WINDS OF CHANGE

I've crossed the Atlantic to Russia several dozen times. Last month, I made the journey once again with a team of eager Americans. It is amazing how much has changed in this vast country in just over a decade since my first trip. Moscow, a city that once had no billboards or bright buildings, now looks like New York City and acts like Las Vegas. On my first trip to Russia, there were no grocery stores or department stores. Now, every few miles a supermarket has popped up and three-story department stores with escalators and air-conditioning can be found throughout the cities. Hundred-year-old wood framed houses have been replaced by multi-million dollar high rise condos. Expensive automobiles now crowd the streets. Yet one area that has not changed is that there are still hundreds of thousands of children and teenagers orphaned in a country that boasts the most expensive city in the world to live in ( Moscow ) and the most millionaires in the world.

Spoken For International Youth Outreach has been going back and forth over the years to Penza, Russia, taking teams of people from all over the country, including 121 CC members, to minister to and love the children and teenagers living in nine orphanages situated throughout the Penza region. Penza is a city of 750,000 people located about 450 miles southeast of Moscow. During the Soviet years, Penza was a vital communist community, manufacturing nuclear warheads and other missiles during the long Cold War with the United States. Located on the Sura River, Penza also served and continues to be an industrial city edged with factories that surround its territory.

When Perestroika (Russian for “change”) took place and democracy came to Russia in the early 90's, the government found itself in a financial crisis and many of its low-budget departments were the first to feel the hit. Among these departments were the country's thousands of orphanages. Former communist leaders and officials found themselves without jobs and were given positions as directors and caregivers of orphans and boarding school principals. As the country was being reshaped, people were not ready for the quick changes to society. The orphan population grew due to rising costs and an inability to cope with the pressures that led to an increase in alcoholism, suicide, and intense stress.

During those years, the doors opened for the West to come in and offer support in various ways. The support was welcomed by men and women who found themselves overseeing hundreds of children and teens with no financial backing. It began with visits at Christmas with small teams of people bringing boxes of toys, socks and school supplies for the children. As relationships grew and needs became known, churches and individuals took on building repairs and large scale humanitarian projects. Recently, however, the Russian government has declared that there is not an orphan crisis in Russia and that there is no need for financial or emotional help from the West. Over the past two years, the various departments that oversee orphanages have begun to close their doors to outside groups and individuals, especially from the United States and other Western countries who seek to minister to the thousands of orphans. It is estimated that there are between 700,000 and 900,000 orphans in the Russian Orphanage Institutions. This does not include the thousands of additional young people who are on the streets or still living at home taking care of their siblings. Resources have not been increased to keep pace with the huge inflation that has gripped the Russian economy. The government is now merging orphanages in order to limit the financial strain. At age 16, most orphans in Russia must leave the institution and survive on their own. A majority end up in prison, on the streets or in a life of crime including mafia and prostitution.

Russia is a country with a rich heritage and deep traditions. One area of tradition is the belief that all Russians should and must be baptized as an infant or child into the Russian Orthodox Church. Religion is more symbolic and nationalistic than personal, so people throughout Russia hold to the idea that they are Orthodox, and as a result, patriotic to Mother Russia. During the Soviet years, both Orthodox and Protestant believers and pastors were persecuted and often imprisoned and killed for their commitment to Christ and the Word of God. Eventually the government had an influence on most of the religious institutions throughout the empire. But… a remnant of true followers of Christ secretly met in what was termed “Houses of Prayer”. Seeing a country transform before their very eyes, some of the faithful lived through the Communist takeover, World Wars I and II, the Cold War, and the fall of the Soviet Union, and now have witnessed a short time of opened doors for religious freedom. It was as if the book of Nehemiah sprung to life before their very eyes. They had remained faithful to God and God had remained faithful to them.

In the early 90's, the West swept in to evangelize Russia. Seminary-trained pastors, evangelists and short-term missionaries spread their training and ideas throughout Russia, especially in the orphanages and villages, proclaiming the Good News of Jesus and expecting everyone to look and become like their church back in the States. At first it was exciting, mainly because two enemies for so many years were now finding out that most of the fight that took place over 70 years was political propaganda. Unfortunately, as is true often in our country, people wanted to see quick changes and rapid growth, but discovered untrained pastors and cultural differences that would mean longer commitments and perhaps slower growth. Many Americans got bored and moved on to new adventures and projects where they could be involved in a way that would fit into their family vacation or a sermon series going on at their local church. We went in with our strategic 5-year plans and then when we achieved what we wanted, or got bored with the program, we moved on – leaving pastors and leaders of churches who had little or no training, and intense persecution and scrutiny to fend for themselves, and leaving them even more alone and confused. Now, a little over a decade later, Russia and the United States find themselves at odds with each other once again with everyone wondering if the church will be able to stand through the obvious storm about to come.

The day has come when people are once again being followed by secret police, media is being censored and pockets are being lined with wealth such as the world has never seen. If you're born Russian then you are safe, as long as you are baptized Russian Orthodox, vote for the popular candidate, and make no waves. Begin to make a difference or stand for the injustices both in the church and the social arena of the general population, and one quickly finds himself as an enemy of the state. One word permeates the goals of the leaders of Russia – Superpower. It does not matter at what cost, just as long as the nation is again respected whether through brute force or deceitful negotiations. And last on the priority list are the Russian orphans, who are considered second-class citizens, and the Protestant church which is often blamed for sleeping with the enemy, America.

For the first time, Spoken For has been restricted from going in or out of the orphanages that we have spent the past decade supporting and ministering to. But God's ways are not our ways!. Spoken For has partnered with the local church known as Bethany/Revelation, and God is raising Russian believers who are stepping up to the plate and answering the call to love, support, train, equip and encourage the older orphans He brings across our paths. Over 1000 people have traveled to Penza with Spoken For to minister to the children and teens who live in and have come out of the orphanages. At first, the local church was not interested in being involved. It was difficult for people from the local body of believers to understand why the American believers were so drawn to helping children who they had been taught were outcast and the result of sinful behavior by parents who were the root cause of the social problems. But through perseverance, patience, teaching and modeling, listening, demonstrating, and praying, a small group of Russian believers began to see and hear what God was doing and began to open their hearts and lives to the children waiting to be loved and noticed. As a result, the ministry team has grown and young people from the orphanages now make up a large part of the church family in Penza. Seven of the eleven people baptized in July were older youth who had graduated out of the orphanages in Penza. Also, most of the Russian team who ministered with us in the Special Needs Camps this summer was made up of orphan graduates who are living out Jesus everywhere they go.

Spoken For International Youth Outreach is a Christian ministry that serves young people living in challenging environments to provide them with spiritual, physical, and emotional guidance. We strive to transition these youth into adulthood with a Kingdom-minded world view that is lived out through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Spoken For is supported by 121 CC and is coming up with ways to involve Life Groups in the ministry that is impacting the lives of older youth who have no place to turn. 121 is developing a relationship with Bethany/Revelation Church of Penza in order to be more intentional and impactful in the years to come with the older youth who are involved with Spoken For's Fireworks ministry. 121 is also planning to do exchange ministries with the ministries of the Bethany/Revelation Church in order for both churches to learn and grow from each other and have eternal impact.

In a time of uncertainty, God is raising young people who have nothing to lose and who are sold out for the cause of Christ. We have a choice… either join them as they step out in faith and shine for Christ, or ignore them and go on with our next project, missing the opportunities and relationships that God is shaping and forming. The doors of religious freedom are closing once again in Russia, but the army God is raising to represent Him has increased. We are looking for prayer warriors, faithful friends and supporters, and people who will not give up when it gets tough to join the ranks that are already marching. I believe in these last days, God has set aside a special group of teenagers who are going to impact the world for Christ.

For more information about Russian orphans, Spoken For International Youth Outreach or how to be involved, please visit www.spokenfor.org.

::Scott Werntz

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