Story number 4 for 30 Jan 2003

(Russia)–Meanwhile, an evangelical organization is reaching out to needy orphans in Russia. A groups of of people recently traveled to Russia with Texas based Buckner Orphan Care International. Buckner’s Amy Norton explains how they helped. “We collected over 100,000 shoes and one of the trips we took was to St. Petersburg, Russia where we put shoes on the children’s feet. And, did a vacation Bible school with the children just to show them that the love of the Lord is always there for them and they have hope in Him.” According to Norton there are more than one-million orphans in Russia and they need assistance now because as they get older it could be too late. “The statistics have been that many of the children commit suicide, girls go into prostitution, the boys go into the mafia or prison. Our desire is to reach these children with the Gospel, show them the love of Christ and through our programs hopefully turn this cycle around and to hopefully want to turn their lives around themselves.” More people are needed to help with similar trips in the months ahead.