Walking a difficult path with somebody builds up a mutual love and trust that goes beyond measure. Speaking only words to them does not go nearly as far as modeling those words to them along the journey. This is true especially for children. These little ones need mature, godly adults to help them process all that they learn, see, and experience.

In many cases this often comes from a loving mother or father, but orphan children are often neglected as their parents are not present in their lives at all. However, where parents have fallen short, God often raises up His people, from His family, who can step in and fill this need. Even with the smallest amount of love and care, the hearts of these children begin to change. The hardness that was once there begins to soften. Eyes are opened up to the truth of God instead of the ways of the world. Feelings of neglect are replaced with a great sense of belonging.

Praise God for the “family” that He has raised up through the SGA-supported Orphans Reborn ministry who have intentionally decided to walk this path with struggling children, for the glory of God!

From an Orphans Reborn report in Russia:

I would like to share with you a testimony of how God has been working wonderfully in my heart. I’ve been involved in this ministry since 2021, and each trip has been special to me. I visit diverse orphanages and I can see just how unique each child is. Every time I prepare for a new trip, I earnestly pray that God will reveal Himself in a special way during the visit.

Whenever I go to orphanages, my heart fills with joy when I see the happy faces of these children. Each of them has a difficult story, yet it warms my heart to think that I can bring a bit of goodness and light into their lives. It is a beautiful thing to witness when children turn to God in prayer. In those moments, I experience immense gladness, and sometimes I can’t hold back tears of joy. Then, the Bible verses regarding orphans come to my thoughts, and I realize even more distinctly that God holds a special love for them.

I dream that children in orphanages will open their hearts to God. Doing so will give them a sense of inner strength, relieve their loneliness, and fill their souls with hope for a bright future. I am a former orphanage resident, and it was there that I found the path to repentance. I can confidently say that I developed my deepest and most sincere relationship with God in that very place—something I have never regretted.

I am grateful to God that I can be a living testimony to these kids, showing them how He can transform their lives. Here are two beautiful testimonies of these transformed lives:

I have already told you about Sasha, briefly, but his story is so powerful that I want to revisit it. He used to be a really troubled kid; no one could control him. He was sent to a special education school and to a [special facility], but he would come back and act as if nothing had happened, while his behavior got only worse. One moment he would be throwing bricks at other kids, the next he would be running away. He managed to get involved with a company of drinking adults—he seemed to be looking for some kind of connection, but always chose the most dangerous ways to go about it.

The caregivers just gave up; they did not know how to deal with him. A couple of years ago, we had a project when a group of brothers volunteered to come to [the orphanage] to build a bathhouse. And that was when I first started getting to know Sasha. I would ask him to help me, giving him tools—and, to be quite honest, it was always scary, as his first impulse was to use them not for the job at hand, but to hurt other boys.

Nevertheless, we spent a lot of time with him, less teaching than simply being there for him, showing him that he mattered and he could do something worth doing. Little by little, Sasha began to settle down. Step by step, the storm inside him grew quieter. Every time I came to visit, he would shout to me, “Sasha, buddy, I’ve been really looking forward to seeing you!” He said these words with so much joy and trust that it was worth coming back again and again just for that.

Now Sasha has changed a lot, having become a different person. He graduated from school, passed exams, and enrolled in college. The caregivers still cannot believe it: that same tough kid has become a well-behaved, kind young man ready to lend a hand whenever needed. It turned out that Sasha just desperately needed the attention of a male role model—someone who would not turn away from him, even when things grew complicated. He decided not to move to Omsk and stayed in Artyn instead—which is a great blessing because we will all be able to see him more often when we visit. We stay in touch, talking about anything and everything, and working through his challenges together. And I am very proud that he was able to make it this far.

Sometimes, the best thing you can give a child is not something of material value or provide them with ready-made answers, but rather your time. The time when you are by his side, when you do not rush things, and when you help them figure out how to handle their own emotions.

Kirill—a hyperactive, forever on the move kind of boy—he needs to run around, jump, and poke at whatever he can get his hands on. Rules were set for him, and it was not that he did not want to follow them, but he had really hard time focusing on things. At first, they did not even want to accept him into the first grade. But there were people who did not give up on him. We, along with the orphanage caregivers, gradually taught him to manage his emotions, helped him find ways to calm down, and showed him that his energy was not a burden but a strength he could learn to harness.

Kirill is in 8th grade now. From a boy whom everyone considered “troubled” to how he is now, growing into a young person who is consciously choosing the path his life will take. He has a desire to develop and fill his days with meaningful things. We are currently working through a mentoring program: we go over his homework, read the Bible, and discuss how to handle things when they get rough. He reaches out on his own when things get confusing, and having a teenager trust you enough to ask for advice is a valuable thing for me. His relationship with his sister has also changed—from being strained and conflict-ridden, to one of care and concern.  Kirill has many gifts; he is a smart and sensitive young man. I believe that his future is bright.

Please pray for struggling children like Sasha and Kirill—and for the faithful believers who keep coming back to them. God works through the generosity and prayer support of friends like you to equip SGA-supported churches to continue reaching these children with the Gospel through the Orphans Reborn ministry.