Jesus welcomed the children. He blessed them and prayed for them (Matthew 19:13-15). Not only did He welcome children; he actually encouraged them to come to him and told the adults not to get in the way, “for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven”, He said.
Children are in need of God’s word—all children. That’s true of your children, your neighbor’s youngsters or your grandchildren. But children living in desperation and poverty especially need us. They need us to show God’s love to them and tell them they matter. It has been my prayer that God gives me—and you—the opportunity to bring these children to Jesus through seeing us live our lives as a living example of His love.
Every summer hundreds of children head off for our Safe Haven Summer Camps across Russia, from the shores of Lake Baikal to the beaches of the Black Sea. In many ways, these Christian camps resemble those in the United States. Most provide children a place to relax while learning about our Lord, many for the first time. A lot of camp activities take place in the beautiful Russian countryside, often by a lake or river, which provides a glorious setting for teaching God’s word. Other activities may include land sports, arts, crafts, camp fire gatherings, etc.
Let me share that life as a counselor is not an easy job. The hours are long and Russian children keep our teams busy around the clock. Our missionaries and their teams teach the children, eat with them, answer their inquisitive questions and possibly share overnight tent accommodations with them. Our camps are rigorous. This is not a holiday for our teams, but it is the most rewarding experience of their lives.
Given the new anti-missionary law in Russia, our brothers and sisters know their time to act may be very short. So their urgency to reach the lost, especially the children, is all the more at the forefront. Your prayerful support of our summer camps is having eternal impact for God’s glory. May you be encouraged as you read some excerpts from recent missionary reports and you will keep praying for them as they reach the lost with the Gospel.
Your Brother in the Lord,
Pastor Vitali
“My prayer: Father, just as you have called us as Your children, call these little ones to Yourself. May they be filled with joy and laughter. May they learn more of You as Creator. May they be drawn into relationship with You throughout their lives. Thank you for preparing the way for our summer camps and nurturing these seeds for a lasting harvest of young lives. Amen.”