LOVE 4 THE CHILDREN

Greetings, Dear friends! Thank God for the opportunity to visit the Smilovichi orphanage in the middle of the week. The place now has five children from the same family. They’ve been in there for more than two months. These children once did not know about God, they did not read the Bible and when we meet everything is new for them. First time they’ve met the believers in their life was here, in the orphanage! They have a lot of questions: Why did God allow such a thing in our lives? Matthew asks me. Their mother left them, drinks heavily, and left home. Dad couldn’t cope with the upbringing, and the conditions in the house were threatening for their living. Lisa says: Dima, how can I forgive my mother if she left us and I hate her? We talked a lot about forgiveness, but it’s so hard for her to forgive her parents at the age of 12. Recently two more children were brought in: Arseny and Artem. These two little brothers were already taken to the family, but again returned to the orphanage. It is difficult for them and it is not clear why they were returned there! We were so happy when they were taken into a family, but now they are back. God only knows the real reasons for the return. Diana was also brought herr. Diana is now 16 years old and she has already been to this orphanage 4 times,we have known her since childhood. Now there is a process of deprivation of parental rights of the father, and her mother was already deprived of them. Diana did not have to get used to us for a long time, because she already knows that we are believers and she told us about her pain and experience.

This month, we told stories from the Bible, and then the children answered questions, all lessons are held in a playful way and with visuals and easily understood manuals. This month we discussed the parable “Of the Great Banquet” and said that God invites everyone to his house, but few come to share the joy with God. Many are called, but only a few respond to be reconciled with God. We also discussed another Biblical story about the “Seed”, we said that everything impossible is possible to God. There were examples about mustard seed and if we have even a little bit of faith, then the circumstances will change.

And we also talked about Easter. All the previous topics were a bridge to help approach the importance and significance of the holiday. God calls us all, we need faith because through faith God moves, and we receive the gift of eternal life. When we explained the meaning of Easter, we saw that children have a wrong understanding of this holiday. The children listed that Easter is eggs, bread rolls and a day off. We shared that Easter is the resurrection of Jesus Christ! We discussed where they first started celebrating Easter and under what circumstances. It was said that the Jews were in slavery and you and I were in slavery too; they needed a savior and we need a Savior! The Jews had salvation in the blood of the lamb, and our salvation in the blood of Christ. I am so glad that the guys understood this important truth.Also this month we were able to celebrate Easter. Diana, an entertainer, came to impersonate “joy” as her character. She said that many people pay more attention to the crucifixion of Jesus and this is important, but Christ has risen from the dead! And this is the most important event in the history of the whole world. Joy is given to us through the son of God, Who has given us hope and faith that we will be with a loving God and Father always. Everyone received a gift at the end of the event, and God made the greatest gift for us by sending his son to die for us! Thank you friends for your prayers and for your help with the gifts!