doug1 is your love in action, inside the former Soviet Union

 

A report from Doug Brendel to all who support or follow our New Thing ministry in Belarus...

 

Pain happens ... but

HereÕs healing...

 

All too often, children in the town of Zhodino are abused or abandoned, often by parents addicted to alcohol.

When it happens, the authorities bring the children here, to a shelter we ÒadoptedÓ almost 10 years ago.

 

ItÕs great to have our longtime friend, jazz vocalist Vicki McDermitt, accompanying me. This is VickiÕs second visit to Belarus.

 

While professionals work to make the home safe for the childrenÕs return, the children are beautifully cared for in every way.

Svyeta, at right, is in charge of nutrition.

 

ItÕs a tremendous encouragement to the selfless workers to know that weÕve made a long-term commitment to them.

Director Liudmila Mikhailevna, at right, is tough and smart — but also a deeply devoted ÒmamaÓ to these kids.

 

The SamaritanÕs Purse organization provides wonderful gift boxes, designated by gender and age, to our ÒResponse of the HeartÓ team in Minsk.

 

We have the joy of giving out these great SamaritanÕs gifts — in addition to the gifts and sweets we usually bring along.

Biggest hit this time: a yellow VW Beetle!

 

Vicki brought false mustaches for everyone. (Why donÕt I have great ideas like this?) Then, of course, it was time for selfies.

 

No one was spared — not even ÒThe Great KozovayaÓ (at right), who heads our Response of the Heart team.

(I wonder if, when she was serving as an official in the Communist Youth Party in the days of the USSR, she ever imagined such a moment!)

 

Our ever-playful photographer Oleg was so enchanted by the mustaches that he totally forgot to take pictures.

He put down his camera and set about to turn this little angel into a fairy tale shopkeeper, or whatever.

 

I have never laughed so hard at Zhodino. But finally we were all laughed out, and Oleg arranged a group portrait.

 

Vicki also brought her famous Òmagic coloring book.Ó The pictures magically color themselves — then disappear entirely — and then reappear, all on demand!

 

At one end of the shelter is the ÒDomik,Ó or Òlittle house,Ó a prevention center for at-risk children.

 

The Domik program has been very successful at keeping children out of the shelter — by identifying and helping families in trouble.

Generous friends of New Thing fully funded construction of this facility.

 

Children learn to cook, so they can feed themselves and their siblings if Mom and Dad are away — or incapacitated.

My young friend Vlad can whip up porridge in 10 minutes.

 

The Domik children get the same gifts as the children in the shelter.

The Domik director, at left, was fascinated by Play-Doh. But thereÕs no beating a harmonica!

 

The children in this shelter have known tragedy and pain. ItÕs still horrifying to me to think that any parent could harm these youngsters.

But we have the privilege of giving them a place of refuge, a family away from family, where healing can begin, and hope can be born.

God bless all who have prayed and given to bring us here.

 

More photos to come.

Thanks for journeying with us!

Much love,

Doug Brendel

 

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