[pullquote align=”left”] …I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to You among the nations. Your loving kindness is great to the heavens and Your truth to the clouds (Psalm 57:9-10). [/pullquote]
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This year, 93 percent of the children were from unbelieving homes, mainly from large, needy families. Reaching the next generation for Christ is virtually important to the future of the Church. It is important not to lose these new believers!”
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Thank you for your supportive hearts! The Lord opened some closed doors and we were authorized to hold three camps: in two settlements and one in a boarding school. Some of the girls and boys came from troubled, broken families. Many children have only known the alcohol and drug abuse that surrounds them. Others have been exposed to violence. Parents often admit that they can’t meet even the basic needs of their children.
Village of Komsomolskoye: Sharing God’s Word with others is an amazing privilege. The theme of our camp was “The Importance of God’s Word in Human Life.” There were 20 children present and each child received their own copy of the New Testament. We asked them to journal what they had learned each day. They openly shared from their hearts. Some began to rethink their lives and were happy to find Jesus. Pray their faith will grow as they continue to study the Word and understand the truth of the Gospel and carry on to seek Christ through our church services and our mission teams.
Maslovo Village: We were told that many children wanted to attend. However, their parents were scared off when each parent would had to prepare written authorization paperwork that is now required by the new Russian anti-missionary laws. Nevertheless, six families came with proper papers in their hands and we were overjoyed! On our first day, we took the campers to the Zoo. It was a lovely day; we purchased some modest snacks of ice cream and shared the sweets we have packed. With the excitement of the zoo and its inhabitants, we could discreetly teach about the diversity of creation that God fashioned. After the last day of camp, the children asked their parents to attend our church with them. Every parent said the same thing: “I cannot say No! My kids were so happy when they were with you, how could we say they couldn’t visit with you and your God again.” As I looked out beyond the pulpit that next Sunday, I saw each family attending worship and some had brought along other family members who were curious about our loving efforts toward the children and, more importantly, curious about the God that the children spoke of when they returned home.
Dzhankoy Boarding School: We held camp on the street as their classrooms were being repaired. Still, I share with you some blessed news! We have been sanctioned to provide a class for those youths who want to study the Bible! More than 20 children and one teacher attended our summer camp and will now begin our Bible studies on September 1. With my funding, I purchased a much needed new recreation ball for the whole school to use. In addition, I bought ice cream which was enthusiastically received each time we came to the school. This treat is seldom given to the children as it is cost prohibitive under the school’s strict budget.
School Days in Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)
Students across the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) have headed back to school on September 1. There are about 70,000 schools and 20 million students in Russia. Schools suffer from unreliable funding. Some rural schools have a single room and single teacher. Some students have to travel long distances to school and find their own transportation since no buses are available. Some urban schools have 800 students jammed in a former hospital built for 500 patients.
Because the Soviet Union had not built enough schools to accommodate increasing enrollment, Russia inherited a system of very large, overcrowded schools with a decaying infrastructure. By the late 1980s, 21 percent of students were attending schools with no central heating, and 30 percent were learning in buildings with no running water. Schools suffer from shortages of textbooks and supplies. Some schools don’t have heat in the frigid winters. Most schools don’t have computers. Some get by on donations of books, paper, pencils and other needed supplies.
Many times, school leaders are the frontline of helping children struggling in difficult situations. Our missionaries are often contacted and supplement the children’s needs from their own resources. Most often it is truly necessities such as basic food, clothing (especially winter items), and school supplies. Our teams have often met these disadvantaged children through Safe Haven Summer Camps and continue to keep in contact with them throughout the school year. They see so much potential as these youths are bright and eager to learn.
As a new semester begins, please try to make that transition easier by praying to God for the children, school staff and families. Pray that students will return ready to learn, continue to have access to a good diet (especially during the winter) so they can focus on their schoolwork, and find a way to express any needs they may have and feel a safe environment to do so. Pray that families will have the resources needed for their children to succeed and encourage their children academically.
I have personally seen how vitally important it is to reach the next generation with the Gospel. What a privilege it is for me to visit them and to encourage their hearts, telling them that you are lifting them in prayer.
There is much to do and much for which to pray. Thank you for your continued support and for all that you do for the glory of our Lord and Savior!