A team member looks through the comic-book-style Bible with a child. (Orphan Outreach photo)
A team of 13 has taken backpacks and Bibles to 10 orphanages in and around St. Petersburg. They also are holding Bible studies and giving kids opportunities to ask lots of questions.
Team leader Tiffany Taylor said, "The kids wanted to ask more. They wanted to know about what it was like to actually have a relationship with Jesus. One of our team members was able to share and go through the salvation story with one of the orphans. I mean, it's been really moving to see how excited these children are to hear about the Gospel."
Since many of them have been abandoned, the forever love of God is intriguing and encouraging.
Each child receives a Bible, which is "the coolest comic book Bible in Russian." Taylor says the Bibles are quite a hit. "It has been so moving to see how excited these children are about having their own Bible. They literally grabbed the Bibles at the first orphanage and were running around holding them up and yelling 'Bible, Bible, Bible!' I mean, they couldn't believe that they had a Bible all their own."
Since it is the ministry's first trip, they are looking to build lasting relationships in the country so the children can continue to learn about Christ. "We're meeting with local pastors and building relationships with them so that they can start doing follow-up ministry in the orphanages," said Taylor.
You can keep up with the rest of this trip by reading the Orphan Outreach blog.
Of the 13 team members, two of them heard about the trip through MNN. When they heard about the trip, they said, "Hey, I can do that. I can go be with the children," explained Taylor. Click here if you're interested in going on a future trip with Orphan Outreach.
