Update from MIR
July 6, 2009
Stoneworks is honored to support MIR in St. Petersburg, Russia. They continue to do very good work, building on the foundation of many years of service. MIR serves with integrity and humility in many unseen ways.
Here is a report from MIR Executive Director Maria (Masha) Oshkina –
New Horizons
We continue our hosting program; twice a year we send Russian orphans to live with American host families for 4-6 weeks. Twenty five children and four adults safely arrived in the USA on June 25. This is our second trip under new regulations the administration of the city placed on hosting programs. Gladly, the preparation for the trip went very smoothly, the permits and visas were issued a week before departure.
New Horizons enters a transition period this August as our current coordinator, Ms. Sveta Kouzyakova (far left, with Olga Cantrell), is retuning to her calling: teaching at the International Academy. It has been a blessed year and definitely God’s provision to have Sveta on staff with MIR. We trust that the new person God sends for this position is going to be a good fit with MIR staff and an enthusiastic and productive worker.
We also are looking for new groups of children to work with:
• Inviting creative groups for performances (dancing, singing, sports, crafts): orphanage directors would like to see children learning new things and getting various skills, so they encourage a more intensive program of events. Also, if creative groups of children can be hosted, more opportunities for fund raising events for the program might come up. We hope to expand into this new area.
• Hosting children from Russian foster homes is another area we’re investigating. Crimson Sails, a Christian foster care ministry for orphans in St. Petersburg, is investigating the documentation needed to send their kids to families in USA. These kids would already have Christian influence and adjustment to family life, and we think this would be a great addition to our hosting program.
Short Term Teams
Disabled children and adults were in the focus of recent short-term missionary teams and individuals coming on MIR invitations this June. Pavlovsk orphanage for disabled children and several facilities for disabled adults were visited by volunteers.
MIR’s role in the work of these teams varies at times, depending on the need. At the least, MIR issues official invitations and registers the volunteers, but this time MIR was more involved in communication with directors and learning about new medical requirements for short-term volunteers. Medical tests are now necessary in order to approach children at state orphanages. We are investigating the quickest and least painful way to get medical documents for future teams.
Camp Druzhnikh will host two teams from San Antonio this summer. The MIR staff is looking forward to camp fun and making new friends this July.
Humanitarian Aid
May and June traditionally are the months kids finish school, pass tests and leave to camps for the summer. We were glad to supervise the purchase of a large amount of summer clothes for children at Orphanage #8 and a graduation dress for a #8 graduate.
Instead of just getting what they were told to wear, kids picked their clothes themselves and promised to take better care of the the clothes that they took initiative in choosing.
Tanya at Peterhoff Orphanage #1 (left) and Natasha at Zelenogorsk Orphanage #69 receive regular support from donors partnering with MIR. Tanya is in constant need of enzymes to help digest food, and we’ve been able to supply them for the past few years.
Medicine, transportation expenses and surgery aftercare were provided to various orphanages. Also, the Lomonosov Baby Home received financial aid for reconstruction of the facility.
Love in Christ, Masha Oshkina
MIR, Russia
Related posts:
- Update from MIR — Clothes and Hosting
- Update from Spring of Revival
- MIR — Camp Elama
- Update from the Bulls
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