As much as I love talking about our trips to Russia, I also have a real passion for helping orphan children, in general. I am on the board of trustees for Children's HopeChest.

We are currently doing a campaign to help Russian and Moldovan girls who are vulnerable to the sex trade. If you can help, click here. My goal is to raise $2,000 and I will match that $2,000. For every dollar that is donated up to $2,000, I will match the donation. If you donate through this link, your donation will be recorded and I will match it.

Thanks for supporting these young girls as we try to keep them from entering a life of slavery.

Help us CHANGE THEIR STORY!

Update from Moscow

Link to photos on Facebook.

Update from Pokrov

So, there is a lot to write. I've been so tired that I haven't updated the blog and now it is Friday--our last day.

The past few days have seen:

• A trip to a local museum about chocolate and the Kraft chocolate factory here as well as some Pokrov history
• A walk to the lake for a picnic and the kids swimming and games
• A trip to the kids' woodshop where they practice traditional Russian wood carving
• lessons on love, patience and kindness (including a skit where I got to fulfill my lifelong dream of being a rock star)
• lots of Russian chocolate and Ginger Bread
• interaction in crafts, soccer, American football, frisbee, basketball
• a review of the day's activities with kids, our team and orphanage staff confirming the powerful impact of even a short week's trip

Here are a few pics.

First Day in Pokrov

After a two hour bus ride we arrived in Pokrov and are staying at a very nice new hotel. It has wifi, and I am connecting at about 11:30 at night.

We had an amazing day at the orphanage and have a great plan for the rest of the week. All of the new team members fit right in, making new friends and getting involved in music, games and sports along with playing with some of the preschool kids.

We had mostly free time today and will begin our program tomorrow.

The kids planned a competition for us to watch. It was a sort of beauty contest that also involved several small competitions, such as the momma competition where the contestants had to put diapers on one of the American team members.

The older girls also planned a dinner "cafe" for us that they prepared and served. Of course, the dinner was accompanied by an appropriate selection of music that included rap and Russian techno. It also included an OLD MC Hammer song, "Can't Touch This."

So, I think that this will be a great week. Tomorrow is a competition planned by the orphanage and our first lesson on love.

We look forward to the four days ahead.

Today in Vladimir

Today was another great day. We started by worshiping with Russian believers this morning in a small church in a converted apartment building. The church building is not like what most of us in suburban churches at all. Songs were in Russian. Americans were singing in English to songs that they knew. I sang in Russian, the best I could, but had to look up some of the Russia words. We prayed in small groups before taking communion with our newly made Russian friends. BJ and I prayed with Irina and Lena, two Russian single moms. Lena is out of work and is praying for a job by the end of summer. Many Russians are out of work.

Then we went to see the Assumption Cathedral. It was originally built in the 12th century when Vladimir was the capital city of Russia. It is one of the most famous cathedrals in Russia, perhaps the most famous outside of Moscow.

After that we headed back to the ministry center where I was pleased and surprised to see Klara B. Klara is studying veterinary sciences. She seemed well and happy. She said that she is enjoying living outside of the orphanage.

Don Shive led a session on anger and where it comes from. He also talked about forgiveness. Some of the order orphans (in their twenties) really got involved in that discussion.

After games and conversation we left for the hotel.

I'm including a few pictures from today.

We are in Vladimir Tonight

After all of the aministrative issues getting our visas, we arrived in Moscow this morning without a hitch. The big hitch came with Moscow traffic. It took over an hour to get out of Moscow and about four and half hours to get to Vladimir. We arrived at the minsitry center to over 40 orphanage graduates, many of whom we know from Pokrov.



I was able to spend a lot of time with Valya K. who is doing well in her advertising degree program at the local university. Valya turned 21 this year.



A special surprise was seeing Lilya T. She left the orphanage early, and I was not able to see her last year. I did not know where she was and I feared the worst. However, she was at the ministry center today and is in a technical school. She looked so grown up. She will be seventeen in September.



There were many others from Pokrov. I also met some of the girls in the young mothers program. These girls are single moms between the ages of 17 and 21 who receive monthly parenting and life skills training. Many of them are still enrolled in school, although they have the year off to take care of newborns. They are allowed to live in the dorms if they have no place else to go.



I meant to post pictures, but I'm down in the lobby using wifi here at the Hotel Vladimir. I left my camera in my room. So, I'll post pictures tomorrow.

We have visas and are ready to travel

Well, we got our visas today and managed to get our tickets changed without a lot of hassle.

We will leave on Friday morning. I'm a bit stressed about work still. So much to do.

So, we'll land in Moscow at 11 a.m. on Saturday. We'll have to get out to Vladimir quickly to meet grads, if they show up. We'll see.

Doug

Flight delayed all unknown

Well, it's been a busy day. First, I went to the bank to get cash for the trip, then I found out that the visas were not at HopeChest's office. Then I found out that they would not get there. Then I found out that they might get there. Then I found out that the woudn't.

In the mean time Delta's group travel agent steered me wrong and told me I could wait until morning to reschedule my trip once I had the visas. A HopeChest rep thought that sounded strange so he called Delta. That rep said that we did need to take some action before morning. So, now we have to wait till the morning to take next steps to find out when we are going.

One obstacle is that Delta's policy is to charge a $250 change fee plus the price change of the ticket. In this case the price change could be between $300 and $3,800. Obviously, we aren't going with the $3,800. So, we'll see what we can do and ask on bended knee for some grace.

Keep reading for more updates.

Priceless by Tom Davis coming out June 1

Tom Davis, CEO of Children's Hopechest is coming out with a new book June 1st. His first book was about orphans in Swaziland. This book is about sex trafficking of young girls in Russia and how a woman named Katya helps them. I've just read the prologue and the first chapter. It looks like another page turner.

In case you think that the issue of human trafficking and the sex trade is exaggerated, I talked to a friend the other day who worked with a couple of orphanages in Russia. She said that not only are girls just out of the orphanage involved, but sometimes girls as young as 11 or 12 are involved.

Tom also just returned from a trip to Russia and Moldova where he found that not only are claims not exaggerated, but that they may actually be underestimated.

Tom's new book is called Priceless. Learn more at www.Sheispriceless.com. The go to the Children's Hopechest web site and make a donation to help save girls in Russia and Moldova. Give them options. Give them hope.

Plane tickets paid for and on their way

Today was the day! Our plane tickets are officially paid for and we'll be leaving on June 3rd for Moscow, Vladimir, and Pokrov Russia.

We'll visit the Fund Nadezhda Ministry Center in Vladimir and the Orphanage in Pokrov.

We are getting down to the wire on planning. It's pretty exciting.

We still need donations. The more the merrier at this point.

Thanks, everyone for your prayers and donations.

Wondering aloud about our trip to Russia

Well, I received an email the other day from a teammate that she is about $700 below where she'd like to be on trip funding. That now makes our deficit about $7,000 for 14 people with only a week and a half left to raise support.

We continue to trust God that the money will come. We believe in this ministry to Russian orphans and we also are amazed that three years in a row that we have 14 trip participants. This isn't easy for a church of about 300 people.

So, while we are encouraged to keep finding people with a real heart for orphans, it is sad that the economy has hit people hard. Among my own traditional support partners, some have chosen to no longer support short term missions, some have businesses that are struggling, and some have lost jobs. For me, this means about $1,500 will come out of my pocket.

It means for other trip members, that they'll pay between $700 and $2,000 for the pleasure of working with kids who no one else wants. That's commitment. That's honorable.

Why is it that its so hard to raise money to work with Russian orphans? Because Children's HopeChest also works in Africa, I know how easy it is for many who travel to Africa to raise money. Is it the memories of the cold war? Is it some current fears about Russia?

These kids are precious. I'm so encouraged that I'm still connected with six of the kids who have left the orphanage. Three of the six are in the university. I'm so proud of them, fighting against the odds.

There are times that I wonder if I'm just stupid to pay so much money out of pocket and take the time away from my family to go visit kids who aren't wanted by their own families. But, when I see kids succeeding who may have ended up dead or on the streets. When I receive their email. When I feel the need to learn their language. I know that this is all worth it.

As I've said before, if you are reading this, you probably have some interest in the issue of Russia and its orphan population. If so, please consider a financial gift to support us. So many on our team are giving so much. Won't you help, if you can?

You may contact me at dheringcma@msn.com or send a donation to:

Covenant Presbyterian Church
c/o Russia Ministry
2845 Parliament Drive
Colorado Springs, CO 80920

So, I sit wondering who will read this, and who will care. I don't know, perhaps I'm deceiving myself, but if I am, then, on behalf of the kids we visit, I'm glad I'm deceived.

Talked to some Pokrov trip participants

I had a great conversation with two of our team members this morning. We are getting excited to visit Russia again and see the kids at the orphanage.

One of our lessons will be about joy. We plan a bit of a celebration party to celebrate our ongoing friendship with these children as we help them develop into caring and loving Russian citizens. Many of the children we work with avoid the traps of other orphans and become successful students. I know of two students now at Vladimir State University and one student at a university in Moscow.

Trip to Pokrov, Russia

This is an appeal to anyone reading the blog whether you know us or not. If you found this post, then you probably have an interest in Russian orphans or Pokrov, Russia. You may be here because you've adopted from Pokrov.

We are NOT about adoption. That is a separate issue. Our work is to go into a Russian orphanage in Pokrov and a center in Vladimir for orphans who have graduated. We teach life skills and encourage kids to think about their future. We try to prepare them for life outside of the orphanage in Russia.

We have 14 people going and we still need about $6,000 of funding.

If you are at all interested in helping us, you may contact me on Facebook (Doug Hering).

You may also send a check to:

Covenant Presbyterian Church
2845 Parliament Drive
Colorado Springs, CO 80920

Send a note along that says the money is for the Russia trip.

We'd really appreciate it.

There are approximately 15,000 children that leave orphanages each year once they finish the 9th grade. They are usually 16-18 years old.

Of these children:

• 50% – fall into a high-risk category (ie. prostitution)
• 40% – become drug users
• 40% – commit crimes
• 10% – commit suicide

Only 10% of Russian orphans adapt to somewhat “normal” lives in Russia.

Source: Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation as shown on the website www.iOrphan.org.

and

http://www.rorescue.org/category/the-facts-about-russian-orphans/