The plight of children the focus on ministry and the government.

Russia (MNN) — The plight of children continues to concern government leaders in Russia. The problems facing young people are also a concern to Christians abroad.

Anita Deyneka with Russian Ministries outlines some of the problems. “Russian President Putin has made the statement that he’s placing the condition of Russian children as the national catastrophe and social priority number one of the country. At the moment deaths are exceeding births, abortions are higher than any industrialized country. The rate of AIDS is doubling there each year, and there are at least 2 million orphans and street children.”

Russian ministries is combating this with gifts to children as part of a Christian coalition. Deyneka says, “This January 7th, we’re mounting a great campaign to distribute a lot of Christmas gifts. (We’re) going to the arctic north” to reach the unreached. She says, “Our groups is going to be up north in areas where there are unreached people groups like the Khanti and the Nentsi. It’s just been amazing to us how communities are reached through children and we’ve seen the greatest church growth as a result of our children’s ministries.”
Russian Ministries also has plans to reach older young people through their ‘Next Generation Training.’ “We’re) involving them in ministry, training and preparing them for leadership to fill the pews and the pulpit.”

Mission Network News’ Greg Yoder will be traveling with them next month and will report back on the project.