An Orphans Reborn Team Profile
As in most Central Asian nations, Kazakhstan has undergone significant changes in the 25 years since the Soviet Union broke apart. The population was once closely divided between ethnic Kazakhs and Russians, but in recent years many Russians have returned to their home country leaving the Kazakhs as the firm majority. Evangelical churches also once had a significant amount of freedom to minister, but this Muslim-dominated country has sharply curtailed the freedoms of the churches.
To hundreds of lonely, forgotten orphan children, Larissa is “Mom.”
It is in this backdrop that a faithful woman named Larissa labors as part of the SGA-sponsored Orphans Reborn ministry in Kazakhstan. She has been working with children since 1992 and SGA began sponsoring her team in 2002. She has faithfully poured out her life to reach these lonely, forgotten children for Christ. She has given them her love, tears, and diligently taught them the Word of God. She has known the heartbreak of ministering to children for years only to seemingly lose them to this world. Yet she has also joyfully watched children with broken hearts repent and gain great victory in Jesus. SGA’s Eric Mock went with her one day to visit one of the orphanages, and was moved by the children’s love for this faithful sister in Christ . . .
As we walked into the orphanage, Larissa was mobbed by children, who called her “Mom.” She indeed poured out the love of a mother with plenty of kisses, embraces, and smiles for these love-starved children. And she was able to turn absolutely every conversation within just a few words to the Lord Jesus. She loves these children with the love of Christ. Even Larissa’s own son said that when he was young, he was jealous of the kids calling her Mom. Now grown, he is thankful for the ministry and role that his mother has. I told her how thankful we all were for her years of faithful ministry. She turned to me and smiled, saying, “Eric, we are just slaves of Jesus.”
Please pray for Larissa and the orphan children hearing the Gospel regularly through Orphans Reborn. Many of the children after coming to know Christ and reaching adulthood choose to become part of OR to reach other orphans for the Lord as they were reached. May the Lord continue to work through them for His glory!