We begin this month’s report with the girl’s transition home in Ryazan.

“Thank you all for your support and prayer,” write Max and Alina, the house parents.  “Things would be way too different without you and your participation.”

Praise that attendance is up at the bi-weekly English lessons.  Max tells us…

English Students

“We’ve started every lesson, to tell our prayer requests and pray in English for each other.  I’ve tried to lead a Bible Study lesson with them all but it was very difficult for them to hold a discussion.  We agreed to give it a try again next Monday.  I’m passionate about doing the Bible study follow ups with the group.”

Please continue to pray for Max and Alina, his students and all the Ryazan girl’s home residents.

At the Ryazan boy’s home, house father Slava has been working on reaching a new group of recent orphan graduates.  His wife Olga writes, “All new graduates are a lot of work as they are lost souls in need of love and direction.” The current boy’s home residents continue to rely daily on Slava for guidance about finances, futures and their salvation.  Please pray for his health and strength!

Olga reports from the Rybnoye orphanage…

Physics Lesson

“Slava’s Mom is going there regularly to teach a few of the boys physics.  She worked as a physics teacher in schools for thirty years and is using her skills to help the boys.  One of our younger boys needs special attention.  His care-taker calls him ‘home child’ because his character is very much like the kids who grew up in a home and he seems really out of place at the orphanage.  He needs to learn such basic things as brushing his teeth, washing his socks and underwear.  He can be aggressive and we are also working on that.”

Lastly from the Ryazan boy’s home, a HUGE praise!  Slava details…

Lesha and Family

“Lesha, one of our graduates from the Solotcha orphanage, saw the birth of his first son last week.  Lesha is the result of our ministry.  He was one of our first kids who got an apartment from the government.  A year and a half ago, he married a girl from a Moscow suburb from the Calvary Chapel Church there.  He moved there, bought a new apartment and became the pastor of one of our friend churches.  We praise God for Lesha, his family and ministry.”

Please continue to pray also for Slava and Olga: that Christ would work through them to touch the lives of the orphans they support.

From the girl’s house in the Ukraine, all reports are positive.  House mother Alyona is currently visiting the United States and will join the ROR board at their next monthly meeting.  Please pray for Alyona’s visit and for Tanya – as she manages the Chernovtsy house responsibilities alone for a few weeks.

At the Petrov farm, son-in-law Sasha has started to conduct church services.  Nina writes…

“He does a great job, he’s always well prepared with a message and the kids were ready to help, as well.  After church services last month, they rehearsed for the Easter program at the orphanage.”

Sveta with Orphan Girls

Sasha

Praise that Nina also writes about the growth she has seen from the girl’s who live at the Ryazan girl’s home.  She tells us the girls enjoy visiting the orphanages with them and “because of our common efforts with you, they are becoming loving, sacrificial and obedient.”

Please continue to pray for all those at the Petrov farm.

This month, ROR is asking for your help in meeting two special needs.  First, Max is looking for more opportunities for his English students to practice on their own, outside of class.  If you’d like to volunteer to Skype with his students to help them increase their conversational skills, please contact ROR and we will put you in touch with Max.

Second, Slava is looking for sponsors who would like to help kids from the Rybnoye and Solotcha orphanages attend a 10 day Christian summer camp in Finland.  The trip will take place in mid-August.  The cost is $250 per child and includes their travel visa, transportation, lodging and food.  The goal is to bring 20 orphans.  “It will be a great investment in the lives of our kids,” says Slava.  “It’s a good time to connect with them and strengthen our bond; spending time together, loving, teaching and sharing with them about God’s love in our lives.”

Orphan Faces

As you can imagine, the logistics of the trip are complicated.  It will take several months to coordinate the necessary schedules and agreements between the Russian Department of Education, the orphanages and Slava.  Please know that if you feel led to sponsor an orphan, it’s important to do so no later than June 10th, to ensure enough time for the funds to reach the sponsored child.

The entire ROR board of directors thanks you for your continued prayers and support of this ministry.  It’s all for Him!

Victory Day Celebration in Moscow

RUSSIA FACT

On May 9, Russians celebrate Victory Day.  The holiday marks the day Nazi Germany surrendered to the Soviet Union during the Second World War.  It’s also a day to remember the more than 23 million military and civilian deaths the country suffered during the “Great Patriotic War” as is it known in Russia.

_______________________

Russian Orphan Rescue, Inc.

PO Box 58

Standard, CA  95373

info@rorescue.org

Our update this month starts with news of visits!  First, from the Petrov farm…

Petrov Family and Guests

“In February we had 12 visitors from Voronezh, a city in the south of Russia. They want to minister to orphan kids in their city and they came to meet with our church for us to share our experience.  They were interested in everything that we do.  They were writing many things down.  They shared about their church, their work and intentions, about miraculous things that were happening in their church, their steps of faith.  Such meetings strengthen our faith – praise be to our Jesus!”

A very special visit was made by Oleg Petrov to the city of Kursk.  His wife Nina writes,

“In January, Oleg was visiting the orphanage and organizing soccer practices.  In February, he gathered together the boy’s team and the girls who wanted to cheer.  He rented a van and brought them to Kursk where the Christian youth organized a game with them.  It was great for everyone!”

Oleg and Nina continue to make regular trips to the orphanages.

L to R: Pasha, Lyosha, Arthur and Kostya

“At the Zarechny orphanage we befriended a few guys who want to spend time with us. Lyosha especially attracted our attention – he has the qualities of a leader.  He has no relatives and has never visited anybody as a guest.  He has always been at the orphanage.  He likes to listen about God and he wanted to be with us during holidays.  I promised him to pray about this need.”

The Petrovs also write of the severe weather they have experienced so far this winter.

“It was very cold during three weeks in February, up to – 38 C.  At the boys’ home there was a problem with water pipes and heating.  Oleg and Volodya were working for a whole week trying to fix it.  It is all working now but the water and heating system needs to be totally repaired during summer time.  We are asking for prayer about this need and for the Lord’s help.”

We pick up the trail of visitors at the boy’s home in Ryazan.  ROR’s Russia coordinator and Ryazan boy’s home father Slava writes,

Ryazan Boy's Home Residents with Texas Visitors

“In March we had guests -­‐ young Christian men from Texas.  They came to visit different orphanages and they wanted to spend time with our graduates and people from our church.  We had a good Bible Study, pizza and fellowship time!”

Praise that the accountability group at the boy’s home is strengthening: frequency of meetings and attendance are both up.  Kitchen repairs are underway and will be completed soon.  Praise that resident’s Ruslan P. and Arytom both found jobs and are feeling much better now about life in general.  Please pray for their spiritual development and for Ruslan S.: that he would be disciplined in his eating habits.

Please join us in praying also for residents, Kirill and Kolya.  As orphans, all graduates are eligible to receive apartments from the Russian government.  The apartment’s location is determined by the orphan’s “home” orphanage.  Both Kirill and Kolya are now going through this process.  Slava details…

“Kolya needs a lot of prayer.  He has little time to try to get an apartment for himself.  We help him with the documents and with what to do, when and how.  He has received letters from the President of the Russian Federation and from our city governor regarding his apartment.  Please pray for God’s provision for him and for his case to be considered and receive a positive answer.

Praise that Kirill has received an apartment from the government!  He has completed all the paperwork so it is officially his.  It is located in the city of Rybnoye which is 30 minutes away from Ryazan.  It needs repair but at least it is his and it is not in the middle of nowhere but right down town and easily accessible from Ryazan.”

Rybnoye Orphanage Visit

Slava, his wife Olga, their daughter Nastya, Kirill and a host of others from their church family continue to make weekly visits to the Rybnoye orphanage.  They report that their time there is very well spent.  There is growth in their discussions with the older kids on more serious topics.

From the girl’s home in Chernovtsy, Ukraine, house mother Alyona offers an insightful update.

“Sometimes things are easier, sometimes harder, depends on the day.  Right now we are finishing the story about Joseph with the girls.  There are many things in that story that connect with the lives of the girls – with the family problems, betrayal and depression.  We pray together for them.  We discuss how we can improve our living together, our relationships with each one of the girls and what we can do to help them.  Tanya has great ideas and a better balance of strictness and mercy than me.  That helps us a lot.  Thank you again for praying for us and for making this project work and act for the glory of God and to change the hearts and minds of our girls.”

Please pray for the girls at the Chernovtsy house:  that Vika would find a job, Viorika would do well in her exams and that Nastya would come fully to Christ.

Ryazan at Dusk

At the Ryazan girl’s home, English lessons proceed as usual while house parents Max and Alina prepare to move to their new apartment in June.  Arina has received an apartment from the government but unlike Kirill’s, it is more than 100km from Ryazan.  There is a prayer that she may be able to sell it and buy one closer to Ryazan.

Please pray not only for all the orphan graduates, but also for their house parents: specifically that they would find spiritual nourishment.

And lastly, one more praise report.  Thanks to your generosity, we were able to meet two special needs we wrote about in last month’s update.  The entire ROR board of directors thanks you for your continued prayers and support of this ministry.   It’s all for Him!

1965 Stamp Celebrates Cosmonautics Day

RUSSIA FACT:

April 12 is Cosmonautics Day (День Космонавтики) in Russia.  On that date in 1961, 27-year-old Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin made the first manned space flight, circling the earth for one hour and 48 minutes.

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Russian Orphan Rescue, Inc.

PO Box 58

Standard, CA  95373

info@rorescue.org

Ryazan in Winter

Dearest friends of ROR,

Everything is normal with all of ROR’s projects, but it’s been a very cold winter in Russia and in the Ukraine so far this year.  The average temperature in Ryazan for the month of February was only 9 degrees Fahrenheit.  From Chernovtsy, house mother Alyona writes…

“It is very cold here these days and weeks.  We try to save some energy – gas and electricity – but sometimes it is very, very cold.  One time the water froze in the pipes and we didn’t have water for 2 days, and several times the natural gas supply has been too weak, so the heating system went off. But we were praying with the girls and Tanya encouraged them to pray specifically that we might have our gas and warmth back.

Everything is fine with the girls, praise God!  We read the Bible with them every night and pray together too.  Also, they have started to read and pray themselves when they get up or before they go to bed.  It is great to see that God is doing something in their lives!  Thank you so much for your prayers!!”

PRAISE that a strong candidate for a new house mother at the Ryazan girl’s home has been found!  Current house parents Alina and Max (and their baby Vlad) plan to move into a new apartment soon which would leave a leadership vacancy.  ROR’s Russia coordinator Slava Lontchakov writes…

“We have found a young lady for the girl’s transition home.  Her name is Valya S.  She is a very good, grounded Christian young lady from a good Baptist family.  She’s been in our church for about the last two years.  She wants and needs a place to live in Ryazan and she would be the perfect candidate for the mentor for the orphan girls.”

Orphan Children at the Petrov Table

Please join us in praying for Valya S., Alina, Max and the girls at the Ryazan girl’s home as this transition unfolds.  Slava also adds the following prayer requests…

“Please pray for

- our Saturday Bible studies at the orphanage with the little kids.
- our series of discussions with teenagers in the orphanage.  We plan a series of discussions on topics like personal hygiene, relationships with the opposite sex, obedience, setting goals, etc.  Slava, Arthur and Victor will lead those discussions.
- for the Bible studies on Thursdays at the Ryazan boy’s home, for all mentor/counseling/coaching work with the boys.”

Tanya (L) with Alyona and graduate.

This month, ROR is asking for your help in meeting two needs.  First, given the severity of this year’s Russian winter, we are looking to raise $500 to cover the cost of heating the Ryazan boy’s home ($100/month for 5 months, Nov. to March).

Second, ROR would very much like to increase Chernovtsy house mother Tanya’s monthly stipend by $100. She does a tremendous amount of work with the orphan girls and her current stipend ($100/month) is stretched very thin.

If you’re able to help, please consider a special gift designated for either or both of these needs.

The entire ROR board of directors thanks you for your continued prayers and support of this ministry.  It’s all for Him!

RUSSIA FACT:

Russians celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8 each year.  It was first observed in 1913 when Russian women held a demonstration in St. Petersburg, which was then Russia’s capital, demanding the right to vote.

_______________________

Russian Orphan Rescue, Inc.

PO Box 58

Standard, CA  95373

info@rorescue.org

The first month of the year is already behind us and there is much to be thankful for.  In late January, ROR’s Russia coordinator Slava Lontchakov made a visit to California.  He was able to meet with the board in person during their monthly meeting.  He also spoke at an event held in Promiseland at Sierra Bible Church.

Status reports are positive from all the current ROR projects.  There is a new resident living at the girl’s home in Chernovtsy, Ukraine; a girl that house mother Alyona first met 5 years ago at a Young Life camp.  Alyona writes of her…

A recent birthday party at the Chernovtsy girl's home.

“She is from the same trade school group that most of the girls were from.  She goes to the evening school now and after she graduates she will go to the university.  She is very smart and her grades are good.  I pray she will be a good example for the other girls of diligence and knowledge.  Praise God that He works in our house and changes lives.“

English lessons are back in full swing at the girl’s home in Ryazan.  There were fewer classes in December because of university exams, doctor’s appointments and the rehearsal/performances of the Christmas program at the orphanage.

Christmas gifts and visit at the Rybnoye orphanage.

From the Ryazan boy’s home, praise that a new stove has been purchased and installed.  Slava, the house father, told the board, “The kitchen there is getting better and better.”  Praise too that orphanage graduate and house resident Kolya shared his testimony at church in January.  Slava writes…

“It was inspiring to listen to him and also even fun as he shared some jokes and seemed to be at ease with the microphone.

Maybe there is a future of a preacher/teacher for him!  It was also good to listen to him share about Oleg and Nina Petrovs’ ministry and how it affected him.”

Please pray for the accountability groups at both of the Ryazan homes.  Specifically, for those on the fringes of the group, that they would choose the the Lord’s path and give themselves fully to Him.

Oleg and Nina Petrov continue to make trips to the Zarechny and Solotcha orphanages.  They write…

Nina Petrov (seated left) with the director and children from the Zarechny oprhangage.

“We would like to share about the Zarechny orphanage which nobody visits besides us.  The roads are bad and it is located far away. You can hardly find anywhere else such love as is expressed here by these kids. As soon as they see us coming, they run out to meet us all together, they hug us and they all talk at the same time: “It is so good that you came, we miss you so much!” They share about their studies, their holidays, which crafts they make, who is new, who ran away. The orphanage director told us how she sent three of ours to a different orphanage because they were being disobedient. We are praying for Jesus to save them and we decided to make it our goal to visit them.”

And lastly for this month, a giant praise for God working to benefit ROR orphans in a totally unexpected way.  Ksusha Petrov, Oleg and Nina’s daughter has been working in one of Russia’s largest retail stores (Metro) while she continues her academic studies.    In December, the store GAVE Ksusha new winter coats and jackets to give to the orphans!  The Petrovs write of Kolya’s reaction…

Kolya in his new winter jacket.

Kolya said: “The others were laughing at me saying that I have a bad coat and nobody takes care of me.  Now I will say that the Lord took care of me and I even have two coats – this warm one with feathers inside and one made of real leather”.

The entire ROR board of directors thanks you for your continued prayers and support of this ministry.  It’s all for Him!

RUSSIA FACT:
Statistically, February is the month with the driest weather in Russia.

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Russian Orphan Rescue, Inc.

PO Box 58

Standard, CA  95373

info@rorescue.org

Please excuse the last minute nature of this message but we cordially invite you to join us on Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 7pm in Promiseland at Sierra Bible Church in Sonora for an informal meet and greet with Slava Lontchakov.  Slava is ROR’s Russia Coordinator who lives in Ryazan and is here in California for a brief visit.  Come on out and hear first hand how your support is making a real difference in the lives of Russian Orphans.

Tuesday, 1/24/12

7pm in Promiseland at Sierra Bible Church

First, the Supozhoke orphanage closed at the end of 2010.  The younger orphans were moved to the Zarechky orphanage and the older ones moved to the Solotcha orphanage, both about 50 miles from Supozhoke.  Oleg and Nina Petrov try to visit the kids every week but it does mean a much longer drive for them.  Oleg is set to start a weekly soccer practice with the boys this year.

House in Supozhoke

With the closing of the orphanage, ROR has decided to scrap plans for the Supozhoke transition home.  The house is currently on the market and ROR hopes to use the proceeds from the sale to fund another transition apartment in Ryazan.  Please pray for quick sale of the house and for travel mercies for Oleg and Nina.

A praise report from the girl’s home in Ryazan – a new refrigerator was purchased last month for the apartment.  House parents Alina and Max write:

“We want to thank all the sponsors who helped us to cover this need. Now there is enough space to store the food for each person, it is not getting spoiled and not going to waste.”

Alina continues to teach cooking with the girls as well as leading Bible study and prayer.  Max’s English language study group has 5 regular students with, as he describes them, “the most serious attitude.”

There are now 6 boys living at the boy’s home in Ryazan.  House parents Olga and Slava report they are all doing well.  Slava leads a weekly Bible study and discussion time for the boys in the home and a few other boys from their church.  In addition, he and Olga visit the Rybnoye orphanage every Saturday.  Slava writes:

Olga with orphans at Rybnoye Orphanage

“Kirill, one of the boys from our transition home, wants to be involved in this ministry.  He always wants to know when we are going and wants to go together with us.  This is quite rare as usually orphan graduates do not want anything to do with their past and do not want to go back to the orphanage.”

Please pray for strength, love and spiritual accountability for both of the Ryazan homes.  Specifically, for the boy’s home, please pray that the Lord would provide dishes, kitchen cupboards, a vacuum cleaner and a washing machine.

There are positive reports also from the girl’s home in Chernovtsy, Ukraine.  House mothers Alyona and Tanya have felt a gentle nudge to think more about the “big picture” writing:

House mothers Alyona and Tanya (L) with orphan girls

“We have started praying, thinking and collecting thoughts, ideas – everything that could help us to see His purpose and create the Big Picture for our ministry.  So that we might be extremely blessed and extremely sufficient living with these girls and taking new girls for the project.  We know that you are praying for us and we need that more than ever!  Please
continue to pray and ask everyone you know to pray for us.  We need a lot of wisdom right now and the revealing of God’s special plan in our lives and the lives of our girls.”

Finally, on a house keeping note, ROR welcomes new board members Dorothy Arndt (treasurer) and John C. Brown (communications manager).  The entire ROR board of directors thanks you for your continued support of this ministry.  It’s all for Him!

Russian Orphan Rescue, Inc.

PO Box 58

Standard, CA  95373

The Holidays were busy. We started all the fuss on the 28th of Dec. to be able to prepare the Christmas program for the orphanage (Russian Christmas is Jan. 7). This year the Christmas program was a real fun and success. We made new costumes for the wise men. All the kids were happy to participate in the theatre. On Dec. 30th we went to see the kids in the Zarechensky orphanage to wish the kids a Happy New Year and Merry Christmas. After the skit Santa gave the kids Christmas gifts. All the kids wanted to sing a song or read a limerick. On Dec. 31st we prepared a lot of food for the kids to celebrate the New Year holiday. We had 30 people at our home. The meal was so good! We also had a fun program, all the kids were happy- especially those who were brought from the orphanage. Every day during the holiday vacation we watched Christian movies with the kids and had a time of discussing them in small groups.

We were very excited to have Kirill over who came to see us from St Petersburg. He is studying in the Seminary there. He shared with us about his life and studies in St Pete. Some of the kids wanted to join the Seminary.

On Jan. 6th all our kids got dressed in the Magi, Shepherds and Angels. It’s an old Russian tradition to dress like that on Christmas eve and go see people to wish them a Happy New Year and to bless them. They came home late at night and brought a lot of candy to drink tea with.

Thank you so much for all your support and prayers.

We have some needs:
We need to have the boy’s house repaired. Everything in their home is old and the living conditions are not good. We need to change 7 old windows; they are so old that they let the wind in the house. We also need to have the floors repaired there and we need to get some new furniture.

Please, pray for Kostya. He is serving in the army at the moment and it doesn’t look like it’s a good place for him. Please, also pray for Max and Alina Zaretski. They are starting their ministry to the orphans in Ryazan and need a lot prayer these days. Before the New Year holiday they got in a car accident. A drunken policeman drove into their car and smashed it. Praise the Lord Alina and her baby are fine and so is Max. Alina is in her 6th month of pregnancy now. Starting in February they are taking Nastay Dergacheva to their home to take care of her. They want to participate in the orphan adoption ministry and are also looking for finances to buy her a new bed and cover the rent expenses. If the Lord puts it on your heart to help them with your prayer or financially, that would bless them a lot.

Bless you all, and may grace of our Lord Jesus be with you all!

Nina Petrova

Thank you for sending money. I have received them successfully. Thank you for supporting our ministry. We have been doing good with the girls. Right now some of them are sick because of flu epidemic that we have in the city, but they are getting better. The rest of the things are good, we talk to them, invite them to clubs and church.And they come sometimes. Most of the time they stay at home and they like when we do things together. Continue to pray that God would move their hearts.

During last months we have made a small trip to Ivano-Frankovsk, where Natasha lives and has YL ministry. So, all the girls went and we had really good trip there, walked a lot, helped Natasha with preparing the club, meet her teenagers and had so much fun. That was useful for my girls and I think, we will continue trips like that that they would be able to see other places and meet some new people and make friends. They said that they liked that trip very much and want to go back there!!! This is nice. May be we will go there again in January, or may be to another place… They need to have more activities in their lives….

Tanya still lives with me and helps a lot. Some of the girls might stay for Christmas and New Year and she is thinking of preparing nice party for them and invite some other friends for New Year Night.

So, I am sending you some photos of us being together in Ivano-Frankovsk!
Also, is there a chance for us to purchase a computer for the house that we might teach them how to use it? we want to have it in the house, if it is possible… WE might need $500-$600 for that, if it is possible.

Let me know if you need more information about our girls and the house.

May God bless you and the whole team of ROR… Send them my love. And I sure miss you!!!!
Olya and Vasya are on Skype with me right now and they send their love to you…

With love, Alyona

Merry Christmas to you all dear brothers and sisters!

By the grace of God we are doing well. Thank you so much for your prayer and financial support. The kids are all accommodated and have the essential conditions to do their studies and work on their exams during this time of the year. All of them are involved in the Bible Study groups as well as in different other activities such as cooking, theater, Christian holiday celebrating. At the moment we are making a Christmas skit for the little kids at the orphanage.

Kolya is working a lot on teeth implants these days. Every night he is busy making and molding new teeth implants for his dental college.

We celebrated Arina and Ruslan’s birthday on the 6th of Dec. Arina invited her friends and made dinner.

Stas is doing very good at his studies and enjoying them a lot.

My 2 year old nephew Vitya is ill with infantile cerebral paralysis and last week was brought by his older sister Olga to Ryazan for treatment. Please, pray for little Vitya to develop better no matter this difficult disease. All our kids often visit Vitya in the hospital and spend time playing with him. It makes me proud of them that they express their compassion and care for this little boy.

Patrick, Oleg is asking me to remind you to send the money to pay off the house taxes and ask the Bethany Church if they still remember to send us $1000 for the Christmas gifts for the orphans.

CHERNOVTSY, UKRAINE.  Our transition home is in full operation under the direction of Alyona Mulyar.  Four teenage orphan girls are living in the house.  They all attend vocational schools and are learning to function as a family.  That is very important because orphans in the Former Soviet Union are truly second class citizens and they know it.  They do not feel accepted by people outside their own groups.  Alyona’s effort to get the girls involved in Young Life club, for example, has been hindered by their difficulty in feeling accepted.  We are providing a home where they feel safe and have the opportunity to grow into confident, productive women who are well grounded in the Christian faith.

RYAZAN, RUSSIA.  Our transition apartment continues to function well under the supervision of Arina Poley and Nina Petrov.  Last winter Oleg and Nina Petrov, whose ministry we support, found it necessary to place some orphan boys from the Supazhoke orphanage in the apartment on a temporary basis.  At the time, only two orphan girls, Arina and Sveta, were living there and the Petrovs had no other place available for the boys.  All of these orphans grew up together in the same orphanage and were raised like siblings.  One of the boys, Kolya, is Sveta’s brother.

                We were concerned about that arrangement for both appearance and practical reasons.  Pat and Bill had the opportunity to address those issues when they visited Russia and Ukraine in February.  They came back satisfied that the arrangement was both necessary and appropriate under the circumstances.  When Pat and Mark visited Ryazan in October, that judgment was confirmed and reinforced.  The three girls, Arina, Sveta and Nastya, together with Nina Petrov on her weekly visits, occupy two bedrooms in the back of the apartment.  Two boys, Kolya and Stass, occupy the living room in the front of the apartment.  They all share the kitchen and bathroom.  The presence of the boys provides a measure of safety for the girls and makes for more efficient use of the facility until the next group of girls is ready to move in.

                While Pat and Mark were there, seventeen different young adults, all graduates from the Supazhoke orphanage and products of the Petrov’s ministry, came to visit.  Eight years ago, when Pat first met them as boys and girls at the orphanage, they all had the typical Russian orphan look: hollow eyes, hopeless faces and cautious smiles.  They had no sense of a future for their lives and no awareness of a God who made them and loved them.  Today they are adult Christians, full of smiles and laughter, with hope for the future, growing spiritually, emotionally and intellectually and preparing to take their place in Russian society as responsible citizens, husbands, wives and parents.  They include students of nursing, law, architecture, dentistry, veterinary medicine and pastoral ministry.  They are a huge testimony to God’s blessing and the success of the Petrov’s ministry, in which we are privileged to have a part.

SUPAZHOKE, RUSSIA.  A totally unexpected change this year was a decision of the Russian government to close the Supazhoke orphanage which occurred in June.  The orphans were transferred to two other orphanages.  Both are further from the Petrov farm, increasing their transportation expense.  While the facilities are better, these kids have been torn out of the only home they have ever known, in many cases, and the Petrovs are having to start over in building trust with new directors and staff people.  Our house in Supazhoke is no longer of use to us.  We hope to sell it or trade it for an apartment in Ryazan which could serve as a transition home for boys.  The economy in Russia may make that difficult.

                We will try to get some of the stories of individual orphans with their pictures on our website so you can be better acquainted with them and see real people whose lives are better because of you.  Thank you so much for your support of ROR.