An update from Katya at MIR, about the Peterhof #2, an orphanage for children with disabilities —

As you approch this place, it’s a beautiful building and good staff that works based on enthusiasm with very little income. Very often they feel forgotten. As one of the counselors said with bitterness, “a country with resources like ours, that sends space ships to space, would not provide disabled kids with clothing and foot wear on a timely basis”.

It takes special foot wear for children at this place, as many children crawl and don’t walk, so taking them out is a big problem. The wheelchairs that the orphanage have only fit the smallest children, and when they grow up they don’t fit anymore.

There is shortage of funds to provide the needed medication. The medication has to be requested once a year and the system is very slow if the child needs emergency help. This is when staff takes initiative to look for additional sponsors. I often get phone calls like this when the Peterhoff staff is in need of emergency medication.

The children have to be weighted very often, and when the scales broke, they called us again.

Thankfully, we had a donation coming in at the time and we were able to use the funds that were donated by Zanardo family and the orphanage staff is very thankful for this.

Another constant need is pampers. Out of 90 children in the facility 60 wear pampers on a regular basis. Obviously the load of pampers provided from official source is not enough and this is when I hear another call for help. There are several things that you can always help with at Peterhoff #2:

1. pampers

2. medication

3. wheelchairs

4. orthopedic footwear

Fewer people are willing to donate towards the kids that wll never grow up or improve. It takes a special awareness to do it.

May God lead your hearts as you read this material.