LOVE 4 THE CHILDREN

Greetings, brothers and sisters!

So the school year has begun, and trips to boarding school have been renewed. We really missed the guys and are glad that in the new school year, we can continue to serve God and children! This month we were able to visit orphans in Smilovich. On the first trip, we were able to see that some of the children we had previously met at the shelter were also there, mainly Tolik and Vika. On the one hand we were glad to see these guys, but on the other hand we were a little upset. Tolik’s story: he got into a shelter a couple of years ago. We remember him as an inquisitive and very joyful child. Tolik was left by his mom, since they separated from dad. At that time we were like parents to him. After all, sometimes the words “mom” and “dad” slipped by. About a year passed and Tolik was informed that he was being sent to a sanatorium. He was very happy, because he had never been to a sanatorium! When we arrived with another trip to the Rudensky boarding school, we saw Tolik in there. He was very depressed, he was scared because of an unfamiliar atmosphere, but when he saw us, he was very happy. We were worried about him for a long time, because it was difficult for him to adapt there. We started praying that he would be taken to his family. A couple of months passed and Tolya disappeared from sight. We never saw him again in Rudensk. Later, the administration reported that Tolya was taken to a family-type orphanage. We were happy for him that he was safe now!

The Vika’s story that I mentioned before: we met at the Smilovichi orphanage. Her mom was a heavy drinker, so she was taken to a shelter, but she was out of the shelter for a long time, as she was very quickly taken into a family. As it turned out, later they got into the same family with Tolya! When we arrived, the first question we asked was: “What happened, why are you here? The guys said that the parents went on vacation, as they work in a family-type orphanage, and when the vacation is over, they will be taken home again. Vika told me what she likes about the family. There she is allowed to attend church and she especially likes church youth meetings. It’s so great that the orphanage became a start for her in the knowledge of God, where she learned to pray, and also learned that God is loving. A few weeks passed and we were informed that Vika, Tolya and Artyom, who was also with them at that time, were being sent back to the family, since their parents had come back from their vacation. We prayed for the children and blessed them for further knowledge of God and following Him! Also, there were brother and sister Olesya and Maxim in the shelter. It was their first time there.

Their parents are alcoholics. The children, at the first meeting, were very disturbed by the changes in their lives. Sasha and I tried to create a safe atmosphere of acceptance. Getting to know the kids, we ate colorful M&M’s candies. The guys took candy and each color meant something. For example, the color blue – we talked about our dreams. It is noteworthy that the answers were the same for all the children who were there, namely, so that parents would stop drinking and, in order to return home faster, see a cat or a dog. Such sincere dreams! Yellow candies implied the question: “what do you want to change in your life?” The answers of the guys: to be less lazy, learn a language, stop being shy. Red candy symbolised their favorite dish! At the break the children told me what they like! And when we got to know each other better, we told the new guys that we were believers and that we wanted to tell them about our friend Jesus.

At the second meeting, we talked about how God created our world, that God cares about people. At the third meeting we talked about Adam and Eve and the first sin. And the fourth lesson was about Cain and Abel. We talked about how we sometimes behave badly, talk badly, but God would like to help us. He saw Cain’s heart and warned him not to be jealous, because any sin leads to death. Then the guys and I discussed the heroes of the Bible, which we talked about during lessons. “Why did Adam and Eve disobey God”? “Why did Cain kill Abel and is it possible to do otherwise”?  We talked about what is important, if we are jealous or really want something, we need to ask God for strength and then God will help us. Either to forgive or not to envy, and if you have already done wrong – not to run away from God, but to ask for forgiveness! Brothers and sisters, thank you very much for your prayers! We really need them! Please pray for the children too, so that the word of God changes and transforms them!