I am happy to share some news with you about our work with children at risk. On June 1st, which was Children’s Day, we were able to reach out to 400 children in various places: orphanages, pediatric oncology, hospices, and homes for disabled children. We spent quality time with them, gave gifts, played games, and had heart-to-heart conversations.
For some of these children, this celebration might be their last in this earthly life, and we talked to them about hope and trusting in Jesus. There are many positive moments. Lera’s health has improved; for over three years, we have been caring for this child. There were times when we prayed for her life when she was in very critical condition. Now, I am thinking about how to help her get an education, find meaning in life, and avoid repeating her mother’s life story.
However, there is still a need. In the hospice, there is a girl named Lyuba who has been there for two months. She is in a very difficult physical and emotional state and is being fed through a special tube in her stomach. She behaves aggressively, like a little “beast.” But she has started getting used to us and can communicate on her own level.
She needs special feeding supplies and many other small things like diapers, wipes, and more. I ask for prayers for her; she is in a very critical condition. Thank you so much for your support!
He and his sister were brought to some new building with lots of children and adults. And no one understood them. “I’m the eldest, I should find out why we’re here!? Everyone approached us, hugged us, smiled. But I wanted to cry, I wanted to go home…” These thoughts, probably, visited Oleg, who came to us.
“Moo, yes, I, uh…” These were the words we heard from Oleg and his younger sister Sonya (3 and 4 years old) when they arrived at the “Children’s Ark.” Their speech was practically absent, and we couldn’t understand them. With time, we began to guess what they were trying to communicate, thanks to their expressive gestures!
“Moo” was the first word that Oleg learned to say. And when people told him, “We don’t understand what you want?” He would earnestly and as loudly as possible say, “MOO, MOO!”
When new children arrive, most of the time they come with a whole bunch of problems. We started speech therapy sessions and visits to doctors. But not only that, the children also participate in developmental activities in the art studio and creative workshops for woodworking and metalworking. The caregivers also invest a lot of effort and heart into the children’s development.
Now, looking at the results (maybe not noticeable to outsiders), you realize the “leap” that Oleg has made. And, of course, this is not the end; we continue to fully develop the child. This is not just the result of our staff’s work but also thanks to your support. Since we are not a state shelter, the staff’s salaries come from donations. Your help is an invaluable contribution to our work! Thank you!
Greetings, brothers and sisters! Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” This means that when we give, we receive true joy and fulfillment through serving others, and ultimately, serving God.
I am grateful to God for revealing this simple truth, and I want to share the blessings from our collaborative work and express immense gratitude for the prayers and financial assistance. This month, we have been involved in ministry at orphanages, an oncology hospital, and a children’s hospice.
The fate of Dasha particularly requires attention and prayer. She is a 12-year-old girl who is paralyzed. We got acquainted when I was asked to transport the child from her home in the Omsk region to the hospice in Kormilovka, which is approximately 250 kilometers away. During the journey, we had time to get to know each other better. Dasha’s mother, Lena, also has a 5-year-old daughter, and she is raising the children alone without a husband.
Dasha was born as a healthy child, but when she was four months old, she received a vaccination at the local clinic, and she became unwell and started lagging behind in development. Later, after medical examinations, it was discovered that the pediatrician miscalculated the dosage, resulting in damage to the nervous system, and Dasha is practically unable to move. She never learned to crawl or walk. Her mother carries her in her arms. Dasha was admitted to the hospice because they have the necessary equipment for further diagnosis and treatment.
Now we have become friends with Dasha and her family, and we will help them. The mother is facing financial and emotional hardships. Dasha requires special nutrition, hygiene products, and medication. I ask for your assistance and prayers. Thank you for your participation!
A happy childhood despite everything. “Children’s Ark” set sail in St. Petersburg and began its journey: challenging, emotional, but confident. The map constantly showed new places where children needed help. It was the need that called our ship to arrive and assist those in need.
Maximka joined the Children’s Ark when he was only 3.5 years old. The boy was developmentally delayed and frequently fell ill. He had almost no documents. The work to restore his documents and medical examinations began. In the clinic, we were informed that his mother had hardly brought him for check-ups since his birth. After a month, a woman called us in search of her son. You would be as surprised as we were when we learned that she was Maxim’s mother. It’s sad to see such parental irresponsibility.
We started working with the mother. We invited her for discussions and talked about the importance of caring for one’s children. Maxim was scheduled for a serious head surgery. For a long time, we collected medical certificates for the hospital. And finally, after a year, the mother showed responsibility and went through with the operation with the child. She stayed with him throughout the entire hospital stay. This is a significant victory for us! After leaving the hospital, Maxim returned to our shelter. We continue to work with him and his mother.
Along the way, compassionate people, volunteers, and benefactors come on board. Together, we strengthen the “Children’s Ark” and help the children and families who are going through tough times.
With your help and collective efforts, we will create a healthy, joyful, and genuine childhood for these children. Thank you for being with us!
Graduates from orphanages, twenty people, came to our Christian base in the village for three days. We had a very good time with them, and the children attended the meetings and all the events. We also visited the orphanages and spent time with our friends. In the past month, we received twenty children, all of them are small abandoned children.
Gosha, a boy from a hospice, is in in need special care. He can hardly move, but he understands and reacts, especially to affection and attention. Apollo is on the path to recovery, and it’s much easier for him to breathe because of the food we bring him.
The pediatric oncology department is also overcrowded, with many new children. We sent a boy named Egor to St. Petersburg for a bone marrow transplant. He urgently needs surgery, and his condition is currently critical. We did everything we could, and now our friends in St. Petersburg will visit the child, bring everything he needs, and pray with Egor. He loves it when people pray for him.
Saveliy sends a huge hello and gratitude. We have helped him a lot, and for almost five years, we have practically been raising this child. His mother cannot cope with life, but Saveliy, despite being born without kneecaps, is an amazingly cheerful child. He spends a lot of time in church and is preparing for baptism. He now has a friend, Anton, a teenager in a wheelchair, who also loves life very much. God takes care of the disabled through us in our city!
Thank you, brothers and sisters, for your prayers and financial support. Our ministry is growing, and we greatly need your help.
The village of Priiskovoye is located in a remote area, approximately 850 meters (2788 feet) above sea level, and is home to about 300 people. There is a school, but the classes consist of only 2-3 students. In this village, during the winter season, there is a ski resort for extreme sports enthusiasts. The majority of the population works in the service industry on the slopes and at the foot of the mountains. In the summer, the residents mainly go to the taiga to gather natural resources, which they use for food and sell to supplement their family budget.
The main beliefs in this area are shamanism, naturism, and neo-paganism. It is very difficult to find work in the village, which may be why many people suffer from alcohol addiction. Currently, there is no church in the village, but for the past eight years, the Abakan Church has been organizing various events for the residents of the settlement at least twice a year. During this time, some residents have started studying in Abakan and constantly seek opportunities to connect with believers.
Even during the pandemic, Christians came to the village for Christmas and distributed gifts with biblical literature to households. Over time, the church team has developed warm and trusting relationships with the village administration. The church team is always welcomed and given the opportunity to conduct lessons on biblical and moral education.
At the end of spring, after the quarantine was lifted, the administration of Priiskovoye invited the believers to organize a celebration for the children. This is another opportunity to introduce children and their parents to the Gospel!
Please pray for the residents of the settlement, that God will bring people to Christ!
