Graduates of 2011

Help for Children also has a "Graduates Program". This program enables orphans who graduate from the orphanage to live in boarding homes and continue their education. They learn valuable life skills, maintain life long friendships, and still receive the emotional and spiritual support that Help for Children offers.

There are 13 of these orphanage graduates that would like to be a part of FOC's Graduate Program.
Natasha explains it better... I'll let her do just that.

"We had 13 new graduates, they all said they want to become part of our project. Now the main thing for me is to find finances for that work - to be able to arrange activities for them. You can understand that youth will never come again if they are bored. And they all are teen-agers that started a new adults life.

Next day we had our september meeting with the Graduates who already are in the project for couple of years. In comparison with the mentioned above graduates those are older, mature and me and Lena had a feeling that many of them are ready for life without us. It's sad from one hand, but from another - this is the goal of our work - to be their support and encouragement so that they will be ready for this life. We think we will graduate many of them this Christmas."

The above picture is of the older kids currently in the "Graduates' Program" of whom many will be graduating this December. Keep them in your prayers as they transition out of school and into the "real world".

Above them are a few pictures of the incoming students in the program. One is from Jukki and the others are from Luga. Pray for them as they too transition from life in an orphanage to life on the "outside".

If you would like to help Lena and Natasha with the "Graduates Program" and sponsor one of these incoming 13 kids, contact Ken Dockery at http://www.bigfamilyministry.org/.

Gifts from Kentucky, USA

The kids at Luga received a package from a friend in Kentucky, USA. They were happy to show off their new puzzles, jump ropes, toy microphones, music CD's and school supplies.

September 2011 Visit to Luga

Earlier this month, Help for Children brought the kids from Luga to the St. Petersburg area for a pizza cooking lesson! The kids were able to create their own pizzas with whatever kind of toppings they liked. What a treat for the kids! Not only were they able to leave the orphanage/internat for a few hours and be in main stream society, but they were able to choose and make what they wanted to eat! That must have been very exciting for children who normally do not get many choices in life.

Unfortunatly, I do not have pictures. But I can see their smiling faces anyway.. can't you?

Remember Sonya? She is the disabled young lady who had never seen a grocery store before? Help for Children took her to see a 3-D movie! She had never been to a cinema before. When asked "How did you like it?" she started to cry tears of happiness!

All of this is possible because of such wonderful people like you who support Big Family Mission and thus are supporting Help for Children.

Prayer Requests:
-Natasha would like us to pray for a young man whose family the Grace Center has helped previously. He was recently diagnosed with diabetes. I cannot give you his name, but God knows who he is. Please keep him in your prayers.

-Pray for a christian director for Luga (SOON). They have been without a director for nearly 9 months. This has prevented them from participating in various activities this summer such as Christian Summer Camp.

-Pray for the children as school is beginning again for them. That they would have a good year of learning and experience emotional, social, physical, and spiritual growth.

-Please, Please, Please pray for those from various orphanages who are graduating. This is the time of year when they are removed from the orphanage and left to find their own way in the world. Some are able to further their education, but most are not. Help for Children tries to reach out to as many graduates as they can, but funds, space, and resources are limited. Help for Children needs your support and prayers. Pray that many churches/missionaries would join in the battle to keep these kids from harm, to show them God's love, and that He has a plan for each and every one of them.

For more information on how you can help sponsor a child, an orphanage, or help with Grace Center visit us at www.bigfamilyministry.org.