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Thousands of unwanted children in orphanages across
former Soviet Union 'potential recruits' for organized crime
SAVING UKRAINE, RUSSIA ORPHANS FROM ORGANIZED CRIME GANGS:
Thousands of unwanted children in orphanages across Russia, Ukraine and the
former Soviet countries are at risk of being recruited by organized crime
groups, according to Illinois-based Slavic Gospel Association (SGA,
www.sga.org)
that launched the
Orphans Reborn ministry in partnership with local evangelical churches.
NEWS PROVIDED BY
Slavic Gospel
Association (SGA)
March 7, 2023
LOVES PARK, Ill., March 7, 2023 /Christian
Newswire/ -- Thousands of abandoned and unwanted children in orphanages
across Russia, Ukraine and the former Soviet countries are highly vulnerable to
recruitment by organized crime groups, a U.S. mission agency says.
"When children turn 18 they age out of the orphanages and have to fend for
themselves," said Michael Johnson, president of Slavic Gospel Association (SGA,
www.sga.org).
"Thousands end up with nowhere to go, living on the streets, caught up in
prostitution, drugs and organized crime to survive. They're prime recruiting
targets for criminal gangs."
The Illinois-based mission says this alarming situation can change if more
orphanages open their doors to local church volunteers who are eager to "show
abandoned children they're loved and wanted."
The orphanages are often depressing places where children abandoned by
drug-addicted and alcoholic parents, as well as other discarded children and
orphans, cry themselves to sleep at night.
Under-resourced orphanages house at least 600,000 children -- kids who "think
they're ugly, they don't matter, that no one loves them or wants them," said
Eric Mock, SGA's vice president of ministry operations who frequently visits
orphanages in the former Soviet countries. "They're often angry as well."
Intervening 'Before It's Too Late'
A staggering 84% of children in the orphanages will be there until their 18th
birthday when they're let loose -- usually without any support.
Studies revealed more than 8 out of 10 end up involved in crime, drugs or
prostitution, sometimes leading to suicide, Johnson said.
"We believe only God can give them hope and turn their lives around before it's
too late," he said. "It's life-changing when local Christians visit the
orphanages every week, showing them genuine compassion and love."
SGA supports a network of more than 2,000 local evangelical churches across the
region, including pastors and church members who go into local orphanages every
week to spend time with the children, listen to their problems, and pray with
them.
"In effect, these hurting children are adopted into the local church family,
receiving the care and support they need," Mock said.
Orphans Reborn
In 2000, SGA launched
Orphans Reborn to support the efforts of local churches and "believers with
a heart to show God's love to these children and share the Gospel with them."
Now the outreach brings hope to more than 14,000 orphans and abandoned children
across Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Armenia. And it's growing with
support from churches and individuals in the U.S.
Local church volunteers -- often braving dangerous, icy roads and temperatures
50 degrees below zero -- visit the same orphanages week after week. "They look
beyond their own comfort to bind up the broken hearts of children who are
unloved and unwanted," said Mock, who recently visited Ukraine.
'Brought Joy To My Heart'
Sonya lives in an orphanage. Her father doesn't have any time for her. Her
mother is an alcoholic. The last time she saw her mom, "she just drank vodka,"
Sonya recalled.
When members of a local Baptist church visited Sonya's orphanage, she felt loved
for the first time in her life. "They told me about God and said he would take
care of me," Sonya said. "It brought joy to my heart."
At another orphanage, church volunteer Luda took 10-year-old Vlad, an angry boy
who'd been abandoned, under her wing. She takes Vlad to her home on the
weekends, and now he calls her "Mom."
"Every time I come to pick up Vlad, there are 12 other children looking at me
with a questioning look that says, 'What about me?' Luda said. "God, if only I
could, I would take them all to my place."
Founded in 1934, Slavic Gospel Association (SGA,
www.sga.org)
helps "forgotten" orphans, widows and families in Ukraine, Russia, the former
Soviet countries of Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and Russian-speaking
immigrants in Israel – caring for their physical needs and sharing the
life-transforming Gospel of Jesus Christ. SGA supports an extensive grassroots
network of local evangelical missionary pastors and churches in cities and rural
villages across this vast region.
SOURCE Slavic Gospel Association
CONTACT: Matti Stevenson, 719-360-0586,
mstevenson@inchristcommunications.com