OUR DIARY

In June, we made our last trip of the season to our wonderful children in Smilovichi. This time, it was very calm and relaxed. There were only a few children: the same Milana, Violetta, Sasha, and little Valeria. They greeted us with great joy and remained very engaged throughout the entire meeting.
We started, as usual, with games, in which they took part with great interest. After the games, we sang songs — ones they had already learned well and grown to love. They are very eager to help us choose the songs, and then they sing them actively and joyfully. What’s more, in their free time, they continue to hum the songs they have come to love. We want to believe that these songs will help them remember the truths about God, because even though these are children’s songs, they carry an important Christian message.

Then, instead of our usual program, we decided to simply spend time with them over some sweets and juice. The children gladly shared stories from their lives. You could feel that they were sincere and quite open with us. They talked about what their childhood was like, how their relationships with each other developed, and they mentioned their summer plans. Milana even shared her plans for applying to a school or university. It was very heartwarming that Milana is open to continuing to meet with us in the future, if the opportunity arises.
At the end, we prayed for the children and blessed them. You could tell the girls didn’t want to say goodbye. We will try to stay in touch with them and continue building even closer friendships.

When I look back on how this year went, I could list so many good things from our trips. The children changed from time to time: some were taken home, others were brought in. Over the season, we had children of different ages — little ones, older kids, and teenagers. We tried to find a way to connect with each one and befriend a child of any age, worldview, or temperament.
For example, at the beginning of the year, there was Violetta, about 14 years old, who was quite skeptical about what we said. Yet despite that, she always listened very attentively and connected with us well, and eventually she even began to change her way of thinking. There were also children who immediately believed what we told them and remembered the lessons very well.

Over the course of the year, we covered many different topics: we talked about who Jesus is, sin, prayer, what the church is, and how to overcome the storms of life. We also addressed how to fight against various kinds of sin. We tried to present the topics in a way that would resonate with the children as much as possible, and from time to time during the lessons, we shared our own struggles and personal stories. After that, the children were also more inclined to open up to us — which was not surprising at all.
And in general, at every opportunity, we tried to talk with the children and learn more about them and their lives. Different activities — such as games, songs, relay races, and crafts — helped create a warm and friendly atmosphere.

Glory to God for this past year and for the opportunity to take part in this incredible work. We hope that in the new season our trips will continue and that we will be able to accomplish even more through them.

The last Thursday of June, our team decided to make the meeting with the kids from the Belynichi orphanage special — after all, it was the last meeting of this school year. Summer is ahead, full of activities, and everyone will have their own adventures. So the plan was simple: to be happy, to have fun, and to be happy all over again.
The team prepared a relay race, so the kids could truly feel what it means to be «all for one and one for all.» Two teams played, taking turns completing different tasks, while the others cheered their friends on with all their might. Balloons flew through the air, along with bottles and paper plates — and in the end, of course, everyone received a sweet prize.

That day also brought quiet, heartfelt conversations. Each child shared something personal, and each one received attention and care.
That day, the smiles were especially wide, the victory cries especially loud, and the hugs especially strong — because the next time we meet will be only in September. See you then!

Greetings, dear friends and partners! Thank you to each one of you for supporting our ministry and our team. Your help makes these meetings possible!
The long-awaited summer has finally arrived, and with it — the school break. For our final meeting of this academic year, we decided to make it especially bright and energetic. However, the weather forecast predicted rain for that day. Our team prayed for good weather so that we could spend quality time outdoors. And the Lord answered our prayers in an amazing way! When we arrived, the sun was shining, and there was not even a hint of rain. Glory to the Lord!

When we came to the children, they ran out to greet us. They hugged us so tightly, and you could see how genuinely happy they were to see us. A little later, we all gathered together, prayed, and began running relay races. The children ran, jumped, and competed with one another with great enthusiasm. The atmosphere was wonderful — full of smiles and sincere joy. We simply had fun from the heart, enjoying every moment we spent together.
Thank you for being with us in this ministry. Glory to God for this beautiful and blessed year.

Greetings, dear friends.
This month brought joyful news for the girls at the orphanage. They had been praying to return home or to find a new, good family — and the Lord answered them. Violetta has met wonderful foster parents, and at the beginning of June she will move into a beautiful house. But most importantly, she will become part of a new and loving family. Glory to God!
The three sisters — Milana, Sasha, and Valeria — will go to summer camp on June 10th, and after that they will return home to their biological parents.

We are grateful that throughout this year we were able to sow seeds of faith, love, and trust in God into these open little hearts. We will miss spending time with them, and we will pray for their future. If you feel led, please join us in praying for the orphaned children of Belarus. Prayer works miracles!

I also want to share what we talked about and did during our Tuesday visits to the orphanage.
During the first week, we discussed fear — what kinds of fear exist and how to deal with them. What I love most about our meetings is that everyone participates, and the Bible lesson truly comes alive. Each of the girls shares about herself, about what she is afraid of or what worries her. They ask us questions boldly and answer without fear of making mistakes.

On the day we talked about gossip, they admitted that they often gossip and talk behind other people’s backs, including other children at school. Milana thanked us for raising such relevant issues and for showing that by reading the Bible we discover truth and find answers. She used to enjoy speaking badly about other girls, but afterward she couldn’t look them in the eye or communicate normally with them, feeling a heaviness in her soul. After the meeting, we prayed together, and everyone asked for forgiveness for gossip and judgment, thanking God for His mercy, kindness, and forgiveness of all sins!

Natasha also came to visit us. She is the team member responsible for creative activities, and she taught the girls how to sew soft toys. While sewing, we had pleasant conversations, shared secrets with one another, and simply spent good time together. When children make something with their own hands, it has a very positive effect on their emotions and brain function. They calm down, learn to concentrate, and when they finish sewing a beautiful toy themselves — they rejoice. For us, it is very important not only to speak God’s Word but also to be meaningful mentors who can teach practical life skills and communication skills — things that will also help them in life. We look forward to seeing how God continues to write their stories. Thank you for making these moments possible through your prayers and support.

Greetings, dear brothers and sisters.
May has come to an end, and I am thankful for the opportunity to share with you how this month went. First of all, I want to thank God and each of you for your prayers, support, and care for this ministry.
During this month we had four meetings with the children at the boarding school. Each visit gave us another opportunity to speak into their lives, encourage them, and pray with them.

We began the month with the topic of fear. Many of the children shared during personal conversations that they struggle with fear, especially in the evenings before going to sleep. Some were worried about their future and what awaits them after graduation. This lesson became an answer for many of them as we talked about how to react when fear comes into our lives and where to find peace and strength in God. At the end of the meeting, many students came forward asking for prayer. These are very special moments because their hearts are open to hear God’s voice. When we returned for the next visit, several children told us they felt more peace in their hearts and less anxiety. The graduates especially asked for prayer that God would protect them and give them favor with teachers, supervisors, and people at the schools and workplaces where they will continue their lives.

Another time we spoke about the power of words. This topic was very important because many of the children do not realize how deeply words can hurt others. Often they insult one another under the excuse of joking, thinking it is normal behavior. Yet in personal conversations some admitted, «It hurts me when they say these things.» We explained that painful words are not harmless jokes and that we must learn to take responsibility for the way we speak. It was encouraging to see that even the teachers appreciated this topic. There is already enough pain and rejection in people’s lives; instead of hurting one another, we should support and encourage each other. After the meeting several students admitted how difficult it is to control themselves, especially when they feel offended or angry. Many asked us to pray that God would help them change and give them patience.

During another visit we discussed loneliness. We explained that sometimes being alone is normal, especially when living in large groups and crowded classrooms. But when a person is constantly isolated and has no friends, it is important to think about why this happens. Sometimes the reason can be behavior, pride, rudeness, betrayal, inability to keep secrets, or being overly intrusive with others. We encouraged the children to honestly examine themselves and learn how to build healthy friendships. We were thankful to have many volunteers with us that day because everyone had the chance to speak personally with the children and encourage them. One important reminder we shared was that no one is truly alone because God is always near and desires a relationship with us. We also reflected on Proverbs 18:24 (NIV): «One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.» This challenge touched everyone in the room.

Our final topic this month was gossip. This issue is relevant in every generation because misunderstandings and false information easily turn into gossip and accusations. We talked about where simple discussion ends and gossip begins. Some children admitted that gossip seems interesting or entertaining, but we explained that the Bible warns us that gossip destroys friendships and separates even close friends. We want to help these children learn how to communicate in a healthy and respectful way because many of them did not grow up with parents or grandparents teaching them these important life lessons. At the end of the meeting many prayed sincerely, asking God to teach them how to be true friends and help them stop gossiping.

Thank you, dear friends, for your faithful prayers and support. May God richly bless you, strengthen you, and continue to be your refuge and support in every season.

May turned out to be a special and somewhat bittersweet month for our team. We continued to make regular visits to the Rudensk orphanage, and each trip was filled with warmth, as well as moments of both joy and sadness. The middle of the month brought a true celebration: our friends Vlad and David, who had been away on long-term assignments, finally returned to the team. Being together again, feeling their support and the familiar energy they bring to our service, gave all of us a renewed sense of strength. The children at the orphanage had missed them dearly, too — they hugged them as if they hadn’t seen them for ages.

However, May also brought difficult goodbyes. Our dear sister in Christ, Nadya, moved to another city. It was a sad departure, knowing that she can no longer join us on our trips and in our ministry to the children. But we believe that the Lord has prepared a new mission field for her elsewhere.

Furthermore, this month marked a farewell to our «graduates»: many of the children we had grown close to are either being released into independent living or transferred to other institutions. We prayed sincerely that the seeds of love and faith we have sown would take root and grow even behind new walls.

Yet despite all the changes, our love for the children remained our primary driving force. As we entered those familiar doors, their smiles and genuine joy at seeing us washed away all the fatigue of travel. We played many active games together and gathered in a circle for prayer. The children eagerly told us about what had happened to them during the week and what new things they had learned. As always, the youngest ones climbed into our arms, while the teenagers willingly engaged in meaningful conversations.

A standout moment this month was an unforgettable encounter outside the orphanage. At the beautiful Hope Festival in Minsk, we had the privilege of personally meeting our ministry sponsors from the USA. It was an amazing time of fellowship, singing, and sharing testimonies. We were able to thank them for their generosity, which enables us to regularly visit the children, and we received words of encouragement from them in return. This meeting was a true beacon of hope for us, showing that we are part of the larger body of Christ, working together across the globe for a single purpose. May has ended, but we know that this is only the beginning, and we prayerfully await June.

Our April visits to the Веlіnісhу orphanage were especially warm and meaningful. The month was full of new games, conversations, and thoughtful topics.

Easter Visit
One of the April meetings was led by Nastya, and her theme was Easter. She wanted not just to explain the holiday but to help the kids feel its meaning. Along with a presentation, she decided to show a video set to the song «Lamb of God» with scenes from a film.
Despite her worries about how the children and staff might react, the video became the key moment of the lesson.
Some children and adults were in tears. The most touching reaction came from two boys with Down syndrome — Yarik and Tima. After the video, Yarik kept trying to show what he understood: he acted out the nails being driven into Jesus’ hands and feet, remembered the earthquake, and showed how the temple curtain was torn. In the following visits, he would come up to Nastya, show his little cross, gesture the torn curtain again, and repeat: «We can pray.» The fact that a child with intellectual disabilities not only understood the story but carried it with him for weeks became the clearest sign that these lessons truly take root in their hearts.

Topic: Anger
Another meeting focused on anger: why it appears and what stands behind it. The kids immediately recognized the red character Anger from the movie Inside Out — the one whose head bursts into flames when he gets mad. That helped shift naturally into talking about how anger often comes from inner pain, hurt, or a sense of unfairness. We discussed anger as a signal worth paying attention to, and the kids reacted very openly, recognizing themselves in many examples.

Topic: Discontent
A separate meeting was dedicated to discontent — that quiet feeling that can ruin an entire day. We talked about how discontent «dims the little sun inside us,» makes us gloomy, and steals our joy.
We walked through four simple steps that help keep discontent from taking over. We also talked about how every day is a gift from God — a gift not everyone receives — and that we have a choice: to live it with gratitude or let discontent spoil it.

April Summary
April became a month of deep conversations and important discoveries. The Easter meeting showed how deeply the children can feel and understand spiritual truths. The topics of anger and discontent helped them better navigate their emotions and learn to choose what is good.
Each visit left us with the sense that a little more light, confidence, and understanding was growing in their hearts.

Greetings, dear friends. Today I want to share a few brief moments from our trip to the children at the Rudensk boarding school.

One evening, we had a very important topic: anger. Interestingly, everyone seems to think that getting angry means being strong. But in reality, that’s not true at all.
Our leader, Dima, spoke to the children about this. He asked them to show what anger looks like, and the children diligently twisted their faces, trying to look «scary and tough.» From the outside, it looked funny, but in reality, it was sad. They want so badly to seem grown-up and cruel, but underneath, they’re just kids who are also afraid of the dark and of bad thoughts.
As always, Nastya and Nastya saved the atmosphere. Action songs are pure happiness. The children shouted, trying to outdo each other, and laughed. Those are the moments when I love them the most.

At the end of the meeting, a boy named Nikita came up to me. He’s usually positive and cheerful, but suddenly he said: «I’m scared to fall asleep.»
«Why? What’s wrong, Nikita?»
«At night, all kinds of thoughts come into my head.»
I gave him the only thing I had – faith. I told him about the hope that is always with you, has always been with you, and always will be – Jesus. As I spoke, I kept wondering to myself: is this enough? Should I have said something more? Hugged him tighter? Listened longer?
But I have no other advice. Because this is the only way I cope myself – I give my problems to Jesus, and He takes care of them.
Now I’ll be waiting for our next trip. I need to see his eyes and understand whether I helped him in any way or not. Still, I believe that the Lord will protect Nikita and keep him safe from bad thoughts.

On another day of our trip, we raised the topic of mood.
Every child, just like every adult, experiences constant changes in mood. This is often very noticeable on the faces of children in the orphanage. Some days they are very joyful, other days quieter, and of course, sometimes they are in no mood at all.
This time, Nastya was the speaker. She talked to the children about mood, its functions, and how to manage it better in life.
At the end of the meeting, Nastya gave the children a small assignment: over the course of a week, they were to write down things they were grateful to God for. And of course, she motivated them with a tasty reward. Motivation is a very important part of life for these children.
When we met with them again, it was very interesting to watch how confidently they spoke to Nastya, proudly showing off that they had completed her task.

I talk to Nikita often – probably more than anyone else. I don’t know why, but that’s just how it works out. This time was no exception. He told me how he wrote down gratitude to God for each day. I could see sincerity in his eyes, along with a desire to strive for more. This wasn’t the finish line for him. He clearly remembered Nastya’s story about her gratitude journal and wanted her to give him another card like that. But she suggested that Nikita get a notebook and write his own gratitudes to God in it. I believe that thanks to this approach and Nastya’s advice, Nikita will grow closer to God in his communication.

I like that the topics we raise with the children also touch each of us – they make us reevaluate our own lives and our inner state. These topics are just as relevant for us adults as they are for the children – we learn alongside them.
The topic that touched me most, perhaps, was mood and the Bible passage Nastya used as a recipe for always staying in a good mood: «Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances.» (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
I personally came to this conclusion: the more you find things to be grateful to God for, the more joy you have within you. Thank God for His Word, which is alive and active in our lives!

Grace and peace to you from God!
I am happy to share how the Lord has led us this month in our ministry to the children at the orphanage. Every Tuesday we come to them for an hour, and once again we see that God acts quietly, deeply, and very gently — in their hearts as well as in ours. Currently, there are four girls at the orphanage: four-year-old Lera, ten-year-old Sasha, fourteen-year-old Milana, and eleven-year-old Violetta. Almost the entire month they were with us, and only once Violetta was absent due to bronchitis — she ended up in the hospital. On one of our visits, the caregiver’s daughter unexpectedly joined us — this happens very rarely, and that is exactly why it brought special joy and liveliness to the atmosphere.

One of the most memorable events was the sports competition. We held contests for accuracy, speed, and attentiveness, and the children got involved with great enthusiasm. There was a spirit of healthy competition, but without tension — only excitement, laughter, and a genuine desire to try themselves out. What touched me most was seeing little Lera participate. Before, she hardly ever joined in the games and stayed on the sidelines, but this time she was running, jumping, laughing, and even helping to pick up the markers. Seeing a child open up like that is a special mercy from God, and my heart simply thanks Him for such changes.

On the other weeks, we ran our regular program: games, songs, and a Bible lesson. The children were remarkably attentive and open. We learned a new action song, and it quickly became their favorite — they sang with joy, laughed, repeated the gestures, and jumped for joy. It is so encouraging that there is no barrier between us: they play with us freely and easily, as if we were their own, and that means a great deal.
One game stood out in particular — guessing vegetables and fruits by touch. It turned out to be unexpectedly fun, funny, and educational. We even managed to teach Lera new words: «beetroot» and «pepper.» Moments like these remind us that we are helping them grow not only spiritually but also in every other way. During one session, the children drew scenes from the Bible, putting a lot of care and imagination into their drawings. I believe these activities help them remember the lessons more deeply and see God’s stories as alive and close to them.

Even though one meeting took place without Violetta, the children were very focused, attentive, and sincere throughout the entire month. You can sense that the Lord is working in their hearts: they are becoming more open, expressing their emotions more boldly, and seeking connection and warmth. Each meeting reminds us that we are simply channels of God’s love, and He is the one doing the main work.
I thank God for our team, for our unity, for the support, and for the fact that we can be alongside these children. And I thank Him that even small steps are already miracles that He is performing in their lives.
May God bless you.

In March, we continued visiting the beloved children at the shelter. Early in the month, Violetta and Vadim were placed into families. Although Violetta left, we have stayed in touch with her. It’s clear that she is happy to continue our connection. It is encouraging to maintain relationships with the children after they leave, and we will keep working to nurture this bond with her.

Regarding the shelter itself, the new children have been remarkably open and friendly toward us. A girl named Sasha always greets us joyfully, gives us hugs, and says she was waiting for us. She once gave me her candy. Another time, she gave each team member a sticker. She also loves sharing what’s going on in her life.
Her sister Milana, who is a teenager, has also connected well with us. She happily hugs us and willingly shares about her daily life. I had the opportunity to speak more closely with her on one occasion. She sadly shared about her family — that they have another sister who was sent to an infant orphanage, so they are unfortunately separated. Their mother’s children each have different fathers, and Milana sadly mentioned she has no contact with her own father. Their uncle visits them occasionally.

A little one named Valeriya has surprisingly been very open to connecting with us. She enjoys being held — something she did not allow on the day we first met — and plays and communicates as much as her age allows.

The children are not only engaged with us but also with the Bible lessons we share. They listen attentively. Even Milana, the oldest, listens with interest — something notable, as teenagers often tend to be skeptical of what we share. It’s a joy to work with such receptive listeners who absorb what we tell them like sponges.

We covered topics such as laziness, sharing biblical wisdom and practical advice. We also looked at envy. Through these simple but relevant themes, we conveyed that they can turn to God for help, and that He will never turn them away. We also talked about deceit, explaining what sin is in general. Ultimately, this led us to share the Gospel — that God can heal and change a sinful heart, and that He never rejects anyone who comes to Him.

We hope to continue using various topics to tell the children about God — that He is alive, transforms lives, and therefore can change theirs as well. We will also continue building friendships with them so they trust us and open up more about their lives and what concerns them.

Spring… It is the time when the cold gradually leaves not only the streets but also our hearts. This month was truly warm for us, for our team, and for the children from the orphanages. Our meetings, full of heartfelt warmth, intertwined with supporting the children through their difficult life circumstances: some had been hurt by peers, some had been betrayed by loved ones, some had been deceived, and others had lost a relative… But the love that the team brought into the orphanages healed the boys and girls. The children readily let go of their pain and ran into the arms of those they trust.

This month, during our lessons, we explored important inner topics with the children. We talked about what laziness is, where it comes from, and how — not by fighting against ourselves, but by understanding ourselves — we can find the strength to take action.
We also discussed lies and envy: we reflected on why these feelings arise and how destructive their influence can be — both for those who experience them and for those they are directed toward. After these lessons, the children came up to us to share their own stories about similar situations in their lives. And for those who are still learning to choose what is good, we did our best to support and inspire them to make the right decisions.

We saw true spring in the children’s hearts when they played games. How their eyes light up with life! Someone yields their place to another, showing care, while someone else fights to the very end, demonstrating strength of spirit. And how these children sing! They sing with sincerity, diligently repeating the movements to help remember the song and to bring even more joy. Our hearts melt when they call God their Heavenly Father.

With each visit, they learn to show love. It is not easy for them to do good to one another, since quarrels often break out among them. But when those they trust arrive, the children begin to share what is most precious: they give compliments, offer pictures they have drawn themselves, exchange cards, and share warm embraces.

When we leave, spring does not end in their hearts. The next day, they already give to one another the love they themselves have received. And ahead of them awaits another meeting with the team they love — a meeting that will help melt their hearts even more.

This year, spring in our country is especially delightful, with its early arrival and bright sunshine. Usually, during this period, it becomes increasingly difficult for children to concentrate on their studies, and they want to spend as much time outdoors as possible. Very often, this affects our meetings with the children, because they face a choice — whether to go outside to play or to attend our gathering.

But this year is particularly impressive, and even surprising: the kids from the Belinichy orphanage do not miss our meetings and come in full attendance, despite the sunny weather! They actively participate in the program, no matter what we are doing at any given moment. With great enthusiasm, these children sing songs praising God, play actively, and engage in Bible lessons. Sometimes, some of them even get upset if they aren’t able to participate in something, or if someone else answers a Bible lesson question before them.

In March, we discussed topics with the children that they inevitably encounter at various points in their lives. Anya explored the topic of laziness with the children. She explained what laziness is, why it occurs, and how to overcome it. Using the biblical example of a small, yet strong and hardworking ant, Anya showed God’s perspective on laziness, explained its consequences, and tried to motivate the children to strive for diligence and make good use of their time.

Vasya talked with the children about lies or half-truths. Unfortunately, children in orphanages sometimes lie quite a lot. This often happens because it can be hard for them to trust people, due to rejection and childhood trauma, and they often want to seem better, cooler, smarter, or stronger than they really are. But we understand that deception never truly solves a problem, does not bring complete freedom or peace, and certainly does not make a person smarter or cooler! That is why we raise such challenging topics with the children — to show them God’s perspective on these issues and to present an alternative path that leads to truth, victory, strength, healing, and trust.

At the next meeting, together with Nastya, the children discussed envy and the destructive consequences it can have. Using the biblical example of the two brothers from the story of Cain and Abel, the children could see how Cain’s envy led him to kill his own brother. By the end of the meeting, they concluded that envy not only destroys — and sometimes even kills — others, but also harms the envious person, because they constantly live with heavy, negative emotions, ultimately destroying their own life. This was the case with Cain, who, after killing his brother, was cursed by God and wandered the earth without rest for the rest of his days.

At the last meeting of the month, the girls from our team led a creative activity. The children really enjoy these sessions. Children with developmental challenges, who may find it hard to speak or be active during our regular meetings, are especially happy, because creativity allows them to express themselves and showcase their full creative potential. They also really enjoy interacting with someone from our team during creative activities. Seeing their eyes shine sometimes makes you shine as well, as you realize how much God loves these children and cares for them, including through our team members! In moments like these, you understand that the day was not wasted, and that children’s smiles and shining eyes can be even brighter than the sunshine outside!

Greetings, dear brothers and sisters, I would like to share some updates from our ministry.
Every time we come to Smilovichi, it feels like coming home. As we approach the doors of the boarding school, the children are already standing at the windows and doors, waiting for us. It’s so touching when they run up, hug us, and tell us how their week has been.
During one of our recent visits, three new girls joined the shelter — Milana, Alexandra, and Valeria. At first, they watched us cautiously, but gradually, through games, they became part of our program. We told them about ourselves — who we are and why we come here. Then they shared about their hobbies and what they like to do in their free time. Through this time of getting to know each other, at some point we realized that the tension was gone — and now they feel comfortable with us.

This month we discussed several relevant topics. Our first topic was «Being Different.» We talked about how many children face bullying at school. We discussed how to respond in a healthy way and how to take care of oneself. We realized that this is a real issue for both younger children and teenagers. The children shared that those who get teased at school often become less confident and less willing to take initiative. We talked about how to notice and support a friend who finds themselves in such a situation. When we asked what else could be done, the children said that spending more time with that person helps them not feel alone. Vadim added that such kids need more help — and sometimes even need to be protected.

On another visit, we organized relay games and focused on teaching the children how to work in pairs. It’s easier to do things alone, but working together is more challenging. It’s important to learn how to build relationships with others and truly listen to them.
A week later, we held a meeting on the topic of «Choices» and what follows them. This topic sparked a storm of comments and discussion. I really treasure moments like these — when not only do we speak, but the children themselves share their thoughts. What we choose today affects what we get in the future. And how we behave also affects how others relate to us. Violetta said, «It’s so hard to choose what is right, because the right choice is often not the popular one. And when we choose it, we face the opinion of the crowd — and that’s hard.»

Our final topic of the month was «Miracles and Friendship.» We discussed the story of the paralyzed man who was brought to Jesus by four friends. Interestingly, the children said that it’s hard to be friends with someone who can’t walk. As we looked at the story, we saw love and loyalty to a friend. The friends were willing to pay for a damaged roof. Several girls said, «I wish I had friends like that.» And it’s important that we can not only dream of having such friends — we can also become that kind of friend ourselves. Someone who won’t betray, who will come to help, who will support in a difficult time. In this story, Jesus forgave the paralyzed man’s sins, and we also talked about how a true friend will tell others about the best Friend of all — Christ. Because God helps us and never leaves us alone with our problems.

Violetta said, «Thank you so much for these meetings — after them, I want to read the Bible more and more!» We are so glad to see the children building a relationship with God and getting to know His love through His Word.
Friends, thank you so much for your support and your prayers. Please pray that these children’s faith in God would grow stronger.
Blessings.

Sometimes after a long day at work, it’s easier to collapse on the couch than to find the strength to drive out to the orphanage. But when you remember Who you are going for, you decide the couch can wait. I’m amazed and grateful that God has given me the opportunity to be part of a team that brings the Gospel to orphans. And you know what the most incredible part is? A child with no parents looks at you, and in your eyes, they aren’t searching for a perfect preacher. They’re looking for joy, peace, and safety. They are looking for a reflection of the Father. In that moment, you stop just smiling. You start to «project» Christ — showing Him not so much with words, but simply by being there.

Christ said, «Go and make disciples.» For me, today, «making disciples» means showing these kids that they matter. That there is Someone who will never abandon them. Of course, it’s never easy. Emotions are like a roller coaster. Sometimes disappointment hits: «He did something bad, he messed up. Why am I even trying? Maybe I should stop?» In moments like that, I look at the cross. I remember the sacrifice Jesus made for an imperfect, failing person — just like me. And immediately, everything falls into place. I’m not better than them. I’ve just made peace with Christ; they haven’t yet.

Lately, during conversations with the children, I notice some of them happily engage in a dialogue, while others just sit quietly nearby, seeking warmth. But the main thing is — I’ve heard some of them speak seriously about wanting to change their lives once they leave the orphanage. Thank God for that! I believe these thoughts in their hearts aren’t just a passing wind. With time, they will take root and bear fruit. And that is exactly why we keep going back to them.

One of the highlights of this month’s trips was our Girls’ Time and Boys’ Time. This is an important event we try to organize every few months. We’ve noticed how valuable it is to separate the boys and girls, to talk about their unique qualities as young men and women, and to celebrate the uniqueness of each gender.
In February, we focused on appearance, style, and beauty. Ksenia took time to explain to the girls not only the importance of hygiene, being well-groomed, and taking care of their appearance, but also the importance of inner confidence — knowing they are unique in God’s eyes. She shared how each girl is like a fragrant flower in God’s garden when her speech is pure, when she carries herself in a way that honors Christ, when she is modest, and when she finds reasons to smile. The girls really enjoyed this kind of conversation and were actively engaged with Ksenia. They got even more excited when each girl was invited to put on some fragrant hand cream. At the end of the session, some of the girls received tracksuits as gifts from our volunteers. Thank God for such generous hearts!

With the boys, Ilya took a different approach to the theme. He compared a «beautiful» man — a man of character — to «a tree planted by streams of water, whose leaf does not wither.» He openly shared his personal testimony with the boys, telling them how the Lord had guided him on his journey, and how he became the person he is today — someone serving God with all his heart. The boys listened with wide eyes and were deeply moved by Ilya’s story.

We also had a creative evening in Rudensk. At events like these, we offer the kids a craft project and help them complete it from start to finish. The children usually love both the process and the final result. This time, we made a winter scene inside a clear plastic cup. The kids blew through a straw to create a snowstorm effect inside. It was like a snow globe, complete with a snowman and paper snow. The children were so happy, seeing how their own actions created a little winter fairy tale right inside their cup.

We are so grateful to the Lord that we can be a part of these children’s lives — and even the reason for their smiles. Orphans need so little to be happy. Thank you, friends, for not being indifferent and for playing your part in helping these children feel that they matter, that they have friends «on the outside,» and that God — through you and through us — gives them gifts and shows them His care. You help show them that there is something more than just the simple, everyday routine of life in an orphanage.

I’ve been to Belinichy a few times this month.
Each trip, including the time we spend at the orphanage, takes about six hours — and every time it feels like a little adventure. On the road, we chat as a team, share what’s been challenging us, talk about sermons and books we’ve come across, sing songs, and pray for one another. It really brings us together and strengthens our bond as a team. It helps us move forward with more strength and confidence — not just in our ministry, but in life in general! Stopping at a gas station on the way home for a snack and to share our impressions has already become a tradition.

On one of the trips, we had our Girls’ Time and Boys’ Time, with the girls and boys meeting in separate rooms. We talked about hygiene, taking care of our bodies and the spaces we live in, and also about purity in relationships with the opposite sex. Some of the boys kept running over to the girls’ room and interrupting their meeting, but the Lord gave our Nastya wisdom to put a stop to it.
In the boys’ room, it was also pretty tough this time — the guys were so noisy it was hard to calm them down and get a word in. Vasily led the discussion, and when he finally asked questions at the end to wrap things up, oddly enough, the boys answered every single one.

As for the girls, Angelina led their time together. She illustrated each aspect of a girl’s appearance in a very creative and colorful way — for example, she compared our speech to grass, our smile to the sun, and so on, using clouds and other elements. The girls were also invited to reflect on what beauty means to them, and their answers were so different: flowers, a mother, eyes… The atmosphere among the girls was so warm and inviting that it’s no wonder the boys wanted to join them.

In February, we also had a creative activity time in Belynichy. A young guy named Andrey joined our team on this trip. For children in an orphanage, it’s not always easy to accept someone new, so they’re still taking a closer look at him — many ignored his presence, but some of the kids asked lots of questions and were welcoming toward him.
We split the children into older and younger groups — it made it easier to interact with them and offer help. The kids were really into the craft project we did with a clear plastic cup. They put a paper snowman and snowflakes inside, made a small hole, and blew through a straw to create a snowfall effect. Not a single child remained indifferent to this craft — they all loved it.

The last trip in February was really great — both the time on the road and the time at the orphanage. During the meeting, I sat between my friends with Down syndrome, Tim and Yarik. Yarik was telling me how Tim had been swearing all night long. When Yarik saw that I understood what he was saying, he started laughing and covering his face with his hands out of pure joy.
Whenever I visit, Tim asks to take part in the games we organize. This time he joined in, and he was so happy just to be included and have some attention.
At the end, we prayed for the children. We truly believe that the Lord can change each of their lives and heal their wounds!

Greetings, dear brothers and sisters.
We are grateful to God that January turned out to be an especially full and meaningful month. In Belarus, the Nativity of Jesus Christ is celebrated twice: according to the Catholic and the Orthodox traditions. This is a special time when people reflect on God and His gift to the whole world.

Our month began with a Christmas performance — we invited a puppet theater team. Children really enjoy it when new people come to visit them, because it gives them an opportunity to get to know one another, communicate, and talk about history. The puppet theater team prepared a special program in which they introduced the children to Misha and Lyubov, who wanted to understand the true meaning of Christmas. Misha did not trust a story that is more than 2,000 years old.
Through the story and the puppet performance, it was shown that even today people do not always trust the Word of God. However, as the story unfolded, the teenager Misha became convinced of the truth of Christmas and put his faith in God.

It was very interesting to observe the children’s reactions. When they saw the puppets for the first time, some shouted with joy, others froze in amazement, and a third group of children tried to help the puppets by giving them prompts. It was so funny and touching to see their sincere emotions. The program flew by very quickly, and the teachers said, “We were completely captivated.”

After that, we prepared gifts for the children. One by one, we invited them forward, handed out the gifts, and said, “God loves you. Merry Christmas!” There were also children who had arrived at the orphanage only recently, and they asked with surprise, “Is there a gift for me too? Who is this gift from? Why did people prepare a gift just for me?” Some children said, “I have never received Christmas gifts before. Thank you.”

When we entered the classrooms, we saw the children opening their bags and rejoicing. One boy came up to me and said, “This is the gift of my dreams!” Another shouted, “I got a watch! I’m so happy — I dreamed about this!” The girls who enjoy drawing were running around the room, showing their new sketchbooks. How wonderful it is to see children filled with joy — in moments like these, we see how they forget about the pain that sometimes lives inside them. The birth of Jesus brought them joy, faith, hope, and peace.
We are deeply thankful to everyone who helped prepare the gift packages and prayed for us and for the children.

During the week, we also came to spend time with the children and held group meetings. At one of these meetings, we talked about the topic: “Who needs forgiveness?” We chose this topic because many teenagers and younger children live with unforgiveness and bitterness. During the discussion, the children actively participated — they shouted out answers and also asked us to help them understand why we should forgive if the offender does not ask for forgiveness. We realized that this question deeply troubles the children.
After the meeting, several boys came up to us and said, “Please pray for me; I can’t forgive.” We prayed together, blessed them, and asked God to give them strength and grace to forgive.

When we came during the last week of January, we talked about humor. The issue is that children often hurt one another with their jokes. We decided to discuss what humor is, how it can help in life, and how it can also destroy. The topic was structured in such a way that every child could understand the boundaries of humor. We also talked about how to examine our jokes:
• Will this be funny for that person?
• Will it make them feel ashamed or hurt?
• Would I be happy if someone joked about me in the same way?

In the end, the children admitted that they often joke too harshly and cause pain to others. I was glad to see teenagers come up afterward and say, “I thought that if I said, ‘I was just joking,’ it wouldn’t hurt anyone. But unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way. I won’t do that anymore.”

Dear friends, thank you very much for your support. We are grateful that together with you we can influence the lives of children and bring light into their lives. Please pray for our team and for the children, that God would grant them understanding and protect them from evil.

January was a special time for the children and our team.
At the beginning of January, we had the wonderful opportunity to organize a Christmas performance. We invited our friends who performed a play about a girl named Sasha. Sasha had given up on everything and was deeply hurt by her friends, feeling betrayed. In the play, she sees a large canvas with a big puzzle and decides to put it together. Actors dressed as various objects helped her: a lantern, a toy car, a mirror, and pencils. The goal was to help Sasha complete the puzzle, which revealed a picture with the message that Jesus wanted to be her friend. When Sasha finished the puzzle, she saw that God loved her, and she invited Jesus to become her friend.

After the performance, we distributed gifts. The auditorium filled with joy and shouts of delight. Then we went to the children’s rooms, where they opened their presents. We asked everyone to open theirs one by one. The children in the room froze in anticipation of their turn, they were also curious about what the others received.
«Look, I have a watch! I dreamed of this for so long!»
«I got a remote-control car!»
«Look at my motorcycle!»
In that moment, I felt as if we had given these children back a piece of their childhood. Thank you, friends, for helping us organize this celebration and for gathering the gifts for the kids.

The festive bustle gave way to snowstorms, holidays to school routines.
For weeks, the children have been reminiscing about that day, sharing their impressions of the play and expressing gratitude for the gifts. Many shared that they received exactly what they had wished for. But for them, the warmth and genuine care meant more than anything.
We are grateful to the Lord that so many volunteers joined our trips during this time. Because of this, more children attended our Wednesday meetings, allowing us to dedicate more time to personal conversations and prayers.

This month, we once again reminded the children about Christmas, discussed the boundaries of humor, and talked about the importance of forgiveness. We realized how difficult it is for them to make the decision to forgive. Often, children in the orphanage seem to be in survival mode, and hurtful humor serves as a defense mechanism, causing them to hurt each other while trying to protect themselves. These are very relevant topics for the children, as in their daily lives they are often either initiators or victims of bullying.
In personal conversations, the children asked questions like: How should I respond to hurtful words? What should I do if I can’t build friendships? How can I start changing for the better?

We were also able to purchase a printer for the boarding school, which will improve the quality of processing the children’s personal files. This, in turn, will help in placing graduates into educational institutions after they leave the school.
Glory to God for everyone who has opened their heart to this ministry! We see God at work in the children’s souls, and that is priceless!

God’s grace and peace to you!
I am happy to say that I continue to advance in this ministry and grow spiritually. I thank God for our wonderful team where everyone is like a family to each other. There is incredible support, and it inspires us to continue our work.
I also feel an amazing commitment from the children. Currently, there are three children in Smilovichi: Violetta and Vadim, brother and sister, and another girl named Violetta, the youngest.

With each new trip, I feel more and more trust from them and their sincere openness. This is evident in how they willingly share stories from their childhood—both joyful and difficult. You can see in their eyes that they are seeking support and encouragement.
I am especially happy for the eldest, Violetta. At the beginning, she was very reserved, silent, and reluctant to communicate. But now she has blossomed like a beautiful flower. Her laugh, her touch, her sparkling eyes when we meet—all of this makes us tremble at the greatness of God. After all, we prayed so much for her, and now we see a direct answer to our prayers. It’s incredible and profound!

This month, we’ve had a variety of games: from reaction and speed games that develop fine motor skills to creative games where the children drew with their noses and we tried to guess what they were drawing. The children are incredibly talented and capable, and I hope God continues to guide them along His path.

We’ve also noticed that they really miss interacting with their peers. They often fondly remember their old friends. Recently, children came running to us and joyfully told us that new children would soon be joining them. They’re eagerly awaiting this, especially Vadim, who sometimes feels lonely among the girls.

I want to conclude by thanking God for how good and merciful He is to us, continuing to lead us by the hand through all our difficulties.
Bless you!

Hello, my friends. I’d like to share with you how we spent time with the kids this month. Currently, there are three kids, ages 10-13, in Smilovichi. They are quite grown up, so it’s easy to connect with them.
First, in December, we made a craft from cotton swabs. They were really nice winter snow scenes. The craft required meticulousness and perseverance, but the kids coped with it well.

On the next few trips, we taught the children the significance of Christmas: that through Jesus’s birth, we receive happiness, light, and love.
Sasha used figurines to help the kids imagine the Christmas night. Katya turned off the light and lit a candle to show how Jesus shines for people in this world, like a candle in the darkness. Such illustrations help them understand difficult concepts perfectly.

I noticed that the oldest, Violetta, was interested in reading these stories in the Bible. So we found one for her and saw that she was actually reading it. I was especially impressed when she mentioned the prophecies about the birth of Jesus.
It’s heartwarming to see that the children are friends who help and support each other. We notice this when playing with them. Their favorite games are active ones, like ball games.

December is one of my favorite months because the kids receive gifts. It’s impossible to describe their emotions. They are so happy getting those huge boxes filled with things they have never had before or maybe never even dreamt of. Personally, I get a lot of joy from their happy faces at these moments.

On the last trip, we celebrated Christmas, ate cake, sang “Happy Birthday, Jesus,” gave gifts, and danced in a circle around the Christmas tree. It was a really wonderful month!
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, friends!

Greetings, dear brothers and sisters,
December is coming to an end. The year has passed so quickly, and we thank God for the wonderful time He has given us in our lives. This month was special because not only adults, but also children were joyfully anticipating the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.

At the beginning of the month, we completed a series of lessons about relationships — how to build healthy relationships, how to respond to pain and betrayal, and what to do with our hurts and offenses. These topics addressed very important issues, because every child carries their own pain and often does not know how to respond to it in a healthy way. How do we know this? Every time we visit, the children come to us and openly share what is happening in their lives — their victories as well as their struggles. Normally, parents help children learn how to respond to life situations and even shape their reactions, but many of these children have no parents and no example to follow.

As Christmas approached, we also talked about what the birth of Jesus brought into our lives. We shared that the birth of the Savior brought joy to the world. At that moment, Sasha, a teenager, asked a very honest question: “How can you rejoice when you are sent to live in an orphanage? How can you rejoice when you are alone?”
This was a challenge for us — to help him feel that he is not alone. We explained to all the children that throughout life we will always face challenges, but what truly matters is how we respond to them. You are not alone because you have God and friends who come to visit you and spend time with you. An orphanage is not the worst place — there is food, care, and warmth; you are not on the street in the cold. After the meeting, we offered to pray for Sasha and the other children so that they could feel our love and care.
We also talked about how sin steals our joy, but Jesus restores our joy when we ask Him to forgive our sins. Our closeness to God helps us regain joy and a positive outlook on life.

When we visited again, we spoke about how the birth of Jesus Christ brought light into the world. We explained that light reveals dark places where bad habits, hostility, unforgiveness, pain, and disrespect can hide. When light comes, it becomes easier to live in friendship and peace because you are no longer seeking personal gain. God’s light frees us from the chains of bondage and gives us hope.

On the eve of Christmas, we talked about how the birth of Jesus Christ brought God’s love into the world — an extraordinary love. As the Bible says:
“We love Him because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)
Together with the children, we recalled the Christmas story. We held quizzes, and many of the children actively participated, sharing what they knew about Jesus’ birth — how the angel spoke to Mary, how there was no room for them at the inn or even in a regular home. Some children were hearing the Christmas story for the very first time. It was clear that they were deeply interested, and their reactions were very touching as they listened and wondered: “Oh, I would be so afraid if I saw an angel!”
As we concluded, I asked the children: “What do you think Jesus would like to receive as a gift from us?”
They mentioned many things — our hearts, good deeds, the best gift, a dedicated life — and one child simply said, “Our time.” Indeed, spending time with God is the greatest gift we can give Him.

Dear friends, we are truly grateful that you have been with us throughout this entire year. Thank you for your prayers, your messages, and your support. May the new year bring victories and wise decisions.
May God bless you, and Merry Christmas!

December trips to the children were especially joyful. Every Wednesday we prepared lessons that revealed the true meaning of Christmas and gave answers to many important questions: Why did Jesus come into this world? Why did God choose to be born as an ordinary human being? How did the birth of Jesus Christ change humanity?
It is encouraging to see that the number of children is growing. We also see new children who have recently arrived at the school, and they especially need support.
We are grateful that our Wednesday team now consists of ten committed members, which means there is enough attention and prayer for every child. Very often the children ask for more team members to come. We tell them, “Pray, and God will answer your prayers.” And it is such a joy to see how God answers them.
The children say, “Faith is not something we invented — it is something that truly works.”

One evening at the school, Ilya shared about how Jesus brought joy to everyone — a joy that does not depend on circumstances, new purchases, or what we own. This joy flows from our hearts and from a personal relationship with God. To live in this joy, it is very important to forgive those who have hurt us, to ask forgiveness if we ourselves caused pain, and to repent of our sins. We do all of this so that space can be freed in our hearts for true and genuine joy because our hearts are often filled with pain, hatred, jealousy, and other darkness.
The children responded to this message, and we prayed together. They sincerely asked forgiveness from their Heavenly Father, opening their hearts to Him and confessing their sins and wounds.

Sasha, a 16-year-old boy, came up and apologized for his behavior and for often being disruptive during our meetings. Already the following week, he was attentive and very obedient. It brings us great joy to see how the Lord heals their hearts and transforms their lives!
What inspires us to continue serving these children is their hunger for God’s Word and prayer. This year, without exception, all the children come to the meetings and genuinely desire change in their lives. Glory to God!

I taught a Bible lesson on the topic: Jesus was born to bring us Light, and that our choices determine how we live — in the light, joy, and His love, or in the darkness of sin, offense, and harmful habits. I shared my personal testimony about how for a long time I blamed my parents and did not want to take responsibility before God or confess my own sins. It was clear that a personal example sparks interest and helps the children see how to practically apply what they learn during our meetings.
Testimonies give them confidence that with God they can experience freedom from addictions and unforgiveness, and that His unconditional love will heal their wounded hearts.

On the last Wednesday of December, we answered all the children’s questions about Christmas and once again shared the full biblical story of the birth of the Savior. This was especially important for children who had recently arrived at the orphanage because many believe that Christmas is simply the birthday of Santa Claus or just the New Year celebration.
When they heard the truth, their eyes were filled with hope and faith that only Jesus can help, that only Jesus can fill their lives with love and meaning.
When we asked the children, “What gift do you think Jesus would like to receive?” they excitedly answered: friendship with us, more joy, and some said health. One teenager, Sasha, said, “Our attention and deep faith.”
We are grateful that the children and teenagers came to this understanding on their own.

Dear brothers and sisters, we thank God for the opportunity to serve Him and to be a light where it is so deeply needed. Please pray that in the new year even more children’s lives will be transformed, and that each one may experience God’s love.
Thank you for your prayers and support. May God bless you.

Hello, dear friend!
I am very glad that you have come to this site and are reading stories about how God works through our team. Together we can see how the lives of young people are being changed. We understand that this is a time consuming process.
For example, there is a young man named Rostislav. Sometimes it is difficult for him. He says that he does not believe in God, yet he comes to every meeting and actively participates in the program. And Rostislav is not the only one—there are other young people in a similar state. It is so wonderful that we can pray together with them.
I am grateful to everyone who takes part in this ministry! Thank you for your prayers and generosity! I wish that the Lord blesses you and repays you a hundredfold!

We began this month with creativity. When the children do modeling, drawing, cutting, gluing, and so on, they develop fine motor skills. They really enjoy it. And emotionally, it calms them down and distracts them from some of their problems. The children get carried away with the process.
Also, when we do creative activities together with them, we have a unique opportunity to talk with them—to learn their stories, understand what they like, and simply discuss any topics. After all, it is very important to make friends and communicate. We made a very cute hedgehog, talked with the children, and had a great time. Glory to God!

We also had meetings on other days. At these meetings we talked about friendship, conflicts, and how to deal with them, as well as about the value of obedience. It turned out that some of the children, for various reasons, do not know how to make friends. That is why we raised this topic, fully aware of its importance.

We spoke about what true friendship is, how to find real friends, and how to become a good friend yourself. When the children listened about friendship, many of them gained hope that they would surely have faithful, kind friends, and that they themselves would learn to be friendly.
We also talked about conflicts: offenses, quarrels, and how important it is to forgive and make peace. If someone offends you — you need to forgive. And if you offend someone — you need to apologize. When we are in conflict, it harms us first of all: negativity arises inside us, which destroys. That is why it is so important to learn to forgive and to ask for forgiveness.
And finally, about obedience. Obedience helps us avoid mistakes and difficulties. When we obey, we become kinder, more caring, and more honest. It is an expression of love and respect for those who help us grow.

Friends, our team prays that the lives of children and caregivers will change for the better. Every time, caregivers come to the meetings, and sometimes they even participate in the program. It is so wonderful to see that we can influence not only the children but also the caregivers. We believe that every topic spoken within the walls of the orphanage penetrates the heart of every person who comes to the meeting. We are grateful to God that He opens the doors to the orphanages! We are thankful for the opportunity to tell the children about His love and care through our ministry! Let us continue to pray together for this ministry, for the children, for the leadership of the orphanages, and for the team!

I cannot stop giving thanks to the Lord for His mission in my life — the ministry to orphaned children. This month I spent much time visiting the children in Smilovichi, and the first thing I must say is: they are truly wonderful! All month long they amazed me with their openness, quick minds, and genuine hearts.

We began November with cartoons and tea. Since it was school holiday time, we decided to keep the lesson easy: meaningful cartoons and some treats to help the children relax. Also I was astonished when I asked, “Would you like to watch one more cartoon, or spend more time talking with us?” They unanimously chose conversation. That moment touched me deeply because children usually love cartoons so much that it’s hard to pull them away from the screen. Instead, we had a warm and thoughtful discussion: each child shared impressions about the stories, the characters, and the lessons they had learned.

The following visits were less unusual in format, but no less inspiring. The lessons were a joy! Katya’s teaching on obedience stirred strong emotions, especially as the children shared their own difficult experiences. Violetta, for example, told us how her parents used to send her to buy cigarettes — echoing Katya’s story of her own childhood struggles. She explained that she couldn’t refuse, because they were her parents whom she valued so much. Together we prayed for wisdom that the children would learn to discern between those who truly wish them good and those who bring harm.

Sasha’s lesson on friendship was equally moving. The children showed remarkable sensitivity. When asked to describe a good friend, they named the simplest yet most profound things: kindness, respect, and the absence of bullying. The games were lively and full of joy. Many of them were reaction-based, and we noticed that some children showed a little slowness. It reminded us how valuable such games are for their development. What impressed me most was their ability to encourage and support one another. Truly, they are incredible! I pray that we will continue visiting these children, planting the Word of God in their hearts, and teaching them to rejoice in life’s smallest blessings. Blessings to all!

A trip to an orphanage is not just a visit but a meeting that changes hearts. It reminds us that true strength is not found in loud words, but in simple gestures: a smile, an attentive look, a shared game.
When we go to visit the children, they greet us with shining eyes and a special desire to communicate. And it is a wonderful feeling to know there is a place where you are needed and awaited, where you can be useful to someone.
During the games, songs, and conversations about God you understand especially clearly: children need not only care and gifts, but also spiritual support, words that bring hope and strengthen the heart.

During our recent trip I had a unique opportunity to talk with a boy named Sasha. He is very different from the other children, according to him, he comes to us not for games, but for conversation and learning about God. While other children enjoy singing and playing, that’s not what draws Sasha. What he truly loves are the Bible stories and the conversations.

Over the past two weeks the children and I have gone through a journey full of discoveries and meaningful conversations. We talked about friendship, about how it is a precious gift that requires care, honesty, and time. We learned to see in each other not just roommates or classmates, but those who can become true support. And perhaps most importantly – we saw that God does not leave us when things get difficult. He is near when we are angry. He helps us forgive. He teaches us to love.

The moment of departure is always the hardest, when you walk out of the building and see the children waving at you or sometimes even knocking on the window. It touches the heart deeply and at the same time fills you with joy in anticipation of the next meeting. Hope remains in their eyes and in our hearts – gratitude for being able to share a piece of warmth with them. For me, each trip is a reminder: true value is not found in things, but in being present, in words of support and in shared moments of joy.

“November 09 is the World Day of Prayer for Orphans. If you care about the futures of orphans, you can make a difference! You may not only pray for orphans during the day, but also visit them in orphanages, run charity campaigns at you local church or organization. Besides that, during your church service you may devote sermons, songs, poems etc. to this issue.”

October was full of events and positive emotions. We hosted sports competitions where children showed character and teamwork. This time, two teams tied as they were equally strong, with Nadya and Nastya supporting and helping participants. At the end, all children received sweet awards, as per tradition. We always encourage those eager to help, making sure everyone feels important.

During other meetings, we discussed the issues that everyone faces at different periods of their lives. We were discussing storms in our lives and the tools that God has given people to navigate such periods. We talked about prayer, the Bible, and church during the previous month. And when we were talking about life hardships, we mentioned how these tools help us.
The next meeting was devoted to the topic ’Our thoughts’. Vlad was telling the children how our thoughts affect our behavior and our lives in general. He used the biblical examples to show them how evil thoughts can lead to dangerous and serious doing. For example, the thoughts of the Pharisees affected them in the way that they started to search for the opportunity to kill Jesus Christ, and as a result, they crucified Him on the cross. Moreover, Vlad was giving practical advice on how to stop negative thoughts on time and also taught to turn to Jesus Christ for help, who is mighty to cast His light upon our thoughts, hearts, and any sphere of a person’s life.

Then, we talked with the children about sin, which is presented as something nice and attractive. In her Bible lesson, Nastya was using different candies as a visual illustration. The candies in beautiful wraps were not delicious at all, and, on the other hand, the candies in simple, not bright wraps were delicious. That is how sin works in our lives. At first sight, everything looks appealing, bright, and pretty, but the consequences are always bitter and sorrowful.

Also, I would like to note that the children from Rudensk make an effort in reading the Bible, and when we have Bible lessons, some of them try to find the extracts from the Bible that we use during our meetings right away. Moreover, they learnt to boldly share not only their prayer needs but also the things they struggle with.
For example, Sasha was asking us to pray with him to stop using swear words, and Polina is now asking to pray not only for the healing of her leg but also that God could change her character and help her not to fight with her friends and not to be rude and disobedient with the teachers.
In all these moments, I see how God takes care of these children, wants to transform their characters, and give them both physical healing and healing of their spiritual wounds, and change their destiny. That’s why we still need the prayers of people who are not indifferent to the future of the young orphans! Thank you, dear friends, for being with us!

October, I visited a orphanage in Smilovichi. There were children who had already been there for a long time — Roma and Masha. And there were also two new children who had just arrived — Violetta and Vadim. I was struck by how different these children were — and at the same time, how similar!
Masha and Roma are so open and free — they run to meet you, hug you, try to show themselves, to stand out, to say something.
And then there are Violetta and Vadim — so closed off. Violetta avoids eye contact, shies away from touch, and feels very tense in a new situation. It seems that it’s a little easier for Vadim, but only until you start talking with him.

We were reflecting on the topic of good and bad thoughts. And it turned out that all the children’s thoughts were about one thing — going back home. These children are here because life at home was very difficult for them. But despite everything, they want to be with their mother — they want to give her flowers, to hug her, to help her. They love her and miss her deeply. Lord, please preserve this genuine childlike love in their hearts for their whole lives! May it be stronger than all human hurts. Heal their wounds. May they never be orphans, because of knowing a loving and caring God the Father! Amen.

Each trip to the children’s home reminded us that even in autumn, warmth can bloom — like summer. The warmth of smiles, conversations, games, and God’s presence. Our October visits began with lively, laughter-filled relay games. There were balls, challenges testing agility and teamwork. The kids competed, cheered for one another, laughed, helped, and supported each other. It was a day when everyone felt like part of a team — needed, strong, and seen. Throughout the month, we held three deep and heartfelt meetings, each opening space for reflection and honest conversation:

“Hard Times and Storms”: We spoke about storms — not just in the weather, but in life. And how important it is not to face them alone, but to cling to Jesus and be part of the church — like a ship that doesn’t sink, even in the fiercest waves.
“Our Thoughts”: We explored how thoughts can take hold of our lives, shaping emotions and actions. Together, we walked through six steps that help “reprogram” our thinking and keep us from drowning in anxiety or lies.
“Sin in a Beautiful Package”: We talked about how harmful things can look appealing — like a candy wrapped in shiny paper but filled with poison. And we remembered that there is One who always waits for us and loves us, even when we’ve made mistakes.

On one of our trips, we were joined by an incredibly gifted young woman — Masha, a professional theater director. She shared with the children about the world of theater, how performances are created, and the importance of teamwork and listening. Together, they tried articulation exercises, and then — to everyone’s delight — Masha performed a juggling show. First two, then three, then four balls soared gracefully through the air. A few children even joined her for a mini juggling workshop. It was joyful, inspiring, and unforgettable.

I especially want to share Danik’s story. During one visit, he quietly came up and told me he was going to be hospitalized soon — his test results were bad, and he was very afraid. We talked about how he’s not alone, that God is with him every moment. Then our whole team gathered in a circle and prayed for him.
A week later, Danik greeted us with a wide smile and joyful news: “God heard the pray! I’m okay now. It was definitely God! I even prayed myself and thanked Him for healing me.”

That was our October — vibrant like autumn leaves, and warm like summer. Each meeting wasn’t just a program, but living connection, relationship-building, support, and love. We’re deeply grateful to the Lord for open hearts — among the children, the caregivers, and the administration who join our meetings and hear the Truth. We’re already looking forward to November, trusting that God has filled it with blessings and bright new moments.

Greetings, brothers and sisters!
This month we resumed our trips to the orphanage in Belynichy after the children’s summer break. Praise God that the doors of the orphanage are open and we can continue sharing the Good News. The first trip in September was truly unforgettable and special for me. I missed the children so much, and I was very glad to see how mutual that feeling was. The kids welcomed our team with great love and warm hugs.

This was our first visit without seeing our beloved graduates, who left the orphanage at the end of the academic year and began their adult and independent lives. We ask you to pray for them, that the Lord would protect and bless them in this new chapter of their lives.
This summer, I had the opportunity to serve at one of the Christian camps for teenage orphans in Belarus, near Mogilev. Some of the children from the orphanage in Belynichy came there. In that moment, I realized what a great blessing it is that during the summer holidays, the orphanage administration allows the kids to attend Christian camps and hear about Jesus Christ. It was a blessed time – another opportunity to share God’s love with these children.
In September, new children arrived at the orphanage from other small towns in Belarus. Many of them came to our first meeting with a huge interest. We immediately got to know them and continue building relationships. I already knew some of them from before, so our first meeting after a long time apart was especially warm. One of the greatest joys was seeing how many children attend our gatherings.

During one of our visits, when Dima was teaching a Bible lesson and I stood in front of the children handing out prizes for correct answers, I saw their eyes light up and their genuine eagerness to hear about Christ.
For me, it was an absolutely incredible moment – it was clear how good God is and how favorable this time is for spreading the Gospel. This moment became a great testimony and encouragement for me. During our first trip, we talked with the kids and reviewed Bible stories we had shared with them previously. The children were very engaged, and to our joy and surprise, they remembered even the smallest details.

In the following visits, we focused on general topics such as “God Exists,” “Prayer,” “The Bible,” and “The Church.” We wanted to remind the children of the foundations of our faith and introduce the new kids to the basic truths—things they might not have heard before or might not have fully understood.

We were also very happy to see the caregivers again. We’ve noticed how their attitude toward us has been changing, it’s becoming warmer and friendlier. The caregivers have also started participating more actively in worship when we sing, which is a blessing to us because the children see this and join in with even more enthusiasm.
Please also pray for the caregivers, that their hearts would be open to receive the Good News and that our Lord would be glorified through this.

May the Lord bless you!

Greetings, brothers and sisters, I thank God for the opportunity and privilege to be a bridge of communication and to share news from the ministry.
The new school year has begun, and we were eagerly waiting to meet the kids again. Memories of the past camp in Rudensk and all the blessings still stir our hearts with joy. When we arrived, the children were already waiting for us outside. Joyful shouts and the calling of volunteers’ names filled the air, sometimes even drowning out the excited conversations of those who had run up to us first.
We noticed how much the kids had grown over just a couple of months — not only physically, but also in awareness. And yet, they remained just as wonderful. They were eager to share everything that had happened to them. It became clear to us that we are not just volunteers — we are friends, we are family. The camp we held brought us very close, and now the children are more open and affectionate — this includes the teenagers as well.

There were also new faces — children who had just arrived. Recently taken from their families, they were now in a new and unfamiliar environment, full of fear and uncertainty. But our volunteers already knew how to approach them, to be an encouragement and a blessing.
“Are you believers?” This was one of the first direct questions we were asked. “Everyone talks about you.”
Yes, we are believers. God found us, and now we are here to share His most important message: He loves you.

We began the month with the topic “God exists.” For many of the new children, this was a kind of revelation. We shared our testimonies — how God came into our lives and what changed in us and in how we see the world. The children also shared their thoughts and how they often had a wrong image of God, thinking He was harsh or cruel.

During another visit, we spoke about prayer — what it is, why people pray, and why it matters. Some of the kids asked how to pray properly and what they could say to God. It was a beautiful time — after the meeting, several children eagerly said, “Let me pray!” Glory to God that there is desire and understanding! Their prayers were simple, but so sincere:
“God, restore my family. God, bless my health. Help me with school.”

On another trip, we talked about the importance of God’s Word — the Bible. Why can we trust this book? It was amazing to hear the kids who had been coming for a long time say things like: “It’s not just stories — it helps us understand God’s character.” “It’s the most important love letter from God.” One teenager said, “When I read the Bible, I find peace and calm.”
This was a unique lesson because it was the kids themselves who testified to the power of the Word of God in a reader’s life.

At the end of the month, we spoke about the church as a place to meet with God. Many said, “I’ve never been to church… but I would really love to go because I want to see others who are interested in faith like me.” We explained that church is a community of people who seek God and serve others together — it is an expression of God’s love and care through people.
Church is the family you’ve been dreaming of.
This touched many of the older children, especially those who feel unwanted or unadopted. Many said, “If church is a family — then I want to be there.”

Dear brothers and sisters, thank you for your prayers and support.
We ask you to continue praying for open doors into the orphanage and for the children’s understanding of the Gospel. We are grateful that, together with you — despite the distance — we can serve and spread the Gospel. May God bless you!

In September we resumed our trips to visit the children. Altogether this month there were four kids: two new ones—Violetta and Ignat, who are brother and sister, as well as children we’ve known since last year—Roma and Masha. As before, we spent time with them, sang Christian songs together, played various games, and discussed some Bible topics. During one of these visits, Roma shared that his greatest desire was to return home to his parents while still being able to see us. It sounded quite funny because technically it’s impossible for Roma to be both at home with his parents and with us at the same time but it was very nice to know how much we had become important to him. The teachers told us that the children look forward to our arrival and that meeting with us is a real celebration for them.

It was a pleasure to meet Violetta and Ignat. We tried to be friendly with them, talked with them about their lives, and found out what they would like in the future. Unfortunately, their mother has problems with alcohol, which is why they were taken away from her. Earlier, they were in another orphanage, but then they were transferred to Smilovichi. Perhaps soon they will be moved again, this time to a family-type children’s home. Fortunately, we managed to get Violetta’s contact information so that we could continue supporting communication with her. They also have a younger brother who is two years old, but due to his young age, he is placed in another institution.
Violetta mentioned that she looks forward to finishing school and entering college where she can live independently. She also spoke about her relationship with her mom and the difficulties they face. It was evident that Violetta finds this path challenging. Thank God, despite not knowing each other long, she openly shares her thoughts and feelings with us. This was especially noticeable during the Bible sessions. She said that she doesn’t believe in God, yet always listens attentively and with interest when we talk, and remembers everything well. In childhood, someone from her relatives forced her to read the Bible, so now she has negative emotions towards faith.

However, during one session, we tried to convey that believing in God isn’t foolishness but rather something reasonable and logical. Additionally, we discussed what prayer is and how to communicate with God, explaining to the children what the Bible is, why it’s unique, and why it truly deserves to be called a treasure for all humanity and personally for ourselves. The final topic of the month was “What is Church?” While covering this subject, we also mentioned its impact on our own lives and explained why it is indispensable.

Throughout almost the entire month, the main thought was that God loves when we’re happy and doesn’t want anything bad for us, emphasizing that prayer, the Bible, and the church are God’s best gifts to us. This point was highlighted even more considering some of the children, including Violetta, developed the rejection of faith over time.

To sum up, September turned out to be very productive. Thanks be to God for those trips already made, and we sincerely hope to keep visiting these wonderful children, befriending them, and telling them even more about what kind of God we have.

Our camp themes were “One Step Closer”: to joy, to love, to hope, to faith, to victory, to freedom, to forgiveness, and to God. In most families, parents help their children develop their feelings and skills, but who will help an orphan? These children live in groups of 15, and a single teacher cannot teach them how to behave or respond to situations. Every day we discussed one topic.: “One step closer to…” For example, on Freedom Day, the guys shared what they want to get rid of — bad habits, anger, obscene language. One teenager asked: “Please pray for me, I’m tired of living in this sin, I really want to be free!” After him, all the other teenagers from his class began to ask for prayer support and opened their addictions to God.

Dear brothers and sisters! With gratitude to God, we share the fruits of the Christian summer camp “One Step Closer”, which took place on the territory of Rudenskaya boarding school for orphans with mental and physical disabilities. We have been praying and preparing for a long time, dreaming of bringing light and hope to every child at this school. There were 23 volunteers in our team — people who love God and these guys, people who work and have dedicated their summer vacations to serving at this camp. The camp program was designed to take into account all the children’s needs and to make it easy for them to understand simple but very important truths.

Our camp themes were “One Step Closer”: to joy, to love, to hope, to faith, to victory, to freedom, to forgiveness, and to God. In most families, parents help their children develop their feelings and skills, but who will help an orphan? These children live in groups of 15, and a single teacher cannot teach them how to behave or respond to situations. Every day we discussed one topic.: “One step closer to…” For example, on Freedom Day, the guys shared what they want to get rid of — bad habits, anger, obscene language. One teenager asked: “Please pray for me, I’m tired of living in this sin, I really want to be free!” After him, all the other teenagers from his class began to ask for prayer support and opened their addictions to God.

Hello everyone! First of all, I want to thank each and every one of you who supports such an important ministry — the ministry to orphaned children. Thank you for your prayers, actions, and resources! Your support is precious. I pray that the Lord blesses you in all your needs!

I’m delighted to share with you some news about our team’s May visits to the Rudensk orphanage. I want to say that it’s a great blessing that the doors of the orphanage are open and that we have the opportunity to visit the kids every week and build up relationships with them. This month we had lessons about Joseph. Together with the kids we were inspired by his story and learned from his life experiences. We talked about how important it is to walk with God —that each of us may face difficulties, betrayal, and hardships, but in all of it, we must seek God and stay close to Him. He can comfort us, strengthen us, and He will never abandon us. Our team is grateful to God that the children remember these stories! We pray for their transformation, and we really want each child’s life to change for the better.

At one of the meetings, the difficult topic of forgiveness was raised. We read in the Bible how Joseph, despite betrayal, suffering, and everything he went through, chose to forgive his brothers. We discussed with the kids why forgiveness is so important. Ilya, a guy from our team, shared personal stories from his own life when he struggled to forgive but overcame it with God’s help . I believe adding personal testimonies to lessons brings everything to life in a new way. Afterward, we invited the children to pray together, asking God to help them forgive those who had hurt them. It was a touching moment. Unfortunately, not everyone wanted to pray, but 5-7 kids did, and that’s already a victory! Glory to God!

We also have kids with health problems who attend our meetings. They are very open and sociable. When we hug them and ask how they’re doing, their faces just light up. What’s amazing is that some of them remember material and even try to answer questions afterward. They’re really awesome. One of these kids is a boy named Nikita. He tries not to miss our meetings — always joyful, active, and smiling. Nikita is constantly smiling – we could all learn from him! We also worship God in songs every time we meet. We play uplifting Christian children’s songs, and everyone sings together. It’s so wonderful to see the room filled with praises to our Lord! I encourage each of you to keep praying for the children and our team. Grace and peace to all of you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!

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May is always a particularly exciting time in our ministry because very soon some of the graduates will leave the school forever. This is a period when they start telling us which cities they will go to for further studies, begin to exchange contact information and at that time we try to support and encourage them, as well as introduce them to local churches in the cities they are moving to. After all it is great that the doors of churches are always open for such special young people, and there they can find support and help during this challenging period for orphan graduates. For them this time is a step into a new, unknown adult life!

At first, it is really difficult for the young people to adapt to society, which always carries the risk that teenage boys might fall into bad company, and girls might enter into complicated relationships. They are very vulnerable and easily influenced during this period, so we try to help them find worthy friends in the church and avoid negative influences. This year, there are 23 graduates at the Belinichy orphanage. We have known most of them since their very first days at the orphanage when they were 5-6 years old. Before our eyes, these young people have grown up learning, falling in love, crying and laughing; being kind and angry; joyful and strong; sometimes weak and defenseless. It was with our team that each of them first encountered God and learned concepts such as faith, love, forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life.

We send these young people into adulthood with special tenderness and fully entrust their futures to our good and loving God! Regarding our trips in May, they were quite interesting and full of activities. We dedicated the entire month to the biblical hero Joseph, who faced betrayal by his brothers, loneliness and injustice throughout his life. But in all these circumstances he remained faithful to God and God consistently supported Joseph by giving him strength and wisdom in various life situations. At the end of the story, the children learned how greatly God rewarded Joseph for his faithful and kind heart and how He gave him strength to forgive his brothers who had once betrayed him.

During our final meeting where we discussed Joseph’s example, we had an opportunity to talk with the children about forgiving themselves, forgiving those who hurt them and forgiving God. This topic is quite relevant for orphans because each of them has faced betrayal and pain caused by the most closest to them – parents. Some children still struggle with resentment towards their parents, others blame God for placing them in an orphanage, some live with feelings of guilt for various reasons. All these issues require time, special attention, patience and most importantly – God’s work in their hearts! On our part, we try to be instruments in God’s hands so that all the good things our Heavenly Father wants to give thesechildren can come true, with love, care and friendly hugs.

In May we continued our trips to visit the dear children in Smilovichi. Some of the kids were known to us, but the new ones joined as well. Some of the kids were taken home. For example Nastya, who had only been in the orphanage for about three weeks, went back to her parents. Miraculously, during our last meeting, she wanted to exchage contacts with us. So now we can send messages to each other and stay in touch. Nastya comes from a difficult family and has some development problems but she still reaches out to us.

During the Bible lessons, the older children actively – and often competitively – answer our questions. Artyom reads the Bible, which we once left for them, on his own. Sometimes it’s surprising how well the younger kids remember and answer our questions, like Roma, who sometimes does better than the older children. Of course, some of the little ones struggle with remembering biblical stories, like Kirill, who has developmental challenges. Despite this he’s always with us, eager to connect, and waits for us just as much as the others. In May we had a series of lessons about the life of Joseph. The kids learned about his story and the vital role of God in it.

We also discussed how they could apply these lessons to their own lives. Additionally, we encourage them to read the Bible by themselves. We hope that the vivid story of Joseph, which most of them remembered very well will leave a deep impact on their hearts. We didn’t forget about the songs they’ve already come to love. They have their favorites, which they sing enthusiastically, knowing the words by heart and performing the motions even better than we do. What’s especially encouraging is that these are the songs with good Christian messages, using simple, child-friendly language to remind of important truths. Glory to God, Who has made possible these wonderful meetings with the kids. With God’s help we hope to continue serving these diverse, fascinating, and wonderful children.

This month, I was surprised by the boy Sasha. We had a topic about the story of Moses, his life. And one of the tasks for the guys was to read the story about Moses, and next time we said that we would check which of them had read it. The next time we came, we had the opportunity to personally chat with some of the guys. And one of them was Sasha. Who, surprisingly for us, began to tell us the story about Moses with great interest. It was clear that he read it, and not just remembered what we had already told to the guys.

At such moments, it is very joyful that the Gospel touches the children, that they hear and even study the Bible on their own. On one of our trips, we had the opportunity to get together and talk only with the girls. We talked about self-esteem, about what forms self-esteem. And during the conversation, many girls opened up and shared their experiences. I think it was a special time for each of them. And their hearts were being healed of the pain they had been holding inside. At this meeting the girls learned to compliment each other, to thank each other for the good things, to see the beautiful things that God has placed in their hearts. Not so long ago, we started to organize a culinary club for the guys. For them, this is an opportunity to cook something delicious and unusual, and for us, to communicate more with them personally. At the culinary club, we cooked pizza together, and after that we ate and talked. It was very interesting for the guys to cook with us, they were all involved in the cooking process, each of them had their own task, someone grated cheese, someone sliced sausage. And we helped and told them how to cook properly. The most important thing is that we managed to involve them in the cooking process and chat with them on various topics. They asked us various questions, including questions related to the Bible. One of the difficulties we have encountered is safety. I had to make sure that none of the guys got hurt or burned, because they were all active. But we always remind them about safety so that all classes were uneventful.

Greetings, brothers and sisters. I thank God for the opportunity to serve the orphaned children of Belarus. April was a special month when we prepared the children for Easter. In the first two weeks of April, we talked about the election of Moses, how God protected him. It was important for us to tell and show where the Easter celebration started from. And during the topics, we realized that many of the guys had forgotten, and the new ones didn’t know at all. Easter is a celebration of hope for all mankind. It was interesting to hear how the children assume what Easter is. But in the established tradition of Belarus, they often talked about painting eggs, as well as how important it is to bake Easter cakes. I say okay, your answer is accepted, but what does it have to do with Easter? One of the older children said, I’ve never even thought about the meaning. I just believed that it was necessary to do this on this holiday, but I do not know why.

At the third time, we talked about the Easter holiday itself. We talked and remembered what Moses did, how he brought the people out of Egypt. But our main character was a sheep, which was the prototype of Jesus Christ. When we were talking about cooking the lamb and anointing the doorposts, one boy said, “That’s probably why we need to paint the eggs!” Then we talked about Jesus, that He came to earth to redeem us from our sins. That only the blood of Christ cleanses us from sin. We said that God wanted people to be saved, but not all people believed Moses and did not paint their doors, and now many people do not believe in Jesus, and therefore they do not have an Intercessor.

After completing the topic, many guys asked a lot of questions as we walked to the car. And it was clear that they were really interested in knowing more about the holiday itself. When we arrived on the fourth Thursday, we had a stag and hen party. It’s a special time when the girls get together separately and the boys too. The topic was general – “Self-assessment”. During long time, we noticed that the guys have very low self-esteem. They are often told that they are somehow wrong. Accordingly, they are often shy and afraid to try something new. And we talked about the reasons that destroy self-esteem and about God’s view of us and the labels that people put on each other.

After the meeting, many guys came and asked us to pray for them, so that God would destroy the misconception about themselves.Despite the diagnoses of the children, sometimes people are too cruel when they say hurtful words into the lives of children. I want to share that it was my birthday this month and it was nice to see how the children prepared gifts and surprises for me. And at that moment, I thought that they were no longer demanding anything, but learning to give. The problem with orphans is that they say “they owe me everything”. But thank God, I see how orphans open their hearts and begin to give to others.

“We are so glad,” the guys said, “that you are teaching us to believe in God, this is what gives us the strength to overcome difficulties in our lives.” I understand that this is something good that has been planted and constantly cultivated. Dear brothers and sisters, thank you so much for your prayers and for your messages. We believe that serving together will bring great fruit for the kingdom of God. And now I want to ask you to pray for the guys so that the word of God changes lives and gives strength to resist sin. Also, pray for the team so that God will keep them healthy, many of the guys were sick, and that all the plans in the ministry will work out. Thank you very much, God bless you.

Another month has passed. I recently realized that I have been visiting my children for almost the entire school year. It’s surprising – time is running fast. When I analyze, I want to see the results of these trips, and I do. Recently, a guy I know asked me how I understand unconditional love. To what extent are we humans capable of experiencing such love, or is it available only to God? I told him that this is exactly what I feel for the children we visit. It doesn’t matter how they behave, we still love them, tolerate them, and admire their successes so much. But, of course, the children’s attitude towards us is also pleasant. They look forward to seeing us again, show interest to our lives, notice the little things, and say goodbye every time as if it was for the last time.

I am very pleased that they not only participate in what we offer them, but also ask questions, it is clear that they are interested in the stories from the Bible that they hear, they are happy to learn new songs with us, come up with games, etc. It is impossible not to notice the transformation of children. For example the boy Kostya, who had only recently arrived at the orphanage and was at our meeting for the first time, he was so emotionless, like frozen. He seemed to be in contact with us and kept up the conversation, but it felt like his thoughts were in his life’s tragedy and he hadn’t adjusted yet. We have seen a similar situation with many other children who have just arrived. But over time, the ice melts, and the child becomes himself again. I want to believe that the Lord also changes them, and they become better, kinder, more honest. Because talking about good and bad deeds, about Christ’s sacrifice, about His victory over sin, and many others cannot go in vain.

By the way, we celebrated Easter in April and raised all these topics with the children. In honor of the holiday, I baked cupcakes and we took them to the orphanage, which the children were delighted with, although, of course, we explained that Easter is not about cakes and colored eggs, but about the Resurrection of Christ. I really liked that the children asked a lot of questions and were interested in the details of this important event. I remember 12-year-old Artyom saying, “So it turns out that’s why we say ‘Christ is Risen!” It’s so wonderful that now they know the essence of the holiday. We also gave them gifts that day. The girl Nastya spent only a few weeks in the shelter, she was in shock, when she received the box, and asked: “Is that all for me?” The following Tuesday, when she found out that such gifts are not given every week, she was upset.

In addition, in April we held a creativity lesson. I really like watching children when they create – it shows each child from a different perspective – something that is not visible at first glance. You can see who is more organized, who needs to finish the job, who does not like monotony, who needs to follow the example, and much, much more. And, of course, as a result, all the art objects come out completely different, fully reflecting the character of their creator – it’s incredibly interesting . On our last trip, the behavior of 5-year-old Roma was very memorable, which we later remembered more than once and laughed. In order to motivate children to listen carefully and then answer questions, we give them candy for the answers. Roma is a very bright boy with a good memory, although he is restless and it’s difficult to keep him in place.

Roma remembered the story well from the previous meeting, but this time he listened inattentively and, raising his hand, answered the questions simply by saying what he remembered from the last time. “Roma, that’s another story.” “I just want some candy,” Roma replies. That’s the truth written in the Bible, that we need to be like children – sincere and real. It’s nice to know that not only we, but also the children can teach us something. So, going back to the analysis, what results of trips I observe, perhaps, is that children change us a lot. I believe that we influence them by bringing God’s love, but they also influence us. These spontaneity, sincerity, desire to learn new things, activity, flexibility, lightness are what we adults sometimes lack so much. And I want to learn this from them. We sometimes have a game where someone hides an object in a room while the others search. There are children who give up after a few rounds and no longer want to search, but there are more who do not want to give up, but are ready to search again and again until they find it. They tell us so much that we can apply in our lives. But we have to listen. And notice.

I thank God for the opportunity to glorify Him through ministry to orphaned children! I’ve never thought before that I would ever participate in such a project, although I sometimes thought about orphans. And, apparently, for a reason! God had His own plan, which He decided to accomplish, including my life in it. For almost a year now, I have been part of a team that serves orphaned children. Being a part of such a team is not just about being a member of it, it is an opportunity to be a friend who is ready to support, talk, understand and even encourage. Every trip, which I have the privilege to participate in, is a challenge for me. After all, it’s a different thing to just go to the children and make them happy, but it’s quite another thing when you have the opportunity to talk about Christ! Children abandoned by their parents are seemingly doomed to the worst outcome in their lives. This is one of the best opportunities to hear and understand who Christ is. But I repeat, having the privilege of being part of the team that comes to them, I felt the need to become a part of the lives of these children. To be not just a friend, but a friend who will help them get to know God. Christ said for a reason: “Therefore go to all nations and make them My disciples: baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to do all that I have commanded you. And I will be with you all the time, until the end of time.” Having received God’s approval, it would be foolish to remain silent and not share with others!

One evening, while chatting with the children, we had a topic : “Jesus is a lifeline.” And in a dialogue with one of the girls, I was pleased with her desire to hear who Christ really is. Literally, her words sounded like this: “I’m finally going to find out who Jesus is!” I do not know if she received a full-fledged answer, but her desire to find out who Jesus is made me happy and brought a smile to my face. I remember my childhood moments when I was in her place, and it’s an incredibly cool feeling when you want to get to know Christ even more! And also try to understand this issue, there is nothing better and could not be! Watching these children, I understand more and more what we need to say and show them. To show not so much ourselves, but Christ through our own lives, so that they really come to realize the importance of God in their lives.

This month, we talked with the guys about sin and how it affects both earthly life and where a person will spend his eternity. But it was in the lesson “Jesus is a lifeline” that we told the children that there is a way out and it is in repentance, reconciliation with God and acceptance of Christ as their Savior. At the last meeting, the guys had a creative lesson. I tried to use this time to not only participate in the creative process of some of the guys, but also to communicate personally with the guys. They especially love such moments because each of them has their own personal story which they want to share and their personal experiences which they ask to pray for. Together with our team, I rejoice and thank God for the open doors to boarding schools and for the opportunity to serve our dear children!

Hello everyone. I want to share how we went to Smilovichi in March. When we first arrived in March, there were only 2 kids in the shelter, Roma and Kirill, they are about 5-6 years old. I was glad that I could play with them, take them on my shoulders and hug them.I am glad that the children are happy when we arrive and say that they are really waiting for us when we arrive next Tuesday. We played the game “cat” with them, where the cat catches mice, the cat is blindfolded, we were cats in turn and mice too. The kids really enjoyed this game.

Sasha taught the lesson and told the children about our heart and that without God it is black and dark, but with God it is in light, and using the example of a glass of water, we tried to show them how Jesus heals our heart.
Masha Varya and Artyom have already returned from the sanatorium on our next trip. They are older, Masha is 8 years old, and Artyom and Varya are 12 years old. We played the “coin” game with them, and all the kids wanted to flip a coin and determine who won.

We also sing Christian children’s songs about God with them every time, which children also love, especially when the song has movements. We held a lesson with colored markers and painted pictures, we tried to tell the children about Jesus that he is a lifering for us and discussed this topic what to do if we are spiritually drowning, then who can help us? Who should we go to for help? We also try to pray with the children and ask them questions about their understanding of the topic after the lesson to make sure that they understood our idea correctly.

The next time we came, we were holding relay races. We split into 2 teams and ran, jumped, rolled balls and all that. During the relay races, the children’s hearts were very open, and they had to be comforted, admonished, and encouraged a lot. Since they often get upset when they don’t win, they often treat each other badly if you let their team down. I think this was a good reason to remind them of God’s principles that we do not humiliate other people if we have not won because of them, and in general we should love our neighbor and not insult him.
We were teaching a lesson about God’s gift to us and whether we deserve it. We tried to talk to them about the truths of the gospel and prayed for them that God would give them understanding.

We also had a crafts lesson with them this month. The guys made paper crafts on it. I am grateful to God that there are people who can contribute to this cause, and there are people who are ready to travel and play and sing and conduct lessons with children. I hope that this will be a good testimony for God, first of all, and for people. It often happens that the caregivers who are in the orphanage also hear some of our songs and see our attitude towards children and ask them to pray that we would also be a good witness for them about God, Christ and the Gospel.

March was a bright and joyful month for our visits to the orphanage in Belynichi! We not only had meaningful conversations with the children but also spent some wonderful, fun-filled time together. And finally, spring arrived, bringing us warm, sunny days that made the perfect backdrop for our meetings. This month, we talked with the kids about how sin can grow, like a snowball, if we don’t stop it in time. But there’s no need to panic—there’s always a way out! And that way is repentance. We discussed how Jesus came into this world to show us the path to forgiveness and cleansing. It was an important conversation, full of hope and light! Additionally, we taught the children a new, catchy song, which they almost memorized right away. The song is called *”The Universe in Polka Dots”* and is about how Someone (we all know Who) scattered the stars in the sky. The kids had a blast singing it, and couldn’t help but smile, because the melody was so lighthearted and fun! We not only learned the lyrics and tune, but also had a great time practicing the dance moves that went along with this cheerful song.

At the end of the month, the kids finished their school quarter and proudly shared their results! Some talked about their successes, while nearly everyone was eagerly looking forward to the upcoming break. After all, school days can be quite a challenge. They were excited to finally relax and enjoy some well-deserved time off. Each meeting with the children leaves a bright mark on our hearts. We’re so happy to be a part of their lives, to support and inspire them to live with kindness and light! A huge thank you to everyone who helps make these trips possible!

Greetings, brothers and sisters. We thank God for the opportunity to serve the orphans of the Rudensk boarding School. Every Wednesday in February, we were with the guys and spent a unique time with them. These trips always bring joy and really energize us. We see how God opens children, and they become able to change their lives. Change begins with the attitude towards other children, and more and more often we see that this is not fake in front of us, but natural. Even the teachers see the changes in the children. This month we talked about the importance of prayer. Some of the new guys wondered why we should pray, because God knows our needs anyway. And we said that it is important for God that we build a relationship with Him. When we pray, especially when we feel bad, we always feel better after we pray and have peace in our hearts. The guys began to practice and then shared how God answered their prayers. It’s nice to see the joyful children shouting, It worked, God answered.

Another time, when we arrived, we held the theme “Don’t worry about tomorrow.” And we talked about how God takes care of us and how He takes care of the little birds. God knows what we need and His response is always on time. We said that there is no need to worry about clothes, because God has already planned everything in advance. One child stood up and said, “I need a sweatshirt”, the other said, “and I need pants!” The guys were surprised that we had just brought everything they needed without any agreement. Our ministry just handed over the things for the guys that we brought. And this was a practical example of God’s care for the children. In the end, we said that worry doesn’t help, but trusting God helps us. Therefore, we encouraged the children to trust God and pray, because God hears us. And also read the Bible, because there are many examples of how other people trusted God and this strengthens faith.

The next topic was “Faith without a doubt makes God happy.” We talked a lot about faith, what it is based on. The guys said that my faith is based on the promises of adults, another said my faith is based on my own strength, someone said about the ability to adapt that both now and later it will help me. But we talked about how strong faith is based on trust in God. After all, when we fully trust God, He is able to change circumstances in spite of difficulties. We were talking about Bartimaeus the Blind that evening. We talked about what he had heard about Jesus and believed, and when Jesus passed by, he did not miss the opportunity, he turned to Jesus. Faith is calling out to Jesus even though others are in your way. We noticed that both then and now people sometimes prevent us from believing in God by trying to drown us out. But if we break through the crowd of unbelief and criticism, we will get what we pray for and ask God for. God likes it when we trust Him. One boy said that sometimes it’s so hard to trust God because you want to see, not just believe. Another thanked God that even though he couldn’t see God, he could see how God was responding.

Our next trip was relay races. We decided to just spend some informal time with the guys, playing with them and having fun. It was obvious that they really liked it. We also bought diapers and detergents for school this month. Brothers and sisters, let us pray with you that God will transform the children and educators, so that the changed lives will bring glory to God.

In February, we discussed rather deep and fundamental biblical topics with the guys, and also explained to them how it affects their lives. The first topic of February was about prayer, we divided the children into toddlers and older children and told the topic to each group separately. The kids had a visual story about what prayer is. We also showed and explained by example how we communicate with God. The older children also talked about this topic. The answers and questions of the children showed a response from them, especially from Miroslav, who gave quite deep, informed answers. Later this month, we talked about the fact that God is loving and that He cares about each of us. The children are always willing to answer the speaker’s questions both during the course of the story and after it, which contributes to an interactive atmosphere.

Another topic that was raised in February is faith. Unfortunately, the older children missed it because they were sent to a sanatorium, but despite this, we held it for the children who stayed there. In the most accessible language and using good visualizations, we tried to convey to the children the fundamental truths about what faith is, emphasizing that God Himself and living with Him changes a person’s life and heart. On the last trip in February, there was creativity, the children did a beautiful craft that they really liked. It was another reason to talk and interact with the kids. It is interesting that, according to the idea, everyone had to paste their photo (which we printed out in advance) on the craft, as if they were a passenger in a balloon. But some of the guys wanted to paste not only their own, but also our photos next to their own.

Just like in previous months, we played with the children, and the children still loved this time very much. There were new fun games this month, and the kids enjoyed participating in them. As before, we sang songs with the children that they had already learned and loved very much. Also, on one of our trips, we gave the children a real surprise: we brought delicious homemade pizzas with us and set up a table for them. Of course, the guys really liked it. And anyway, with each trip, the guys were getting better and better disposed towards us.

In addition, I would like to describe a little boy about 5 years old named Kirill. It is clear that he had a difficult past, it is clear that he is an anxious, intimidated child who, despite this, is very attracted to us, and even one day burst into tears when we left. The older guys periodically opened up to us and shared with us their feelings about their parents, we tried to listen to them and support them. Summing up, we can say that the children are really looking forward to meeting us and want to be friends with us. Also, thank God for the opportunity to tell the guys about Him. Our fervent desire is to continue bringing the guys closer to Him.

This month we had not that many trips to the orphanage in Belinichy than usual, as the children were sick, and at the request of the administration we had to pause our visits. On the one hand, this is disappointing but on the other hand, there are some positive aspects to it. For example, the children missed us a lot, and when the visits resumed a little later, they treated those meetings with special care. In such moments, the children always reassess their values, and they begin to cherish the time spent with us even more. Each of the kids joyfully welcomed our team, and each of them wanted to share something special that had happened during that break.

This month we still managed to talk with the kids about what faith without doubts is. I think it is very important to have such conversations with the kids, so they always have hope and don’t fall into despair or gloom in difficult moments of life. They need to remember that everything that seems hard or even impossible for humans is always possible for God! The Bible has many vivid examples of the power of faith and how people received their miracles because, in their struggles they seek help from Jesus Christ and were confident that their healing was found in Him.

A striking example of this is the story of the healing of the blind man or the woman who had suffered from bleeding for 12 years, and all she needed was to touch the hem of Jesus garment to receive her long-awaited miracle. At the next meeting we had sports relays. This is always a special time because during sports the children’s personalities really show, such as their desire to win, their self-esteem and their ability to work as a team. It doesn’t always go perfectly for them, but the guys from our team always try to actively participate in the relays and, at the same time teach the children about unity, patience, and how to support weaker members of the teams.

This time, the teenagers with Down syndrome, whom I especially love, participated with great enthusiasm. What touched me the most was how joyful and grateful they were to be allowed to participate alongside the other children in all the contests, and how hard they worked to bring victories to their teams! I am grateful to God for the opportunity to be with the children in these moments! And over the years I understand more and more what it means to have lived a day meaningfully! Thank God for the open doors to boarding schools and for the administration that is open to us and allows us to come to the Belinichy orphanage!

Our January trips to the Rudensk school began with a Christmas theater production, which our friends, the actors of the Christian theater, were happy to show. The children were captivated by the plot and the bright decorations, and after the performance they were filled with joyful emotions from what they saw. The children, who recently became orphans and came to live in a boarding school, told us that for the first time they learned about the true meaning of Christmas and now they want to learn more about God and will attend our Bible lessons on Wednesdays.

That evening, the children’s eyes shone with joy and hope, hope for a loving and faithful God, about Whom they watched the production. The celebration ended with the distribution of gifts, each of the 140 children received a package or box containing everything necessary for hygiene, warm hats and gloves, school supplies, educational toys and, of course, sweets.
They jumped with happiness and gratitude to God that they were taken care of and now they have everything they dreamed of! Sasha said that now he would have his own purse and he would carry a Bible in it and read anywhere in his free time. Ksyusha was delighted with the big doll that looked so much like her. My team and I were glad to be able to see the emotions of each child and returned home overwhelmed with joy from serving orphaned children.

For our next trips, we prepared biblical themes about Zacchaeus and Jesus, who loves children, and explained their meaning, showing that everyone is important to God and even a bad person can turn to Him. We said that the Lord never rejects us and wants to heal them from rejection by their parents and close relatives. At the end of each meeting, we pray with the children in groups and they share what bother them or how God answers prayers.

I also want to introduce you to Sasha, who comes to us all the time and loves to read the Bible very much.
— I’m Sasha and I’m 15 years old. I don’t have any siblings, and I’ve been living at a boarding school since the first grade. I was taken away because my parents didn’t take care of me, as I was told, they drank a lot and led an immoral lifestyle.
— What do you like to do, do you have any hidden gifts or talents?
— I really like singing and I often perform in front of the school and in front of the guests. I love to sing!
— Sasha, tell me, how do you overcome your failures in life?
— I endure, but when I’m really worried about my defeat, I talk to the caregivers and ask for help to figure it out, because it’s hard to solve my difficulties alone.
— When you have free time, what do you like to do?
— I love reading, and reading the Bible brings me special joy. I like to read the New Testament because it says how Jesus Christ forgave our sins. It makes me very happy.
— What is your goal in life and what do you want to achieve?
— I really want to study well, and therefore I try to spend a lot of time preparing for lessons. I also want to become a singer and they tell me that I have a good voice. I try to perform at all school concerts and it helps to get closer to my dream. If I suddenly fail to become a singer, then I would like to become a massage therapist. I think I have strong hands).
— What are you worried about?
— I’m worried that I don’t have many friends with whom I can talk openly. Lately, I’ve started asking God for friends. Looking to the future, I think it will be difficult for me without friends, but when God answers, it will be easier! I trust Him.
— What important decisions have you made in your life?
— One of the important decisions was to quit smoking, another decision was to forgive my abusers and the guys who often offended me as a child.
— What are you appreciated for in class?
— I think it’s for my openness to help others, especially those who can’t do anything at all.
— You said you read the Bible a lot. What principles of the Bible work in your life?
— I’ve become more obedient, more compassionate, and I’m trying to control my anger.
— What would you like other people to know about you?
— That I am kind, polite and that I am the one who can help in a difficult moment.
— What is your strongest quality?
— I think I’m faithful!
— What surprises you about God?
— That He is All-powerful, kind and merciful.
— If you could turn to God, what would you ask Him for?
— I would ask God to be my protector, so that He would keep me safe in difficult times. I would also ask for good health.

Dear brothers and sisters, I greet you! So the new year has begun, and with it our trips to the Belynichy School. We are glad that God allows you and us to move on to a new stage of life. Thank God. At the beginning of the year, we had the opportunity to visit graduates from the Belynichy boarding school in Bobruisk. When the guys found out that we were coming, they were very happy and prepared for the meeting in advance. We agreed that we would meet with them at the Reconciliation Church. So even before the appointed time, the guys were there two hours before our arrival. We are glad that the guys got to know the pastor of the church and the youth. When we arrived, we brought pizza with us. We listened to the guys, it was interesting to find out what they go through and how they overcome the challenges along the way. We realized that since they are orphans, there are much more difficulties for them to integrate into society. Danik the pastor told the guys, we want you to become a part of our family and a part of the church. It was obvious that the guys were surprised by the pastor’s suggestion. But they agreed anyway, and Andrey said thank you very much for your concern and for your love for us. We haven’t seen much love for us lately, and you’ve given us what we needed. We brought the guys grocery bags with food, as well as everything they needed for cooking. We talked, prayed, and then took the guys to the dorm.

Also on January 11, we came to wish the guys a Merry Christmas. Our friends, the puppet theater, came with us. It was a surprise for the guys, and when they saw the team, they were very happy. When the performance began, the dolls told the story of the birth of Jesus Christ and, in general, why he came into this world. The guys were so immersed in the story that silence and exclamations of emotion sounded during the performance. More than 40% of the children were new ones who had never heard of the Nativity of Christ. Thank God that there was an opportunity to tell an amazing story, as well as to show how the birth of Jesus changes a person’s life.

Another time, when we arrived, we discussed the topic of Zacchaeus. We talked about how a small person became big in the eyes of God. Because of their diagnoses, children have congenital developmental features and sometimes think that they are not good enough for God to pay attention to them. But when we told about Zacchaeus, how he lived and what he did, how he offended and robbed. Zacchaeus is bad, the children said. But God sees both good and bad children. For God, everyone is important. And when, during the story, the guys heard that Jesus had come to his house and had a good conversation with Zacchaeus, our hero decided to change his life. And he said I’ll give it all away if I’ve offended or robbed someone.
The guys said it’s hard to forgive someone who does bad things to them and it’s hard to change quickly. But with God, anything is possible, Sasha said. The story has shown that God sees even in a crowd, and even those who are short, ugly, or act badly. God can forgive us if we ask for forgiveness. Faith in God can change us. Escorting us to the car, the guys recalled different situations that happened to them and when they thought that God did not know and did not see them. Thanks Dima for sharing this story, it helped me to understand that God cares about me.

We had another topic this month when we talked about how Jesus loves children. We have shown by our lesson that Jesus values children and wants them to trust Him as children trust their parents. And that God doesn’t care only about adults, or stars, presidents, or teachers. Everyone is important to God. Coming to Jesus is easy. It’s okay to be curious. Children ask a lot of questions and want to learn. God likes it when we want to know God more. But it may happen just like as the disciples resisted the parents who brought the children to Christ, so sometimes the older guys may not believe in God and try to destroy faith in you. We need to remember that God is waiting for us and he loves children. The guys exclaimed, I am important to God! I say, of course. Dear friends, thank you for your prayers and for your support for us! Pray for the children to have a solid foundation and a breakthrough in their life and faith.

There were some trips to the orphanage in Smilovichi in January. Probably about half of the children were either taken to a foster family, or returned to their own family, or sent to a sanatorium, and we also got to know the new arrivals. Here I had to deal with the fact that an attachment to children grows, and when someone suddenly leaves, to be honest, the first time I cried. There was a boy about 4 years old who practically settled in my arms. He chose me once, and since then he has taken a piece of my heart forever. Somehow, miraculously, I managed to calm him down. The baby began to constantly show tenderness and love towards me. And recently he was taken into foster care, I had to convince myself that it was better for him and I should be happy about it. I understand that this is our ministry: first, to give the maximum to the children, and then to let them go and remember them in prayers, to entrust their future fate to God. And of course, giving is much easier than the rest.

In January, one significant event happened for me personally: I had a birthday, and the idea came up to celebrate it with the children. It just coincided with the day of the trip. I made a cake, bought candles and took it all to Smilovichi. Unfortunately, there were only 5 children, but they were so happy! It turned out to be no less valuable to them than it was to me. They congratulated me, hugged me, kissed me – they just bathed me in love, and there was a family atmosphere. We laughed a lot, and the cherry on the cake was blowing out the candles, which every child participated in. I guess now the rest of the guys from our team will also want such a holiday.

Recently, I had a chance to teach kids about how much the Lord loves children and wants all people to be like them, to tell them what it means. I liked that even the youngest ones know that every person is equally important to God: regardless of status, age, skin color, profession, etc. But the fact that He always loves us, even if we act badly, we have to constantly remind them – they forget: it is difficult for a child to believe in unconditional love, and they think they have to earn it.

Every visit, my team and I try to ask questions about previous topics to make sure that the material is fixed, and, of course, the elders remember it better. For this, special thanks go to Dmitry, who knows how to convey to children in a way that probably no one else of us can yet. I notice that the guys already have confidence in us, they are always very happy to welcome us. From my observations, they look for some kind of approval from us: they brag about things, grades, and some of their achievements. This is pleasant and means that they can listen to our advice, read the Bible, pray, etc.
Among the new arrivals there is a 5-year-old Roma, who is superactive and practically restless. How loving he is, the phrase “Nadia, I love you” spreads warmth all over me. The Lord gives us so much through these children!

Wednesday is a special day because we visit children at the Rudensk boarding school. We noticed that with each meeting the number of children who come to us increases, and their eyes shine with God’s love and joy from communion with the Heavenly Father. Our team of volunteers has increased and we try to listen to each child, give wise advice, pray and just be friends and mentors – to be a family!

I would like to share Nazar’s story with you, with his permission.
— Hi, my name is Nazar and I am 15 years old. I don’t have any brothers or sisters, only my dad, and my mom died recently.
— What do you like to do in your free time?
– I go to the gym with the guys, and after training we play ping-pong.
— What would you like to learn?
– Learn to ride a bike.
— What is your favorite lesson at school?
– I like literature, drawing, and I also like to read.
— What do you dream about?
– I want to go to Minsk, and I also dream of going to the Church to see how it looks from the inside.
— How do you feel about your failures and victories?
– I get upset because of the failures, I was drawing recently and the drawing didn’t quite work out, then I was upset, but the teacher came up to me and suggested how to fix it, and I succeeded. I was very happy, and my inner self-confidence increased, and before that, my first thoughts were that I was a loser.
— What important decisions have you made recently?
– I have decided to be more hardworking and responsible. I try to be open and help other children and teachers. But before I tried my best to avoid work.
— Why do your friends love and appreciate you?
– For my help, which I provide to children who do not study well.
— What would you like people to know about you?
– That I am kind, friendly and love God.
— What brings you joy?
– My friend Sveta and other friends. They amuse me and can always listen to me. And when the team arrives, because you are always cheerful and have such a warm and joyful time with us.
— What surprises you about God?
– His ability to rescue even when people can’t help, God always helps. He is able to help people in different places of the planet.
— If you could see God now, what would you ask Him?
– So that he would give me the ability not to sin, because I am offended and I can offend in return, so that in difficult moments He would strengthen my faith and help me through difficulties.
— How does the arrival of the team affect you?
– When you come, I receive older sisters and brothers with whom I can be safe and with whom it’s always interesting to be. I learn a lot of new things, and my faith in God grows. I believe that you are not accidental in my life, and I hope that when I get out of boarding school, I will be able to continue my friendship with you, and maybe go with you to other children’s boarding schools.

This month we talked about Jesus, about His life on earth and about His love for people, manifested in miracles of healing, resurrection, multiplication of food and many others. The children became very animated and asked us to pray that Jesus would show his love and miracles in their lives as well. We inspired them to read the Bible, because the word of God strengthens our faith and helps us to trust God in all circumstances. The final theme of the month was the story of the Savior’s Birth, and we were able to teach the children about the true meaning of Christmas and God’s Majestic plan for the salvation of all people and the forgiveness of our sins. Immediately after the topic, we prayed in groups and the children talked about what was bothering them or what bad habits they couldn’t get rid of, and then asked God to change them and make them look like Jesus Christ!

Greetings, dear brothers and sisters. The year has come to an end and I want to thank God for His mercy and grace. This month we had the opportunity to visit orphaned children in Belynichi. December is a favorite month for children, not only because of the winter break, but because they celebrate Christmas and New Year. In this last month of the year, we talked with the guys about the following topics: “The Miracles of Jesus” – with this lesson we wanted to show the Divinity of Jesus Christ to the guys. I was pleasantly surprised that many of the guys, especially those who had just recently arrived, knew about the miracles of Jesus. When we asked what kind of miracle would you like God to create, the answers were different. The guys were talking all over each other, one would ask for his health, another asked Jesus to heal his memory, which would help him with my studies, someone asked for his parents to be fine. Such questions especially create an atmosphere and bring joy to discussions. Another time, when we arrived, we discussed the parable of “The Rich Man and Lazarus.” We talked about the decisions we make here, being on this earth, and how it can affect our future and eternal. It’s nice to see that the guys read and get answers in the Word of God. We looked at the rich man in the parable, and then we looked at Lazarus. The guys said that they understood that it is important in their successes not to be arrogant but to thank God for everything they have.

The following Thursday, graduate Tolya called me. Tolya graduated from the Belynichi boarding school 2 years ago. He said: ‘Dima, can I go to boarding school with you, I want to see the guys?’. I said ‘Tolya, of course, let’s go’. Tolya studied construction and when he was looking for a job, he remembered the believers and turned to us for help. They didn’t really want to hire orphans. And so we found out where we could go to get a job. The job itself was in Minsk, Tolya arrived at the appointed time and when he came to the HR department to get a job, he was met very badly there. Tolya was informed that he would not be hired and generally they wanted to send him away.

Tolya left the office, stood praying and believed that they would suddenly change their minds and still take him. He stood at the door for more than two hours, waiting for the decision to change and still hire him. And then an older man came up and said, why are you standing here for so many hours? Tolya said I’m an orphan, I’ve studied and graduated, but no one takes me to work, so I’m standing here thinking and praying that they’ll suddenly change their minds and hire me anyway. The man entered the HR department and after a couple of minutes Tolya was invited into the office and hired. It turned out that the older man was the director of the construction department, and God opened his heart to Tolya. As a result, Tolya has been working at a construction site in Minsk for more than a year, and he is doing well. On the day that Tolya was hired, he also received a place in the hostel, as well as money for food. Thank God that He arranged everything this way. Tolya said ‘I also want to speak in front of the guys and say that I have a rule of three “NNN” translates like this. Nothing Is Impossible. (in russian all three words start with letter N). With God, everything we can overcome. When we arrived at the boarding school, we held a meeting with the guys, where Tolya spoke, and then we talked a lot about the Nativity of Jesus Christ. We were talking about God, who saw how the whole of humanity was just sliding downhill and there were so many sins that God needed to send Jesus to help people solve the problem of sin. And now God wants us to be reconciled to God through faith in Jesus Christ and put all our worries as well as all our sins, on Him. Only Jesus can solve the problem of sin and rebellion, and also solve the problems in life. The children notably opened up and asked God to be their friend, and also asked God to forgive them for their sins. Dear brothers and sisters, thank you so much for being with us this year, thank God that another year has been blessed in the field of God. May God bless you in the new year and help you every day!

December was no less intense for Smilovichi than the previous months. There were still many children, although there were some changes: in mid-December, a little girl named Zhenya was taken away, and two brothers, Tim and Dima, went to foster care. But despite the fact that some of the children have left, new children have appeared. For example, one of them is a 5-year-old boy named Roma. Unlike many other children who needed to get used to us at first, he actively interacted with us on the very first day of acquaintance, played with us, hugged and kissed us. In terms of discipline, compared to other children, it was not easy with him, because he wanted a lot of attention to himself, but at such moments you realize that he behaves this way not because of evil, but because of a lack of parental love. This month was special with an unusual program. At one of the meetings, we held a master class: children made toys for the Christmas tree out of salt dough. Surprisingly, all the children were involved in the process: both toddlers, who were happily decorating toys, and older children, including teenage boys. The children even managed to try making salt dough themselves, and they were very happy to learn something new.

And the last meeting in December was very special: a real celebration was arranged for the guys with an appropriate atmosphere and treats, where everyone could blow out the candles on the cake. And the main highlight of the evening was that each child was given a large gift box in honor of Christmas. The guys felt incredible emotions from what happened to them. It was obvious to the naked eye that everything that happened to them was something completely incredible for them. In addition to these kinds of meetings, we also continued to tell the guys the truths from the Bible. A separate lesson was devoted to the topic of Christmas, where we told the story of the birth of Jesus, who He was and why He was born.

The guys tried to listen and answered our questions. There were some parables this month: this time it was the parable of the rich and poor Lazarus. It was nice to see how some of the guys tried to reason and express their options about what this parable teaches. We tried to figure it out with them, involving them in this process, what it might mean to them. In the context of the parable we once again repeated the essence of the Gospel. It’s great that they remember, sometimes with our hints, the things that we told them before, and we, in turn, try to repeat the main points. We also try to provide interesting and understandable activities for younger kids. At that time, it was the miracles of Jesus. We want the kids to understand that Jesus is not someone far away for them, but that He loves them and that He is with them.

As before, our meetings are not complete without games and songs. They’ve been really enjoying the games lately. We started separating the older kids and the toddlers, which the older kids are very happy about. This allowed us to get even closer to them. In terms of songs, we also don’t stand still: in December, we sang new songs with the guys, which they really liked. And what is especially noteworthy is that teenage boys who had not previously participated in this, but were just sitting on chairs, began to actively sing. As you can see, December turned out to be very bright and very intense, thank God for this period of time and for the opportunities for service that He provides.

Greetings, dear brothers and sisters. We are grateful to God that during November we were able to attend the Rudensk boarding school. We noticed that more children started to come to our meetings, often we can see new faces, which means that we have new acquaintances. We are glad that we have a new meeting place – a sports hall, I am very glad that everyone can come to our meetings and there is enough place for all the guys. It’s nice to see how the guys bring their friends and how they talk: – Come on, it’s interesting and fun there.

Also this month I had an interesting conversation with Sergey. He moved from another boarding school to Rudensk. Sergey told me a little about himself.
— I have three sisters and a brother.
— What are your interests?
– I really like swimming, and I am glad that the Rudensk boarding school, to which I was recently brought, has a swimming pool.
— What else would you like to learn?
– I would like to learn how to play tennis and also ride a bike.
— Sergey, what do you like to do in your free time?
– I really like to read, because reading calms me down.
— What are your favorite subjects at school?
– I really like the subject of labor training, because I like to work with my own hands.
— Do you have a dream?
– Yes, I would like to get a license and be able to drive a car.
— How long have you been at boarding school?
— I have been in a boarding school since I was a child.
— What was the most important decision you made at school?
– The main decision was to quit smoking and swear.
— What would you like people to know about you?
– That I am responsible and I like to help people, especially children. I am also a good and loyal friend, very devoted to my friends.
— What brings you joy in life?
– Alyona, who is coming with you, she brings me joy. She talks to me a lot and makes me laugh. And also it brings me joy when I eat ice cream.
— Sergey, what surprises you about God?
– That He is a defender, He is faithful and always answers my prayers. Through the meetings with the guys, I learn different news, and I can also understand how God loves me, and it also seems to me that I am becoming smarter and more responsible.

Also this month we talked about the “Good Samaritan”, about the importance of helping those who need it so much. Because of our low self-esteem, we often expect someone else to do it and we stand aside. But this story has shown the importance of timely assistance to those who are nearby. It’s always more valuable.

Also this month we talked about the “Ten Virgins”, talked about the importance of preparing for significant events. But most importantly, we must prepare to meet God. Christmas is coming soon, it’s important to think about what this holiday means to me? Who is my Savior? Another time, when we arrived, we talked about talents and took the Biblical story “About Talents” as a basis. God loves people so much that He blessed each person with special talents and many guys shouted out what they could do. And we talked about the importance of developing these talents for the benefit of people.

Thank God that God opens especially the hearts of children, that after meetings, new guys ask for the Bible so that they can read stories with us and get to know God. The last theme of the month was “Wise Builder”. A wise builder chooses the right foundation for construction. We also have to build our lives and look for friends who will help us make the right decisions. The wise builder from the Bible did not have a house collapse because it was on the right foundation. We also need to build our lives so that God is our foundation and support, then everything will be fine for us, despite the difficulties. Dear friends, thank you very much for your prayers and for your support, may God bless you in all your ways!

The year keeps rolling full steam ahead, filled with vibrant trips to visit the kids in Belynichi.

November has already come to an end – how time flies! This month stood out, first, because November 10 marked the World Day of Prayer for Orphans. On this day, countless churches around the globe lifted their prayers to God: for children living in orphanages, for the teams ministering to them, and for families who open their hearts and homes to orphans. This beautiful unity in prayer reminded us once again that God is at work, opening hearts to kindness and love.

During one of our meetings, we reflected on the parable of the lost sheep. Bogdan, playing the role of the shepherd, threw himself into the part with such sincerity and emotion that the story truly came to life before our eyes. He searched for the sheep all over the room, and his enthusiasm was contagious. Bogdan has become one of those kids who doesn’t just take part actively but also asks deep questions that sometimes make even the adults stop and think. His thoughts and genuine heart are a clear reminder that God reveals His truth even through the hearts of children.

This month was also filled with lessons on forgiveness and kindness toward one another. At our last meeting, we prayed in small groups, and afterward, I asked the kids: «Should we ask God for forgiveness?» The children paused to think and then answered in unison: «Yes, for our wrong actions». The next question sparked even more interest: «How should we ask for forgiveness?». Matvey, almost immediately, responded: «We can pray and ask for forgiveness.»
But what touched everyone’s heart most was Nastya’s suggestion. Holding my hand and looking into my eyes, she said loudly «Let’s kneel when we pray!». Her words lit a spark in everyone. In the blink of an eye, we were all on our knees, standing in a circle. That day, every child wanted to pray to thank God for everything and to ask for forgiveness. It was a deeply moving and heartfelt moment, as the children’s voices filled the room with warmth and God’s grace.

This month was yet another testament to how God works in the hearts of children. He teaches them kindness, forgiveness, and sincere faith. Even in the simplest moments – whether through the role of a shepherd or a child’s prayer – His power shines through, transforming hearts and filling them with love. This month has shown us that we’re not just teaching the children – they’re teaching us, too. Through their trust, openness, and desire to seek God, we see His hand at work, inspiring us to continue this ministry with even greater dedication and love.

Greetings, dear reader, as well as friends, brothers and sisters! We are glad that we can serve our God by spreading His kingdom on earth!

In November, we actively visited the Smilovichi orphanage, which houses thirteen children. I still can’t get used to the fact that the guys we saw just six months ago are back at the shelter. When we arrived and the guys came out to meet us, the joy was mixed with sadness. We were glad to see the children, but we were disappointed that they were here again. The guys eagerly told about how they were at home, how they took care of their pets, and also that some of the guys learned to swim. We noticed that they embellished some of the facts, as if they wanted to see that their parents were not so weak, although they did not always manage to overcome their addictions.

So, in November, we held some interesting topics for the guys. The first topic was “Don’t oversleep an important moment in your life.” The theme was born from the story of the ten virgins from the Gospel. We talked about the importance of preparing for important events, that it is important to prepare for matinees, to be ready, beautifully dressed, washed. After all, the Biblical story showed that there were 5 wise and 5 stupid girls. The wise prepared and were always ready, while the stupid, on the contrary, neglected to prepare and did not think what they needed. Communicating with the teachers, we realized that the guys had problems with the preparation, and thank God later we received feedback that the situation changed and everything became better. We must also prepare for the coming of God, this is one of the important points.

At the next meeting, we did crafts. Natasha showed an example of the fish that we made afterwards. I like this time, because at such moments the guys talk about what is happening at school or kindergarten. And so during the meeting, Dima and Tim told that they would soon be taken to a foster family. They are very happy that they will be able to leave the shelter and that they will have their own room and their own toys. When I asked if they wanted to go home, the guys said no, because it was bad at home. Also, each of the little children looked at us, called us to spend time with him. Everyone dreams of Mom and Dad. That’s why they sometimes try to climb on our hands or ask to be thrown into the air on our hands. And at such moments they laugh so contagiously.

The next topic was the parable of the talents. We talked about the importance of not burying your talents, but developing them. We said that God gave everyone something of his own. Alice said that she likes to sing and immediately Zhenya screams and I love to sing. It turns out that everyone in our shelter has different talents and the guys just vied with each other to shout out what they like and what they can do good.

When we arrived on the last Tuesday in November, we were talking about a wise builder who built his house on stone. This story explains the important of the choice of foundation – what we are building on. And we talked about how they can rely on God even when all the people around them don’t understand it. God is the only right foundation, and when we trust Him and when we ask, He comes to our aid. Dear friends, thank you very much for your prayers and your support for serving orphaned children in Belarus. Let’s pray that Dima, Tima and Darina are safely settled in a foster family. God bless you.

Hello, dear readers! Thank God for another opportunity to go to the orphanage in Belinichy in October. IMG_0672At the end of SeptemberI went to Belinichy orphanage for the first time. I was very happy to meet and get to know these children. They welcomed me very warmly and we were able to become friends with them right away and I am very grateful to God for this, because I understood that if I could have a close relationship with the children, then it would be much easier to spread the Gospel tothem, and so it happened! The children listen attentively in class and even when some of them make noise, the children still remember the stories and conclusions from the stories and answer questions well at the end of the lesson.

Every Thursday, when we come to Belinichy the children greet us with love, hug us, say that they were really looking forward to seeing us when we arrive, we really appreciate it! After that we divide them into groups as before. The children are dividedinto 2 groups: older children and younger ones. At the beginning of our meeting we always pray with them that God blesses our meeting, after that we sing a few songs and play games with them. After the games the children sit down comfortably and we tell them a Bible lesson. The topics of the Bible lessons in the 2 groups are the same, but it is very good that there is an opportunity to divide the children, because the same Bible story or topic can be told to different ages in different ways so that it is more understandable, for example, with older children you can touch on deeper life themes based on the Bible lesson, while the younger ones understand perfectly well if there is some electronic material, for example, a presentation or colorfulpictures.

In October I was mostly with the younger children, we were able to get to know each other well and communicate. About 20 younger children come to each meeting, thank God for that! This month almost all the lessons were about the parables that Jesus told. For example, “The Parable of the Sower.” It is very important for the younger children to speak in simple words during the lesson, because the parables have a deep meaning, it is important that the younger children also understand it. The main idea of ​​this topic is that if we have a soft heart and not a hard or stony one, like other types of soil, then this helps to remain in our hearts what we hear in our Bible lessons: to believe in Jesus Christ, to try to do well, to be kind, obedient, to help others, not to swear and so on.

Another parable we looked at was “The Parable of the Unmerciful Creditor”. That day, when I was in the group with older children, the guys and I were all sitting on the carpet and listening to the lesson that Vasya was telling us, there was a very friendly and informal atmosphere at this lesson. The children heard a story about a man who owed an incredible amount of money, and his debt was forgiven, but after a while the same man owed ten times less, he did not forgive the debt. The main idea of ​​this parable is that sometimes we cannot forgive a smalloffense from another person, while he forgives us many of our bad deeds, so we must always be forgiving and lenient to others.

I am very grateful that I was able to communicate with some of the children in person, I am very sorry to hear their stories from life, when a small child comes to you and says that one of his close relatives (one of the parents) died recently, it is very painful to hear. However, I am glad that many of those children periodically go home, during the week or on weekends. And at this time they can be with their parents or grandparents and other brothers and sisters. Praise God for this peaceful time to spread the Gospel. Blessings to you!

I’ve just recently started visiting the kids in Rudensk, and thanks to the summer camp most of them know me. And with the guys, which I was the leader of in the summer camp, I even have great relationships. Sure, they are always glad to meet us, to tell us about themselves, to ask how we’ve been doing. Interestingly, they always notice every change, every detail in one’s appearance. That surprised me at first. Later on I got used to it. There is a girl, when meeting always hugs me and says: ‘ My dear Nadya, I’m so glad to see you! I love you so much!’ It’s worth a lot.Now we tell them Jesus’ parables. I like that most of His stories teach us about God’s nature, His Love, His character. By these parables we try to reach children’s hearts, to explain, that even though something wrong may happen in our lives, we always have our loving Father near us. Way more near than we think.

Almost each meeting at least one kid tells me about his or her bad dreams, and we always pray for them together. So that the kids know, that if they are afraid of something – turn to the Christ- He will protect you. I always teach them, that God will always remove our fears, we should only ask Him. Hi will never leave us. I’m sure, they will keep these words in hearts. One girl told me that after our conversations even her sleep is getting better. I understand that it’s not because of me. I don’t know how it works, but I believe, that Holy Spirit does His work among them even after we leave. My goal in this meetings is to share what I have in abundance, my Love. God is Love. I believe that even though God is everywhere, sharing our Love we in a way introduce the guys to the Holy Spirit. He shows them His character. It delights me.

I remember that many kids were hooked on the topic of forgiveness. When asked if God forgives criminals, most answered that no – it is not easy for them to accept that God is forgiving. That time, no one shared their story of unforgiveness with me. But earlier in the camp, one girl had told me how she had been offended by her entire family, who abandoned her. I think such stories are common. On the last trip, one girl of about 10 years old cried so bitterly that everyone left her, no one calls or visits her. It’s very difficult to find a proper word in such situation . There is nothing much to say. I’m not sure that at that moment she took my words, which sounded something like this: «Angelina, I can’t imagine how much it hurts you and I can’t explain why this is happening in your life. But I want you to hear me now. Even when your family is somewhere far away, not near you, no matter for what reason, you always have Jesus. He knows how to wipe away your tears, He knows how to comfort you. He loves you very much and doesn’t want you to cry.” I hugged her and added, “He hugs you like that. When you’re in pain, tell Jesus about it.” She nodded.

Apart from spiritual food, of course we do not leave children without entertainment. I noticed that most of all they like outdoor games, where they can run, jump and shout. Something intellectual holds the attention of only a few and quickly tires them out. The same thing with songs: they get bored with more melodic ones, but sing fun songs with pleasure and movements. Their favorites are when interacting with other people like “Wave your hand to everyone” – this is how they especially like to communicate with us. And in conclusion, I would like to say that children’s prayers touch your heart – the most sincere and natural: “Lord, help me to be good,” “Excuse me for saying bad words,” and so on. The tradition of praying in circles at the end of a meeting (when each child goes to the adult he wants to) is my favorite. This is how we develop in them a habit of common prayer for each other. And we see the fruits of it.

In October, there were still quite a few children. Compared to September, you can feel that they have already gotten used to us and consider us “their own.”For example, a girl named Varya joyfully hugs me every time the children greet us, and a girl named Alice said goodbye in a way that made it clear she is already looking forward to our next visit. The little ones eagerly come to us for hugs. During one of our visits, a girl named Kira, who is 5 years old, tightly hugged me as soon as we arrived and didn’t want to let go, not allowing me to greet or hug the other children. There are kids whose parents visit them periodically, and there are those who are hardly visited at all. At times, they have shared that what they want most is to return to their families. But during the time they are there, we try to make the most of it, helping them understand the Gospel more and more, as well as who God is, what He is like, and how this relates to their lives.

This month was dedicated to the parables of Jesus, including the parable of the wedding feast, the parable of the good shepherd, and the parable of the tax collector and the Pharisee. We dedicated our first meeting in October to studying what the Bible is, why this book is so special, and why it is the most important for us among many other books. While discussing the topic, we strive to explain it as clearly as possible, also using visual aids. For instance, while studying the parable of the wedding feast, we acted out the parable with the older children as we told the story.

During the sessions, the children periodically ask questions related to God and faith. Prayer holds a special place in our visits, and we also set aside time for it, including showing the children that they can pray on their own without anyone’s help. The older children even tried praying out loud, and they did so quite willingly. Besides the educational part, we sing Christian songs with movements that they have already grown to love at each meeting, and we also play fun games with them to help establish a connection and create a friendly atmosphere. We hope to further build friendships with the kids and continue to help them come to know God.

This year, September was sunny and warm just like in summer. Usually, in such weather, children spend most of their time outside and they have a choice between coming to our meetings and rushing outside and spending time there. We tried to organize our meetings so that we could communicate with children who did come and with those who ran away outside. We spent the very first trip of this month completely outside. Our team was divided into several groups, in which we communicated with the guys on topics of interest to them, found out how they spent their summer, what good things happened in their lives, and also learned their prayer needs, for which we then prayed with them. And also, each person from our team shared their testimony from life, telling how Jesus can help us.

At one of the meetings, we organized sports relay races for the guys. I like this time because we have the opportunity to learn more about the character of children, see how well or poorly they get along with each other, how they are able to accept victories and defeats, as well as how they are able to work in a team and support players who may be weaker due to their physical limitations. We were there with the guys to guide, correct and support them in critical situations.

In the following meetings, we talked about why Jesus helps people, and also that He is ready to accept them as who they are. We also discussed why Jesus went to the cross. Next, we started a series of topics on Bible stories from the New Testament. The children especially remembered the “story of the prodigal son”. It was difficult for them to understand and accept that the father forgave the prodigal son without any reproaches, let him back into his house, fed him and gave him all the best. But God does the same thing – forgives and accepts everyone who opens their heart to Him! At the end of the meeting, a girl, Polina, came up to us and said that she really wanted a Bible for herself. At such moments, I realize that each of us, no matter if you are an adult or a child, still needs God’s word. We know that there is a Bible in the school library, but for children who ask for it personally, we always try to bring a separate book for them personally.

During our ministry to orphans, we have become convinced that children who read the Bible not only know the biblical story well, but God also heals their minds and hearts, making them able to accept and accommodate the truth. A lot of these guys, after graduating from school, when they come to new cities to work or study, find a church for themselves and stay there. For me, this is joy of victory of God in the lives of the orphaned children we serve!

A new school year has begun as well as a new season of our ministry to orphans. In the last days of August we managed to meet with the new graduates of the Belynichy orphanage, that were spending their last days at the school. An adult and independent life awaits these children ahead, life that is very difficult to adapt to. That is why we decided to make a warm friendly meeting for them, where we tried to listen to each of them and just hug them. During this meeting we could remind them of God, to whom they can come at any time and in any circumstances.
We also prayed for them with a prayer of blessing. Then we started visiting younger children who are still in orphanage.

At the beginning of the month for these children we made sport games. During such games characters and personalities of children are often revealed as well as their ability to work in a team, support each other and ability to accept both victories and defeats! At such moments possible difficulties in dealing with this children are especially noticeable. At the same day for younger kids we made chalk painting activity. This is also a good opportunity to see their feelings and fears of by their drawings, see their dreams and ideas about life. Meanwhile other people from our team were with children who could not participate in sport games and chalk painting due to their mental and physical disabilities. Instead of these activities children got hugs and attention.

During following meetings of the month Bible lessons were held. This month we talked with the guys about the personality of Jesus Christ, why He helps people, why He wants to take care of them and how much He loves people. Then we continued the series of Bible stories from the New Testament. Guys were especially impressed by the story of ” the Prodigal Son”.

This year a teenage boy named Roma started coming to our meetings with his friend. Before both of them avoided our meetings and instead were playing football, watching cartoons and sometimes were making fun of other guys who come to our meeting regularly. Roma is a leader among older children and therefore he was often the one who would takesome of the children away from our meetings, influencing them in a bad way.
But now we see how God answers our prayers and disposes children’s hearts to hear and perceive God’s word! Thank God! During one of our meetings I saw how one of Roma’s friend began to try in every possible way to take him out of our meeting, constantly saying all sorts of teasing words over and over again: “Are you seriously going to sit here and listen to this odd lecture?”. But Roma firmly stopped him with the words: “If you want go away then do it! But I’m staying!” As a result, both teenagers stayed at the meeting. Moreover Roma became the winner in answering the questions that Ilya asked at the end of the Bible lesson! Meanwhile I was touched by the situation and admired how God makes possible what sometimes seems unreal to us!

The second special moment for me was meeting with Yarik. I’ve told you about him before. He has Down’s Syndrome and he mostly communicates using certain sounds or syllables. Previously he was quite aggressive and in a fit of rage he could clearly pronounce cuss words. But now we see how much God is changing him and we noticed that he became much calmer and began to pronounce a lot of clear words, especially the names of the guys from our team. It feels like not only our team is very glad about it, but Yarik himsel. Sometimes he even manages to say someone’s name several times in a row. It’s funny and at the same time cute! Besides he tries to be the loudest singer during our worship moments, which is also very cute to see and creates an atmosphere of gratitude to the Heavenly Father for His great love for these children!

Hello! I want to tell you about my trips to Smilovichi in September.
About 12 children were admitted to the shelter. Moreover, half of them are from 3 to 5 years old.Therefore, during this period we had to adapt and think about how to divide lessons and games for seniors and juniors so that they would be interested. Of course, we decided to divide the lessons, but for now we are doing the games together. Of course, it’s not easy with kids, but with God’s help we can handle it. It’s much easier to work with older guys from 7 to 14 years old. If the lesson with the elders goes on as usual, we told them about who Jesus is, about what the Bible is, and then followed the parables of Jesus. You can’t tell the same to junior kids that easily. I think it’s hard to attract, but they also all run away and constantly offend each other, there are usually about 7 of them. But God gives wisdom and we try to sing songs with them with movements about God and Christ, play games along the way, exhorting them not to offend each other and try to obey the elders and take with us a special cloth with pictures and figures from the Bible to show and explain the essence of the lesson on it.

From the little ones, everyone is different, someone like Dima and Zhenya and Darina Jr. sit quietly and are obedient and even remember, and when you come again, they sometimes remember what the main truth was last time. Some of the little ones are constantly playing pranks and not listening, for example Timofey, Sasha and Kira.
But we admonish them, and it even happened that Sasha and Kira were taken to the orphanage teacher because they completely violated discipline and disrupted the lesson. But the next time they behaved much better, apparently this kind of punishment affected them and it made it easier for all of us.

The kids are very much climbing into our arms and hugging – this is a special blessing from the trip when you can just hug them all and tell them that Jesus loves them and we are here to tell you about Him and make friends with you.
We hug the older ones too, but not so much and often, after all, they have already grown up and are no longer children, but they are more obedient and calm for lessons, although they often get distracted at first, but thank God they have already got used to us, made friends with us and listen to us. I was very filled with how we read the parable about the lost sheep in the Bible with them. After we read every line together and I explained everything to them in order what it all means and how it relates to us, they began to ask me a variety of questions: is my grandfather also resurrected? And those who are in heaven, will they see those who are in hell? And when will there be a resurrection from the dead? And when will Christ come? And everything like that,unfortunately, I no longer remember all the questions exactly, but I remember how on their faces it was clear that they were thinking and reasoning and it was kind of serious, and I was so happy for them that they took the words of the Bible seriously and that they apparently believed that Christ was really true and He really You’ll be back soon. And also that He loves us and weneed to come to terms with him.

We prayed then both before and after lessons, in principle, as always, we pray for our visit first in the car before going to the shelter, at the beginning before the games, at the beginning before the lesson and at the end after the lesson. I am grateful to God that there is such an opportunity to visit children and tell them about Christ.

In June the same children were at the orphanage: Timofey, Darina and Dima, but unfortunately Dima was still in the hospital, so we spent time with Darina and Timofey. On the one of our last meetings, we told them the biblical story of how Jesus healed a sick man who was lowered through a roof. The guys listened carefully and actively answered questions. Unfortunately, it is very clear that their parents did not work with them much, although the children are very intelligent. They also have very little idea about God, but they listen with interest when we tell them about Him. Therefore, I would really like to continue to visit them so that they learn who is God, what He is like and how this relates to their lives. Last time we met, we drew with chalk crayons on the street, which helped us communicate with them even more. Children treat us completely differently than they did on the first day we met, they are much more disposed towards us. For example, Tima smiled very sweetly at us and actively hugged us when we said goodbye. Let’s hope that we will continue to be able to build relationships with the guys.

This year has been busy with trips to the orphanage. There were always children there, and our team actively visited them. This year there were children of different ages: from two years old to teenagers. There were children who were taken from their family and towards the end of the year they were returned back to their family, there was a teenager who was taken from a family-type orphanage and who had been in a colony before the orphanage, there was a girl who had been in the orphanage for a long time and who was taken to family-type orphanage. During this time we told them Bible stories, parables of Jesus, talked to them about the qualities of God, raised various practical topics and we wanted the guys to get to know Christ through all this. The children were not from Christian families and before meeting us they had a very weak idea of ​​God, but they listened carefully to what we told them and remembered surprisingly well.
It was very clear how the guys understood biblical truths better and better after each meeting. In addition, our meetings were accompanied by games, songs, and communication with the guys, which helped us to create a friendly atmosphere. The children had holidays for Christmas and Easter along with wonderful gifts. It was clear that the guys were friendly to the team and were looking forward to meeting us, and besides, they talked about it themselves more than once. Thank God that He gave these wonderful guys the opportunity to serve. It was truly a special time.

For many years, my team and I have been looking for opportunities to hold a summer camp for orphans from the Rudensk school, where we have been coming on Wednesdays since 2008, but each time we were refused. We did not give up, held camps for other children from other schools, believed that God could open this door, prayed constantly and a miracle happened! We were given permission to conduct a 10-day camp on the school grounds for 146 children. Praise God for the opportunity to share his love and truth through Bible lessons, joy through games and creativity, new skills through communication and learning!

Our camp was called “The Secret Inside,” and every day we revealed a new facet of the beauty of our inner man according to God’s plan, and not the depravity and destruction of this world. We chose this topic not by chance; when we arrived on Wednesdays and talked with the children, we noticed that they completely devalued themselves and believed in lies that resulted from mistreatment and rejection by parents and close relatives. In recent years, we have seen that children need adult mentors who will help them gain the necessary experience that will help them in life. We chose the most relevant topics in which we saw that children have big problems, especially after graduating from school.

We divided the children into two large groups: children from 6 to 12 years old and from 13 to 17 years old. All the children were very open to actively discussing topics and participating in our meetings. I would like to note that thanks to these meetings, the children began to cope with low self-esteem, criticism, guilt, envy and unforgiveness.

Examples of lesson topics: a heart that is wise, a heart that is obedient, a heart that is grateful, a heart that is forgiving, a heart that is faithful, a heart that is loving. During the lesson about obedience, there were a lot of questions from the children, and from their reaction it was clear that they really wanted and tried to be obedient, but the internal pain from the traumas they had experienced was preventing them.

Vladik (he is 10 years old) said that his parents often offended and punished him just like that, for no reason, and then abandoned him forever, sending him to a boarding school. His question to God was: is it his fault that he was abandoned? For what actions does God punish people? And how to become obedient? We said that he was not to blame for his parents’ lifestyle. And that parent’s hearts and lifestyle were destroyed by sin. We talked about the qualities of God, His mercy and justice, and that His love never fails. After the lesson, Vlad wanted to pray and ask for forgiveness from God. And he also decided to forgive his parents.

During the camp, we saw changes in the children’s behavior towards each other and their teachers. They began to react more calmly, support those who were weaker, ask for forgiveness if they were wrong or called names, in general the atmosphere in the camp became more friendly. On the day of gratitude, we gave an example of the healing of 10 lepers and the children from the third grade said that they would pray for the healing of Ksyusha, because she does not speak, but only nods her head and has difficulty pronouncing even her name. Together with them, we asked Jesus to heal her and take away her fear. Next day, when we were making crafts with our own hands and the adults were helping, Christina from the team decided to help Ksyusha and began asking questions about the craft and what she wanted to do and in what color. Suddenly Ksyusha spoke up and began to list all the colors and was even surprised herself, from what he said. Children from her class began to jump, scream with joy and thank God for the miracle. We are all very grateful to God for Ksyusha’s healing!!!

There were also many interesting games and clubs in our camp, where children learned to work together to win as a class and have a good time. At first, they humiliated those who were weaker or could not cope with the task, but we, on the contrary, encouraged and helped, taught them to be friendly and value each participant. After each game, we made conclusions and explained that we all have different abilities, talents, and that we even think differently, but only by supporting and respecting each other can we achieve our goals and be winners. The children said that we taught them to play very interesting games and gave them many bright moments in life and, of course, they were happy with the gifts they received for their participation!

During creativity classes, Natasha prepared crafts in such a way that everyone could try themselves in drawing, modeling, weaving, and creating their own toys. This develops creative thinking and hand motor skills in children and teaches perseverance and accuracy. All the children enthusiastically went to work and rejoiced at what they did with their own hands.

The school administration included one hour of daily work in the garden in the camp schedule. We also decided to take part in this work and be an example for the children. Our help in such boring hard work became a great testimony for educators and each child. Working together, we were able to communicate with children on various topics and show that work is an important part of our lives and after graduating from school they can choose the profession of a vegetable grower or farmer.

The most important part of each day was the evening meetings in the assembly hall, where we sang songs with a biblical meaning. And at such moments the children’s faces glowed with love and they calmed down in the atmosphere of God’s presence. One evening, after Vlad’s topic about how we are all very dear to God and He will never leave us, teenager Kirill said: I think God has left us and forgotten us, because all the circumstances are against us. And it was so nice at the end of the camp to hear his words of gratitude to God, who sent such volunteers to serve all the children in their school.

On the last day, we invited all the older children to make peace with God and about 80% of the children consciously prayed and asked God to change their lives! We were very happy to serve every child and believe that the seed sown will grow and bear fruit!!! Thank you all for your prayers and participation! May the Lord bless you and strengthen you!

P.S. I also think it’s important to write about Vladislava, who was a volunteer on the team, and back in 2018 she was an orphan in the Smilovichy orphanage, where we go on Tuesdays. And there, at one of the meetings, she opened her heart to the Lord and dedicated her life to Him. In 2019, she was adopted by a believing family. Now she is already a student, and in her free time she helps children with a similar story and pain!

Dear friends, welcome to our website. It is so good that every month throughout the year we can dive into the service of God together. Thank God it was a special month. Children have changed at the Smilovichi orphanage. Now there are three children there, Dima, Tim and Darina. Children from the same family, it was very stressful for them to come to the shelter. When we first met the guys, they were so closed that they were afraid to tell their names. For an hour, the team and I tried to communicate, to get them to talk. We brought M&M’s candies with us. All the candies are multicolored and each color meant something. Yellow tell me your dream, green what would you like to change in life, red what is your favorite pet, brown tell me about your friend, orange where would you like to go, blue what is your favorite dish? During this game, we got to know each other and just chatted. Gradually, the guys talked about their dog, about friends or cartoons, and gradually we became friends.

When we arrived another time, we decided to teach the kids to sing children’s songs, but the songs were with movements. At first they just watched, and then they started showing movements with us. When I saw that the guys were repeating the movements, I thought thank God we got one step closer. After the movement songs, the guys started to smile, but they still looked at us warily.

We prepared the game “edible inedible” and just talked about what they like to eat. As always, candy won, but Tim also said that he would like to try ice cream. What a simple wish I thought, and then they told me that they came from the village and the family is very poor, mom is in the hospital, and they don’t have a dad. On the way back the guys and I talked about bringing ice cream next time and treating the kids.

We also held a lesson in which we talked about the “Lost Sheep”, about how the shepherd took care, and the sheep was so curious that it got lost. We tried to remake the story to suit their age, which is 3, 4, 5 years old. But the shepherd found his missing sheep and saved it. And then we told about Jesus Christ, how He came out to look for us, and when He found us, He simply offered his friendship and salvation. There were no conditions, there was a simple call to be with Him. While we were painting, the guys told us that they liked the caring Jesus. And Darina also said that she wanted to pet a little sheep.

When we arrived the next week, we found out that Dima was admitted to the hospital, he had bad tests and bad blood. We also ask you to join in the prayers so that all the treatment will be beneficial, and Dima can quickly recover and return to his loving brother and sister. This school year has flown by so quickly, and we are glad that we could be at the epicenter of God’s will. We saw how God answered prayers and children returned home from the orphanage and, most importantly, how children gained faith in Jesus Christ. Thank God and thanks to everyone who works with us to serve orphaned children.

Hello everyone. Thank God that He gives strength and desire to go to the children in Rudensk, communicate with them and lead them to Jesus Christ. Many thanks for your prayers. In May, we told the children that God is an omnipresent God, that He is near, that He hears our prayers and He is not far from each of us. Just as God is Light and there is no darkness in Him. We told the children that if they believe that they walk with God but walk in the dark: they slander each other, offend, steal, call out, do not listen to the elders and educators, then God does not want this and that such a person is still in the dark, we tried to make the children look at their fruits. We constantly pray for children and together with them during our meetings, children tell us what to pray for them and share their experiences and their lives, it really encourages me to continue to come and participate in their lives, helping them come to Christ, pointing them to Him both in prayer and in words, and in business and in our games with them.

Also in May the children did crafts and thank God that they can just chat with believers and sometimes a whole lesson just to do something together, I believe that this also strengthens our friendship with them and communication.Also in May, we held a lesson with them on the topic “the impossible is possible” and we took the topic about how Jesus pacifies the sea and that everything is possible for Jesus. So that the children would know that He is God and that we need to trust Him and go to him. It is always very interesting when someone asks questions about the Bible, it shows that children think what they are talking about. I am very glad when we can sing songs with them and just play something fun and interesting.

During the games, too, the children’s hearts are very open, you can immediately see who behaves and how who treats each other. We also have to constantly admonish them so that they do not slander each other and do not offend. This part of the trip is always present. But we also try to encourage them. I was surprised when one of the guys named Sasha took me aside and asked: “but I’m reading the Bible and praying, and then what? What should happen?” – I was very glad that he asked this question and was just as glad to give him time and explain why God wants to communicate with us and that we communicate with Him and what prevents our communication and how we reconcile with Christ.

Also in May, my wife and I took 2 girls for foster care for the weekend they are Sveta and Bojena, we were happy to go with them to nature, light a bonfire and chat, we were also glad that on Sunday they could be with us at a meeting and watch how the church gathers and what it does. We are also always glad when we can once again personally tell them the good news about Christ and the Kingdom of God.

Please pray for the service of children in the boarding school. I see how Scripture speaks about the importance and value of us, the disciples of Christ, being a light for children in boarding school all the time, they need it more than the children of believing parents. They don’t have believing parents, they don’t have a church, and if not we then whom will tell them about Christ? and if we don’t tell them, then how can they be saved? Even if sometimes they are not attentive or often you do not see in them an interest in Christ, unfortunately, our responsibility before God is to be a light for them and bring this light about the glory of Christ directly to their home in boarding school – so that they can hear. Romans 10:17 “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing comes from the word of God.” and it is also written: Proverbs 22:6 “Instruct a young man at the beginning of his path: he will not turn away from it when he is old”.

So the school year at the Belynichi boarding school has flown by. But I am glad that every Thursday there were trips to the guys who became not just friends for us but a big family. This year, more than fifteen new children have been brought to the school, and about ten people will graduate this year. On the one hand, getting to know new guys, and on the other, the release of those who have become dear friends for you. We communicate a lot with the guys who will graduate and that’s what Vanya said: “I’m very worried about how I will be greeted at the training school in the new place and how they will treat me! I love my school very much, because this is my home, where I feel safe.” Andrey said that he is waiting for graduation, believes that everything will work out for him in life and that a lot of acquaintances are waiting ahead.

We talked to the older guys about the qualities of God, what He is like. The fact is that children were told about God in wrong way, referring to the heroes of Greek mythology, and accordingly the children have no hope in difficult circumstances. That’s why we decided that we would tell the guys about God, who loves, protects, helps, and also gives his life in redemption for sins. And it’s so nice to see guys who tell us that when they pray, God changes the circumstances: – We won the football game, passed the exam well, grandma called and said she was already healthy. Only God can help from a distance, and thank God that faith is being formed in children.

Also this month, we talked with the younger guys about Daniel and his lost childhood. We told them that Daniel was taken captive and he was an orphan. But despite this, Daniel remained faithful to God, he and his friends remembered what their parents had taught them, so they did not compromise when they were offered food sacrificed to idols. This lesson was especially told, because although the guys already know a lot, sometimes when they are alone with a problem they often make the wrong decisions. And with this story, we wanted to teach them not to go away from the right path and remember that bad companies will lead to wrong decisions and difficulties.

We also talked about faithfulness at another meeting.
The fact is that it is difficult to be faithful nowadays. This quality is sometimes considered a weakness rather than a virtue. But we decided nevertheless to show what faithfulness produces by the example of Daniel. So, we told them about Daniel and how he got into the lion’s den. We said that Daniel was faithful to both God and the king, even the enemies could not figure out how to accuse Daniel, so they went to cunning and deception. Faithfulness is the most precious thing that can be, and when I asked what faithfulness was, the guys offered one definition after another and it’s nice that they know this word. “Faithfulness is good,” Yarik, who speaks poorly, shouted at me. And Edik said that it is difficult to be faithful and fulfill all the duties and requests of the teacher. That’s why this lesson is important. I told the story of Daniel how he was betrayed for his loyalty to God and the king and how he got into the lion’s den. I asked if Daniel got into the moat fairly, whether he did something wrong. The guys answered no. I said that sometimes we will be accused, told lies, but we must be faithful and devoted and then God will help us in life. God saved Daniel from being torn to pieces. Both for him and for us, God can and wants to help. Dear friends, despite a difficult year, we are glad that we could be faithful to God and faithfully convey God’s truths in the Belynichy boarding School. Thank you for your support and prayers! God bless you!

At the beginning, our teem wants to greet you with the words: “Christ is Risen! He is truly Risen!”

Thank God for giving us the opportunity to celebrate Easter with the guys on April third! We invited a church team that practices theatrical performances, and our friends were able to hold an exciting performance dedicated to the Easter holiday. We told the kids the true meaning of Easter, greeted each other with the words: “Christ is Risen, Truly Risen!”, and after the performance each child was given a present.
When the guys opened their presents, they were very happy. Praise to God! Every time we visit the kids in Rudensk, we see that there is awakeness among them. The guys come to us and we have great time together. We pray, play, sing together and most importantly, we teach the kids the biblical principles through stories from the Bible and through our testimonies from our life. Thank God for the opportunity to participate in the life of the guys!

There are two guys at the orphanage with the same names, they are both Sasha. They constantly come up after our meetings and ask us to make an additional prayer for them. Thank God for their open hearts! They talk about their problems and experiences, and together we can openly pray, as well as teach and inspire the kids to pray by themselves. And watching the two Sashas, other guys also come up to us and ask us to pray for them too. And since there are way more children than team members we also pray in groups, in order to involve more children. In general, the guys are more open than ever to changes and relationship with Jesus. And we help them build relationship with the Living God. We teach them that God is always with us, that He loves each of us more than we can even imagine, that He wants to be friends with us and help us. We teach the children not to be shy and turn to Jesus at any moment. Because He’s right next to us!

We also held classes on various topics such as qualities of God: “God is the Creator, “God is pure and righteous,” “God is bread,” “God is omnipresent.” Through these topics, we explain that God created each of us and that He takes care of His creation. Also that God does not like sin and He wants to help us get rid of our addictions. We also talked about the importance of being with Jesus and following Him, because He is the source of life and that wherever we are, He is always with us. Friends, thank you very much for your prayers and your support of our ministry! Thanks to God, we can spread God’s kingdom on this earth together, as well as influence the youth! Blessings and peace to each of you! Until next month!

Greetings, dear readers! April has come to an end and we thank God for our trips to the orphanage in Smilovichy. There were only a few trips this month because the children returned to their parents in mid-April. Thank God that the parents were able to correct their situation and all the children (Miroslav, Alisa, Yana, Darina) left the orphanage. Our team members were a little sad to say goodbye to the children, because they had been in the shelter for quite a long time (since autumn 2023), but we hope and believe that they will be better at home with their parents! We also hope that they will remember the good news about Jesus Christ that the children heard from us, and in due time it will bear fruit!

We are very pleased with how actively these children participated in the Bible lessons and how they answered questions with awareness and understanding throughout our meetings with them. We believe that all this was not done in vain! During the last meeting, we gave them a large Bible for children with pictures, we hope that Miroslav and his sisters will read it and tell their parents about it. All the trips in April were wonderful, we talked a lot, played, sang, and glorified God. The children were always very happy when we arrived.

Our Bible lessons with them were held in the form of communication. It seems to me that this way the children remember better what we talk about with them. We ask them questions during the conversation, so they are more interested and understand the Bible story/topic more clearly. This month we continued to look at the qualities of God: God is bread; God is light; God is love.
In the first lesson, Nikita’s main idea was that we must seek God and read the Bible, since all the truths with which we can be satisfied are written there, and not just physical bread.
In the lesson about light, Anya told the children that when there is darkness in our lives, we are scared, we don’t know how to act in different situations, we hit, stumble and fall, just like in a dark room, but when we believe in Jesus Christ, He becomes a light in our life and we are no longer so scared and we know what to do, also the Bible in our life is a flashlight, because with truths we can illuminate dark places.
In the lesson about love, Sasha talked about how God loves them and He is always ready to accept us, no matter what we do (for example, the parable of the prodigal son) and that God took away our sins and gave us eternal life, which we did not deserved as a gift, and this is the most vivid proof of His love. Let’s pray for these children, so that the Lord will always be with them in due time, so that the parents will correct themselves and not return to their previous way of life. Blessings!

The April weather was pleasant with sunny days and trips to the farthest boarding school were even more enjoyable . Every time we come to the children, see their joyful faces, we can’t help but respond in kind. I am pleased to think that children really consider us friends, trust us, and tell us about their joys and experiences. In April, the younger guys had the themes “Friendship with God. Abraham”, “An incident in the desert”, “God chooses a king. The beginning of the story of David”, “David and Goliath”, “Friendship with Jonathan”. We try to make every lesson for special children very clear, vivid and memorable, so we often involve them to participate. It is really joyful to see how children with limited minds but with great enthusiasm help in conducting the lesson, participate, stretch their hands to answer, and just glow with happiness when they hear gratitude in response. For them, the recognition of society is very important. Yarik, a boy with Down syndrome, is our main assistant in all matters, a lover of singing songs and calming noisy children. And how proud and pleased he is when he hears “Thank you for your help, Yarik!” This is such a simple moment for us, but so incredibly important for them. At that time, the older guys had a series of topics about the multifaceted personality of God: “God is the Creator”, “God is pure and righteous”, “God is bread”, “God is omnipresent”. In addition to the themes, there was crafts that children of any age simply adore. Those who can’t speak normally can express themselves in creativity without words. For such children, it is important to be heard and noticed. Every time we thank God for the open doors to boarding schools, for the hearts of educators and children, and we rejoice in every hour spent together.

There is a boy at an orphanage, his name is Vanya. Vanya always comes to our meetings, and participates actively. Recently he came up to us during another meeting and says: -Guys, you taught us to learn to forgive. It’s really difficult!- and he told us a story about how he was offended. Thank God that the kids trust us and tell us about their problems and needs. After the story, Vanya began to ask us questions about the best way to deal with his situation. We gave him a couple of advices. He thought about it, and at the end of the meeting, after we prayed, he came up to us and said that he had made a decision to forgive those people who offended him, because it would be the right thing on his part. After all, they might not even think about it, and this probably was the hardest thing for him. And after he forgave them, this burden fell off his shoulders. Thank God that we can help and influence the children in a kind way!

This month turned out to be very active, eventful and joyful! More and more new guys came to our meetings. Even the oldest guys, who used to stay away, are now actively participating in our events. As it turned out, the topics of our meetings about various addictions turned out to be very relevant for them. There were moments when the oldest boys with all the courage and openness shared their problems faced by themselves or their parents. For example, when Vadim talked about the problem of alcoholism, this topic was especially relevant to many children for the reason that many of them ended up in boarding school because their parents consumed alcohol and led an immoral lifestyle.

At the next meeting, Alyona talked about the dangers of smoking, how much it destroys the human body and how quickly addiction sets in. Members of our team are occupied in different professional spheres. Alyona is a nurse, so she easily, with a lot of illustrations, revealed the topic both according to medicine and to the Bible.
The topic is also relevant for the guys, because many of them have already tried to smoke and many of the guys shared their experiences about how easy it is to start smoking and how difficult it is to stop later.

Ilya spoke about another widespread addiction in the modern world. We all use Internet resources and social networks. Together with the guys, Ilya identified a list of positive aspects related to the Internet. For example, this is a quick search for information, communication, music, sports and other positive resources. But, unfortunately, if we use the Internet and social networks incorrectly, we can fall into various traps with a lot of destructive information, get under negative influence, and also face computer and gaming addiction. Ilya not only told the guys about the problem, but also showed them ways to solve it and shared his personal example of how he copes with not being trapped on the Internet.

At the last meeting of this month, Katya talked with teenages about watching horror movies. She talked about their negative impact on the human body, soul and spirit, talked about the fears that arise as a consequence. The guys were impressed by this topic because they watch such films quite often and are already familiar with some of the consequences, such as nightmares, fears. The guys talked about how sometimes it’s difficult and scary for them to fall asleep. In my opinion, it is very important to take care of what these children fill their hearts and minds with, because there are no parents next to them who can be there when they are scared, who can hug and calm them down.
And also, I’m worried about the especially vulnerable psyche of the guys! Katya talked a lot about what alternative God offers and how important it is to spend time with Him, filling your heart with His word and how healthy and important it is to pray and ask God for protection both day and night! It’s great that God gives each person from our team different gifts and talents, as well as professional skills that we can use in our ministry! And also, we are glad that God opens the doors of boarding schools and gives us the opportunity to serve the orphaned children of our country! Praise God for everything!

Greetings, brothers and sisters. Today I want to share how we attended the Belynichi boarding school. At the moment, there are one hundred and twelve children in the school. Most of the guys are children up to the seventh grade. And about these guys I want to tell you. This month started with crafts activity, we wanted to do something different at our visits, so Natasha, one of the leaders in our team, offered to conduct crafts activity. Children love it very much, they like not only the process of creation, but also the fact that they can tell and sometimes eagerly about what they feel and what they live through. Such events always open up the world of children to better understanding. During the creative process, we learned that Danik’s parents began to come and that they were preparing papers in order to recover. Sasha said that our visits bring her joy every time. Slava, a boy who speaks very little due to the diagnosis, showed with his hands and smile how he likes everything.

The next week, when we arrived, we talked from the Bible about how Anna asked God for a son. After reading this story, we could meditate on how God responds to us. Sometimes God says wait or not, and sometimes God answers right away. This lesson helped to understand that turning to God is not a lifesaver, but a real relationship being built. And that sometimes you need to put in order to get an answer. And then Danik told to the guys ‘I prayed and my parents, who abandoned me, want to take me home again’. When we finished the topic, the guys prayed for their parents, that God would help them, and that their parents would come to visit more often.

When we arrived another time, we had a topic about Eli and Samuel. We said that every person on this earth has his own purpose from God. And following the example of the story, God wants to talk to every person. It is important for God when He speaks to us through Scripture and through prayer, so that we do not just listen, but obey everything He says. The main point of the story is about Samuel’s obedience, that he was not afraid and said everything that was needed to people. Despite the fact that Samuel lived in Eli’s family, he told the truth, which was very poignant. And then the guys started saying that it was difficult for them to tell the truth, because they thought they would not be understood or they would be immediately punished or simply ridiculed. But we encouraged the guys to pray in order to speak the truth boldly and be faithful in word and deed.

When we left the block where the lesson was taking place, we talked to the guys about how they spend their time and they told us that they watch horror movies. Our team decided to hold the following topic about the horrors, what they bring and what are the consequences. Katya from our team said that she would hold this topic. When we arrived, we talked about the dangers of such films. Roma said that when he watches much of such films, he can’t sleep afterwards. It seems to him that something bad is about to happen to him. The other guys started telling what was happening to them. And Katya in her topic said that fear can bind a person and can steal peace and rest. That watching such scary movies opens the door to fear and problems in the future. Many of the guys asked us to pray so that their sleep would be restored and they could sleep peacefully again. We are so glad that then the guys called us and said that they began to sleep better and the horrors of the night no longer interfere with their sleep.

On March 31, the whole world celebrates Easter. We also decided to hold an Easter service at the end of the week, where we told the guys where this holiday came from, what Easter means to us now and how we can see God’s plan now. We talked about the resurrection of Jesus Christ and at the end we showed a couple more scenes for children. At the end of the performance and our lesson, we gave gifts to the children. We are so glad that this special month we could focus the children’s attention on important truths, as well as help them to overcome the inner fears that the children have lived with for so long.

Dear friends, thank you very much for your prayers and your support. We believe that this joint ministry will help the children to succeed both spiritually and physically. Thank you very much and blessings to everyone who reads and to everyone who serves with us. Christ is risen! Truly risen.

This month, our goal was to tell the children at the shelter about the qualities of God, about His versatility and how relationship with Him can change their lives for the better. In the first week of March, we talked about the fact that our God is the Creator of life, the universe, all living things, and most importantly people. Miroslav asked why God cannot force people to live well, be obedient to Him and not sin. He is concerned about this issue because their parents try not to drink alcohol, get better, but at some point they break down and become addicted to alcohol again and the state, seeing their lifestyle, does not give them permission to take Miroslav and his sisters from the orphanage. We showed the answers to the children’s questions in the Bible and inspired them to continue to pray for their parents, as well as for God’s will for each of them. My team and I also pray for all the children we visit and serve, because prayer can change even the most difficult circumstances!

The following topics were that our God is Pure and Righteous, which means that we also strive for His righteousness and even if we sin, we can be cleansed by asking God and people for forgiveness. Alice, who is 7 years old, admitted that she sometimes offends her sisters (Yana, she is 5 and Darinka, she is 3 years old) and that it is very unpleasant for her when she does this. She said she would ask God for more love for her sisters and forgiveness if she did wrong to them again.

In the last week of March, we prepared a festive program and invited Diana, who changed into a big heart costume, and her image and performance told the children about God’s love and what we celebrate on Easter. When she said that we celebrate the death of Jesus Christ for the sins of all people and His resurrection, we saw surprise in the eyes of the guys. It turned out that this was the first time they had heard about what kind of holiday it was and how much the Lord loved each of us! Thank God for the opportunity to sow the seeds of truth, love and light into these children’s hearts.
At the end of the holiday, we gave everyone a gift box and rejoiced with them when they opened their gifts and laughed with happiness. The children said that they had never been given such cool gifts in their lives and they were very grateful to God for everything that came in the box))) We thank everyone for participating in the lives of the children of Belarus! May the Lord bless you and your families abundantly!!!

Dear readers! Thank you for your prayers for serving orphans in Belarus! Thank God for the February trips to the orphanage in Smilovichi! At the moment, the same children are in the orphanage as before. For several weeks we were unable to visit them because the children were in quarantine due to chickenpox, which caused our trips to be suspended for a while. Thank God that the children recovered and our meetings with them resumed! I haven’t seen the children since the end of December and I was very pleased when some team members wrote to me that the children were asking about me, this made me very happy, because it meant that we were able to make friends with them and they were looking forward to meet us and are always very happy when we come to them! On my first trip in February, after a short break, the children were so happy to see that they literally knocked me off my feet and we sat on the floor together and hugged for a long time. It was a wonderful time.

The children are very happy to play games with us and also praise God by singing. I never cease to be amazed at the desire and involvement with which they do this, thank God for that! This month we talked with the guys about several topics, such as “Faith”, “Prayer is conversation with God”, “Bible”. I am happy with the fact how the children try to listen to what we tell and how they answer questions. Especially the boy Miroslav (the oldest brother), he answers very consciously and we are always pleasantly surprised by this.

Obviously we do not know when these children will be taken back to their family, so while they are in the orphanage we wanted to talk to them about such important topics as I wrote above. That the Lord hears our prayers, sees our hearts, knows what we are worried about, what we want, what we are afraid of, so we can always and in any situation turn to Him in prayer and open our hearts to Him. Katya also explained exactly how we can pray to God – talk to Him like to our closest friend.

In the lesson about faith, I told them the biblical story of how Jesus walked on water to the frightened disciples, the main idea of the lesson was the idea that it doesn’t matter where we are and what we do – the Lord sees us and our heart, whether there is fear there or something else, it is important to believe that the Lord can do everything and can help us in our matters.

On another trip, Dima talked about the book that God left for us – the Bible. He told me that everything written in it is reliable, and also why it should be read and studied. Thank God for everything! Blessings, brothers and sisters!

Our trips to the boarding school in Belynichi took place in different formats. At the beginning of the month, the younger guys watched acartoon about Moses, with which we memorized the whole story that we introduced to the guys last month. During the meeting, I noticed that the guys were offending each other, calling each other names, and I decided that we should teach them to say good words to each other. They had to notice some good qualities of a friend in pairs. It turned out that it was difficult for most of the guys to both say compliments and accept them. Katya and I also tried to say kind words to the children about how wonderful they are and highlight good qualities in them. One boy burst into tears, he was very affected by the words that we told him and the fact that he turns out to be so wonderful!

At one of the meetings, we held a Gospel concert. Angelina, a member of our team, came with a worship group from her church. They sang songs, some of those which we sing with the guys, and also asked questions from Bible stories, for example, about exit from Egypt. It was obvious that the guys knew the answers. Vanya was themost active in answering questions, he strives to read and study the Bible.

There was a contest with chocolate hidden under a chair and Yarik, who has down syndrome,found a chocolate bar and was very happy. He was called on stage, and he even answered some questions in his own language, which we have already learned to understand. At the end of the meeting, a new girl from the younger group, whose name is Alina, came up. She warned that she would not be at the next meeting, it was clear that she listened with great thirst and that our meetings were important and interesting to her. I also managed to attend a separate meeting with the older guys.

At this meeting, we talked about theft. About where it starts and how it ends. We gave examples from the lives of the guys who graduated from their own school, how it all started from a very little thing, and how later theft led them to prison. We gave an analogy from the Bible that the biggest thief is the devil and if we steal, we imitate him. At the very end, we prayed with the guys that they would make the right choice in their lives and never get into a situation with theft.

At the last meeting, we talked with the older guys about the difference between true love and falling in love, which often leads to early sexual relationships and many other serious consequences and wounds. We also talked about how God looks at sexual relations and that He intended it for healthy family relationships.
In the end, according to a good tradition, we prayed for the guys, so that they would avoid wrong relationships, respect and appreciate each other, and also so that in the future they would have good healthy families. I was very pleased that many oldest guys came at this meeting, because they used to run away to school football or somewhere else on their own business before. The topic turned out to be very relevant for them, so the guys were very actively involved in the conversation.
Meanwhile, Dima was teaching the younger children a Bible lesson about the Bible, about the message that God wants to convey to all people! I believe that this month of our ministry was very eventful and fruitful! Thank God!

I greet everyone. Gratitude to the Lord God Jesus Christ that He gives us opportunity and strength and desire to go to boarding schools for communication, friendship, care and testimony to children about the Gospel of Christ. This month, God blessed Rudensk boarding school that we held crafts with children, Alyona talked about the dangers of smoking for health and compared it with what God says in the Bible, about addictions and the consequences not only physical but also spiritual. 1 Corinthians 6:12 “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.” Nastya also talked about premarital relationships, about the fact that God does not like sexual relations outside of marriage and also mentioned the consequences. Ilya spoke on the topic of “theft” and there were also a boys’ and girls’ parties. There was a conversation with girls and boys about the dangers of pornography. We are grateful that there is such an opportunity to be close and friendly with children, to be a good example for them, to pray with them and for them, and also to tell them about Christ and the Bible.

Nikita and Dasha had the opportunity this month to take Sasha Dyagel and Nikita Kirichenko to their home for the weekend. They went to McDonald’s, played board games, attended a church meeting and just had a good fellowship and spent time together and also talked about the Gospel and how the guys understand the sence of the Bible.

On the last trip, Sasha asked to pray for his mother so that she would be found and stop drinking alcohol. And Sveta also asked to pray for her brother, who started smoking, as well as for her mother.

The guys in Rudensk really like to hug, when we wait for them at the entrance near the dining room, they come up to us and often hug us. It’s great that a lot of guys come, usually 15-20 people. It’s good that so many kids hear about Christ, the Bible, prayer and God. The last time Katya told her testimony about how she lived and how God changed her life. The children listened attentively and I think they understood that they could find themselves in the same situation as Katya and that no one but God could help them.
Please pray for us so that God will bless friendship with the guys, friendship in the team and friendship with the staff of the boarding school for whom I hope we are also a good testimony of Christ and His Gospel. Colossians 4:3 “Praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ”.

Now there are six children in the orphanage: five from one family, and one from another. During the few months of our communication with them, they got used to us well. Darina, who is three years old and who at first shunned us and stayed close to her sister, now welcomes us with joy, hugs us and communicates with us. It is clear that each time they wait to meet with us, and besides, they say it themselves. A girl named Alice once said: I was waiting for Tuesday when you would come. When someone from the team can’t join the trip, the guys ask why this person did not come and whether he will be next time. Once we even received handmade gifts from the guys. At the moment in the orphanage there is one teenage boy named Vadim, who never came to our meetings, despite the fact that he was called many times. Despite this, one member of our team managed to talk to him alone and tell him the Gospel.

This month we had three girls: Yana, Darina and Alice. Unfortunately, their brother was admitted to the hospital. The girls listen well to the Bible lessons. Before meeting us, they had a poor understanding of God and the Bible, for them it is mostly new information. But despite this, they absorb and remember it very well. They are involved in the lesson and actively, sometimes even vying, answer the questions that we ask them during or after the story. Through the Bible lesson, we try to introduce children to God. For example, in the last lessons we talked about gratitude and told them the parable of the prodigal son. Through this parable, we tried to explain to them that God is loving and that He is always ready to accept a person, no matter what happens in his life. We also applied this parable into their lives and explained to them that God is just as open to them as to the prodigal son and that God loves them in the same way.

We also play different games with the children every time, which they also enthusiastically accept. Games help to get closer to them and create a fun and friendly atmosphere. Also, the guys love Christian songs with movements and even hum them in their free time. During the last trip, we managed to devote time directly to communicate with them. The girls shared what they like to do in their free time, who they would like to become in the future and how they communicate with each other. They talked about how they lived in a family. Their parents visit them from time to time. Like many who are in such institutions, they want to return back to their family. However, as far as we know, they will still be in the orphanage for some time.

We continue to visit the children at the Belynichi School every Thursday and during the month of January we conducted Bible lessons with them according to the plan. We are very pleased to see that many children come to our meetings with their Bibles and sincerely want to know the word of God. Artyom always comes with prepared questions about those verses that he couldn’t understand, and in personal communication we try to give the right answers and encourage everyone who studies the Scripture. When we told the story of the prodigal son, about his mistakes and sins, but also about the father’s love and forgiveness, great surprise was visible on the faces of the guys. During the discussion of this topic, they said that their lives are also changing thanks to God’s love and forgiveness. Some of them asked us for forgiveness for disrespect, bad behavior and rude words, which they couldn’t restrain sometimes. We see huge changes in their lives, character and light in their eyes. God works in the lives of His children and it is a privilege for us to be a part of it.

For younger children, we taught a lesson about God’s love and how we can show our love for God, that our actions and decisions always show how much we love Him and are ready to be obedient. Misha said that he stopped offending other children and behaving badly with educators. He is glad that he feels safe and confident in the love of God!!! Yarik (he hardly speaks) tries to participate in everything and always comes forward to pray and say once again that he believes in God and wants to know Him and be with Him always. Even the educators noticed a change for the better in his behavior and relationships with people. They said he became less aggressive and closed. Now Yarik is a more open, peaceful and kind child. Thank God! The Bible says that the Word of God will not return to Him in vain, and we continue to sow these seeds of truth in children’s hearts. Thanks a lot to everyone for prayers and support in the ministry!

Dear friends! I want to tell you how another month of our service to orphans passed. The time with the guys was truly bright and eventful because everyone still had the aftertaste of holidays and vacations. Trips to children in Rudensk began with a Christmas program. We love this time very much because both children and adults are especially inclined to hear about God and for us this is a great opportunity to break false stereotypes about Christmas and talk about the true purpose of the birth of Jesus Christ into our world. Of course we told the children the story of Christmas which is written in the Bible. Then there was a time when we sang together some songs for our beloved birthday boy Jesus, simply hugged each other and were happy that we could spend this time together. After worship we held a Christmas quiz with many interesting questions and tasks. I was very pleased that the guys responded quite well and actively, which means it’s not in vain that they come to our meetings and remember what they hear from us! After the main program we had a tea party with sweets. And at the end of the evening, according to our good tradition, each child received his long-awaited Christmas gift! The children were delighted! Many of them later returned and thanked us for the gifts! Thank God for the birth of Jesus Christ, that on His own birthday He gives gifts to the people He loves so much!

The topic of our next meeting was “Gratitude.” I really want the kids to be able to be grateful not only when they receive gifts, but also in their everyday lives. For example, they are grateful to their teachers for taking care of them or grateful to each other for their help and support in difficult moments of life. Of course, we also taught them to be able to find in every day of life something for which they can thank Heavenly Father, Who is always there and Who gives everything they need for life! As a biblical example we used the biblical story of the 10 lepers, in which only one person returned to thank Jesus for healing him from a serious illness. We really hope and pray that the word heard will penetrate into children’s hearts and develop in them gratitude to God and people around them. Then we told the children the story of the prodigal son, who realized how good it was to be close to his father only when he had lost and squandered everything he had and was left completely alone, in poverty and in his own helplessness! We dream that every child who heard this biblical story would open his heart to God and never repeat the story of his parents and waste his life on what brings suffering, pain and loneliness.

At the last meeting Anatoliy talked about how he came to God and how much his life had changed. His story was based on the biblical text from the book of Proverbs, chapter 1. It talks about how dangerous bad companies can be and where they lead. But it also talks about what path God offers people. Anatoliy shared with the guys how difficult his life was before meeting God. He also shared how good he is now, what kind friends he has in his life now, and how great it is to follow God!
Children are very impressed and inspired by the testimonies of the team or the guests, which we invite to our meetings sometimes. We hope that the story from Anatoliy’s life not only impressed the guys, but also motivated them to reconsider their own lives. This is relevant especially for graduates who will graduate from school in a few months and go to study or work in different cities. During this period they are seriously faced with the choice of friends, who subsequently have a significant impact on their lives. We always try to involve the children in local churches, but the graduates are the people, who make that final choice! Thank you to everyone who supports us prayerfully and financially, as well as to those who read us!