An orphan's life

Why am I in orphan ministry? (O. Drukachuk)  

Our team regularly visits the Novostav orphanage-sanatorium, where children from orphanages are sent to live and receive preventative treatments to strengthen their health. Every time we drive up, a crowd of children run out to meet us at the gate. 

Before we can even get our van’s doors open, they’re running up, greeting each of us with big smiles and bigger hugs. 

Their obvious delight in seeing us, the sincerity of their smiles give each of us greater confidence that we are doing the right thing, coming to visit these wonderful children with bright smiles… and wounded hearts.

While it’s a joy to be able to simply love them, at times it’s just so hard to see the pain, loneliness and disappointment hiding in their eyes. It hurts to hear them say “no one needs me!” or “I don’t love anyone at all!”  

The more we see of their hearts, longing to be loved and to love in return, the more we understand just how much they need support, understanding and love… from us.

...And that’s why I go. That’s why I make the trip every single time. I want to show them one thing through everything we do there. Through being a friend, through games and songs, Christian ethics lessons, and just by spending time with them, I want to demonstrate to them that they are not alone, not rejected – and that they are precious to God, and to us. 

That’s what brings our team together! Our goal and mission is to show these orphans God as a Loving Father. 

Oleg Drukachuk,

       Agape volunteer