When a child is feeling lonely, sad, or angry, it is sometimes difficult for them to handle their emotions and relate well to others. Although the orphanages have a bed to sleep in and daily food to nourish their bodies, it never feels like home to them. Even when the circumstances are better in the orphanage, the child still longs for home even if the conditions there are bad.

Through the SGA-supported Orphans Reborn ministry, the children can begin to feel the warmth of what a home should look like. As the team members spend time with the children, relationships are developed, behavior changes, and God’s love is on display.

Alexander is an Orphans Reborn team leader in Belarus who provided a moving example. “At our meeting, I noticed a girl named Sasha who is 13 years old. Her mother had lost parental rights due to alcoholism. Looking into Sasha’s sad eyes, I asked her what had happened. She quietly whispered, “I’m here alone.” I began talking to her and asking about her life, and before long I saw her smile begin to blossom before my eyes. She really wants for her mother to come and bring her back to their home. Although the conditions here are good—better than at her home—with a warm bed, cleanliness, and delicious food, she still says it’s a prison.

I invited Sasha to join our conversations with the children and participate. You should hear the children’s prayers—for Mom to stop drinking and take them away, or for Dad to get out of prison and take them home. Tears flow from my eyes, and even though I’m a grown man, it hurts to hear such prayers. Please pray for the children, that we may have the power of God to share His truth, so that they will come to Him. Pray for the parents to repent.”

We also received this word from team leader Vladimir, also in Belarus. “For several months in a row, I was forbidden to work with the children or conduct Bible lessons. But recently, there was an incident at the boarding school. Four teenagers beat up a young male teacher. The discipline of the children with whom I had once worked with had become much worse.

This incident showed the authorities the difference between the children’s behavior during our Bible fellowship and after its absence. The teachers openly said that Christian work with children, Bible lessons, and our fellowship help children change for the better.”

Vladimir gave the example of Kolya:

“I previously wrote to you about three brothers, Kolya, Petya, and Zhenya. They have aged out of the orphanage and are now graduates. Earlier, when Kolya was in the orphanage and didn’t know about God, the teachers and administration spoke of him with horror. He would find a piece of plywood and throw it at the teachers. He would scratch their cars with nails. He was tall, unruly, and embittered—the administrator said he belonged either in a psychiatric hospital or prison. But Kolya heard about Christ, heard the Word of God, and his life changed. After a while, people couldn’t believe their eyes that anything good could come of him. God’s mercy! Thank God, that through these difficulties, God opened the eyes of those in charge, and I will be able to resume visiting children and working with them!”

Please continue to pray for these orphan children, that many will open their hearts and come to salvation through their Savior, Jesus Christ!