Hello!
We are very glad that we had an opportunity to visit the Smilovichy orphanage this month. This orphanage is interesting because there are not a lot of children and all of them come to our meetings. It is very interesting to communicate with them. 
The fact that there are not a lot of children allows us to create special, confidential atmosphere between all of the children. 
For example, any game needs volunteers, in the Smilovichy orphanage we can make games for every person.
At the beginning of a month the Christmas program was carried out. A puppet theatre has arrived to children with heroes, colorful and different in character. They told children a message about Jesus Christ’s birth. After the performance children got a Christmas present.
In a week we talked with children about Samson. It was the person who had not only opportunities,
but also he had duties. During the story we played a game in which children had to pass each other small objects without distracting. After that it became easy for children to understand why Samson did so many mistakes when he distracted from his duties.
At the next lesson we told them about Ruth. 
Children heard a story about the girl from other country which ate leftovers from wheatears which had left from reapers. We scattered clothes pegs and matches on the floor, we asked children to collect them, raising them one by one. So we could show Ruth’s humility, and humility which is so pleasant to God.
At the last meeting we talked with children about Anna’s prayer. How she asked God for a son and how she was happy about God who gave the answer for her prayer.
We are very glad that God gives us the chance to see children from the Smilovichy orphanage. Therefore we ask you to continue to support our ministry both by prayers and also financially.
Love to one’s blood children is an undeserved gift from God. To love someone else’s child is a fruit of a humble but strong spirit grown by the long-suffering and hope in Him.
And God gives such love to the orphan children. Whatever it may sound like I am very happy that I can serve and love these small disobedient children who are in need of love.
Our trips to the Belynichy orphanage this month started with the Christmas performance in the end of which all kids received presents and surely were happy. During one of the first meetings with the smallest kids in the new 2017 year we decided to hold a small quiz over all the themes of the semester. I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that the kids are receiving and listening to our Bible lessons attentively, they were answering all our questions perfectly. 
We are discussing themes on the Old Testament with the smallest children, during one of the first meetings we had the theme “the histoy of Isaac, blessing of sons”. God gives us happiness of having family, saves us from loneliness, and presents us with wonderful children for whose sake we are ready to do anything. 
But precisely such God’s family full of joy and peace is a wonderful, the only unique place to warm, heal, strengthen and let all the abandoned, left alone, betrayed and condemned to loneliness into this world. We know a lot about love and Christian principles, but every time I come to the orphanage to these kids I ask myself a question – can I love and give my love to children indeed? I mean I count myself full of Christian love. And where is the love when I need to cocker, smother with kisses this thorny cold clot, who experienced no tenderness and care,
for whom it is so hard to believe that love actually exists. Will I have enough strengths, patience and wisdom to prove true love despite impudence and disobedience? I am learning this very kind of love during every meeting with the kids.
We had one more meeting with the theme “The History of Joseph” “The betrayal of brothers”. Family is the first small world to which each of us comes. Only after growing up and getting strong in it, having learnt the main and basic lessons and rules can a man with bravery and strength step into the big world full of dangers and impendences, tasks and trials. Can we tear the family out of our lives? Can we fill its place with anything else? And our country alone has tens of thousands children who turned out to be in this emptiness. Tens of thousands orphans…
The end of the year is always full of different things going. Holiday hustle creates atmosphere of awaiting something kind and wonderful. Children from Vileyka boarding-school are not an exception. They are children. 
Long-awaited holidays start at the end of December. It’s the time when many of children will see their Italian, Irish and some of them Belarusian parents.
Together with the team we tried to make a celebration for those who usually stay in school on new years’ time. We organized a trip to Minsk with a busy schedule.
So, let’s start from t
he beginning.
Children from Vileyka boarding-school came to Minsk on 28 December 2016. The first thing in our schedule was visiting oceanography museum, where children could see and hear about underwater world and its inhabitants. After visiting this museum we went to our hospitable church “Bethlehem”. There was a workshop on making New Year’s cards organized for them. Children managed to make a present for their friends and teachers. After that we had a nice dinner in church. 
The culmination of the trip was a nativity play. It was as if Christmas heroes rose from the pages and became alive: angels with big wings, cruel Herod, modest Joseph and Mary, even angry soldiers were so real like never before. An hour and a half of the play went by as a moment. And finally – presents, 
real presents, mutual photo and warm saying good-bye. You can’t compare this blessed feeling of giving to anything in the world.
After a break, we met together on 8 January, when young adults form church “Golgotha” showed a puppet performance for the kids. It was an exciting time when we talked about the meaning of Christmas. Little blue tits are afraid of a man, but happily enjoy their food with other birds.
And God came in a man disguise to become obvious and closer to every person. Our prayer is that Jesus would become obvious and close to children from Vileyka.
Our warm evening finished with presents from our overseas guests from Great Britain. Members of an International team “Teams4you” brought presents for kids in Europe and personally gave it to the children. Every kid in the assembly hall had a chance to practice his English as well.
20 January we started the second half-year of the current school year. Meeting, fellowship, games and eternal truths. Most of the teens were outside because the weather allowed to spend their time on the ice rink – it’s a big delight for children. Time went by for those who came to an assembly hall: we played together, communicated and found out about Samson. The second season of our meetings is officially opened!!!
Winter camp “Friendship week”, organized for Belynichi boarding-school, 
has finished our year and has started a new year. For several months we have been talking with children about friendship. So the goal of this camp was to show in practice what 
we’ve been talking about and to tell them about perfect friendship that the Lord gives people.
Every day was full of different activities: lots of sports, creativity classes, watching Christian movies, plays, 
Bible lessons and one-to-one personal talks. We wanted every minute of the camp to be filled with God’s sense, so that every child who lacks attention and care would get it.
It was sometimes hard to get closer in communication to some kids as they have physical as well as psychological problems. Nevertheless, God gave such love for those kids that they became the most unique and favorite for us. 
Most of all we are pleased to see that the kids became more open, they want to know more about God, to pray and read the Bible. Praise the Lord! 
We are also delighted that those mentors and teachers who worked in the school help us a lot even though it was a holiday time for them. For example, they helped children get ready and come to our meetings. That helped a lot.
We are really grateful to God for this wonderful time! Thank you everyone who prayed for us and helped us financially. May God bless YOU for your kind and open hearts to this ministry for orphans.
For many people December is a month which is full of bright celebrations That’s why our team tried to make this time unusual for the orphans from Vileyka orphan school.
The first December Friday was devoted to sport. Older boys gathered a team of football players. It must be admitted that the teenagers play very well. They competed with Sergey Divokov’s team. Although students who were brought by Sergey are not professional players they are keen on football very much and attend trainings regularly.
The game finished up with friendly hugs and chocolate medals. 
The teenagers from Minsk got acquainted with the teenagers from Vileyka and talked to them. That was good time for making contacts. Unfortunately, not all of the football players from the orphan school could take part in the competition because of lack of time. But their new friends from Minsk promised to come again.
The game came out to be exciting because besides the sportsmen there were a lot of fans who actively took part in the process. They painted their faces and supported the teams from the stands.
We eventually watched the film ‘Coach Carter’ till the end. The children liked the film so we will surely discuss it next year.
December 16 became a great day for the children because Alla Smolyakova came and brought her wonderful crafts. This time the teenagers had to decoupage a Christmas cup. Each of them could choose a festive napkin for making a cup in an individual way. 
We tried to help everyone and thus become closer to them. The teenagers thoroughly followed Alla’s instructions and as a result everyone got a useful thing – a beautiful cup with a cover which can be used as a case for pencils or other small things.
During the crafts it is much easier to keep discipline and talk to the teenagers because they are so involved in the process. That’s why we also arranged a geographical quiz with sweet prizes.
At the same time smaller children got to know about the events which took place 2000 years ago. The real wise men came to them to share the Christmas story. As the real wise men they couldn’t come without gifts. The children were amazed by sweets, games and funny sketches.
However the main event is still coming. On December 28 the orphans who stay at school on holidays are going to visit oceanography museum, have dinner at church, do crafts and, of course, they watch a Christmas performance and get presents.
Let Christmas become a real holiday for the children from the orphan school too!!!
LOVE 4 THE CHILDREN 