Another newsletter update

Here's an update from the wonderful discipler at Sovietsk Orphanage, Anya:

Dear Friends,

The fall is over. It was the first several months of studies and of course it's difficult for children to get used to studies after a long summer break. But they are doing their best. This year one of the schools is under repair. That is why many children study in different schools.... Practically all children are healthy now, though some of them have a runny nose and cough. The weather has changed dramatically. It is cold and windy now. That is why it is also a bit cold in the orphanage. But very soon the windows will be replaced with new double-glazed windows.

As you know, two of the graduates, both named Lena, will stay in the orphanage for two more years, as they decided to continue their education in high school. The new children have accommodated themselves very well. There is one boy with hearing problem, Lonya. He can't write or speak, but he can communicate well. He can express his ideas, desires and wishes. But I can't explain to him the purpose of writing letters. If someone can write to him and send pictures, please do! He will be grateful and we'll write back or at least draw a picture.

Please write! The children are waiting!

Anya


If anyone is interested in writing letters to any of the children, please e-mail me and we can get you started. Thanks!

Grandfather Frost!

While we've been focusing on stepping up sponsorship for our kids, we understand that $408 is a big commitment for many people. But because sponsorship funds are low, New Years funds are low for our kids this year. In Russia, New Years brings a party, gifts, and Grandfather Frost with Sneguruchka, his granddaughter snow princess. (Christmas is reserved for religious festivities.)

Would you please consider contributing towards New Years celebrations this year? You can donate either through the tab on the right, or at www.hopechest.org. (Click Give, then enter RU0506 Grandfather Frost in the notes.) Or, you can give Ben or I a check payable to Children's HopeChest. Remember, letters are always welcome!

Please remember the sting of winter is even colder for children who have been abandoned by their families. We want them to feel our warmth and love. We want to remind them that they are not alone, but they have friends around the world who think of them and care for them. Will you consider helping? Blessings to all of you!

Below are some updates from the kids at Sovietsk Orphanage taken from the latest sponsorship newsletter. Stay tuned for more.

"I think I can speak on behalf of all children here in Sovietsk by saying we are so happy to receive your letters. Thank you very much for your kind words and interesting stories. Sometimes when it feels lonely or sad, your letters make it easier to overcome the difficulties and being in a bad mood."

--Nadia

"I would like to tell you about our summer. It was really hot. We planted potatoes in the garden and then we were watering in the entire summer, as there was no rain. The flowers were really beautiful this summer. Our cat was pregnant. We were alright: healthy and cheerful. Many of us went to different summer camps."

--Larisa

It Ain't Workin'!

On our recent trip to Sovietsk I had the opportunity to sit down and play guitar with some of the boys. (The girls play, too, but this was intended to be male bonding time.) One of the young fellas asked me to show him how to play a C chord. I put his fingers in the right spot and told him to press down and then strum. He did okay at first but before long his fingers got tired and the chord started to break down. Soon it was just an atonal plunking sound. He then looked up at me and said in Russian, "IT AIN'T WORKIN'!" Before I knew it I was laughing so hard I could hardly breathe, and then our interpreter started laughing, and soon the aspiring guitarist was laughing. I couldn't explain then or now why it was so funny, but it was positively hilarious. There's not really much of a point to this story other than it was good to share a moment of levity with a kid who really needed one. My young friend had some traumatic experiences that led him to living in the orphanage and it was good to share that moment of laughter with him.

Introducing Toma

Remember Lonya? The sweet little guy with hearing impairment? We haven't found his sponsor yet, sad to say. We haven't given up, but with December here, we’d love to introduce you to his sister, Tamara.

Tamara is 6 years old and came to the orphanage this year with her 16 year old brother Sasha, her 11 year old brother Armik, and of course, her 7 year old brother Lonya. Tamara, or Toma, hid for hours when we first arrived, but we eventually saw her sweet and playful nature. Toma would run up to the group, then run away. She would peek around the corner, giggle, and hide. By the time we broke out the face painting fun, she was a part of the group. She loves to make funny faces and has the sweetest smile.

Toma has been essentially raised by her brother Sasha for a few years now, and she is starting to make up for lost time. Sponsorship can help her gain medical and educational assistance and show her that she is loved and cherished by a special someone half a world away.

Will you be Toma’s sponsor? Through sponsorsehip, American friends connect one-on-one with children at the orphanage through letters, prayer, and financial support. For $34 a month (that’s $408 a year), the children receive financial assistance for educational and medical needs, regular visits from mentor Anya, and birthday and Christmas parties. While ideally sponsors stay connected to the children through their entire time at the orphanage, a minimum one-year sponsorship is encouraged.

Sponsorship payments may be made monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or yearly by check, credit card, or EFT. Sponsors are encouraged to write one letter, one page long, once a month. It’s a simple task with a HUGE impact!

If you are interested in sponsoring Tamara or any of the other children at Sovietsk Orphanage in Kirov, Russia, please drop us a note or leave a comment. We know you'll be glad you did!

Just Showing Up

I've learned over the past few years that one of the most important things I can do for the kids at Sovietsk Orphanage is to just show up. I have at times been unsure of how to relate to and connect with these kids I see for one week a year. But I tried something new on our latest trip. I decided to just be there and live in the moment. And most important, I learned to stop trying so hard to connect and just look them in the eye and give them a pat on the back. I think the same idea can be applied to writing letters to these kids. I hear a lot of people asking what to write about in these letters. I understand completely. But really there's not much to it. Just tell them what you did that day, or tell them about a good book you just read, or a movie you just watched. You get the idea. It's easy and it doesn't take long. It's really just a matter doing it.

For me?

A charming bit of Russian culture is the giving of gifts. I'm not talking about giving gifts at birthdays and Christmas. We've experienced the tradition of giving gifts to your host or visitor as a show of gratitude. One of the special things we like to do for the kids when we visit is to take each of them a gift bag that is all their own. We like to give them things that are fun but also useful. Flashlights, stress balls, gel pens, stationary, lip balm, sugarless chewing gum... you get the idea. The kids who have been there awhile aren't surprised when we give them out, but they're still grateful. But I have them most fun giving them out to the new kids who've never gotten one before. When I handed the gift to one of the new boys he looked at me with big eyes and a tiny voice and said, "minya?" or "for me?" And I replied with a hearty, "da!" It's rare for these kids to have something to call their very own. We're not trying to make them into greedy Americanized consumers. We just want them to feel a little bit special.

Yogis and Yoginis

One of our travelers, Katherine, is working toward her certification as a yoga teacher. We are so thrilled that she led two evenings of yoga practice for our children.

At first, it was tough to get everyone settled, with our rambunctious little boys who had never done yoga before. With some time, patience, and a few extra adults walking around the room, we settled into a lovely practice.

Two children in particular, Natasha and Sasha P, were amazingly connected and grounded. It doesn't surprise me at all that those children have spent the least time in the orphanage--they just arrived this summer.

Experiencing trauma, such as violence, abuse, or losing your family for any reason, changes the brain. So does being in an institution. Our children struggle with self-regulation. Many are overly sensitized and hypervigilant, with elevated heart rates and shortened breath. Others are under-responsive and lethargic. Yoga is a wonderfully therapeutic way to calm the mind and reconnect to the body. Yoga can connect people to their centers and help them find their power. Many people around the world have found yoga practice to be a healing experience, and the same can be true for our children!

One of my favorite parts of this trip was at the end of yoga practice, seeing a roomful of our children in savasana, completely relaxed and at peace. It was simply beautiful.

All People Yoga Center is working with Katherine to provide yoga mats, supports, and practice for our children at the orphanage. If you're interested in contributing, please leave a comment and we'll be in touch.

Meet Lonya

When we arrived at Sovietsk this year, one of the first questions new director Alexei asked was “How can we find more sponsors for the children?”

Sponsorship is the lifeblood of our collective work at Sovietsk. American friends connect one-on-one with children at the orphanage through letters, prayer, and financial support. For $34 a month (that’s $408 a year), the children receive financial assistance for educational and medical needs, regular visits from mentor Anya, and birthday and Christmas parties. While ideally sponsors stay connected to the children through their entire time at the orphanage, a minimum one-year sponsorship is encouraged. Sponsorship payments may be made monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or yearly by check, credit card, or EFT. Sponsors are encouraged to write one letter, one page long, once a month. It’s a simple task with a HUGE impact!

In an effort to find sponsors for all 24 of the waiting children at Sovietsk, we are focusing on finding a sponsor for one child each month.



Meet Lonya. Lonya is 7 years old and came to the orphanage this year with his 16 year old brother Sasha, his 11 year old brother Armik, and his 6 year old sister Tamara. Lonya has 30% of his hearing. The doctors believe he had little hearing at birth, though there is some speculation he lost some at age 3 in an accident. After coming to the orphanage in May, Lonya received hearing aids for the first time in his life. Though at times he is overwhelmed, Lonya is a little sponge, soaking up language skills and sounds all the time! He is expert at communicating through animated gestures and is beginning to read lips and mimic sounds. He loves taking photographs and is purposeful and artistic when composing them. Lonya needs financial assistance to get picture cards and other visual materials to expand his language. Lonya will be attending a special school in town for children who have hearing impairment, and Lonya will continue to be evaluated by specialists to determine the best approach in treatment and education. Lonya is a sweet, loving boy who enjoys his siblings and playing games at the orphanage. Sponsorship can help him meet his full potential and show him that he is loved and cherished by a special someone half a world away.

If you are interested in sponsoring Lonya or any of the other children at Sovietsk Orphanage, please send me an email. We hope to hear from you!

Poverty isn't the problem... yet.

After sharing photos and stories from our recent trip with a friend, he was surprised to see that the children at the orphanage weren't living in dire poverty. I guess I can understand his reaction. I think we have some sort of Dickensian notion of what children at an orphanage should look and act like, a la Oliver Twist. But grinding poverty isn't the salient problem that these kids are facing. In the orphanage they are well fed and clothed. They're looked after by a kindhearted staff. The biggest problem is that they don't get to live with parents who love them. And there's of course the stigma and the lack of opportunity that comes from being permanently labeled an "orphan." But don't misunderstand me. The kids still don't have a lot of stuff to call their own. What we're trying to do with the programming and the support that we offer to the orphanage director and his staff is to help create opportunities for the children to overcome the negative stereotypes working against them so they can find ways to succeed in life against all odds. Poverty isn't the problem yet and maybe it won't ever be a problem if these great kids can have a chance to prove to everyone else what we already know to be true. If you'd like to get involved in making a difference for these kids, please let us know.

The Reality of Personal Relationship

Do not depend on the hope of results. You may have to face the fact that your work will be apparently worthless and even achieve no result at all, if not perhaps results opposite to what you expect. As you get used to this idea, you start more and more to concentrate not on the results, but on the value, the rightness, the truth of the work itself. You gradually struggle less and less for an idea and more and more for specific people. In the end, it is the reality of personal relationship that saves everything. — Thomas Merton

I am a social worker. As a profession, we have worked hard to establish data in measurable outcomes that shows the results of our work--proof that we have specialized helping skills, proof that we deserve to be a profession, and proof that what we're doing is actually working. We use these results to develop techniques and programs based on evidence of what works in attempt to make them the most effective for the people we serve. Important stuff!

But here's the thing: all the programming in the world can't heal someone who is genuinely lonely, truly heartbroken. Sometimes the most therapeutic thing I can do for the kids I see here is to show up on time, every time, do what I say I'm going to do, and treat them with lovingkindness and respect. These are kids who have seen things most of us have only seen in nightmares, and God bless them, they are working so hard to become healthy and whole again. They also have the benefit of joining a family, and when it's a healthy family who loves them and is committed to their wellbeing, that's the best kind of therapy around.

Our kids at Sovietsk are in a different boat. Most of them will not be going home to families. In fact, last I heard, of the nearly 3 million children in Russian orphanages only .018% will be adopted.

What do we do? It can be so discouraging.

A wonderful young man Ben and I have invested in deeply is struggling beyond our imagination right now. He's on his own and without a nurturing family to support him. We feel helpless, and we hurt for him.

What do we do?

Tending toward the philosophical, Ben and I take this a step further, wondering how our work at the orphanage truly makes a difference. Throwing money is not sustainable--both because we don't have the money to throw and because donations can only take the children so far.

We have focused on programs which invest in the future for these children: psychological support, medical treatment, educational opportunities, skill-building and preparation for life beyond the orphanage. But without the love of a family, they only go so far.

So, this year, we are back to basics: sponsorship and travel. The Reality of Personal Relationships. We are more than happy to accept funds and donations for special projects and medical needs--we gladly accept any and all! But more than that, we want to continue to build a family for these children. That is, after all, what all children need.

Please stay tuned for more opportunities to join the family of these 35 children who are living without one. Believe me, it's among the most rewarding things I've ever done.

NEW PHOTOS!

We've put up some slideshows from our most recent trip to Sovietsk. Look along the right side of this page to see the new photos. You can see what we did during our picnic in Dolbylova, updated photos of each kid, some pictures from our face painting activity, and or our evening in Moscow. We'll be adding more soon so keep checking back for updates.

Sponsorship Matters

It's so hard for us to communicate to people who haven't visited the orphanage how important letters and sponsorship are. Each child receives it differently. Some are shy but enamored. Some are slow to trust but learn over time. Some are eagerly waiting for a sponsor. Some write beautiful letters. Some children are around only a short time, others are around for the long haul. One little guy, Sergey, is a big fan of his sponsor John.



Sergey has never met John, but they have been linked since sponsorship began in 2007. This year, on our very first evening, Sergey asked me enthusiastically "Do you know John?" I do, and I shared some about his interests and how we think he's a great guy. Sergey asked if he was ever coming to visit, but understood that it is difficult. He shared that he loves getting letters and photos and stated confidently "We've been friends for a long time."

For a boy living in an institution with no family, his sponsor has become Uncle John. Through consistent communication and simple, kind words, Sergey has learned over the last 3 years that he is loved and valued, even from half a world away.

With so many new children at the orphanage, we have 24 children waiting for sponsorship. The first question the new director asked us was how we can get more sponsors. Please, if you are interested in sponsoring at all, send me a note and I'll give you more information. We'll be featuring a child for sponsorship each month, so tell your friends!

Fresh Veggies

From the beginning, something that has impressed me about Sovietsk Orphanage is their vegetable garden. Most, if not all, of the produce they eat is grown on the orphanage grounds. Their carbon footprint, at least in that respect, is nil. The food they feed the children (and us when we visit) is all natural and completely organic. On top of that, the children are able to work in the gardens and learn how to grow food for themselves, a skill that not a lot of other orphanage graduates have.

On this most recent trip we learned that they are building a greenhouse in order to extend the growing season. We were all set to begin holding fundraisers in order to raise money for this project when the new director said that it won't be necessary. They already have everything they need to build it. The orphanage is having new and more energy efficient windows installed and will therefore use the old windows and some spare lumber to build the greenhouse. What's perhaps surprising to the American mind is that they are not riding the "green" wave, but rather this is just what they do. This is how they operate. Waste not, want not. It definitely leaves an impression on me every single time I visit. I find myself thinking twice about my ingrained profligate use of resources and how I can do a better job reducing my own carbon footprint.

For interesting thoughts on environmental responsibility and many other topics, visit Sarah's new blog: Just Living. It's a work in progress, so keep checking back.

We're home!!!

Ben, Katherine, Jen, and I have returned home from this year's visit to Sovietsk Orphanage. We had a full 10 days, visiting museums and historical sites, connecting with the local school and church, making friends in the community, and trying new Russian customs. We painted little faces, braided hair, painted nails, kicked soccer balls, and did yoga. We played outside, hunting mushrooms and rosehips, visiting special sites, and crossing rivers and hiking in Dolbiylova. We made paper airplanes, bracelets, photo albums, balloon animals, and smores. We shared master classes in cooking, music, traditional crafts, and village life. We delivered letters, photos, craft supplies, warm clothes, and a gift for each child. We left provisions for 2 nebulizers, medical equipement, sports equipment, and school support. We shared joys and sorrows, important conversations, successes, and tears. We hugged old friends and made new ones. We came home tired (and I came home sick), but we are energized and full of new ideas. We'll be sharing stories in the coming weeks and working hard to find sponsors for all 35 of the children. Until then, from us and from the children, THANK YOU for your support! The beautiful children of Sovietsk felt your love.

Last Call--Supply Drive!

We're leaving soon, so the supply drive is wrapping up! We're collecting the last few bits this week. We're still looking for a few wooden massagers, jars of nail polish, lip balms or lip glosses, small photo albums, gel pens, stationary sets, and-sugarless gum with xylitol. Any money collected at this point will go toward programming--super important.

AND we're collecting LETTERS!!!!! Don't forget, the letters are the best thing we can bring. Anything that gets to us by Sept 7 can go with us.

We're getting excited to see our kids again! Thanks to all of you, generous Sovietsk Supporters!

What $20 Can Do

At Under the Sun cafe a few weeks back, a kind woman (with a pretty voice) contributed $20 towards the Sovietsk fund drive. She apologized, saying that was all she had. I responded, with gratitude, "Do you know what we can do with $20?" We can
-purchase gift bags for four children, OR
-purchase supplies for a fun (and therapeutic) activity, such as face painting, OR
-purchase items just for fun, like a movie or smores at the bonfire, OR
-supply a child with personal care products for the year, OR
-supply 2 children with cold weather gear, OR
-purchase much-needed school supplies, OR
-purchase a bus ticket for Seryozha to come back from his village to see us.

Any ideas what our top priority is?



In reality, we'll be able to do many of those things--possibly even all of those things--because of simple generosity of $5 here, $10 there. Every year, it seems we hit a point where we wonder if it will all come together. And every year, the small and large donations add up, and we are able to share generously with the children at Sovietsk.

We know things are tight financially for many people now--believe us, we know! But we also know that it feels good to give, and that small gifts make a big impact. Remember the woman who gave all she had?

Last year, in the emotional family talk that preceded this photo, Sergey shared one of his greatest fears about graduation was that he wouldn't be able to see us anymore. Thank you, kind donors, for helping to ease his fears.

Latest Supply Drive Update!

Had lunch with a lovely friend who writes to one of our kids, and now it's time to update the supply list! Gotta love good deals and dollar bins. :) THANK YOU!!!

Still need:
-30 stress balls (preferably with gel inside and faces are great)
-33 wooden massagers
-10 jars of nail polish
-25 lip balms or lip glosses
-27 small photo albums
-19 gel pens
-26 stationary sets
-toy fruits and vegetables
-sugarless gum with xylitol

And, of course, $$ and letters are always welcome. :)

Another Supply Drive Update

The trip is coming up very soon and we're getting pretty excited. The good news is that we've gotten some items donated recently. Some very nice people have purchased flashlights and batteries for all 33 kids! But we still have some work to do. So here's an update on what we still need for our supply drive:

-30 stress balls (preferably with gel inside and faces are great)
-33 wooden massagers
-16 jars of nail polish
-33 lip balms or lip glosses
-31 small photo albums
-31 gel pens
-28 stationary sets
-toy fruits and vegetables
-sugarless gum with xylitol

We're also looking for people to write letters to the kids for us to take with us. On the right side of the blog you'll find some tips and guidelines for writing letters. If you'd like to write a letter, simply comment on this post and we'll get in touch with you.

You can also of course donate money to the Sovietsk Fund at Children's HopeChest (hopechest.org). This money goes toward supplies and programming.

Thanks to everyone who has chipped in. It always comes together every year.

New Friends and Supply Update

This morning, Ben and I visited Whiteland UMC at their Under the Sun Cafe to share about our kids at Sovietsk. We had a great time meeting new people and left very encouraged. Thank you Dennis, Ginger, Pastor Joe, and everyone who welcomed us so warmly!

At the church, a lovely woman donated a huge amount of top quality scrapbooking supplies. After sorting through them, I am even more moved by her generosity. THANK YOU! We are so excited to share these with the kids and help them begin their lifebooks, a big help in their journey to understand their identities.

The supply drive is well underway! We are still hoping for:
-33 stress balls (preferably with gel inside, and faces are great!)
-33 wooden massagers
-17 mini flashlights + batteries (though this may be taken care of!)
-16 jars of nail polish
-33 lip balms/lip glosses
-31 small photo albums
-31 gel pens
-28 stationary sets
-toy fruits and vegetables
-sugarless gum with xylitol

$1 stores and bargain bins are great places to find these items.

Cash always works as well. :) Thanks to those of you who have sent funds for programs and travel, and for others who have contributed funds toward the supply drive (so we can purchase items to fill the gaps).

In other exciting news, we are expecting to bring 4 laptops with us to leave at the orphange. We are so grateful!!

Finally, don't forget, letters are the best thing we can bring. We can always bring more of those. Thanks to everyone who is sending their love.

It's Supply Drive Time Again!

We are heading back to Russia in just over a month. If you’d like to be a part of our trip, you can help us as we collect supplies to take to the orphanage.

Last year’s gift packs were a huge hit. The kids were so surprised and proud to receive special items just for them!

This year, we’re hoping for: 33 stress balls (preferably with gel inside, and faces are great!), 33 wooden massagers, 17 mini flashlights + batteries, 16 jars of nail polish, 33 lip balms/lip glosses , 33 small photo albums, 33 gel pens, toy fruits and vegetables, sugarless gum with xylitol, glow-in-the dark stickers, scrapbooking supplies (stickers and paper), and stationary.

$1 stores and bargain bins are great places to find these items.

If you'd like to donate items, please leave a comment and we will get in touch you.

Encouragement!

Just when we're starting to get discouraged by a few obstacles, we get these letters. We can't wait to get back and see our kids! Of course, these letters are for you too. Please write back and send letters with us--the children love to hear from you!


Kid’s Space…

Dear American Friends,

Thank you very much for your letters! We hope that this year Sarah, Ben, Jen, Katherine, Steve, Barb and maybe some other friends will visit us in our home. We are very busy now. We started to plant vegetables in our garden and shape up the flowerbeds near the orphanage. Soon the school year will be over. We all try to improve our results over previous years’ marks. Some of us will take the very difficult State Certificate Exam. We all are waiting for the summer break and hope to see you again! Love, Sasha I., Katya M., Yulya O.

Discipler’s Update…

Dear Friends,

May is a very busy month for the orphanage. The kids and the staff are busy gardening, building the greenhouse, and working hard. The children spend most of their time outdoors. The boys play basketball and football, and the girls enjoy swinging or playing hide and seek.

The children are happy because school will be over soon. Some of them will go to different camps while others will be taken to their families in Dolbilovo, and six children will enter various tech schools. Of course now they still have a lot to do. Some children, like Lida V. and Vova L. try to improve their results and finish school with good grades.

Almost all of the children are healthy. Arthur G. had the flu but was discharged from the hospital making Sonya, his sister, very happy. She visited him practically every day. Unfortunately Lena Z. was recently hospitalized with a high temperature. Katya M. and Nastya G. visit her and support her.

Not very long ago Oksana G. (last year graduate) visited the orphanage. It was a real event! The girls were so happy to see her. Lena M., Yulya O., and Nastya G. saw her off on the bus and then went home on foot. It’s nearly 3 km.

The children are waiting for the American group in summer or autumn. They are asking about the dates because even the graduates want to come and see Sarah and Ben.

From Ann Butorova


Caregiver’s Corner…

Dear Friends,

The staff and the caregiver send you best wishes from Sovietsk. We are having a nice time here. We are really busy! We are preparing for the summer period. As in previous years we work outdoors planting different vegetables and flowers. This year we held a competition in which each group drew a picture of the flowerbeds. Then we put them to a vote and choose the best one. Now we are completing this project. It’s beautiful! Last weekend we planted potatoes.

Our cultural life is also very rich. We had many events devoted to the celebration of the Victory in The Great Patriotic War. We made hand-made flowers, went to the parade, met with the veterans, gave them the cards and flowers, and had a great concert here.

We took part in two competitions: exhibition “May 9” for which we made origami tanks and planes, flowers, embroidered poppies and a wooden order) and exhibition “Together with the Master” for which we made hand-made dolls. We were awarded 2nd and 1st place prizes! We were very proud of our children.

We hope to meet with you again.
Thank you very much for everything you are doing for us.

From Angelika Nikolaevna

Director’s Notes…

Dear Friends,

These months were very rich in different events. We did a great job and were very pleased with our children. You know this generation of children does not understand the value and the price of victory because they didn’t see the difficulties of war. At least that’s what we thought. But our children were very attentive to the veterans. They said such warm words to them and were so thankful that we were thrilled to see their appreciation of the veterans and that they understood why we celebrate May 9 as a national holiday.

Now we are busy in the garden. We are trying to build a greenhouse. But we do not really have budget money for this. We really need it because we would like our children to eat fresh vegetables as long as possible. It is very healthy, you know.
Thanks to your sponsorship we are able to continue organizing box and football sections. We are also sending children to summer camps and resorts in different towns. Some of them will be taken by our volunteer families again. Our grads will take exams soon so please pray for their success. It is very sad to part with them, but life goes on. This month new children came to our orphanage: Nastyas and Stas. We will do everything for them as long as we can. Please pray for us. Together we’ll make life for these children better.

God bless you!

From Anisiya Pavlovna Vachreneva

Prayer Requests…

Please pray for our grads and the staff of Sovietsk orphanage and also for the children who are ill or in the hospital now.

From Ben & Sarah, please pray that we will continue to find the funds for just what the children need.

Blessings to each of you!

Orphanage Hymn

The song below was written by one of the music tutors at Sovietsk Orphanage. It's a really sweet song that all the kids sang for us when we were there last year. The English translation is below. Maybe we'll be able to see along with them this time around.

1. Начиналась жизнь наша с трудностей
Нет, вины нашей не было в том
Он нас принял с любовью и нежностью
Детства причал, санаторный наш дом

Chorus:

Родной детский дом
Начало начал
Ты в жизни моей
Надежный причал
Родной детский дом
Пускай много лет
Горит в твоих окнах добрый свет

2. принесли мы поклон воспитателям
За богатую щедрость души
Мы пред вами в долгу неоплаченном
Будем помнить об этом всю жизнь

3. Мы встречаемся здесь с нашей юностью
Вспоминаем былые года
Все что дорого, все, что нам помнится
Сохраним в душе навсегда

1. We began our life with difficulties, through no fault of our own. We are accepted with love and tenderness in childhood security at our sanatorium house.

Chorus:
Native orphanage, beginning of the beginnings. You are the life of my safety, Native orphanage. Let there be many years. The good light burns in your windows.

2. We bow to educators for their rich generosity. We are in your debt and we will remember this our entire life.

3. We meet here with our youth and recall the years. All which is dear, let us remember in our souls forever.

Banana

In light of the ongoing World Cup I thought I'd write a bit about my experience with soccer in Russia. During our visit to Sovietsk last September I had the chance to prove once again that Americans are worse at soccer than Russians. Since males need activities in order to carry on a conversation, it's fortunate that we had plenty of opportunities to play together.

One type of game in particular is called "banana." The name probably has something to do with the half cirlce formation that the players stand in around the goal. The rules are pretty complicated and it took me a while to catch on. One person plays goalie while the others try to score. You can't touch the soccer ball twice in a row and you have to kick the ball into the goal from the air and not the ground. If someone kicks the ball out of bounds, they end up as the goalie. You can also end up as goalie if you break one of the other rules that I didn't understand and constantly broke. I played A LOT of goalie. But I had so much fun. It made a memory for me and gave me something to write to the boys about and say "remember when we played banana and it was hilarious." I think I'll brush up my skills so I don't spend so much time as goalie now. ...Ah well, who am I kidding?

Big Fundraiser!!

With some craziness behind us and the trip fast approaching, we will be in high gear on fundraising, supply drives, and letter drives. First up, thanks to one of our lovely travelers, an Independence Day Block Party!



Ok, these kids won't be there. This is from last year's Potato Festival in Sovietsk. But we'll be thinking of them and hoping to raise lots of money!

SATURDAY, JULY 3, 5:00 PM
Dinner at 6:30 PM, Fireworks at 10:00PM
SOMMERWOOD AT NOBLESVILLE housing addition
Email me for driving directions.

The event features water slides, a bounce house, a climbing wall, face painting, caricatures, a Rock Band station, Fireworks, and LIVE Music!

REMEMBER TO BRING:
*Appetizer, side, or dessert to share (optional)
*Chairs/blankets and drinks for your family
*Kids’ towels and bathing suits for water slides
*Suggested donation of $20 per family
*Extra $$$ for tips and donations

Be ready to have a great time for a great cause!
Funds will go toward extracurricular programs such as sports and music, get-started gifts for the graduates, Vitamin D, and general support funds.
We hope to see you there!

Her Story

We have received an influx of letters in the last few weeks. There's nothing I love more! I love hearing how everyone is doing and knowing they are getting my letters. It's heartwarming to have a connection on the other side of the world--for me and for the children who write.

One of my friends writes to a lovely young woman who happens to be a very talented artist. Now we know she is a talented writer as well. She sent a letter that is quite unique. For children at the orphanage, letter-writing can be very challenging. Many of us struggle to find words to share with children we have never met on the other side of the world. Imagine how hard it must be for those children to write to adults, Americans, they have never met--especially after having experiences with adults that have been far less than positive. So when this lovely young woman (who has my favorite Russian name) shared her story and a piece of her heart, it moved me to tears.

I believe she will do well and be successful. I believe her future is bright. She has skills and tools her peers do not, thanks largely to her life before her time at the orphanage. But she has experienced loss beyond her years. My heart is with her.



Here is part of her letter.

I was born in Kirov. I lived with my mom and friends. I have lots of friends. I used to visit my aunt every summer when I was a small girl. I ran the house and worked hard there. We did many things together with my aunt: we prepared firewoods, made pickles, went in the forest to pick mushrooms and berries. So you see we didn't have a spare minute there. And the thing is that we managed to do everything in time.

But sometimes it happens that the life becomes darker than black. Now I live in the orphanage in Sovietsk. But still I want to return home.

PARTY! and other news

I just wanted to give everyone a heads up about our fundraising efforts and other activities coming up.

Our big fundraiser will be held on July 3rd. It's going to be a really fun and family-oriented party to celebrate Independence Day. Lots of fun activities and tasty food. More details later, but mark your calendars and plan to attend. We're trying to raise money to support the extracurricular programming at the orphanage: music lessons, arts lessons, sports activities. We'd also like to raise some support to cover the travel costs of some folks going with us.

Thanks to some very generous donors, we received the balance of the money we needed for the life skills training course for the orphanage graduates to be held in June. This course is a great opportunity for the kids to learn about what they'll face in real life once they leave the orphanage.

We're planning to visit Sovietsk early this coming fall. We have a few spots open and we'd love to have you come along.

There are still plenty of kids without sponsors or pen pals. And there are lots of other ways to get involved in making life better for these great kids. Just let us know what you'd like to do.

Labels

Once you label me, you negate me. --Soren Kierkegaard

Ok, I know I've been gone a long time. And we are getting really busy with the stuff of caring for Sovietsk--fundraising, trip planning, and the like. But this soon-to-be MSW who has studied philosophy since high school has been thinking a lot about the importance of language, especially concerning our children, and so it's time to post.

You may have noticed you won't find the word orphan on this blog--at least, not unless we are quoting someone else. That's quite on purpose. Why?

Because our children are hardly different than you or I, they just happen to not be living with parents at this time.
Because our children have experienced so many losses or traumas that you or I may be unable to comprehend, it seems ridiculous to boil that down into one word.
Because our children have big hearts, are strong and brave, and have entire lives ahead of them.
Because our children are more than orphans.

I get that labels are useful for simple organization. But we as Sovietsk Supporters are not census workers--we are family! We are here to love the children for who they are, each individually. We're so different from them, but we're also the same.

So, we might talk about children who have been orphaned. Or the kids who live at the orphanage. Or children who are particularly vulnerable to this or that predicament or who have experienced trauma or neglect.
But mostly, we will talk of this young woman, or that little boy. Or if it's not too private, we will just use their names. Because that is who they are.

The popular term for this kind of langage in service circles is 'people-first' langage. And it's so important! Think of all of the labels over time which have fallen from common use: Leper. Dumb. Idiot. One that starts with R-----. And countless racial labels. Why? Because they don't amount to a whole person! I am more than a wife, or a woman, or a White person, or my intelligence, or my failings,or my accomplishments. I am Sarah, Ben is Ben, and Katya is Katya.

So, if you see me cringe at the word orphan, I hope you understand.

Our friends in Russia

Russia and its neighbors have been in the headlines a lot lately for all the turmoil happening in the region. From the train bombings in Moscow, terrorist attacks in Chechnya, the uprising in Kyrgystan, and the tragic plane crash in Poland... And the most recent story about the 7-year-old whose adoption was interupted by his mother, leading Russia to suspend U.S. adoptions of Russian childen. In the aftermath of all this difficult stuff, we want to let our Russian friends know that our thoughts and prayers are with them.

Simple Ways to Raise Money

Sarah and I have decided that it's time to clean out our house and get rid of stuff we don't need. Need is, of course, a relative term I realize, nevertheless...

It turns out that some of the things we've decided to jettison are actually of some value. So far, we've made around $585 and we're not finished. Not bad. The money we raise is going to help fund our trip to Sovietsk Orphanage this year. We got this idea a couple of years ago from my brother, Dan, who was working at the time as the development director for Children's HopeChest. The campaign was pretty effective and it didn't really cost people anything other than some stuff they forgot they owned.

If you're interested in supporting the work of Children's HopeChest at Sovietsk Orphanage, then I would encourage you to take a look at doing the same thing in your house. You might be surprised. Let us know if you're planning to join us and we'll let you know how to make a tax-deductible donation.

Keep Current!

We had a great meeting today brainstorming ways we can support the children of Sovietsk. It's been challenging to find funds for Russia during these economic times, with so much going on around the world. Over the next few months, we'll have some fun opportunities to chip in and make a big difference with a little effort. Please visit often to keep current! And, we started a group on Facebook, called Sovietsk Supporters. There are so many of you who don't know each other, we thought it could be fun to put all of our heads together. Please join and invite your friends! As always, we are thankful for each of you!

Above are our Russian friends who mean the world to our kids, and to us.

Happy Women's Day!

Happy Women's Day to all of you! International Women's Day is celebrated every year on the 8th of March. Its origins date to the early 20th century with the Socialist Party in the United States. Before long, the holiday spread across the world, especially to the countries of the Soviet Union.

Women's Day is still celebrated to this day, in Russia and elsewhere. The holiday in Russia looks something like a cross between Mother's Day and Valentine's Day. But the point of Women's Day is to celebrate the many important contributions of women.

Beyond Russia, Women's Day is commemorated by organizations such as CARE, The Red Cross, and the United Nations as an opportunity to raise awareness and to uphold the rights of women. The meaning of International Women's Day is summarized well by the Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-Moon:

"Gender equality and women’s empowerment are fundamental to the global mission of the United Nations to achieve equal rights and dignity for all... But equality for women and girls is also an economic and social imperative. Until women and girls are liberated from poverty and injustice, all our goals -- peace, security, sustainable development -- stand in jeopardy."

I'm thankful for all of the strong, intelligent women in my life. I want to especially extend my gratitude to Galina, the director of Sovietsk Orphanage. She is an exceptional woman who works very hard to help make a better life for the kids at the orphanage.

Come Along

It's nearly time to plan our next trip. Will you join us?

Here is a beautiful slideshow, still in progress, showing last year's trip from beginning to end. Thanks to Jen, a good friend and fellow traveler, for her love and care in putting this together!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Alcoholism in Russia

Public Radio International's "The World" recently told the story of Alcoholism in Russia. Please follow the link and give it a listen; it's worth your time. This is something that, in one way or another, has an impact on the lives of our kids at Sovietsk.

Try Being in the Minority

I've devoted a lot of brain space over the past few years to historical issues of race and ethnicity. It is one thing to undertake this as an academic exercise, but it's something else altogether to actually experience it. My brief and benign experience as a minority was nevertheless an enlightening one.

As a White Anglo-Saxon Protestant being a minority isn't something that I do very often. In fact, the only time is when we travel to Russia. I'm an American and most people there are Russian. Obviously. It's a strange feeling to know that everyone on the metro is looking at you because you aren't like them. I dress kind of funny to them, I speak a different language, and I tend to make eye contact with strangers. This makes me different and it's a pretty vulnerable feeling.

But there is a perhaps more subtle minority group into which Sarah falls, if only just a little. She looks a little bit Gypsy. (Or, to be politically correct, Roma). There's a good chance that because of her prominent Bohemian ancestry and her dark, curly hair that she does indeed have some Roma blood in her. On our most recent trip one of the Russian ladies remarked to Sarah that she looked like a Gypsy--and upon further discussion, we realized we have never seen anyone else in Russia with Sarah's hair (aside from some beautiful Roma children). Apparently there are some stereotypes that go along with this: Roma are good at music and equally adept at stealing. We've been advised to watch out for them because you just never know. Sarah is good at music, but she's never stolen anything.

Many Roma have more pronounced ethnic features: dark skin, hair and eyes, and perhaps a distinctive style of dress. Being Roma in Eastern Europe certainly brings its share of challenges. It's interesting to me to travel halfway around the world and run into the same sorts of (unearned) stereotypes for racial minorities that we have here in the U.S.

Legendary

These are some treasured words poet Jaiya John delivered at the perfect time for me last year. As my heart filled with every emotion imaginable, I thought of Sveta, Anisa, Vadim, Galina, and all the dedicated caregivers at Sovietsk. I thought of Anya, Misha, Natty, Sveta, Lena, Olga, and all of the dedicated Fund Nadezhda staff in Russia. I thought of all the adoptive parents and child and family workers I have known. And I thought of you, Sovietsk Supporters.

________________________________

For all those who serve children with honor:

They call you social workers
but I drink my drinks from Legend
so I recall a time
when family and community
were one and the same
it was called a compound

and there were those people
of great sensitivity
entrusted by the adults
ratified by the elders to place their hand
upon the shoulders of children
and turn them to face a better wind

they call you social workers
I call you those who turn lives around

you seep into cracks
like salvation blood and fill up the spaces
so precious little ones won't fall through

they call you social workers
I call you spirit keepers
denizens of the light
I mean to say you reside
in a house called hope
and keep the light on
so babies and lost folk
can find the way home

they call you social workers
but the ground you till is not social
it is spiritual of the human spirit
it drips with black richness like strong coffee
picked from heaven's hills

the seeds you protect are not simply children
not simply tomorrow's daylight
but the reason for our past
and the purpose for our people to be
to be

I drink from Legend so I know
mud-caked fishermen work the banks of the Nile
and have a faith that Creation will grace
them with good catch even on stingy days
that they will be able to return home
to their families and fill bellies
with substance beyond yams
this is your name

and the griot
she's old and over by the stump
still got that reach even though her joints are stiff
still got that reach to go on
and pull ripened fruit of symbolism
and legacy from the highest tree branches
and the most introverted clouds

pickin' 'em and pickin' em
and puttin' 'em in her story basket
so that the young ones can fill their
minds with substance beyond what is
extending out to what ought to be
and what used to be

she just griot
and she old
but she young enough to set
young ones free
this . . . is your name

they call you social workers
in child welfare

I call you medicine women and men
in family welfare

I call you glue in the community
when rain come to pull things apart

I call you doctors priests healers
teachers palm readers fortune tellers
prophesiers negotiators mediators
advocators instigators pacifiers
storytellers truth dwellers
getting downright dirty
in shameful cellars
cleanin' up mess'
settin' crooked straight

child soul caressers
Man I call you masseuse

irrigators investigators neglect haters
keeper of the cage that carries the canary
deep into the dark of human caves
looking for that first sign of something foul
praising that first sign of something beautiful

and then there is this:
in a nation that says this community
is less than that one
and this family is less than that one
and this child is less than that one
and why bother with all that pain
they call you social workers who
go out and keep the faith

only one reason
one reason be
so far as I can see:
even the Blackest Brownest
poorest brokest community
is made up of beautiful
families and children
trying to get free

endowed with the full potential of the Universe
unshakable masterpieces of canvass untouched
by foolish nation using the wrong paintbrush

and you . . .
in the morning when you rise
you peel the frustration from your sleepy face
and wash it away down the sink
with all that dirt System puts in your way
and you walk clean out the door

cause you believe

you believe these children are good enough
these families are worth enough
these communities deserve enough
and you absolutely have what it takes enough

cause we don't ever make enough
money material status superficial dough
to ever let it be okay to let some folk
not even some kind of folk
slip for just one day

and I ask and I answer:
you have to be warriors
cause you fought my battle
you have to be magicians
cause you carried me over wide water
with your barest feet
you have to be the locksmith
helping somebody who cared
for this little Black boy
silent boy
lost boy

helping that somebody
turn the key and let me just be on my way
to being what I was put here to be

check:
don 't you ever think that
any one of these children could never
grow up to become legendary
we are not the wisdom of Creation
we occupy a more humble station
called imperfection
and from this rippled surface
the distorted reflection we are able to catch
is the Beauty of a day on down the path
when the storm calms itself
and quits its crying

warped reflection
in the mirror of child welfare
is the child fared well
is the day's bounty brought home
to somebody's hungry family
to fill bellies with substance
beyond yams

when I began this life
you were there
you carried me
first to a safe way station
then to my people who would
bring me up

child welfare
or child farewell?

I put my money on the honey
the sweet stuff
stories of success
cause I am one
cause you were one for me
triumphant that is
triumphant you were

I am the reason
you get up and go out to work
even in the bitter stretches
when fierce wind blows you back
and sharp sand stings your face

you lean not backward
you lean forward

and I
I can't just thank you
that would be understatement
I have to remind you of your
greatness and how you leave
it in your wake so a child like me
can come 'round and lap it up
and taste some sweetness

it tasted so good to me back then
you want to know why?
because I
I just wanted to be able to grow up
and have the chance to taste
some sweet potato pie

I didn't want to slip through the cracks
I didn't want to erode or fade away
and I didn't want to die
I just wanted to be able to grow up
so I could have some chance to taste some
sweet potato pie
cinnamon in my dreams
fresh from the oven
heavenly steam in my eye

there is something called the system
it is some parts working right
and some parts doing wrong
but then there is the one who toils
for the well-being of the child
made of flesh and spirit
some parts mad revolutionary
calling for change when everything around
seems to just want to sit still

some parts little child on the street corner
selling lemonade
trying to make some coin
so she can get what she wants
to make the day feel good
in the hood

and they
lemme see now
they . . .
call you social worker . . .

I call you Legendary.

I was one of the children . . .

3.28.00
Copyright 2008 by Jaiya John

This is our hundredth post. Thank you, thank you.

National Human Trafficking Prevention Month

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So this is Christmas . . .

A Very Merry Christmas! Orthodox Christmas is upon us. While most of us are putting away ornaments and lights, our Russian friends are getting ready for church, feasting, and family. You can read more about Russian Christmas here.
Another year over, a new one just begun. Last year was hard for a lot of people, for a lot of reasons. We lost a lot of financial support for Sovietsk in 2009, but we gained priceless enthusiasm and commitment from a new group of supporters. Yay! I have been thinking a lot about 2010 and how to make our service less about cash and more about connections. Some ideas:

-Increase frequency of communication between Russian and American friends. Fund Nadezhda/Children's HopeChest has committed to coaxing more letters out of the children--some of you experienced the joy of receiving letters for the first time! I hope each of us can recommit to sending letters more regularly. If you're interested in writing to one of our children, drop me a note.

-Increase quality of communication in those letters. Ben and I want to help our sponsors be more purposeful in the letters, using approaches known to work with children who have experienced great loss or trauma. For example, simply prompting the child to remember a funny memory can trigger the brain to release more happy hormones, resulting in a calmer mood or even a smile or a laugh. The more this happens, the healthier. So, I wrote Katya with a funny story about myself and asked her to share one with me. We are planning to share more letter-writing tips with each of you.

-Meet some additional material needs. For example, the orphanage needs a medical sterilizer. We know they could benefit from Vitamin D. The list goes on. I know there are gifts in kind out there somewhere. If you can help us out, let us know!

-Mobilize our supporters. A core group of us got together last fall to brainstorm ways to increase support and funds for Sovietsk. We are planning to get together soon, and it seems like an event may be in the works. More to come on that--we'd love to have each of you involved!

-Find a clever way to supplement traveler expenses (so we can have more travelers!).

-Find a way to continue to pay for the crucial extracurricular activities.

-Extend our support for our youth who have graduated.

-Visit again!

So how are we going to do all of this? Maximize partnership. Rely on supporters' creativity and connections. Keep an open mind. Work our tails off! Ask for feedback and suggestions. And pray a LOT.

So please, stay tuned. Tomorrow, when in celebration of Christmas in Russia we pack away our tree and our memories of 2009, our hearts will be with our children and our minds will be in full gear. We are hoping and trusting 2010 to be the best year of sponsorship yet!