A Visit to Moscow

Two weeks ago today, St. Basil's Cathedral turned 450 years old.  This beautiful monument to medieval Russia and Tsar Ivan the Terrible is a Russian Orthodox church built at Ivan's behest to celebrate a military victory.  It's really quite a breathtaking and unique structure and no matter how many times I've visited Red Square, I cannot stop myself from taking a bunch of pictures of it.

                                                               Here's a photo I took of St. Basil's on our trip last fall. 
                                                              It was the first time we've been to Red Square at night.

This summer, some of the kids and staff from the orphanage had a chance to travel to Moscow to visit St. Basil's and see other sites.  They got to see a ballet at the Bolshoi Theater, visit some animals at the zoo, tour the city by boat along the Moscow River, and eat at a fancy restaurant.  Not to mention the train ride from Kirov to Moscow, which is really a lot more fun than it sounds.  When I heard about the trip the kids took to Moscow I was so happy for them and felt very grateful for the great staff of caregivers at the orphanage. 

Here's a photo of the kids in Red Square this summer.

In the background is one of the walls of the Kremlin.

I would be remiss if I didn't make another plug for writing letters to the kids.  I can't emphasize enough just how important these letters are and how very, very easy it is to do.  Let us know if you'd like a transatlantic pen pal.  And we're still trying to raise money to buy gifts for the orphanage graduates.  See previous posts for details. 

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!

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.

Day Three

On the third day of our trip, we typically get up kinda early and have a good, hardy Russian breakfast before departing the hotel for Sovietsk. The drive from Kirov to Sovietsk takes somewhere around ninety minutes. It goes by quickly because of the anticipation of seeing the kids and orphanage staff again and besides, the scenery is pretty nice.

When we first arrived at the orphanage on our last trip, the kids were very shy (some of them never stopped being shy). But it didn't take Katya long to warm up to Sarah again. She remembered Sarah from our previous visit a year and a half before. I had never met Sergey in person, but had exchanged a few letters with him. I wouldn't consider either of us to be conversationalists, but I was happy to meet him and I think the feeling was mutual. We also met some of the caregivers, orphanage staff, and of course, Galina, the orphanage director. She led us on a tour of the building and its grounds (a beatific setting, I must say) and then showed us to our rooms.

By then it was midday and time for lunch. We shared with our hosts a meal of borscht, potatoes, fresh vegetables, and fish. As is customary, following the meal I delivered a (somewhat awkward) impromptu speech telling them how excited we were to be there and how very delicious the food was. Galina also delivered a speech thanking us for coming. We were then directed to follow Galina to her office for a meeting to plan to the upcoming week. There wasn't much planning, really. She mostly just told us what we'd be doing for the next four days, which was fine with us.

Then we divided up by gender. I went with Vadim Petrovich, the wood shop teacher, and Sarah went with the sweet-voiced needlecraft teacher, Yelena. Part of the plan for the week was for the two of us to learn some skills from the kids. I would learn how to make things out of wood and Sarah was supposed to learn how to make things from thread and needles. Vadim Petrovich, who's an older gentleman, treated me and Misha (our translator) to a thirty minute PowerPoint presentation about all of the skills he teaches the kids in his shop. The presentation was unexpected, but actually quite informative.

After the presentation, we were able to spend some down time with the kids. There weren't many around at the time (most were away at summer camp) so we just sat down in the common area where the boys were hanging out and tried to strike up (and sustain) a conversation. Not a terribly easy task, but I think it was a good start toward getting to know each other.

Caregiver's Corner

Another update!

Again, let me thank you for all your care for our children. Letters make their lives brighter. It’s a pity not all of the children get letters from their U.S. friends. They really wait for their letters. Not very long ago in our local newspaper there was an article about our summer guests Sarah and Ben. Children read and re-read this article. They miss Sarah and Ben very much! They send their love to them and ask to come to them this summer again. Thank you for your support,

From Irina Nikolaevna

First, we can't believe we made the newspaper! We had a few jokes from our trip to Dolbiylova about being ready for the media, but apparently we should have been. I am so curious to see the article when we return. We are so excited to visit again (have we mentioned that?) and bring more friends to love on these kids.

About the letters . . . it is so hard to have a few kids who are not getting letters and a few who are. We have 2 children left who don't have a pen pal at all, and we just have no way of knowing who is writing to their children regularly and who isn't. Every time we hear from the caregivers, they say they wish everyone would receive letters. We do, too! If you have a pen pal or are a child sponsor, please try to write each month--why not write today? If you know someone who is writing, ask them when they last wrote. Let's help each other! It's hard to keep up, our lives are so full. Not so for our children, who wait anxiously for the letters and ask for them each time the discipler visits.

We'll have another letter drive very soon. Last time we went, we brought so many beautiful gifts, but the letters were the biggest hit. Our fellow travelers will vouch for us after they see it themselves.

If you'd like to be a pen pal or a child sponsor, drop me a note and we'll get you set up.

Discipler's Update

Here is a letter from Ann, the new discipler at Sovietsk:

Dear Friends,

I am glad that I continue working with Sovietsk as it is very rewarding. The children are healthy; two of them went to the sanatorium to have some rest in January. During their winter holidays, they went to Kirov several times for charity New Year and Christmas show in a café. They also had an exhibition of their handmade works. The headmaster was really proud of the results. Some orphanage graduates came to visit their teachers and friends.

On February 23rd there was a marvelous party for all children. There was a group of guests from Kirov who organized the event. Children liked everything, and I’m sure they will be eager to share their emotions. Now the orphanage is preparing for the Shrovetide and the Women’s Day holiday. Shrovetide will take place on the 1st of March, and it will surely be very bright and memorable.

Thanks for your writing and continuous support. Your support means a lot to all of us.

From Ann Butorova

We are looking forward to meeting Ann on our next trip. She has a lot of enthusiasm and is very committed to the children, which is just what they need!

Sponsor funds pay for Ann's visits to Sovietsk, as well as for special events and celebrations like you read about above. They also pay for arts and crafts lessons, which allows them opportunities to meet other kids and have the exhibition. Trips to the city and extra visitors are wonderful for all children, and they are special and rare for children in the orphanages.

February 23 is Defender of the Fatherland (or Motherland) Day, and Shrovetide is similar to Mardi Gras (without the raucous party atmosphere) in that you eat pancakes and Lent begins, and of course, Women's Day is March 8.

Our kids go to the sanatorium fairly often, as some of them have some health challenges. In Russia, though, sanatorium is quite different than we think of. It's a place for the children to go when they are ill, so they can rest, relax, receive treatment, and keep other children from getting ill. Above, you see some of the special treatments the children at Sovietsk receive, as many of them have latent tuberculosis--though they are not sick while at the orphanage.

More letters to come!

Happy Mother's Day

In Russia, they don't celebrate Mother's Day today--it's all wrapped into Women's Day in March. But on Mother's Day, I think of our children at Sovietsk, and of their mothers, and of the 4 million children worldwide who are without their mothers, and of their mothers, and of the children of all ages who miss their mothers, and of the mothers around the world who are longing for their children.

I also think of my mother, of the example of grace, wisdom, and courage she has given to me, and I am humbled and grateful to be her daughter. I think of my grandmothers, my great-grandmothers, my mother-in-law, my sisters-in-law, my aunts, my cousins, the grandmothers and foster mothers I work with, the orphanage caregivers, my friends who are mothers--young mothers, experienced mothers, mothers-to-be, and I am thankful for all of the women who give of themselves so that children can grow into strong, loving, and giving adults.

And, I think of the Sovietsk Supporters--some who are mothers of growing children, some with children who are grown, some who are soon-to-be mothers, some who are mothers at heart, some who are individuals with love to give--who give of themselves to nurture hurting children, and who expect nothing in return.

To each and every one of you, thank you for giving your heart. And Happy Mother's Day!

Safety, Permanence, Well-Being

Many of you know I am working on my MSW and specializing in child welfare, working to empower parents and families to ensure that children are protected and nurtured. In the US, the consensus in child welfare is that adults need to provide children with safety, permanence, and well-being in order for them to grow into healthy, strong individuals. Sometimes we do well, sometimes we don't. The same is true for our children in Russia.

The orphanage is a strong attempt at providing safety for a child, and Sovietsk does as well or better than any orphanage we've seen at keeping children safe--thanks to staff like Vovo, above with the guys, or Sveta, below with the girls . We are so thankful for that. But, when you have 18 year old boys living with young women, or older children who have experienced abuse or violence living with younger vulnerable children, and there are only so many adults to go around, there are special considerations. We've visited an orphanage of over 100 children where boys and girls shared rooms and where there was 1 night staff. It's hard to imagine that each of those children is safe.

The biggest challenge at Sovietsk may be establishing permanence. Permanence, for a child, is inextricably linked to psychological stability--it is hard for a child to flourish when he or she is always wondering what is next. In my practicum working with kinship families (relatives, often older grandparents, who are caring for children as their own), I came across this extremely relevant statement:

A child who is orphaned loses his parents once, and it is permanent and tragic. A child whose parents are in jail, in rehab, on the street or just missing, harbors a hope of returning to them but in the meantime loses them over and over again as they wander in and out of the child's life. Strange as it may seem, a sudden death may be easier for a child to handle than months or even years of not knowing. It is the difference between a clean break and prolonged uncertainty, and certainty is extremely important to children.*

Ben and I have witnessed firsthand the heartbreak of this repeated loss. Of the 29 children at Sovietsk, I believe only 3 have parents who are deceased--the rest have parents either unwilling, unable, or ill-equipped to care for them. On our last visit, we spent time with a young man who was expecting to spend the summer with his mother. She didn't come through, and he stayed at the orphanage while his friends were at camp. We sat with a sweet girl who receive a letter from her mother informing her that another baby was on the way. She responded as outwardly dismissive, saying she had negative feelings toward her mother for drinking too much and leaving her at the orphanage. It can be hard for those who have never experienced this to understand, but even with those negative feelings, there is a yearning for the acceptance and love that only a mother can give. She has to wonder--will my mother keep this child, but not me? Will I know my brother or sister? Will we ever be a family? Each time another hope is crushed, the child loses the parent all over again.

This is why the nature of what Sovietsk Supporters do is so important. Material gifts cannot bring love and acceptance, or well-being, to hurting children. We can never fill the void left by missing parents, but we can be a stable source of acceptance and love for children who have no understanding of what that means. We can do our part to ensure their well-being, even in the turbulence and impermanence of an orphanage. They did nothing to deserve a life without a family, and we who have so much love to give do everything we can to show them that love is possible.

*de Toldedo, S. & Brown, D. E. (1995). Grandparents as Parents. New York: The Guilford Press.

Letters!

But this time they are TO you, not FROM you!

To Bethlehem Lutheran Church and all our sponsors,

Thank you very much for your letters. We had great holidays with our friends and tutors. We had different events, now we all go to school and the holidays are far away. We all want to congratulate you on the St. Valentine's Day. We want to wish you all the best!!!!We miss you so much!!! We hope that the meeting that we had, wasn't the last one, and that you are going to visit us again. We think about you all the time and pray for your health. Galina asks about you every time and gives her greetings to you. We congratulate the men on the 23d of February, let all their dreams come true, we wish them happiness, love and all the best.We love you so much!!!!!!

Good bye,Children, the staff and Galina

What a fun little note! As you can see, the translation and transmission of the letters takes some time--this letter was written just over a month ago and came yesterday. (Keep that in mind when writing . . .) But we were so glad to get it and share it with you!

The 23rd of February is Defender of the Fatherland Day--a military holiday that is the closest they get to a Men's Day. So, belated congratulations, Men!

It is sweet when they ask about our next visit . . . little do they know we have a team of 11(!) planning to come and see them! We usually don't mention anything to the kids ahead of the trip, just in case. They have experienced so much disappointment, and anything could happen between now and September (knock on wood!), so we wait until closer and let the caregivers tell them when they feel the time is right. It's hard to keep it in when writing, though!

If you are interested in becoming a pen pal, drop me an email. We have about 5 kids left who need pen pals and a few more who need sponsors.

Thanks to all of you who write, sponsors and pen pals alike. You should know these letters become treasured possessions. Even kids who don't write back are known to keep special stashes of the letters they receive. You are appreciated!

Secret Technology

Something struck me immediately when I first visited an orphanage in Russia. I was completely surprised at the skill level demonstrated by the kids when it came to handcrafts. These kids regularly produce beautiful and intricate crafts that I'm not sure an average adult in the U.S. could match. And when you comment about how impressed you are with their work, they just kind of look at you like they're thinking, "big hairy deal." Not that they don't take pride in their work; they were showing us around and pointing out their artwork hanging on the walls. I really believe that having these skills and a form of artistic expression can be therapeutic in a way for these kids who are carrying with them a lot of emotional baggage.

One of the things that we wanted to do when we visited Sovietsk last August was to have the kids and orphanage staff teach us the skills to make these crafts (and other skills like how to cook and catch fish). I learned from my friend Vadim Petrovich in the picture above a "secret technology" for how to peel birch bark layer by layer, trace on it an outline of some interesting image, and then use a small knife to cut it out and create a silhouette. Apparently this skill is proprietary, so I won't be able to share it with anyone. Fortunately for them, I lack the finesse to do woodworking and the brainpower to remember the secret technology (I think something was lost in translation). But I was able to come away with a beautiful and original piece of art that I created myself. (Or that's how Vadim Petrovich tells it. He actually did most of the work and corrected all of my mistakes.) We've waited for the smell of varnish to wear off before hanging it in our house. But we think fondly about the kids and Vadim Petrovich when we see it.

The Third Wish

The last of the Three Wishes from Sovietsk staff was this:

Please pray for the boys and girls who need to finish this school year well, for the graduates to find their way in life, and for the director and staff who take care of the children.
Ben's brother often quotes Tito Colliander, saying "Prayer is action." I know we have a diverse group of readers, and I expect no two of us pray the same or even believe the same. So I am pondering what 'prayer is action' may mean to our kids at Sovietsk . . .

The boys and girls need to finish this school year well. Some of our kids are on the verge of leaving school without graduating--we have17 and 18 year old ninth graders, on their last chances. A 15 year old girl wrote she was having difficulty with her studies, but she is working hard and 'hop[ing she] will cope with everything.' She has so much to cope with . . . here in the US, we hear all the time how parental involvement is a huge factor in academic success. The kids at Sovietsk deal with developmental challenges and emotional barriers, with so many of their basic human needs lacking, and without parental support. They need love, encouragement, and help. They are trying to learn not only math and language and science, but discipline and problem solving and a healthy mix of trust and independence. They need strong, dedicated adults as mentors, tutors, cheerleaders, and unconditional friends.

For the graduates to find their way in life takes more of the same. They are so young, and they are expected to navigate an adult world without the emotional or financial support of a family. The odds are truly stacked against them: 50% of orphan graduates in Russia live on crime, 30% eat with money earned through prostitution, 60% cope through drugs or alcohol, and 15% are unable to cope and end their own lives.

The directors and staff know this, and they do all they can to help the children learn to live and love. I can hardly imagine the burden of filling a mother's role for 28 children with extreme emotional needs. This is why the directors partner with other people who care, and this is why they send special requests for letters, for warm clothes, for extra prayer and support.

So, through the prayers and actions of Sovietsk supporters, our kids have more adults in their lives: coaches, tutors, music and arts and crafts teachers, and disciplers Lena and Ann. They have friends a world away who express genuine and unconditional concern. They have opportunities to study within their strengths, whether medicine, science, driving, or language. They have a place to come home to when they go on to tech school, as Galina maintains an open home for the graduates. But there is so much more to do . . .

I have focused quite a bit on the positive things happening at Sovietsk, and we are so thankful for the positive impact you have had as generous donors and supporters. But I think it is time to unveil some of the more painful realities of institutional living. As I begin to share more and more about our kids, please consider how our prayers, and our actions, can shape their futures. We would love to hear your thoughts about what else we can do to help our kids at Sovietsk meet a brighter future.

Three Wishes

Here are the last few updates from the caregivers and directors at Sovietsk. They contain three wishes that we will do our best to grant, with your help.

First, for letters:

First of all let me thank you for all your care for our children. They are really happy when they receive letters and presents from you. It would be very nice if you continue writing to them, and if possible to them all, as some of them are a bit envious that to some children come 3 or 4 letters in a month. It is really interesting for them to receive letters especially from children, with whom they can share their interests and so on.
We are also looking forward to your visiting us because these are unforgettable memories for the children. From Caregiver Irina Nikolaevna

SO, we also request that you continue writing. It appears that we have some dedicated writers from our last big letter drive, so thank you! However, there are a number of children who are new to the orphanage who do not have anyone to write to them--their names are listed to the right and below. PLEASE consider becoming a pen pal for one (or two) of them. And please pass this information on to anyone who might be interested. It is very easy! Just email me and I will give you some background information and an email address to send your letters. If you have internet access, writing letters is free!

Second, for socks and gloves:

Winter is here and there is a great need here for warm clothes, especially warm socks and warm gloves. What ever help you can provide would be wonderful blessing. Thank you again for you letters and support.
Assistant Director Anisiya Vachreneva

SO, we are holding a Sock and Glove Drive! Since it costs more to send actual socks/gloves to Russia than they are worth, we are just collecting funds for the Sovietsk general fund at HopeChest. Just $5 can help keep a kid warm! Even in this crazy world, most of us can handle that much. Please consider donating--you can donate on the right--and please designate your funds "Sovietsk Sock and Glove Drive."

And finally, for prayer, as requested by disciplers and caregivers:

Please pray for the boys and girls who need to finish this school year well, for the graduates to find their way in life, and for the director and staff who take care of the children.

Enough said there.
We are so grateful that there are so many of you who love these kids!

Caregiver's Corner

Sovietsk has so many wonderful staff members, from the director and assistants to the nurses, cooks, cleaning staff, tutors, social worker, and special instructors.

From Tatiana, one of the many wonderful caregivers at Sovietsk:

I hope you and your families are doing well. On behalf of all the Sovietsk orphanage staff members I want to thank you for the job you are doing for the kids. It’s great that they can learn about the life of people who live so far away. It’s good that they know they have a person to think of them.

Galina Plotnikova, the director, was in Kirov for three days to take some advanced courses in managing the orphanage. She also managed to enjoy the kids’ performance at the contest. Moreover, at the contest we managed to see Valentina Ivanova and Tatiana Kozlochenkova, the representatives of different Children’s Funds in Kirov Region.

Due to the cold weather our kids spend a lot of time outdoors, playing in the snow. They love making snowman and snow angels!

Sincerely yours,
Tatiana Soboleva and the staff of Sovietsk orphanage