Last summer, along with a team of 7 other Biola University students, I went on a missions trip to Russia. All of us had our own separate reasons why we chose to go on this trip. As for me, there was nothing particular about Russia that was drawing me to the country. I chose to apply and interview for the trip more because of the ministry we would be doing (working with orphans) and the dates of the trip (early in summer.) I wanted to go on a trip where I worked with children and had time enough to get a summer job afterward. So in these areas, the Russia trip was perfect! Ironically, our ministry changed completely and we spent most of our time working with our peers; and after the trip I did not get a job.
But when I went to Russia, I fell in love with the country. I found it a beautiful place, beautiful language, and I met so many beautiful people. (Pictured below--team of 8 Biola students in front of St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow, Russia)
Though most of our ministry ended up being with our peers, we did spend a short amount of time our last day in Moscow with the street kids. And in that short amount of time (just 2 hours), something happened in my heart for those kids.
You know, I've always grown up with plenty. My family was never rich, but I always had food and love and clothes. When I would see the commercials on TV about child sponsorship, and I'd see the man holding a dirty little child in another country with great big eyes and pouting lips, I didn't see the child as real. I knew those children were real in my head. But the man in the commercial, imploring the wealthy to act with his British accent and serious expressions, he was just another face on the television screen that would be gone in 30 seconds before the television program would begin again.
Going to Russia and meeting these little children myself changed my whole outlook.
Our team first met Sveta and Leanna. We had been expecting to meet Sasha (Alexandra), the young woman who started the ministry with the street kids. We'd heard a little about her story. She is Russian and lived in extreme poverty herself as a child. Then, as a teenager, she was sponsored by an American to come to the US and be a model. She lived in the US for nine years, and while she was here she went to church with a friend and found Jesus. Her life changed drastically. I will have to share more about my dear friend Sasha's story because it really is a beautiful story. After nine years in the US, Sasha decided to go back to Russia to be a missionary.
When we came to Russia last year, however, Sasha was in the hospital. She was having some health problems. But we met Sveta, who partners with Sasha in ministry; and Leanna, who was working with the girls at the time.
They were lovely girls, and our team got to know them a bit. (Pictured below: Sveta)
Then, our final day in Moscow, right before we were to take the train to Yoshkar-ola for the remainder of our time in Russia, we met the kids.
They are beautiful children. We came to the train station where they live, and at first, I only saw one family. They looked different from most Russians I was used to seeing. They had darker skin and dark hair. This is because most of them are refugees--refugees without documents, unable to work and forced to beg. They were dressed in ragged, dirty clothing and sitting on flattened cardboard boxes. The mother had a head covering and the father wore a turban.
The two little girls from this family walked over to us. I wondered where all the other kids were. As they approached we said, "Priviyet!" [Hi] brightly.
They giggled.
One of the girls was named Alona.
Their little hands were so dirty, but I started playing a clapping game with Alona.
Suddenly, there were little kids everywhere! Walking barefoot, giggling and grinning, holding our hands and playing with us. They had the biggest smiles on their faces. I didn't know where they had all come from!Hayden, the one guy on our team, started making balloon animals for the kids. They absolutely LOVED this.
There was one little girl who was just beautiful. She seemed older, more mature than the others. She had a lovely smile and she came and took my hand.
Some of the girls from my team tried to do a skit, but the kids were too distracted. We hugged them and spun them around and laughed and skipped with them. There were at least twenty kids, maybe more. The homeless adults looked on with smiles.A Russian policeman came and spoke to our translator Anna. "They have no reason to be here," he said. "They are only going to have things stolen from them." I still remember the look on his face and others as they passed by. They looked at the children suspiciously and as though they were worthless. They looked at us like we were crazy to be playing with them.
Danielle (one of my team leaders) went with our main translator Zaven and some of the adults to buy some food with our extra funds. Meanwhile, we played with the kids.
Alona asked me (through Anna) "Is America a very beautiful country?"
I hesitated for a moment then said, "Yes."
She smiled.
(Pictured below: Alona and me)
Alona did something very special that I'll never forget. She took my hand and kissed it and then touched it to her head. Then she did it again.
(Pictured above: our team with the homeless street children and adults)It was very difficult to leave these little ones.
After the trip, I emailed Sasha whom I had never met in person. We have since become good friends and I continue to hear about Sasha's and Sveta's ministry. When those two hours with the street children came to an end, it was only the beginning of my love and desire to continue to be involved in bringing in support for children in need.
Love,
Marisa
