January 2003 Mission Trip Report
Christ Episcopal Church to
Minsk, Belarus & St. Petersburg, Russia

When: January 8 – 21, 2003

Who: Renee and Greg Sethness with 19 other USA team members and 20 Russian and Belarussian interpreters

Where: We first visited the Stankova orphanage (220 children) 40 minutes east of Minsk, and then we went by overnight train to St. Petersburg where we ministered in Orphanages #51 (110 children) and #32 (65 children).

What Happened in Stankova:

1. Five afternoons were spent with the children in the orphanage (about 6 hours each day) as they have school in the morning. We road a bus about 40 minutes to this small village of Stankova, after breakfast in the hotel and a team meeting where we sing, pray and talk about the day. We often wonder what the people in the hotel think of our singing! The orphanage is on the past estate of a count. It is a very beautiful area. There was a large contrast in the spirituality of the children. For example, one small child recited to Renee many Bible stories, while when Greg asked a 12 year old boy if he knew the Christmas story, he said, “no.” With an interpreter we were able to explain to this boy why Christ came 2000 years ago, and what it means to invite Him into our lives today.
2. Alona was just visiting with us for one day. She was the sister of another interpreter we were using for the entire trip. The story started in San Antonio when our family doctor offered supplies for the trip. He had a drug representative who was offering a drug for thyroid enhancement. We couldn’t think of a use for the drug based on past experience, but we finally took it, remembering that God’s plans aren’t always clear to us. Alona had a mission of her own, to the Belarussian people who had radiation damage to their thyroids, from the Chernobyl nuclear accident. She needed the medicine! That was God’s plan.
3. We brought a small wrapped gift to each child. In addition, a large duffel bag full of school supplies, a large duffel bag full of cloths and some sports balls were given to the director of the orphanage to distribute later. A large duffel bag full of medicines was given to the doctor along with explanations, as needed.

* NOTE: When I say, “we brought…” it must be said that “we” means the churches, supporters and prayers of all the team members. And we could not have done any of this without our friends in Belarus and Russia.

1. We worked on crafts with the children, including putting together the manger scene and snow flakes. We explained what the manger scene meant and we discussed how unique and special each snow flake was, just like each of the orphans, and they were both created by God.
2. We were asked to present a program on drugs, alcohol and morality to the older children. First nurse/professor Renee presented the medical facts. Then four witnesses told how God helped them make good decisions regarding smoking, drugs and morals. One witness was a 15 year old female member of the team who told a riveting story. Songs were sung, and then time was given for questions and answers. One of the Belarussian team members closed with a blessing and prayer for the children. Everyone present was invited to ask God into their lives with repentance for those things done wrong and thanksgiving for Jesus’ life and death.
3. We played ice hockey (in shoes) against the orphans, and, of course, lost miserably - but we had a great time! Most of the American women participated also! One late afternoon the snow began falling in very large flakes. It was perfect for snow balls! I couldn’t resist, and three boys and a girl had a great time pelting me. I think I presented a large target which they liked!
4. The one drier in the laundry was repaired and we ordered 2 more for the orphanage. They had 7 washing machines, but only one, broken drier.
5. Another church’s team member left money for plumbing repairs. A third team member from another church had given money last summer to repair band instruments, and some of the orphans came in special to play for us on their repaired instruments. They were great!
6. A large duffel bag of craft supplies was left for Olga Goncherienko, the director of the Springs of Revival Foundation in Minsk. We have known Olga for 5 years and she is an inspiration to all of us. She is now married and it was a pleasure to get to know her husband. Christ Church and other churches support her ministry each year. When we are gone, her fellow Belarussians minister to the orphans each week. They also have a ministry to many poor families in Minsk. Minsk is a beautiful city.

TRAIN TRIP TO ST. PETERSBURG:

This was exciting. I have always liked trains and remember my first ride with my parents from Chicago to San Antonio when I was little boy. Three of us guys shared one room and four lady’s (including Renee) were in the room next door. Fortunately there was enough storage room for our four bags each! The attendant brought us a dinner snack, but we had already bought some extra cheese, meat, bread, fruit, yogurt, etc. so we had fun eating together in one of the rooms. The train left promptly at 4:40pm, and they were not going to wait on anyone, so you needed to be on time! We arrived in St. Petersburg at 10 am the next morning. It was one of the best night’s sleep I had. The bunk was exactly 6’3” long, just long enough for me. The bathroom was at the end of the hall and you needed to finish by a certain time since they closed them in the cities. One of my most memorable moments was sticking my head out the bathroom window at night to watch the train go down the tracts in the countryside, all covered with trees and falling snow. Needless to say it reminded you of Dr. Zivago.

What Happened in St. Petersburg:

1. We spent 3 days in the orphanages visiting with many of the same children we have seen through the years. Two graduate orphan boys returned on their own to the orphanage to see us! I encouraged the one boy I knew, Sasha, to join a group of orphan graduates that meets once a week in a Christian environment we support. It is a transitional flat started by our Russian partner, Marina Topoltseva. A counselor lives there and oversees 2-3 female orphan graduates who also live there and need help to succeed and learn God’s plan for their lives. We also helped Sasha buy an English book and an English-Russian dictionary. He is in barber school.
2. We were able to eat dinner in the transitional flat one evening and hear the guest speaker talk about what a Christian man looks for in a woman. They asked us for a little bit of our perspective also, but the guest speaker was excellent. He also showed the girls how to cook the meal. We had a dish like pizza, only with potatoes instead of a crust, and it was delicious! He and his wife also made an apple/banana pie! There were about 13 of us for dinner, and they pulled the kitchen table into the living room alongside the couch to make a dining room. We really felt blessed to be a part of their evening! Christ Church and other churches support Marina’s ministry to the orphanages and the transitional flat.
3. An English speaking counselor at orphanage #51 asked us if we could purchase English teaching books, which the orphanage would not buy, so we did. We also gave funds to help buy a computer for the orphanage. The children need computer and English skills to help themselves get a better job when they leave the orphanage.
4. I had an interesting conversation with one of the “tough” boys I have known for a long time. He has been distant, but he has been slowly warming up to us over the years. A skeptical teenage girl was also present during that conversation. At one point he asked “How can I believe in God since He can’t sit down and have coffee with me?” We talked some more and later, when we took the older children on a bus to see a dolphin show, I noticed the boy wanted to sit next to me. The next day I was relating with others in our morning team meeting how we just can’t always know what God is doing when we visit the children or adults; we may not see what appear to be “concrete results.” Another person on the team then spoke up and said that after the dolphin show the boy was in the back asking questions about a Bible story book he had!
5. One day we took the bus full of children on a ride to tour the city and get ice cream cones. We stopped at a bridge and threw rocks on the river ice below. It happened to be one of five spots in the city where married couples always go immediately after their wedding to drink celebration toasts with champagne. After they toast they break the glasses on the stone sidewalk. The brides we saw looked a little cold! The next day we took a different group to the dolphin show, which was not fancy, but nice. I didn’t talk with any Russian who had ever seen that show before, including the interpreters. The show cost about $1.50 each to attend. We bought the children ice cream or cotton candy before the show started. Another day a group went on a bus to McDonalds for a Happy Meal!
6. We brought a small wrapped gift to each child and game balls for the counselors. In addition a small bag of school supplies was given to each child, and a large duffel bag full of cloths was brought so the children could pick out an item for themselves. A large duffel bag full of medicines was given to the doctor. You can buy medicines very inexpensively in Russia without a prescription, so we ask what they need and then go get it at a local pharmacy. Extra money for common medicines is typically not provided to the orphanages by the government.
7. We worked on crafts with the children, including needle point hearts, “God’s eyes,” and gospel bracelets. We painted finger nails and played games like Uno and checkers with the children. The Russian rules for checkers are a little different than ours, and tricky, so we were no match for them!

How Did We Do It?: With the help dozens of prayers and supporters like you, and with our beautiful and courageous interpreter/missionary friends from Belarus and Russia! Thank you so much!

If you think God is calling you to share in this wonderful adventure, please contact us at any time (except in the middle of the night)!