LOVE 4 THE CHILDREN

Every Friday, the team of Christian volunteers join together to serve orphans in Vileika.
We happily spend time with them, sharing yours experience, knowledge and skills. Some of them learn to cook, others are engaged in training sports games, others do something with their own hands .And of course we talk with them about the most relevant topics.About God. Each meeting leaves an indelible impression both for the children and for the team.
When leaving, we do not leave children waiting for the next meeting. We exchange contacts and correspond in social networks, whenever possible we call each other. Having this kind of communication, we build real relationships with the children who need it so much. To some extent we become for them moms and dads, good friends who are always in a hurry to help.
And every time we see the fruits of our ministry in children, we rejoice and even more try to be useful to each of them.
In November, the International Students Day was celebrated. And for the four participants of the ministry, November became an educational. From November 17 to 19, 2017, we took part in the training of mentors. During the training, emphasis was placed on the individual approach to each child, the psychological and age-specific features of children who were admitted to the orphanage were identified. We took part in storylined games, non-standard situations, discussions. Training has helped to take a fresh look at the problem of orphanhood and the contribution that we can make to their lives. One of the bright and memorable events of this month were two culinary meetings, which were held separately for girls and separately for boys. The boys not only learned to cook, but also they had the opportunity to meet new people and communicate with each other and our team in a new atmosphere. At the meetings Misha Davydov talked about the trials he had to go through in his life, and through which he approached God. This month, high school students also had the opportunity to watch the film “Love of Hosea”. The teenagers was very impressed by the film. Many even cried while watching it. Let’s hope that through this film the children could understand and feel how much God loves people and how much God has forgiven them for many centuries!

It is well known that autumn is the time of harvest and thanksgiving. Traditionally, there are celebrations in churches at Sunday services where people thank God for the abundant harvest, which is not just connected with the appearing of different fruit or vegetables, but it raises us spiritually. Our team had an idea to make the truest Thanksgiving Day in the orphanage. Thankfulness is a quality you need to learn from the earliest years of your life. We wish the orphans would learn not to take for granted the help from teachers, foreigners, each other and finally our meetings, despite of their hard lives.
So, on the 13 of October we prepared for the Thanksgiving Day in the orphanage. Looking back at our experiences, we decided not to gather all children at once. We divided them into 2 big groups: younger and older children.
At the beginning, there was a part for those from primary school. We played games, sang songs with actions. Children were especially keen on rhymed riddles about vegetables and fruit. You can not stay indifferent to what’s happening around you if there is a chance to win a sweet prize. Even teachers helped kids to win and get those sweets.
Children were watching the little play we put on that was informative but at the same time, it was fun. So-called “baptists” as children call us, in one moment turned into a sailor, a neighbor, a friend and even in to a grandma. After that, Misha Tishkevich shared about the meaning of that play. Every one of us has thousands reasons to be thankful for. Ungratefulness makes us blind and prevents us from moving forward and developing.
Older children also watched this play and got a practical advice to start a journal of things they are thankful for and to write down those things every day, even one little thing that makes them grateful.
They had a chance to get a prize that was starting from the letters in the word “THANKFULNESS”. If they named the thing that was in a bag correctly then they were able to take that thing. It was a lot of fun!
We prepared The Tree of Thanks for every team at the end of celebration. Children wrote down on little pieces of paper what they were thankful to God for. Here is some of things they wrote down.
I’m thankful to God for:
– For the life, for my dear dad
– for the game
– for the freckles
– for health
– for love
– for bread
– for friends
– that God helps me to be successful
– for the help for God
– that I was born
– for my sister
– for the apple
– our friends who come visit us
– that my brother and relatives found me.

Everybody got a juicy apple at the end. It’s a special joy for the team – to hear the words of children’s thankfulness addressed to us. Praise God for Hos work!

Autumn came unexpectedly as usual. We were starting a new season a bit anxiously: new school year, new rules in the educational establishment. But all our assumptions were gone once we talked on the phone with one of the deputies of Vileyka boarding school and heard they are all looking forward to seeing us again. So our first visit was on 8th September 2017. Surely, we wanted to make it special.
By the way, the number of volunteers went up this year. Some people are responsible for the 2,3,4 grades and for the group of teenagers, another part of the team are the ones who help. We’ve planned a big day out in Minsk during autumn holidays and we will organize a real Thanksgiving day in October. Thursday is our prayer day, so we try to remember and pray about our needs that are posted in our ministry chat.
All of us were surrounded by the crowd of children who missed us so much: so many pictures and hugs. We gathered everybody – kids, teachers, mentors in the hall and spent an amazing time together, in spite of different ages and interests. We sang songs, played, we showed a little play, shared sweet prizes, talked about the hero of present time – Nick Vujicic. Children were full of excitement and joy, you could see it in their eyes, and no wonder, it all was happening for them and for the glory of Jesus.
Some of the graduates of the school told us they would like to join us on our trips to the orphanage. One of them is Sasha Gonorovitch, he lives in Minsk now but misses Vileyka a lot. He found us and all the information he needed and went to Vileyka. He loved the atmosphere and acceptance in the team so much that he decided to go to Vileyka every Friday.
The following week our surprises for the kids were still in our plans. Some members of our church were so embraced by the thoughts about kids and their needs that they decided to bring them watermelons. So the boot of our bus was filled with these big berries, and kids in return filled us with joy and gratefulness in their eyes.
School administration asked us to help them to buy a new tent and a bbq set. Children love going camping, you see, it’s nature, games and most importantly FREEDOM. We announced this need at one of our morning services. We managed to collect the right amount and in the nearest time it will be sent to school. This is an opportunity for us to participate in the lives of children and to build even closer relationships with the administration. It’s not a secret, we need “open” doors.

May is the finishing month of our visits this school year. And this is the time when so long-awaited warm weather comes, the days become longer, and children have more time to spend on fresh air. But it doesn’t intervene with our plans.We spent time on the sport’s ground with older children instead of doing proper organized meeting, we shared about what was happening in our lives and our plans for the upcoming summer. It’s easier for many people to communicate and share in an informal atmosphere.
Even though it’s the end of the school year, we still have people joining in, and we are glad it’s happening. One of them is Yuliya, she is from a church “Blagovestie” in Minsk. She’s quite experienced in counselling and she interacts with older girls. I must admit, the girls themselves got close to her and look forward to every meeting.
I should also mention that the translator of our reports Julia decided to join our Friday orphan’s ministry after she had spent a week with the Irish team in the orphanage. During that Irish camp, she made many friends among kids who keep in touch with her through the internet, take pictures with her, have fun and post it on social media. Building relationships with kids is one the main goals of our ministry. So when it happens we are extremely happy.
On the 12 May, Dima came to visit the children. As always, he explained the topic of gossip in an understandable form for the kids. Kids live in the atmosphere of forced interaction so different conflicts appear because of gossips, misunderstandings and jealousy. Children were listening attentively to the answers to serious life questions and took part in discussions. We believe they made important decisions for themselves.
One of our leaders, Roma can’t always make it with us to the orphanage. He managed to come on one of the Fridays and it made children happy as well as Roma himself.
Many children lack love during the school year and as a result they behave aggressively, hiding their vulnerability. The best remedy from that is the healing truth about God’s love. If a person knows that he is loved, he wants to love back. That was the main idea for the discussion Roma had with kids from Vileyka boarding-school.
By the way, we organized a photo shoot for the graduates this year and that made children happy as well as the teachers. Afterwards we are going to present albums for them which will keep the atmosphere of school years and the warmth of friendships. Many pictures are already in their social accounts.

Our April trips to school were full of Easter mood and spring renewal, even in relations with children.
Risen and alive Christ is the only condition you need to serve the Lord and help Him grow His kingdom on the earth.
This year was a special year in orphan ‘s ministry in many ways. After Pasha’s tragic death, the team had an important goal – to win kids’ respect and trust. So great to know that many kids are becoming closer to the team, they always look forward to them coming, they send texts, ring during the week and ask questions after our themed talks. One Friday evening we were asked by the administration of the school to take part in sports together with kids. We all were devided into two teams and had to do different activities with sport equipment. Our participation encouraged kids to be more active, to support each other and to be actually interested in what’s happening. And we were once again reassured of the importance of the power of encouraging words for kids. It’s so important to believe in children and to always remind them about it. Those who were bored were running even faster when they heard their names and the support of the team. God is never tired of supporting us.
I also would like to share my impressions about our meeting with teenagers on the 14th April. The time when we celebrated Belarusian version of Jewish Easter. There was different food on the table that every Jew would have on his table for Easter, and kids were showed and explained why it was so spiritualy important to have every dish that was there. Thanks to exciting comparisons and our
personal experience on trying those dishes before we won children’s attention and were able to share about the true freedom from sin and horrible consequences of our separation from God.
Now most kids understood the greeting ‘Chris is risen!’ and all the treats we had made our evening atmosphere more festive.
On the 21st April kid’s old friend Dima came to visit and share the eternal truth of Christ’s resurrection. They listened to him with pleasure. Dima always tells stories so that children would understand them, he prepares pictures or smth else that would make the story exciting.
Children came up with important conclusions. By the way many of them are graduating from school this year and are about to take a serious decision on where to go and study next.
And our team is preparing for celebration with them.
We are glad that despite the weather and not so nice spring, children are looking forward to us coming and they understand what Bible teaches us and that Christian views are worth their attention.