LOVE 4 THE CHILDREN

How amazing it is to meet you again on our page. A big “hello” to everybody!!!
Every Tuesday together with our team we went to orphanages to see the children we miss all the time. That’s great that we have good relationships with each other. Very often we mark the importance of these relations and that’s why since this year we decided to talk about it in details. Our moral lessons this month were connected with the topic “Relations”. We brought up such questions as: there is nothing more important than relations, what Jesus told us about relations (the first commandment of the New Testament), the questions of priority in relations, relations are much more important than money and any other deals… All this was done for these children to have the right picture and viewpoint about relations, because usually they see relations as consumptive values or something simple and usual, though relations demand great efforts from the two sides. I’m happy that these lessons showed them a completely different view about relationships, changed their mind to a different side and they started appreciating more and more our coming to them and friendly, family relations we are trying to build with them. We desire to talk about this further for our children to develop into strong personalities, to be able to build strong families, raise up children, becoming a full unit of our society and country.
We are happy that you all contribute to this common cause with prays, resources, material help and a encouraging words about us…
May God bless you!!!

-Sasha, look how fast I can run, – bragged a young boy named Nikita before the new member of our team and ran away disappearing behind a corner. He is running so much to and from, from nowhere to nowhere. I do not know why he runs so much but it seems that there is no any better occupation for this boy. Because it is the only way not to think about his own life – the life one wants to forget about. All other orphans in the same way take “paints” and paint the day in their own “bright colors” – the most important thing is not to think about own life. Of course, who wants to think about the fact that nobody wants them?
My impression is that even when we say to orphans that they are dear to us, that we love them and want to help them, they still do not believe us. They do not know how to behave with us, with a person with whom they do not need to defend themselves, the one who says to them that they are precious. Thus when we communicate with orphans we have to deal with their double personality, one is public and the other is private.
The whole September we dedicated to personal communication with kids. To tell the truth I did not even expect that the kids would be so happy to see us after long summer holidays. During September we wanted to become closer to the children, to become their older friends who they can ask for an advice during hard times. We wanted to show them God.
It was sad not to see some of the boys and girls who graduated from the orphanage. They stepped out into the sea of life to look for their own harbour. It is sad because I did not have enough time to say everything that I wanted to say to each one of them, that I did not have enough time to befriend each one of them. But I am glad that some of them are going to live in Minsk – we will have an opportunity to meet them.
In the orphanage I got closer to a girl named Vika (the author is a girl too). I like her understanding of life. She knows what she wants and she works hard to get there. I want very much that our relationship grow stronger. But simple fellowship and helping them is not enough and it is not the primary goal of our team. I really, really want for Holy Spirit to use us here so we would be able to communicate to orphans the real truth, that they do not need to run from nowhere to nowhere, that they can stop and realize that with their limited hands they can hug Unlimited God and know and feel that they have been adopted by Him!

At last we are in September and we have an opportunity to visit our dearest children at the Grozovski orphanage. It was a real joy to see these kids again after summer break. Each time the children are waiting for our visit. They wanted to see us, to chat with us, and share stories of their summer. We played different games, had a chat. It really brought us closer together. Many of them have dreams that hidden deep in the heart. Therefore, we do everything possible to ensure that at least some of their dreams came true.
During one of our visits I managed to speak with one boy, whose name is Denis. We talked for a very long time. He told me about what is happening in his life, and that in any situation, good or bad he prays to God. He asked to pray for him also. He was glad that he could speak to me on this subject, because many people ridicule him at the orphanage when he talks about praying. I sincerely rejoiced with him, that we could have a talk about what is important for him in a quiet atmosphere.  It was amazing to see joy in children, whose life happens not in very good conditions.

Greetings, dear friends!
In August we had a camp for children from Grozovo orphanage. We are very grateful that you gave this wonderful opportunity to the orphans to be able to attend this camp! I came to the conclusion and I am very sure that a camp it is most wonderful time for the orphans. The camp went on for 14 days and during each day the gospel was preached. The cap attended the children from age 8 to 14. Despite the fact that I serve the orphans for a long time it was a new experience for me. During the camp I shared the room with the boys. Each one of them is different and everyone has its own pain, its own wounds. Despite their young age all of them experienced separation and even death of the close ones. When we first came to the camp we had evening where children told their stories. They shared the reason why they are in the orphanage. In their stories we could feel their pain and hopelessness. Before bed time we read the parable of the prodigal son and tried to apply it to our lives. Just as the prodigal son the orphans are far away from home without parents and without proper role models. But there is hope because God does not leave Its children and constantly knocking on the door of their hearts to tell them that He is near.
    For 14 days we witnessed how God performed miracles and how the children were changing. But not all the children were open and because of this we prayed for them and continue to pray now that the seed that we sow will bring fruit at its proper time. The brightest moment of the camp was repentance of three children. I believe that the boys consciously came out and prayed the prayer of repentance. Praise The Lord! At that very moment I even remembered the statistics that teens of ages 14 to 16 more often accept Christ than the adults. Therefore there is hope for both – for those who already asked God for forgiveness and for those who did not reconciled with Him yet.
    My prayer is for these orphans that every one of them would find a Christian family and would feel parent’s love in those families. Sometime the children asked me to seat next to them while they fall asleep – they deeply yearn for parental love – sometimes they would fall asleep in my hands. Many of them dream to see their parents when they wake up.
It is also good that the children had the opportunity to change their surroundings for a time. Many of them did not have an opportunity to spend this summer in a family or in other country therefore this camp has helped the children to forget the orphanage for at least 14 days. We also hope that this opportunity to get to know the children closer would help us in future meetings with them.
Also in this camp we had an opportunity to have some small medical checkups for the children. As the result we found out that two children have medical problems. A boy named Nikita has problems with breathing and probably he would need to undergo a surgery to fix the problem. And a girl named Ann has problems with thyroid. She needs a consultation of a specialist and farther treatment. Right now we are planning how to help these children in farther testing and treatment. Please pray that God would send all that is needed for their treatment (including specialists) and heal them.
I am very grateful to everyone who prays for us and for these children. I am especially thankful to those who helped financially in organizing this camp!

After spending another meeting with kids I felt thrilled. It wasn’t a thrill because of public speaking. The thrill was about understanding that I’m giving those kids, what they need the most – the gospel, the Truth that can set them free. Of course I’m not the best speaker or a teacher, but I believe, that the seeds of Truth that planted in their hearts, one day will bring fruits. It’s not insignificant, that after the meeting we had an open talk with kids. We asked them a lot of questions about their motives, trying to get deep down to their hearts. Some kids didn’t answer anything; others talked openly, what made us happy. It’s important because it make them think and analyze their own actions and choices that they make. It showed a progress, because thru searching their own hearts, may be to their unpleasant parts, they opened up to themselves and us, taking their masks off.
It’s a joy that they stop perceive our meetings just as another activity to fill in their free time or to get extra attention and etc. Growing in relationship with kids throughout the school year we now start to see their trust, respect and authority towards us. Now our words and everything that we try to put in them, plant in them, is not just an empty sound or another moral teaching for them.
By looking at those insignificant achievements – it’s cheerful and pleasant to understand that seed of Truth and Love are now starts to grow!
Besides this meeting, of course, there were other meetings. One of our trips we dedicated just for personal talks with kids. They really love this time, because each of them individually needs love and attention. I also want to recognize our meetings with boys and girls. We had those meetings in different rooms. Boys and girls are separately. Girls’ topic was “Woman by God’s intention” which led us to talk about God’s view of a woman as in relation to God Himself and in relation to man.  Guys also had not insignificant topic to talk about: “Future that builds up today!” They talked about, that in order to achieve something in the future they have to put in a lot of efforts today, because God always wants to see our faith and our actions.
Our last meeting we dedicated to soccer. Kids, of Grozovo orphanage, like soccer the most out of all types of sports. Some of their girls are also pretty good at playing soccer. Even thou we lost the game, as always, we left the orphanage with good impression, because we wanted to make good time for kids not ourselves. I think we did it!