Reality of Russian Orphans
November 15, 2011
Who are they – these Russian orphans for whom we have a heart?
Today in Russia there are between 2 -5 million homeless children, with 800 thousand orphans living in orphanages. A growing number of children are known as ’social’ orphans. They represent 90% of orphans.
Social Orphans
Social Orphans: children whose parents refuse to take care of them or whose parents who have been legally deprived of their parental rights. In Russia, this happens more than 30,000 thousand times each year. The main causes of social orphans in our country are unhealthy family environment, poverty, alcoholism, drugs addiction, and parents who are in prison.
Some parents abandon their children after birth, others leave them out on the street. There are cases where children were sold for a few bottles of vodka. The relationship of these parents to their children are often like a consumer (exploited child labor) or indifferent (without taking care or giving an education). Often these kids lack for their basic needs, and even more-so lack love and acceptance.
Often these children are abused, both physical and psychological violence is done against them, which causes them to run away from families and orphanages, and sometimes leads to suicide.
Graduate Orphans
Also, they must face the harsh reality of life outside the orphanage when they graduate. They do not get a full experience of healthy family life as they grow up; then they are often unable to build up their own full-fledged family.
Because they have no other place to live, many graduates must return to the families from which they were taken. Well over 50% of graduates join the criminal world, become prostitutes, drug addicts and alcoholics, just as their parents before them.
God calls Himself “Father to the fatherless” (Ps. 68:5) and He “watches over …the fatherless” (Ps. 146:9).
And God wants the Church of Jesus Christ to care for orphans, showing them His love. “Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” (Jas.1:27). What a great God we serve!
God gave a great privilege to our “Heart for Orphans” ministry, to do His work in St. Petersburg, Russia among orphans and graduates. We want to help them avoid a life of crime and hopelessness and want to help them know our loving God, His commandments and blessings in Jesus Christ.
We tell each child that he is special, unique, dear in the eyes of the Lord, that God loves him and He awaits him at Home.
Read more: What we do?
If God leads you to Support HEART FOR ORPHANS read HERE
Welcome to Our Newest Board Member
February 4, 2011
from Board Chair Dave Hulley –
Greetings,
I am pleased to announce that Dan Wilson has agreed to join the Stoneworks Board of Directors. Below is his photo and a short bio. As you can see from his bio, Dan has extensive experience in missions, and I know we will benefit from the perspective and commitment to ministry he brings.
With thanks,
Dave
———–
Dan grew up in Manila, Philippines, the son of missionaries. After college he taught high school Bible and history for three years in Honduras before becoming involved in leading short-term mission trips in 1997. For the next fifteen years he led teams to Russia and coordinated high school mission teams going to over a dozen countries worldwide for the Association of Christian Schools International.
Dan then spent four months training the children of missionaries at Mission Training International in Colorado Springs, CO. God presently has him serving at New Hope International, a ministry that empowers nationals in seven Eastern European countries to reach their people for Christ.
Dan loves missions, traveling internationally, working with children and teens and going on adventures.
His wife, Laura, whom he married in July 2009, lived in Bucharest, Romania for six years where she taught at a Christian school. They have no children yet, although Dan sometimes acts like a kid himself.
The Russian President and I
December 31, 2010
from Liz Hulley —
Is it possible that I actually agree with Medvedev on something? (not that I watch his every move)
Every once in a while, I’m alerted to something in the media that gives me hope that Russian orphans are going to receive some justice.
A ministry serving orphans in Moscow published a translation of Medvedev’s recent comments to this effect.
“Unfortunately, in our country there are still 130,000 children remaining without family care. They have neither parents, not guardians, they are deprived of what’s primary – the warmth of the family. And there is still very much left to do to make sure that the very concept of “throw-away” children is removed from our life. There should be guardianship/foster organizations focused on placing children with families and supporting those families. In general there must not be children in our country that are “nobody’s”.
“The so-called ‘correctional’ children’s homes are faced with such a serious problem. They, unfortunately, work in such a way as to lead to the increasing isolation of children, rather than their socialization. Therefore not only public services, but also civil society must pay attention to what is happening here. At each baby house, in orphanages and in correctional establishments it is necessary to create boards of trustees whose work should be completely open and transparent.
“Finally, we need programmes of social adaptation and support for those who have come out of orphanages. It is not enough to train and feed children – they need to be brought out into a new, adult life prepared and self-assured. Here the role not only of teachers, but also of local authorities is great. They could pay, for example, the cost for those who have come out of orphanages to take courses which would prepare them to enter the system of higher and further education and vocational training.”
It sure sounds good. I appreciate the fact that Medvedev calls attention to the need for families (if briefly), and also the need for help with the transition to adult life. Yes, the orphans do need all this. Now, who is going to give this to them? They need a miracle.
A New Baby!
August 27, 2010
Olga Goncharenko in Belarus has some terrific news and pictures to share:
Our third child (a baby girl) was born on July, 28th 2010.
She is adorable.
Her name is Erika.
We thank God for her and ask His blessings on her life.
~Olga
