Minus 39 degrees
Christmas Party at the Children's Centre
Children's Ministry Centre - for Street Kids
Report Part 1.
I am now half way through the trip. I have already met so people who really amaze me. They live in such a completely different world to me and live in such incredible hardship.They have suffered in ways I cannot imagine. They are people I have never met before yet despite all that, I feel like I have known them all my life, such is the sense of friendship they have shown and deep commitment to the same things I am committed to.
Weather
Snow is right up to the window sills. It is very cold although the locals are saying that it is warm for this time of the year! Temperature seems to sit at between minus 17 and minus 27 although they tell me it can get to minus 35 degrees Celsius at night.
So far I have visited one of the Children’s Service Centre’s set up by the NZ missionary who invited me here (you can see the photo of the building covered in snow), preached in a local Baptist Church and now I am half way through the SCC – which is the real reason I am here.
SCC
There is an openness and a willingness to learn at this school that I have found quite amazing, despite the difficult language problem that inevitably we struggle with. We ended up with 27 students; mostly these are people who work with deeply troubled children.
One of the great things about being here is I have got to celebrate Christmas three times. First at home on 25th December. Then in Russia on 31 December (the communists tried to do away with Christmas so they celebrate New Year instead in the same way) and then on the 7 December which is when the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates Christmas. I am not sure if all these Christmas puddings are very good for me!!
State of Children
· On a sad note, the state of children here is desperate. The delegates of the school are struggling for answers. There are so many stories of children who have been affected by divorce (75 per cent of couples divorce), alcoholism (unofficial figures is that 75 per cent of the adults are alcoholics) and horrific abuse. The stories of abuse by parents and teachers on children are like I have not heard before.
· There are large numbers of children in orphanages, many of whom are not orphans but have been left by their parents and their life is not good.
· There are families who live on the streets.
· Children who have been diagnosed with mental retardation – which in many cases would not be considered to have a handicap in the West but rather they are struggling because they have been deprived of basic needs, and are prejudiced in education and employment.
· Many children in orphanages are abused and forced into crime. Many of the children who have been through the orphanage system do not live that long once they are left to their own devices. Thirty percent of them have committed suicide within a few years.
Well that is why I am here – to support those incredible workers who are trying so hard to make a difference.
Second Half Report
Well all too soon the trip is just about over. The course has finished with the delegates testifying that they had never heard anything like the teaching they have received. And it did seem to be extremely well received.
Thankfully my book: ‘Caring and Sharing’, was translated for them and has been distributed in note form – so they have that resource to go on with.
There was such a precious sense of God’s presence on the last day as God ministered to all the delegates. They shared incredible stories of gratitude for my coming. I passed on to them that without the support of those who helped me get here and who have been praying for me, it would not have been possible.
I will be glad to be home in the warm of Australia again. Temperature dropped to minus 39 degrees on Friday!
Home to a Holiday
Over the next two weeks, Therese, Maurice and I will be having a holiday when we hope to take in a beach or two!! . Jono is continuing to work and prepare for his first year at Uni.
Thanks for your continued support and prayers.
David Goodwin
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