Christmas for Orphans - Smolensk

Christmas period is the most active for the Orphans’ ministry.

In November the youth started preparing the puppet theatre show. They gathered for several hours’ rehearsals every week.

In the very beginning of December, we began to buy chocolate and sweets – more than 1000 kilos of candies. During long frosty evenings we gathered the candies into gift bags. It is always a very special time for the team and our children, who are waiting for this time to help with the presents. We are working together trying to put into bag not only candies but a piece of our love and care. With candies there was also shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrush and a bar of soap. We gathered more than a thousand presents.

In the middle of December, we began the visits to the orphanages. And we finished only in January.

This year we visited 10 orphanages (including an orphanage for blind children) and 1 special college for graduates of the orphanages.

Totally more than a 1000 children, teenagers and young people attended this Christmas program. It included a puppet theatre show, songs, presents, photos together with actors, a lot of hugs and laughter.

We see that the children are waiting for the Christmas performance very much. They recognize the actors and are glad to see them.

We see them watching very attentively, laughing, worrying, clapping, dancing and singing together with the actors. We hope that it was not just fun time, but it influenced the children. We hope they understood the real meaning of Christmas and made some important decisions.

Very special joy of course is to see their happy faces when we give them presents. They open the bags and their eyes are full of joy.

Every time when we come, we try to show God’s love. We understand that the most important is to tell them about God. One more time in a new form to show them God’s love. Love is something that they lack. Love is something that they need so much! Love is something that God is ready to give them. Love is something that we want to give these children.

In every orphanage there were more children than usual. Because the teachers brought their own children, neighbours, friends. When we came to the special college for graduates of orphanages, we were surprised to see quite a lot of children there. Usually there are only young people – students of the college. But that time there were their siblings and children who live nearby. The students told the children who live near the college and they came.

We see that such Christmas performances influence three categories of people:

The children whom we visit
The teachers from the orphanages who see the performances and the reaction of the children
The youth from the church who come to the orphanages.

So we talked with people from all three categories …

CHILDREN

I liked the performance very much. And I realize that it was God who helped the main character. He was a believer and loved God and God helped him. God made a miracle. I liked it very much.

Varya

I liked the performance very much. We saw a miracle. And I believe that God can make miracles in my life. Every time when I am in trouble I ask God to help. When my grandpa had cancer, I prayed and God healed him.

Arina

Most of all I liked the idea of the performance. Do good to others and God will help you.

Dasha

After your arrival at our orphanage, I really don't want to say bad words, swear with friends. You bring us something kind and sincere, and I really want to improve and become a better person.

Vasya

I am so happy to see you! You are my family. I missed you so much. Now I am here in the orphanage and I am happy to know that you will visit me.

Nikolay

TEACHERS

Thank you very much for the gifts, but special thanks for bringing Christian values to us and our children, teaching us to love and do good. The children are always waiting for your arrival, they like the Bible stories and the songs that you sing.

Olga Fedorovna

Director of the Orphanage for Blind Children

We and our children are always waiting for the new year and Christmas to hear the story of Christmas again, beautiful Christmas songs, a performance that encourage everyone to do good, forgive and love. We are always waiting for your calendars, they are very beautiful and very powerful divine texts, the prayer "Our Father". When you read it, you feel very calm.

Anastasia Viktorovna

Director of the Orphanage for Orphans

We are very glad to cooperate with your church. When we have problems, we know who is always ready to lend us a helping hand. Thank you for the Christmas miracle, the children always listen very attentively, they are happy with gifts, performances, songs. Special thanks to your pastor Viktor Vladimirovich for coming to us personally and wishing us a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Of course, thanks to Ivan Petrovich and Sergey Viktorovich, they are friends, real friends who are always ready to help, always listen, give good advice, pray. When I go to Smolensk, I always stop by Ivan Petrovich's house, drink coffee, communicate, consult, this is very important for me. Thank you for the holiday.

Elena Anatolievna

Director of the Orphanage for Social Orphans

Every year are waiting for your performances. They are full of emotions and when they go home to the relatives they tell their parents what they saw. Thank you very much for visiting us.

Svetlana Vasilievna

Teacher

CHURCH YOUTH

Our main goal is to tell the orphans about God. That He does not forget about them, that God loves them. God is waiting for them at any moment. And He is ready to take them such as they are.

Anya

We come here to tell about Christmas to give them joy and happiness of the Gospel. We are happy to show that they are not lonely, they are beloved. We want to give them a moment when they can laugh ant to take something new for them.

Masha

We do this ministry because we want the orphans to know about our Heavenly father. It is such a joy to do something that you love, that makes you happy and at the same time to praise the Lord. We are so glad when we see happy faces of the children. Especially when they run to us after the performance to make some pictures. And every time we hear that the children ask us to come more often. It inspires us to continue. The most remarkable visit was when the electricity turned off at the middle of the performance. It was difficult but made our time together even more close and sensitive.

Arina

Every time I felt that I was carrying a piece of good. I tell the audience about Christ, about His birth, and it makes me sooo happy. And in the end, when you give gifts, you just explode with happiness, look at these kids and see that the work done some time ago was not in vain. You understand that God has sown a seed through you, which may one day germinate.

Polina

I began this ministry last year when I myself was a new person at church. And from the very first visit to the children I felt indescribable feelings. I did something valuable. I served others and it made me happy – it is difficult to understand you can only feel it. And these visits changed my heart. I became closer to God. I felt that He used me. This time I had no time to go. But I wanted so much and I began to pray every day. And God helped me. I was able to go each of the 11 times. The best moment is when you see the eyes of the children, Wide, happy, attentive eyes. It makes my heart beat faster. I have tears in my eyes when I think about it.

Victoria

I am engaged in ministry to bring joy and the message of Jesus to children I felt inspired by this ministry. The children rejoiced, laughed and reflected on the performance I remember the trip when I replaced the guy and played the role live, although I usually play with a puppet behind a screen. It was unusual to see children and their facial expressions from what was happening, I felt that I was so close to them and saw their reactions. This is an interesting and unusual experience for me.

Sofia

I like to tell people, children about Christ. It's nice to see the positive emotions of the children. We were behind the screen but we could hear how the children were laughing, surprised, it was very pleasing. Thank God!

Vera