Episode 7: Reflections on a Vision Trip (Nov 6)

Today we had less driving.  We went to three potential ministry locations in the city of Kirov.

First we went to Kirov #1.  This was my third visit there.  It's a large boarding school with a young staff that focuses quite a bit on athletics.  They have a lot of award winners among them - you know, the kind of sports you see at the Winter Olympics.

Then we had lunch at Tech School #18.  A full third of the orphan graduates in the region of Kirov attend tech school here to learn building trades.  The facility includes a dormitory with 250 students, over half of them are orphaned.  This is the critical time in life (age 15 to 22) when children are becoming adults and the decisions they make can have great or dire consequences.  In this period, up to 20% will commit suicide, and over 60% will end up in some form of crime or prostitution.  This is the unfortunate, though necessary, result of an institutionalized upbringing, abandoned by family.  Through sponsorship programs in the orphanages, however, children learn that they have value and purpose and grace in Christ.  This prepares them to better navigate the critical transition to adulthood.  Someone from the trip has donated the funds to begin a mentorship and discipleship program with the over 130 orphan grads at the dorm.  We expect great fruit form this ministry.

Our day ended at Kirov #6.  This was among the most despairing moments of our 12 days in Russia.  The director had only been there one month and had hired all new staff.  There was no rapport, no structure, no authority, no security between the staff and the children.  There was chaos and rebellion.  The staff were overwhelmed and exhausted.  I pray that it's only a matter of time before more order and trust is brought to that boarding school, but in the meantime, all involved are so vulnerable.  The assistant director took me and Yana, one of our Fund Nadezhda staff members, on a tour of the facility.  She showed us sections that she didn't show the other Americans: dangerous flights of stairs, broken windows, crumbling walls.  Later in a meeting I asked her what their greatest challenge was.  I expected her to point to the need for repair and renovation.  But she said, 'the pain in the children's lives.'  This to me was a glimmer of hope.  She understood that facilities and institutions can't replace family.  Please pray with me that a church sponsors this orphanage soon!  What I saw and felt in that place has haunted me since.

Comments

[Betsy Block]

Hi Daniel-
Keep up the good work in Kirov! It is a special place to us because our daughter(now 8) was adopted from there! I have always been haunted by the "shadow children" who we saw that were helping at the baby home. They said that they came from the older orphanages. When I tried to establish eye contact, the older children would disappear. I have never forgotten that.
I would love to help your efforts as I can. We have just sponsored 2 children from Sovietsk. Please tell me what a church needs to do to sponsor one of the orphanages you are visiting. Maybe I can drum up some interest around here.
Thanks!