(Photo courtesy Slavic Gospel Association)
CIS (SGA/MNN) — After the long, cold, and dreary months of winter, spring and summer will be welcomed with open arms. The world is ready for flowers to blossom and leaves on trees to sprout again. Children are anticipating the months of being out of school and enjoying the activities that come with it.
In Russia and neighboring countries, it’s the same, but with one key difference. Many children have grown up in dysfunctional and poverty-stricken homes or orphanages, without the Gospel.
But fortunately for them, summer brings a solution.
Each year, Slavic Gospel Association helps sponsor children to go to Christian summer camps, where they can meet others like them, get involved in activities such as arts and crafts, and dig deep into the Word of God.
Valery is one SGA-sponsored missionary pastor in eastern Belarus. Last summer, 60 children attended his church’s summer camp, which was made possible through SGA’s partners. Several children were from radiation-poisoned Chernobyl zone. But most of the children were from families that didn’t incorporate the Gospel into their daily lives, or as SGA says, were from unchurched families.
Valery shared a note from Alexander, one of the children who attended. Alexander said he learned Jesus is his Savior and will never leave or forsake him. Alexander’s note showed exactly what these summer camps are about, and who they are designed to reach.
The note said: “Valery from Pruzhany invited me to the camp. My parents often abuse each other and do not want to live together, so I am in the orphanage. I have repented, and have found a lot of friends. Here we are talking about God, the most important subject to talk about! Everything here was perfect, but most of all, I repented.”
Kids at Valery’s camp, like Alexander, received Russian-language Bibles and Christian literature, which is an incredible and precious gift children love.
These camps introduce children to their Creator and His never-ending love.
For just $41 you can help send a child to a week of camp. Your gift will help provide evangelistic materials, paper, pencils, and other activity supplies, Russian-language Bibles and Christian literature, and other means of support for the camp activities. It’s a chance to affect a child’s life forever.
Help spread the Gospel and impact the lives of needy children by clicking here. Designate that your donation is for “Camp Ministry.” Also, pray for the strength of the church workers and for the children who hear the Gospel.
