ORPHANAGE BACK TO SCHOOL project

Dearest Friends and Partners, last Saturday  we have done our annual Back to School Evangelistic Project. ICM Russia and  Light of Hope ministry team went to two orphanages in Krivets and Suda to bless the kids there with school supplies. Often times the orphanages are not able to order the materials that their kids will need, or if they can they will always get them so late that they might as well never got them. Thanks to the support given both from the members of our Light of Hope Church and from the generous help from our Irish and American supporters we were able to provide for each and every kid with what they need to be prepared to go to school.

In Krivets.

We led the team of four: Abner, Nelly, Sonya, and Nate. It was a great trip! The kids were very happy to see us. The orphanage workers were happy to see us as well, which was nice, since sometimes they are very leery of sectarians. We gathered the kids while Abner did a short message encouraging them to study good at school because it will prepare them for their future. Then he asked them if what they learned at school would help them not to sin and enter heavenly places, and they all agreed it would not. He continued to tell them about the freedom and salvation of Jesus Christ and how Jesus has changed his life. Then we gave them their school supplies and played games.

Nelly prepared several games to play and the kids had a great time. They don’t have very much and for us to come spend time with them is a big deal, even more than the material blessings at times. It is a blessing to see the once shy kids come out of their shells and have fun in the Son!

Olga and I, Nelly,  Abner, Andrew, Olga Petrushova, other ministers  from our church have been coming to these orphanages for quite some time now and some of the kids prayed Jesus into their hearts. We know the kids pretty well. Cyrill in particular prayed Jesus into his heart some years ago and was very receptive to our messages. This time he was proud to show me his certificate of baptism. In the Russian Orthodox Church they issue a certificate when you are baptized. The teachers of the orphanage take the kids to the Orthodox Church every now and then. Cyrill has always been listening very careful. But we don't think the message has  fully sunk into his heart. Please keep this young man in prayer that the seeds of faith would continue to grow and blossom in to salvation.

Talking to Cyrill who showed me his Baptism Certificate

We hope to be able to spend more time with these kids in the following months. We would like to go out the orphanages monthly and teach them skills for life like how to manage money, how to cook, how to sew and knit, and to do a small Bible study. When we brought this up to the orphanage leaders they were very receptive of the idea. Keep this in prayer please. That we would be able to do this and that this would produce fruit in the lives of these kids.

Thank you for your prayers and all that you have given. I can’t say enough that is through your prayers and support that we are able to do these things. Please continue with us in the ministry as the Lord leads you.

In Suda.

click here to see more pictures :)