Greetings, dear reader, as well as friends, brothers and sisters! We are glad that we can serve our God by spreading His kingdom on earth!
In November, we actively visited the Smilovichi orphanage, which houses thirteen children. I still can’t get used to the fact that the guys we saw just six months ago are back at the shelter. When we arrived and the guys came out to meet us, the joy was mixed with sadness. We were glad to see the children, but we were disappointed that they were here again. The guys eagerly told about how they were at home, how they took care of their pets, and also that some of the guys learned to swim. We noticed that they embellished some of the facts, as if they wanted to see that their parents were not so weak, although they did not always manage to overcome their addictions.
So, in November, we held some interesting topics for the guys. The first topic was “Don’t oversleep an important moment in your life.” The theme was born from the story of the ten virgins from the Gospel. We talked about the importance of preparing for important events, that it is important to prepare for matinees, to be ready, beautifully dressed, washed. After all, the Biblical story showed that there were 5 wise and 5 stupid girls. The wise prepared and were always ready, while the stupid, on the contrary, neglected to prepare and did not think what they needed. Communicating with the teachers, we realized that the guys had problems with the preparation, and thank God later we received feedback that the situation changed and everything became better. We must also prepare for the coming of God, this is one of the important points.
At the next meeting, we did crafts. Natasha showed an example of the fish that we made afterwards. I like this time, because at such moments the guys talk about what is happening at school or kindergarten. And so during the meeting, Dima and Tim told that they would soon be taken to a foster family. They are very happy that they will be able to leave the shelter and that they will have their own room and their own toys. When I asked if they wanted to go home, the guys said no, because it was bad at home. Also, each of the little children looked at us, called us to spend time with him. Everyone dreams of Mom and Dad. That’s why they sometimes try to climb on our hands or ask to be thrown into the air on our hands. And at such moments they laugh so contagiously.
The next topic was the parable of the talents. We talked about the importance of not burying your talents, but developing them. We said that God gave everyone something of his own. Alice said that she likes to sing and immediately Zhenya screams and I love to sing. It turns out that everyone in our shelter has different talents and the guys just vied with each other to shout out what they like and what they can do good.
When we arrived on the last Tuesday in November, we were talking about a wise builder who built his house on stone. This story explains the important of the choice of foundation – what we are building on. And we talked about how they can rely on God even when all the people around them don’t understand it. God is the only right foundation, and when we trust Him and when we ask, He comes to our aid. Dear friends, thank you very much for your prayers and your support for serving orphaned children in Belarus. Let’s pray that Dima, Tima and Darina are safely settled in a foster family. God bless you.
November has already come to an end – how time flies! This month stood out, first, because November 10 marked the World Day of Prayer for Orphans. On this day, countless churches around the globe lifted their prayers to God: for children living in orphanages, for the teams ministering to them, and for families who open their hearts and homes to orphans. This beautiful unity in prayer reminded us once again that God is at work, opening hearts to kindness and love. 
During one of our meetings, we reflected on the parable of the lost sheep. Bogdan, playing the role of the shepherd, threw himself into the part with such sincerity and emotion that the story truly came to life before our eyes. He searched for the sheep all over the room, and his enthusiasm was contagious. Bogdan has become one of those kids who doesn’t just take part actively but also asks deep questions that sometimes make even the adults stop and think. His thoughts and genuine heart are a clear reminder that God reveals His truth even through the hearts of children. 
This month was also filled with lessons on forgiveness and kindness toward one another. At our last meeting, we prayed in small groups, and afterward, I asked the kids: «Should we ask God for forgiveness?» The children paused to think and then answered in unison: «Yes, for our wrong actions». The next question sparked even more interest: «How should we ask for forgiveness?». Matvey, almost immediately, responded: «We can pray and ask for forgiveness.»
But what touched everyone’s heart most was Nastya’s suggestion. Holding my hand and looking into my eyes, she said loudly «Let’s kneel when we pray!». Her words lit a spark in everyone. In the blink of an eye, we were all on our knees, standing in a circle. That day, every child wanted to pray to thank God for everything and to ask for forgiveness. It was a deeply moving and heartfelt moment, as the children’s voices filled the room with warmth and God’s grace. 
This month was yet another testament to how God works in the hearts of children. He teaches them kindness, forgiveness, and sincere faith. Even in the simplest moments – whether through the role of a shepherd or a child’s prayer – His power shines through, transforming hearts and filling them with love. This month has shown us that we’re not just teaching the children – they’re teaching us, too. Through their trust, openness, and desire to seek God, we see His hand at work, inspiring us to continue this ministry with even greater dedication and love.
attend the Rudensk boarding school.
We noticed that more children started to come to our meetings, often we can see new faces, which means that we have new acquaintances. We are glad that we have a new meeting place – a sports hall, I am very glad that everyone can come to our meetings and there is enough place for all the guys. It’s nice to see how the guys bring their friends and how they talk: – Come on, it’s interesting and fun there.
Also this month I had an interesting conversation with Sergey. He moved from another boarding school to Rudensk. Sergey told me a little about himself. I have three sisters and a brother. What are your interests? – I really like swimming, and I am glad that the Rudensk boarding school, to which I was recently brought, has a swimming pool. What else would you like to learn? – I would like to learn how to play tennis and also ride a bike. Sergey, what do you like to do in your free time? – I really like to read, because reading calms me down. What are your favorite subjects at school? – I really like the subject of labor training, because I like to work with my own hands.
Do you have a dream? – Yes, I would like to get a license and be able to drive a car. How long have you been at boarding school? I have been in a boarding school since I was a child. What was the most important decision you made at school? – The main decision was to quit smoking and swear. What would you like people to know about you? – That I am responsible and I like to help people, especially children. I am also a good and loyal friend, very devoted to my friends. What brings you joy in life? – Alyona, who is coming with you, she brings me joy. She talks to me a lot and makes me laugh. And also it brings me joy when I eat ice cream. Sergey, what surprises you about God? – That He is a defender, He is faithful and always answers my prayers. Through the meetings with the guys, I learn different news, and I can also understand how God loves me, and it also seems to me that I am becoming smarter and more responsible.
Also this month we talked about the “Good Samaritan”, about the importance of helping those who need it so much. Because of our low self-esteem, we often expect someone else to do it and we stand aside. But this story has shown the importance of timely assistance to those who are nearby. It’s always more valuable. Also this month we talked about the “Ten Virgins”, talked about the importance of preparing for significant events. But most importantly, we must prepare to meet God. Christmas is coming soon, it’s important to think about what this holiday means to me? Who is my Savior? Another time, when we arrived, we talked about talents and took the Biblical story “About Talents” as a basis. God loves people so much that He blessed each person with special talents and many guys shouted out what they could do. And we talked about the importance of developing these talents for the benefit of people.
Thank God that God opens especially the hearts of children, that after meetings, new guys ask for the Bible so that they can read stories with us and get to know God. The last theme of the month was “Wise Builder”. A wise builder chooses the right foundation for construction. We also have to build our lives and look for friends who will help us make the right decisions. The wise builder from the Bible did not have a house collapse because it was on the right foundation. We also need to build our lives so that God is our foundation and support, then everything will be fine for us, despite the difficulties. Dear friends, thank you very much for your prayers and for your support, may God bless you in all your ways!
LOVE 4 THE CHILDREN 