Mission team awed by spirit of Russian orphans

There is something magical about Russia in winter.

Russians don’t complain about or hide from the winter; they embrace it.

Parents pull children through town on sleds and accompany them to beautiful slides made of ice.

People head to the ski slopes.

Ice skaters are everywhere.

Bundled children play outside on playgrounds.

Red Square with snow resting on the cupolas of historic St. Basil’s Cathedral proved to be an awesome sight.

The To Russia With Love volunteer-in-mission team had the privilege of enjoying part of a Russian winter during its trip in December/January.

For 10 days, the seven-member team resided at the Renewal Orphanage in Dmitrov, Russia.

This was my fourth trip to Dmitrov, where it was fun to be reunited with children and teens I grew to know on previous trips.

The best part of the trip was spending time with 55 physically handicapped children who live there.

They enjoyed the craft projects we brought and loved playing the card game Uno.

We had a fabulous New Year’s Eve party with the older teens.

All of the young residents loved the gift bags we brought. They were filled with a variety of toys, school supplies, toiletries, watches, hats, gloves, socks and candy.

The children also were thrilled with the hoodies that the team distributed.

The team raised money before its trip and with those funds was able to buy shoes for all the children who can walk and luggage for teens who were “graduating” from the orphanage.

The team also bought slippers, dishes and a vacuum cleaner. Funds also went to buy new carpeting for the “club room” where children have recitals and programs.

After the team returned to the United States, my husband, the Rev. Russ Adams, and I spent five additional days with Matt Laferty, who is serving an ecumenical English-speaking congregatin in Moscow.

We learned about his life and ministry in Moscow.

Generous donations from friends made a contribution to his ministry possible.

After we returned to the states, we hosted Kolya Deykin, one of the children from the orphanage who previously had visited the states and received prosthetic legs.

Also visiting was Vlad Makarov, who also had been fitted with prosthetic legs.

Both Kolya and Makarov were here to have adjustments. They have since returned to Russia.

One of the team members, Nathan Schott, 17, wrote, “For me, the greatest part of the trip was getting to know all the kids and discover that they really aren’t that different from us. And that also is probably the greatest example of God that I saw. The fact that we’re literally a world apart and still bonded by ties of perpetual humanity is mind-numbing. I’m completely ecstatic that I could be part of this team. It’s really opened up a whole slew of new perceptions in my mind, and that’s an experience that is absolutely priceless.”

Thank you for your continued support of this outreach ministry to Russian orphans. You have enabled a ministry of compassion and service to continue.

The Rev. Kathryn Adams is leader of the To Russia With Love volunteer-in-mission team and director of Protestant Campus Ministry at Youngstown State University. Contact information: 330-719-2902, kathrynpcm@aol.com and www.2russiawithlove.com.