|
By Andrea Dujardin-Flexhaug
“THEY LIVE in the gutters. They eat and sleep in the same place where they go to
the washroom.”
Fred Ilyin spoke bluntly about young Russian orphans who have passed the age of government sanctioned orphanages, and must now live on the streets.
As a longtime mission worker, and president of the Christian based group New
Manna Ministries, Ilyin has seen a lot of the difficult conditions these
orphans, or vipustniki , face.
“It’s a dirty place. When you go down in the sewers, you have to make sure you don’t step on needles – because there’s needles all over the place.” Ilyin did not mince words in his description of life on the streets. He was
speaking recently at Osoyoos Baptist Church, before heading to Russia on one of
his missions there.
Ilyin’s background as a Russian Jew had given him his own perspective on life in
Russia, with its history grounded in his own family’s roots.
Ilyin’s father had been born in the Ukraine, and his grandfather – who was saved and inspired by an Azusa Christian street revival – had fled the Soviet Union in the 1920s, seeking freedom in neighbouring China.
Ilyin, born in China, said he and his family eventually made their way to start
anew in the West.
In the late 70s, Ilyin was living and working in Vernon. He had been on several
mission trips back to Russia, and the plight of young orphans – and their poor prospects for the future – grabbed his heart. He formed New Manna Ministries in 1981, and headed back to Russia with his wife Val – to serve Christ, through helping the orphans there.
Ilyin said the goal of New Manna is to “curb this dilemma, which is a worldwide dilemma of street kids.” With Russian orphans now numbering some 800,000, there is much overcrowding in
the various orphanages. Hence, when they reach the age of 16, the orphans are released by the government and left to fend for themselves.
“What happens to a cute little orphan kid? Well, he grows up – and an orphan kid no longer lives in an orphanage. He has to go somewhere,” explained Ilyin. “And a lot of the orphans end up going on the streets.” Ilyin also cited grim statistics: “One out of every four or five have gone to prison or some kind of criminal
activity. One out of every seven commit suicide.”
New Manna Ministries teams of volunteers go to Russia three times a year, to
seek out street kids and minister to them spiritually and practically. Many of
the children actually do have parents, noted Ilyin, but have been victims of
poverty, abuse or alcoholic fathers.
The city of Perm has given New Manna a long list of names of children of poor
families who are in need of care. New Manna regularly visits these children in
their home environments, and also has opened group homes and apartments for
older orphans, with adult supervision.
Continue article >>
|
Caring help and spiritual guidance are also provided for orphans and drug
addicts, at two of New Manna’s rehabilitation homes in Russia’s Ural Mountains. Together with Perm’s NT Church and other volunteers, New Manna assists with school and work
training as well.
“We try to reach them, and save them, and bring them to the knowledge of Jesus Christ,” said Ilyin.
One of the greatest needs has been helping girls aged 16-17, who have been
officially released from orphan care, move to a Manna home – where they can stay safe, and try to find meaningful employment. The commitment
is great for Ilyin and New Manna, as they are then legally required to take
care of each released orphan for the rest of their lives.
Manna House of Hope is about 50 kilometres from Perm; it serves as a
rehabilitation centre in fall, winter and spring, for street children and young
drug addicts. During the summers, it comes alive with the happy laughter of
orphans – who attend camp sessions there.
Another facility has been developed at New Manna’s Camp Black Sea – where, with sponsorship from the West, children can attend summer camp in Ukraine. It serves as a rehabilitation centre the rest of the year.
The New Manna Ministries newsletter reports a high success rate for their
rehabilitation centers (80 to 84 percent) – but notes that after 10 months, the street kids “do have struggles to re-enter the normal lifestyle in the society.”
Hence, the ministry has also created ‘adaptation centres,’ which Ilyin described as places “for these young people that want to get strengthened in their faith, and at the
same time learn work skills.”
Church planting also plays an integral part in the work of New Manna. Ilyin
noted that in the Perm area alone, 18 years ago there were only five churches
in the region. There are now 80 church plants.
New Manna also ministers to orphans in Rwanda, Tanzania, Ukraine and Moldova.
For more information, or to make a donation to New Manna Ministries, contact
newmanna.com or 250.549.1703.
September 2009
|
