The Secret Past Lives of Russian Orphans

When we go to Russia, one of the biggest elephants in the room is the past lives of the kids. Normally they do not talk about their life prior to coming to the orphanage. Even if they were put in the orphanage at age 12 or 13, they do not talk about their prior lives.

I've been told that often their lives at home were so bad that it's hard for them to think about the future. If someone talks to them about a future with a family and a job, they begin to think of their dysfunctional, often abusive, lives with their parents. They picture themselves poor and perhaps abusive themselves. They picture their neglected children or being beaten or mistreated by a spouse. It's tough. It's tough for them. It's tough for us as we try to break through with hope. There are kids who have left the orphanage and been successful.

Children's Hopechest's ministry has had great results with these kids. If kids continue in programs after they leave the orphanage, they have a very good chance of success, but they can't see it now. They can't see it at age 12 or 15 or 17 or even past that. They need a hand. They need support. That's what we try to give--a hand, and our hearts.