Mia’s Story
Here is an article from Mia Hayrinen a Finnish short-term volunteer partnering with MIR this summer ~
This is me, Mia Hayrinen, 23 years old, from Finland.
I study Russian language as my major subject at the University Turku in Finland.Pedagogy and Finno-Ugric languages are my minor subjects. My Master’s degree studies take altogether six years, four years are behind, two more years are to come. I spent five months studying abroad in St.Petersburg at the university of Herzen. That was in the Spring 2008.
My first time in Russia was in 2002. I was 15 years old that time attending one of the children’s camps in Zelenogorsk with a missionary group from Finland. After that trip I started taking classes in Russian in high school each summer traveling to Russia for couple of weeks, again with a missionary group to attend the children’s camps. Each time something new happened in my heart. During the year we also visited the orphanages once per year. I also had an opportunity to visit the orphanages couple of times while studying in St. Petersburg.
Jesus says: “Whoever takes one of these little ones to oneself takes me.” I have experienced this. By feeling the love of God for the orphans I have understood God’s love better for me too. His presence is there where his will is done.
The time I studied at St. Petersburg 2008 I prayed God to help me connect the people who work with the orphans in this city. God answered my prayer and I got to know Mike and Olga Cantrell and the organization MIR. With Mike and Olga I first visited the camp Elama. Mike shared the vision, that he had for the place and I got exited; I could almost see how it would be after few years.
Now after two years I am working two months as a voluntary worker for MIR in St. Petersburg getting some good experience about the work that the people of MIR are doing. After two years I see that a lot of work has been also done at camp Elama.
One week before coming to Russia God gave me a song in Finnish, that touched my heart. The idea of this song is this.
I pass a group of people
I pass a little boy
I don’t feel anything in my heart
I pass a group of people
I pass a little boy
You tell me Whoever takes one of these little ones in takes me in
Now I can see
How much there is
Love for this little one
Heavens are full of love
Full of love for him
I pass a group of people
I pass a little boy
No One has ever looked straight into his eyes
No One has ever seen him in the ground
I pass a group of people
I pass a little boy
You ask me Would you look at this boy?
Now I can see
How much there is
Love for this little one
Heavens are full of love
Full of love for him
I am looking forward to see and learn more from those who have worked with children for a long time already here in St. Petersburg.
- Mia
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