we met for the first time, but there were also those guys who were not for the first time in this orphanage. It is sad that the children repeatedly experience the betrayal of their parents – 
the closest and dearest people. While Luda’s face is shining these guys are stressed and their eyes are full of sadness and pain. I’m glad that the teachers who work in the orphanage take care of children and try to support them as much as possible. Because of this situation, the topic “God is our consoler”, which we had at one of our meetings, was very relevant. 
Honestly, it is quite difficult to talk about consolation to children who have been repeatedly betrayed. They were already trying to forgive, to trust again, to see good things again in people, but they were disappointed again. Despite the complexity of the situation, 
God reveals the children’s hearts and, we believe that at the right time, the sown word will bear fruit for Eternity!
In addition, the children learned that Jesus is a teacher, who still teaches us and guides us through the Bible. Also, the guys have learned that Jesus is the best doctor who is able to heal not only physical pain, but also heartache.
At the last meeting we had creativity lesson. This format of our meetings is very popular with the children from the Smilovichi orphanage. The children had the opportunity to make beautiful flowers for their upcoming holiday on March, 8. Sveta – our head of creativity lessons, at first was very worried, whether boys like to make flowers or not. But it turned out that they were also happy to make flowers which they can give to their teachers or sisters.
I greet you, brothers, sisters and all friends who are interested in helping orphans! Belarus is definitely a country of opportunities, but, at the same time, many people do not know God. 
Problems people face, show that they lack close relationships with their Creator. Broken families result in appearance of social orphans. And this is a huge problem! 
The whole generation of children are growing up without fathers and mothers in our country. What does it mean? It means children have low self-esteem and adults are emotionally depressed, besides, they feel worthless and insignificant! That is why our country is on the list of countries with the highest level of suicide. People need changes but they cannot occur without changing of minds and coming to faith in God.
Rudensk orphanage is the place where children’s life stories really change. Today’s generation counts on
Marvel heroes who cannot answer the main question – what can help me in my life and what can change it! Children need parents, moreover, they need right heroes who could help them believe in him or herself, in their personal value and believe that real changes can come true! 
David is a Bible character who turned over the whole epoch of disbelief, disappointment, betrayal and pain. Although hundreds and thousands of years went on from that time, the image of this hero still helps young orphans get right understanding of following God. Responsibility for the flock of sheep which was in his charge during his adolescence, his relationships with God, his wisdom, bravery, friendship, faithfulness to his views and many other things can be added to the list of his good qualities. God, looking at his heart, 
helped him reach the position of a king from being a slave. But such a status didn’t prevent him from being faithful to God.
When we came to the children in February, we told them about David’s life and reflected on the actuality of his example in our days.
I am happy when the teenagers ask questions and think over of what they heard at our meetings. But most of all I am excited by their wish to change. The teenagers come closer to their dream with every prayer and our visits. The Bible becomes a life guidebook for those who are eager to know more about God. 
I think, in this month, despite cold weather, offence, price increase, cruelty, offence, failures, the children learnt how to see not only bad things in everything and look for the way out even in hard situations and make right conclusions. God is interested in their lives. Changes can come only due to closeness to God. Evaluating the work of the team, I see that we change together with the children. God transforms us and, as a result , the message we share influence the children’s destiny and eternal life!
I want to thank all who read our news! Without you and your prayers, it would be harder to see changes that God implements.
LOVE 4 THE CHILDREN 