LOVE 4 THE CHILDREN

Although it is the winter time, the relationship with the guys becoming more warm and strong. Children are coming to our lessons not because they have spare time but we can see they are waiting for us and discussing what we taught. It is wonderful to see how ice is melting.
Last month the main topic of our talking were the theme of feelings that prevail in us. Pasha and Vadim made the lessons so interesting that even the staff learned something from this. Also the worship team from Minsk made a special Christmas concert. I think they liked it.
Usually during the vacation all kids are gone somewhere. Somebody went to Italy, somebody were taken home by their relatives, some of them went to our brothers and sisters in Christ. That’s why the Christmas programm should be delayed till January.
Let God bless each who lives in the orphanage, keeps and preserves till our next meeting. Merry Christmas!

Children should smile, laugh, have fun and make friends.  And we should teach them how to do it honestly and sincerely.  But it’s difficult for lonely children even to dream. Little children from Grozovo boarding school face this problem too. But childhood is the best time of your life to dream. Watching orphans I noticed that they just live expecting their lives to change. Obviously, most of them are waiting for their parents, who left them, to take them back home. Some can’t wait to finish school and leave this place forever. But in spite of all these expectations, they are afraid of what life is waiting for them behind the wall. They are afraid to be left again. I so do want to teach these “little people” to dream, to make goals and to reach them. I want to teach them to fight their fears and doubts.

This month we’ve tried to stick to the aim we put before ourselves: “Children in the hands of Loving God”. I believe it wasn’t in vain. Every time we met with them we tried to remind children that they are important for God and He loves them. They will no longer feel that they are alone and abundant when they realize how much God loves them.

They have been on 2 week holidays since the 24th December. Some children went to have holidays abroad; some of them were taken by Christian families, but still some of them are spending Christmas time in school. That’s why I ask you, let’s be praying for them, that they feel close to God this Christmas holidays.

So a fruitful month of coming to the orphanage has passed already. Each time children are becoming dearer and dearer. And this is not because they are so good, but because they are reaching for God. That is the thing that makes us closer.
The best thing I like is that children react on our words, topics and situations… I’d like to describe several events that took place in this particular period of time. In one of the meets we talked about Halloween, its origin, the meaning of this holiday, its connections with the other world and the symbolism of pumpkins. The reaction of children was very surprising to me – earlier they told us that it was cool and interesting to have spiritual games and tell fortunes, but this time everything was vice versa – all this was disgustful for them and disregardful. That happened us! Maybe they just grew up? No, I think that it’s God Who works in their hearts. Next time we were talking about “Free Hugs” and we had the atmosphere of joy and love. Moreover at the end of the other lesson I liked when Vika came to me and told that she doesn’t regret that I persuaded her to come, as the topic of our discussion was “loneliness” and it was actual for her. As the result we promised to pray for each other during the next week. The last meeting I liked most of all. The topic was “betrayal”, and we modeled such a situation when one of the best friends betrayed the other one. As an example we took two real good friends Olya and Polina. At the beginning Olya couldn’t forgive Polina for betrayal under any circumstances, but at the end of discussion, when Olya realized the weight and results of an unforgiven person and act by the example of Judas who betrayed Jesus and ruler Zedekiah and the opportunity to change the situation with the help of forgiveness by the example of Moses and Jesus, she not only forgave Polina but also wanted to help her. What is more amazing is that at the last prayer Polina prayed together with me and Vadim. Amazing was not just the fact of praying but the character of Polina’s communication with God. The prayer was so natural, confident and spiritual which leads to one thought – Polina prays regularly and her relations with God are growing gradually. And it makes me so happy. It’s a big stimulus to serve these children and reach them to God.
That’s why I ask to support us prayerful, and moreover pray for these guys for each of them had a family and a happy childhood, and also pray for the dream – Belarus without orphans.
Bless you!

If you take 5 children at the age of 16 living with parents, they all will be different. They have different lives which don’t look alike. Their lives depict various pictures. But if you take 50 children from an orphanage it’s evident that they are different, too, but their lives have so much in common. More often their daily life looks like: the same walls in the building, a strict schedule every day, the same faces and a great amount of sad and old memories. Besides, betrayal, self-deception, absence of faith and love are often met here. And that is the most grieved thing. The biggest orphan’s dream is to be near those who are able to teach you love someone, to give you hope, to show you the strength of faith and to be near the people who won’t give you any empty and false communications.
Going to the orphanage I pray for being a spiritual support for these children. Giving Biblical lessons I’m trying to take a necessary topic and nformation to reach their hearts. Looking at them, you hope to see them as the heroes of their future families and children who they will have in future, too. I believe that it will be so!
Several months ago children were ready to be occupied in any creative work, games, communication and sports but not in Biblical lessons, But today with the help of our God we can see the change in their characters. Besides, children are looking forward to seeing us and listening to these lessons. Praise God that He gives us this opportunity to see this change for better!

When I go to the orphanage I feel joy and sadness at the same time. On the one side, it’s so great to see all the guys, but then you become sad because they are orphans. Very often you see how someone is trying to please you, but someone else steps aside. Children seem to be different, but they have the same pain. The main problem of orphans is loneliness. It’s always evident that they need a close friend, but at the same time they are trying to hide this pain under nice smiles.
“Doesn’t God love us? Why didn’t my mom come to me and take me away? I was praying all the night asking Jesus her to come!” God gave an opportunity to answer children all their questions before this world could give a false answer. I want to share children’s experience I’ve observed during this month: “Sasha, will you come next week? Will we sing? Will we have gifts today? What will we play today?” These and all the unsaid questions that children ask prove that every child needs a close friend.
This month we touched upon the following questions: “The evil and the good”, “Friendship”, “Ten commandments” and “A prayer”. Through these topics we tried children to rich the truth about God. We believe that God worked and will work in future. Because some children didn’t have and even still don’t have hope. Not every child with his or her own mind will realize nowadays how strong God loves. The reaction of every child on the heard can be absolutely different. I think that it’s natural. Our concern is to tell them about God and give them our love and care. I believe that some children have a result already, and in someone else we’ll see it later. Because God knows what He is doing!