Tiffany Taylor with Orphan Outreach says there are hundreds of thousands of orphaned children in Russia. Taylor says graduating from the orphanage isn't necessarily a good thing. "The statistics are not good. What they face is a life on the streets. They say up to 10-percent commit suicide within the first year of living on the streets because their situation is so desperate. They don't have any hope."
That's what Orphan Outreach is trying to do -- give them hope by taking a team of volunteers to travel to the Leningrad Region October 11-21. Taylor says they need a lot of people to go on this trip. "Some of these orphanages are quite big. They may have 100 to 125 kids and so I really need a lot of people who want to go with me and bring hope to these kids," says Taylor.
Taylor says they are collecting backpacks that the team will be delivering to each kid. She says volunteers will do more than hand out backpacks full of school supplies and Bibles. "At each orphanage we will come in with our team alongside our national staf, and we'll be doing a vacation Bible school -- letting them know and learn a certain Bible verse that will introduce them to Jesus."
This trip isn't for someone who wants to do sightseeing. "This trip is for people who literally want to roll up their shirtsleeves and get into the job of working directly with kids. It's for people who want to make a difference in the life of a child and that a million times over because you're going to meet lots of children."
According to Taylor, just being there will speak volumes. "They are just overwhelmed that people have come across the world just to be with them. And sometimes the difference that you're making is holding a little baby, giving a hug to a teenager who just came in from the streets and just came to that orphanage. You're going to be showing Christ's love in so many ways."
While Orphan Outreach is a new ministry, each member of the staff has been involved in Russia for many years.
The cost of the trip is $2,100 plus airfare. If you'd like more information about the trip, click here.
