By Marla Summers, Big Family Mission Volunteer
This year, the New Generation Church at Gatchina has the wonderful opportunity to provide a church camp for 40 children from a Russian orphanage. Nadya Stagneeva and her team at the church are asking for donations to provide food for the children during the camp. Your donation of just $50 provides food for one child for the entire camp!!!
Here's a description of some of the past church camps... your donation of just $50 can change the life of one orphan FOREVER!!!
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Last year, eleven children from Luga orphanage spent two weeks at a summer camp run by New Generation Church at Gatchina, located just south of Petersburg, Russia. According to Natasha Kirillova, director of Help for Children, the camp was a, “special time for the orphans to feel God’s love and care.” The entire camp consisted of around 150 people, allowing the orphans to spend the weeks surrounded by other families and the love poured on them by the adults, both experiences they never would have at Luga.
The children played games with their new
friends, made skits, went on boat rides, learned to bake cakes, went swimming,
and competed in art and sport competitions. For the good-bye party at the end
of the week, camp leaders went into town and purchased pretty new clothes for
the children, who were completely amazed that they could take their new outfits
home with them to the orphanage.
Some of the
children, especially the older girls, were very closed to people at first. Yet
by the end of their stay, no one wanted to leave. One boy said that he had
never met so many kind people in his life.
Every day the children went to two services
to worship and pray together with the other families. Natasha considers that the most exciting part
of all the camps was “to see how children grow in the knowledge of the Lord.”
Two boys from Luga, Denis and Anton, were baptized during the course of the
camp.
This year, more children from Luga are
looking for partners to sponsor them in attending the camp. They will be
divided into small groups and be placed among the children from other families,
which will be very beneficial for them as they will experience community in a
healthy Christian atmosphere and build relationships with people outside their
orphanage. They will be encouraged and loved upon by the caring adults staying
at the camp with them.
Every day, there will be a worship meeting
to foster spiritual growth and fellowship. Natasha views the time as “ice
breaking for their souls.” At the end of the stay will be a final party
including the performance of Christian skits.
“Please pray for our meetings with all our
children and graduates that we minister to,” says Natasha, “as we plan to have
three large meetings with them before the end of school.” There will also be
baptisms available for those who feel called.
If you think that God might have you do
something meaningful with your money this summer, this
Natasha is very grateful for those who
donate for this project: “Thank you for
investing into the lives of children who are God’s special kids!” She prays that God will bring miracles into
the lives of the sponsors, just as He is doing through them in the lives of the
children.
Just click on the GIVE button to donate to help 40 orphan children attend the summer church camp this summer. A donation of $50 provides full sponsorship of one child. Donations of any amount are most welcome! Thank you for considering this investment into the lives of God's special children in Russia!