Her name means Love.

In the last few months I have had the absolute privilege of meeting Lyubov. She is an amazing woman who started an orphanage many years back and she and her husband have since adopted three young orphans, despite already having two grown up children and the possibility of enjoying an ‘empty nest’ instead. She runs a small home for children way on the other side of the river from where we live, but her heart is really for preventing situations like the ones these children find themselves in. Her name means love, and this is what she personifies.

Most of the orphans in Russia are actually social orphans. That is, they still have at least one living parent, but the situation at home is so dire that it is untenable for the child(ren) to live there. The side of town/area that Lyubov lives in is generally of a lower socio-economic demographic than the area we live in. There are many more obshezhitiye over there. These are dormitories where people generally only have one small room, maybe with a few people living in this room, and they share a toilet and a basin (no shower) that has to service many rooms. As you might imagine, the bathroom is not exactly a pleasant space. I’m not sure if anyone is rostered to clean them, but the one’s I’ve seen don’t look like it. (Sorry for the fuzziness of the pictures – I only have my phone to take photos – but perhaps in this case it’s better not to see all the detail!)

Incredibly, Lyubov has been given permission to use a room in one of these dormitories. She runs groups from this room. When we first went there to plan for a kids’ holiday program, it was immediately apparent that we were in a different area. The foyer area had rubbish and old clothes lying in it, with many suspicious looking dirty marks, including blood smears on the floor.

Many of the kids who grow up in these tenements come from broken homes, or homes where alcohol/drug abuse and/or domestic violence are the norm. It is not uncommon for them to be victims of sexual abuse or to have learning difficulties due to their living situations, or even because they suffer from foetal alcohol syndrome. Their parents are in a rut. In fact, they’re all in a rut, and the cycle perpetuates.

But where there is life there is hope. From the window of the room in the dormitory, I could see some locals working to brighten up their environment. I love this garden of recycled bottles!

 

I had a great time helping out with running a kids’ day camp for 8-11 year olds. It was pretty full on – those kids sure have energy and are not used to sitting in one spot for long at all! My goodness, some of them just won over my heart. There were a few sad stories, like the little boy wearing hand me down runners that were at least 3 sizes too big and full of holes, but lots of happy smiles – especially at the free food they received. We played lots of games and learnt how to take care of our selves physically, spiritually and emotionally.

At the start of the first day we only had 5 kids, but we went outside to play poison ball and soon we had almost too many to fit in the room. Unfortunately we had to turn some kids away on the second day as news spread. I’m sure the next one we run will be well attended!

Lyubov has a heart for families, just like we do. She wants to see the cycle broken and for hope to come into these lives. She has some support from local churches, but the amount of need is overwhelming, and you can see this in her face. More workers are definitely needed. She is running a kids’ club on Saturday afternoons, and also a drop in group for women on a Saturday early evening.

I have only been to one women’s group, but there too we heard tragic tales behind the scars that some women wore – both physical and emotional. There is so much need, it’s hard to know how to begin, but providing healthy relationships and hope gives so much to these lives that are sorely lacking in both.

Exactly how we will continue to be involved with Lyubov’s work is something we’re working out, but I am SO excited to have met Lyubov and really believe it is a divine appointment. Please pray for this work, for these people and for her.