The beginning of the year was quite stressful, as you know, and most of our efforts were focused on helping people who were suffering from power and heating outages. But even during this difficult time, we did not forget about our dear orphans and continued caring for them as we usually do. We would like to share with you what we were able to do for them this winter so that you can join us in praising God for the opportunities He gave us.

One of our trips to the orphanage this winter was dedicated to celebrating Christmas with the children. As part of our annual tradition, members of Almaz Church and friends of the church lovingly prepared Christmas gifts for every child. This year we brought 139 gifts in total. Each gift was handed to the children personally, and we opened them together, sharing their excitement while also making sure everything inside was safe.

In the evening, we turned one of the rooms into a small movie theater. Lena prepared warm cocoa with marshmallows, and the children enjoyed special treats that our partners had sent for them. It was a simple but very warm and joyful time together.

Thanks to the support of our partners, we were also able to prepare small Christmas gifts for the orphanage staff — the administration, the doctor, and every caregiver. We thanked them for the care they show to the children every day. Together we prayed for peace in Ukraine and thanked God for the greatest Christmas gift — Jesus Christ.

Recently, we have started making our trips two days long, staying overnight in the nearby town of Znamianka. This gives us more time with the children — time to teach several lessons and do things we simply cannot fit into a single day.

On the second day of this trip, we did Christmas crafts together. The children decorated gingerbread cookies — a big thank you to Maya for baking them for us. They also made Christmas tree ornaments.

We also showed videos from our previous visits. The children absolutely love watching them — they excitedly call out the names of people who came to visit them and try to find themselves on the screen. It’s always a very joyful moment for everyone.