An orphan's life

Why am I in orphan ministry? (S.Dezhnyuk)  

 

I really love children. Every time I see a little child who is deprived of basic human warmth, love and parental care, tears just come to my eyes.  Not long ago, I heard about Agape Ministries.  It was about a year and a half ago, when my brother began volunteering with Agape. He'd come home and tell me about trips to the orphanage, about Orphan Camps, about the children themselves. As time passed, I began going with his team when they visited orphanages and soon came to very clearly understand that ministering to orphans was my calling! 


It’s been almost a year now that I’ve been visiting orphanages weekly, sharing the love for them that God has filled my heart with. As we teach the Christian Ethics lessons, we tell them about how much God loves them, how He will never abandon them. Sometimes it’s just so hard to see how those precious children have been forsaken by family and left to the tender mercies of the state. However, I constantly keep them in my prayers and am convinced that God will work things out for them.

Above all else, I just thank God that I’m able to minister to these children. I’m also grateful to Agape Ministries for welcoming people like me who are on fire to serve orphans, giving us opportunities to minister, giving us training and letting us become a part of their team. Praise the Lord!

Sonya Dezhnyuk,

   Agape volunteer

 

 

An orphan's life

I prayed to God that my mother or brother would visit me. AFTER NINE DAYS MY MOTHER CAME. I hadn’t seen her for 4 years!

 

I attend “Christian ethic” lessons and I like lessons about God and His love very much. I forgive those who offended me because God commended to do so...

Ivana, 14 years old

 

“Do you remember, during your Bible lessons, how we talked about what we dreamed of doing or being? I was the girl who always dreamed of going to Paris!” 

 

 

Soon Agape Ministries will celebrate it's 10th anniversary.  In some ways it seems like a long time, in others, not long at all. When we stop to consider -  the tears and laughter, the heights of joy and depths of despair...it's by God’s grace we have learned and grown through it all.

 

 “Do you yourself even believe what you’re saying?” Sergei asked, still laughing.       

“Of course I believe what I said. The Lord has given you all a lot of talent, I know that each one of you can have a great life,” I answered.

“Well, that’s all the future I see for me,” said Sergei, pointing at the bars on the ground-floor window, “a life behind bars.”