A “Home Camp” for Orphans

Pastor Pavel
Grodno Region of Belarus

During the summer, July is our busiest month because we traditionally hold our summer camp for children from local orphanages, family-style orphanages, and from foster families—all in our own home. 

This past July was no exception, and you helped make it all a blessed success! Our home was filled again with many joyful children’s voices from the orphanage. They were really looking forward to this moment—this is not the best time for children due to loneliness and other difficulties. We spent a lot of time outside, fellowshipping, eating together, praying together and talking. They went to church with us, attending special services for teenagers and children. 

Given the pandemic, it is amazing that we were able to hold the “home camp” for orphans. We were not sure the orphanage directors would allow it, but by God’s grace, we had 30 children—actually 40 in all with the staff. Several children were also from disadvantaged families who live nearby. One weekend when we were away, several children from these families came and found a hidden key to get into our house. They made quite a mess and we had to talk to their parents. That is when we discovered the really unfavorable circumstances in which they live. When our home camp began a week later, one of these children came to us again and asked if she could be a part of it. We made the decision to allow her, so we could show mercy and love to her. After a week with us at camp, it became clear that it was love and care that she needed and that could change her, not punishment. 

Our planned program involved teaching God’s Word in the morning and evening. We talked about our Creator, what we were created for, and how to find a way out of our sinfulness. Our invited guests shared about their own life examples, and about how we need to believe in the Lord Jesus to change our lives. Over the week, we saw the guys changing and some of them prayed a prayer of repentance on the last day. With great gratitude, they told us that it was the best camp they had ever been to. Several shared their thanks . . . 

In this camp, I really seriously thought again about what is important in life. I have heard about God many times from my adoptive mother, but I see now that I was leading a double life. With my friends who do not know God, I was like a complete unbeliever in word and deed. On the last day, my prayer to God was to make me not hypocritical, but a true, sincere believer! —Igor

This is the first time I have been to such a camp where people talk about God. I really enjoyed the fun activities, and we were well treated. I would like to go again! —Vika

It was a very cool camp! I realized that without God, life would be wrong and that you need to be a friend with Him in order to not live as an animal, but as a man created by God! —Sasha

Please continue to pray, and to participate in our ministry!