For our Christmas ministry, we prepared about 400 gifts. They included apples, tangerines, shampoo, soap, hand cream, toothpaste, a pen, juice, chocolates and a calendar. Each present was in a bright bag. Young people from our church prepared a play about the story of Christmas. Then the team visited four orphanages in Chernish, Borschevka, Forest School and Duhovschina. In Chernish, there are 65 children who are blind or have bad eyesight. In Borschevka, the children have problems with their physical or mental development.  

We also visited a hospital where children from the orphanages and children’s homes are treated, visiting the ill children in their rooms and giving them Christmas gifts. One of the doctors said that she doesn’t remember such a Christmas celebration ever being held in their hospital.  

— Smolensk, Russia

There are 164 children in the orphanage, and we were allowed to hold a service there. All of the children came. We told them that Christmas is very special, because God gave a gift to all of us. The program was designed so everyone could participate, even the teachers and caregivers. We did the program with another local church, and did our best to convey the meaning of Christmas as accurately as we could. At the end, I asked the children when was the last time they had gotten presents, and they could hardly remember! Then I said that each of them had a secret friend, who they’ve never seen or know, and these friends made presents for them. The children were happy! But the most important present is Christ, because without Him we wouldn’t have this holiday!  

—Zhodino, Belarus

The Lord always cares for the orphans, but He especially takes care of them when they turn to Him. In Almus, there was an 8-year-old boy named Rodion. He had been adopted out to a family, but was sent back to the orphanage when the couple decided to have their own children. Our church worker, Galina, gave Rodion extra attention since he was abnormally quiet and withdrawn. He was overwhelmed with grief. He told Galina his sad story, and she was particularly sorry for him because children his age are seldom adopted. However, she told him to pray, and she would pray with him. After this, Rodion attended two more Bible lessons, then disappeared. But later, he came to the Christmas program happy and cheerful. His prayers had been answered! He had been adopted! He told Galina that he now had parents, and called them Mama and Papa. He had asked his new parents to take him to Almus for Christmas so he could tell Galina that God had helped him, and he now had a family!  

— St. Petersburg, Russia