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News from Alina

Katya — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 16:05:41 +0000

Hello friends!
How are you these days? Busy before the holidays?!!

We are doing alright in general; finishing the semester at school. Danik is really enjoying the courses of French language. It took us about 340 dollars to pay for the two months fee and the text book (they required the first payment for two months) and further on we are going to pay 135 dollars for each month. I am working a lot these days and have almost finished the script, hopefully soon and will be able to pay the debts we had to borrow in order for Danik to be able to take the course on French.

He really likes the courses on French, he is really happy he fell in love with France. Their teacher tells them a lot about France and history, they learn songs in French and he has already learned some phrases and is able to speak a little bit, so the courses are really good. At the end of this school year they have a task at school to write an essey. He taked to the French teacher and decided to write on a subject ” The Language influenced by history” on the basis of English and French. So personally I think that he is very gifted to study languages and this course is what he needs.

My mum is coming to visit with us for the New Year. And How are you going to celebrate Christmas and a New Year’s Eve? We are going to celebrate Christmas with the church and did some rehearsing during our homegroup. Nastya is going to sing and I will help her. Danik was also singing for us.

On our shopping list we have winter boots and a winter hat for Anastasia. Praise God it is quite warm these days and winter is not rushing to come.

Wishing blessings to you all! Thank you so much for your prayers!!
Hugs from us
Alina
Danik and Anastasia

Small things which make us happier.

Tanya — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 19:49:45 +0000

Recently I have become a part of one event. As we handled this project, there was so many blessed blessings about it and it was a joy to be useful.

A young man, who preferred to remain anonymous made a donation of different household and sewing items.He got the stuff as inheritance and decided to bless people who have needs. Among other things there was a knitting machine, a lot of wool, cloth, summer and winter clothing, shoes and other things which might be useful at any home.

Through Nadezhda and Yan Boldyrev ( who have served at orphanages many years) he handed the stuff to orphanages and rehabilitation centers.

Here some of these organizations that received donated items:

Shelter “Harbor”

Children shelter “Life”

“Nehemiah” organization

Sunday school of Christian church (Kolpino city)

Orphanage “Nikolskoe”

“Rodnichek” – private centre for children from disadvantaged families

Christian Church (Petergoff city)

Children’s ministry of Church “The word of Faith”

Christian ministry for unbelievers “Taste of life”

Shelter for young mothers with children (from the church “The Source of life”)

Orphanage #2

Rehabilitation Centre of “Grace” Church (Pushkin city)

Also a few orphanage graduates were blessed by some of these donations.

This is a story to show how one person could bless so many.

Of course, you might say, this is an exception and we just don’t

have the stuff to give away. Look around, look in your closet.

Some of your thing have been sitting there forever and they might

be the very things others can’t afford buying.

You could really help someone. And, which is more, you could really

enjoy giving it away.

For contact information:

Email address : ynboldy@gmail.com

Cell phone number : +7 951 684 3179 Nadezhda and Yan Boldyrev.

Pictures:

1 Picture made by children on a white sheet (Shelter “Harbor”)

2 Nadya’s place to put stuff together (the balcony)3 Irina. The ministry tonon-Christian girls “Taste of life”

3 Irina. The ministry tonon-Christian girls “Taste of life”

4 The socks made by adults and children (”Grace” Сhurch, Pushkin city)

News from Alina: I also would like to share with you how we live right now

Katya — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 14:48:29 +0000

Unfortunately Danya was not able to enter the school he wanted, so he has to continue to study in the school he studied the previous year. He would like to continue to study French. I would like to ask you to pray for him and for his studies as he has a talent for languages. The courses on languages are quite expensive. Right now I am trying to find something that would suit us.

Besides he was going to enroll to a dance school but because of his age they said he wouldn’t fit. Danechka was upset for a while and decided not to try this again. On the 5^th of October he is starting sports classes.

Not long ago we also got a guitar. Danya really wants to learn how to play a guitar and he has some potential and can develop his musical skills. He is glad that right now he can lead a normal life of a teenager, and to dream and try to do things that he really wants. We are all happy that he has so many perspectives and things he may be able to realize.

Nasya is doing quite well indeed. The teacher at school said that Nastya has become calmer and less conflicting at school. We still have to work a lot to get better and better at school. We visited the neurologist and did some tests. The doctor prescribed some medicine and some exercises for her. We are working hard to improve Nastya’s health and her studying. Please pray for Nastya so that she would catch up on those things at school that she missed in the past years and that she would do well at school. With God’s help we were able to enter musical school, and this will be free of charge for her, plus she started to attend classes in a dance school. Nastya is also very glad to her new life.

In general we are getting well with each other though sometimes not all is easy. Danik, Nastya and I we are very thankful to have each other in our lives.

I really would like you to pray for our financial situation without which things would not be working for us. Not long ago we got a onetime allowance from the government. We can live with no problems through September and October. But in November we can have some difficulties and in December I even do not imagine how we are going to pay for rent for the apartment. The family from America, that was helping us in the past right now experiences financial problems. They have not been able to do that for several months already, and I do not know when this will change. Please pray for them. Unfortunately we will not be able to pay for the rent without any support from the outside. The minimum we need each month to be able to survive is 10000 rubles (that is half of what we pay for the rent in one month).

Again I am very thankful and Danik and Nastya are very thankful for you and your friendship, prayers and support! We appreciate that we know you and that we can share our news with you!

We pray for you for blessings from God for you!

Thank you for your support!

Hello my dear friends!

Katya — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 11:53:02 +0000

The autumn has started, and we are still enjoying the memories from our summer trip that because of the mercy of God and your help we had.

Danik and Nasya would like to share with you with their impressions:

Danya:

Hello to you all!

I would like to say thank you so much for your support. With your help I was able to go to the Black Sea this summer, to rest and get health and strength for the new school year. We had plenty of fruit and veggies.

I got lots of new impressions. This summer was great! Thank you very much for all!

Anastasia:

Thank you very much for all your help. This summer we went to the seaside. We jumped from the deck to the water , rode a paddle boat, ate fried skate fish, and drank the best drink in the world that, called kvas.

Also went camping for one day.

Alina: I also had a great time with the kids. Had a good rest and gathered strength for the upcoming school year and winter.

It was extremely important for me after a very hard and tiring past year and before the new period in my our life living together. It was also very important for me that after we came back from the trip we were able to get all necessary things for Danik’s and Nastya’s school. Thank you all my dear friends with God’s help and your help it was all possible! Alina .

Orphanage in Peterhoff

Katya — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 15:43:15 +0000

Orphanage in Peterhoff. The difference that you make can be scaled

As you approch this place, it’s a beautiful building and good staff crew that works based on enthusiasm with very little income. Very often they feel forgotten. As one of the counselors said with bitterness, “The country with such resourse like ours, that sends space ships to the open space, would not provide disabled kids with clothing and foot wear on a timely basis” It takes special foot wear for children at this place, as many children crawl and don’t walk, so taking them out is a big problem.

The wheelchairs that the orphanage got, only fit to take the smallest children out, and when they grow up, theey don’t fit anymore.

There is shortage of funds to provide the needed medication. The medication has to be requested once a year and the system is very slow if the child needs emergency help. This is when staff takes initiative to look for additional sponsors. I often get phoncalls like this when Peterhoff staff is in need of emergency medication.

The children have to be weighted very often, and when the scales broke, they called us again.

Thankfully, we had a donationcoming in at the time and we were able to use the funds that were donated by Zanardo family and the orphanage staff is very thankful for this.

Another constant need is pampers. Out of 90 children in the facility 60 wear pampers on a regular basis. Obviously the load of pampers provided from oficial sourse is not enough and this is when I hear another call for help. There are several things that you can always help with at Peterhoff #2:

1.pampers

2.medication

3.wheelchairs

4.orthopedic footwear

Fewer people are willing to donate towards the kids that wll never grow up or improve. It takes a special awareness to do it. May God lead your hearts as you read this material.

Children must be happy

Katya — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:56:45 +0000

September 29 Nadya and I were invited to attend the Cross- Regional Conference on “Fostering: problems and achievements”, organized by the Committee of Education of the Leningrad region and held at the Great Hall of the regional government.

Elena Spasskaya, the chairman deputy started by saying that for five years in the Leningrad region the number of foster families has sufficiently increased and it has been a positive trend.

One of the main ways of social support for adoptive families so far has been a monthly payment: of 5516 rubles ($183) to the family with a child of preschool age, and 6953 rubles ($230) - to the school age child.

Conference participants acknowledged the positive experience of the Gatchina district where “The Town of Hope” hosts 18 foster families with up to a hundred of children. In 2010 the second building phase of this town has started. So far this foster family settlement is supported by Harmony Psycology Center specialists. The Town of Hope is a unique place. There are two Christian families so far, and Natalia, who has coordinated a group of children traveling to Estonia with Love Russia, is one of them. We hope to continue serving this place in multiple ways.

In according with the children’s rights specialist Tamara Litvinova, families are in great need of counseling

as conflict situations with children arise and their rights and boundaries have to be guarded.

Tamara Litvinova is reporting that less orphans and children left without parental care, as well as a growing number of children adopted by the Russians, not foreigners.

In 2006 in the Leningrad region, there were only 27 foster families, they brought up 44 children. 430 foster families have already brought up 608 children according to the July 1, 2011

A university Mr. Igor Schatz, who spoke at a conference on the psychological climate of the modern family, just formulated a simple goal to strive for which is the child’s happiness.

In conclusion of the conference the adoptive parents and ladies named Faith Hope and Love were granted with flowers. The representative of Russian Orthodox Children’s Mission spoke highly of the families’ achievements and introduced the textbook on Orthodox Faith foundations.

Nadya with foster families from”The Town of Hope”

‘New Start’ Program for Graduate Orphans

Yan — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 19:04:20 +0000

We had a great chance to visit Yura, Marina and their sweet son Dima. The day we came Dima had his 3rd birthday!

Yura and Marina are graduates from an orphanage. It was such a blessing to see how their life has changed. Dima is going to preschool now and both parents are working.

The other day we were praying for Yura to stop smoking. God has answered our prayer! He has not been smoking for a month.

One of the amazing things is that Yura is reading the Bible we presented to him and wants to know about God more.

Please pray for this young family that God will heal each area of their life.

Hello my dear friends!

Katya — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 14:37:46 +0000

Here’s an update from Alina, a foster mother we’ve been helping —

Praying this letter will find you well!

I have written you recently sharing with you about our new life together. I am grateful to you for you prayers and support. With God’s grace and mercy we are surviving. Unfortunately, we are not getting the support from our sponsors in July and may be in August.

With God’s help I was able to pay for the flat this month. As I understand we will have to be able to provide the money for the rent for August and that will be the largest amount of our monthly income. We were planning to go to Ukrainе for three weeks starting from 22nd of July. You all know that the climate and ecological situation in StPetersburg is very bad. We need 15 thousand rubles. In order for us not to cancel the trip and ti have the travel in economy way.

We would like to ask to help us financially and we need your prayer support always! Please write us and we will gladly share with you our news and how the kids grow, how Nikita, the eldest brother of Danya and Nastya, is doing. We stay connected with him and we have good relationships.

We believe God will not leave us and please join with us in prayer as we stand for our children! We pray that God bless you families and your homes in every way!

Your in Christ

Alina

“It’s Not About the Bikes . . .”

Masha — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 05:27:57 +0000

Here is more about the amazing motorcycle ride I mentioned before. It was a valuable new experience, a stronger bond with the Love Russia volunteers, the church that is hosting a camp in Johvi and orphanages we went to visit.

One quote that stands out: “It’s not about the bikes, it’s about the children.”

MIR helped coordinate the St. Petersburg and Estonian sections of this ride. It’s been our pleasure to work more closely with LoveRussia, UK. And we look forward to future projects together.

Day One: Start

Click here to view the embedded video.

Day Nine: St. Petersburg

Click here to view the embedded video.

Finale:

Click here to view the embedded video.

What is MIR?

Real Soccer Champions come from Krasnie Zory, Peterhoff

Katya — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 12:12:57 +0000

This time when Alex and Jaqui were visiting Krasnie Zori orphanage we were able to meet the director of the orphanage personally.

We found this orphanage through a connection with Leningrad Oblast Education Commitee and are looking forward to the continued partnership.

One of the biggest things many kids from Krasnie Zori are involved in is sports competitions. They really take pride in their achievements.

On the day we were visiting, the team of boys from elementary school won against the team from Gatchina. The sports program is in need of good soccer balls, uniforms and other sports equipment.

Among other important requests is a mini-van to transpord smaller groups of disabled kids into the city.

The orphanage is using an old Gazel mini van that’s running on it’s last leggs.

During the summer many of home kids will go back to their families and orphans will go to a summer camp and we are looking forward to visiting Krasnie Zori once the new school year starts