2016 Mission Trip (Part 1)

We spent the afternoon meeting with an amazing Brother in Christ. Pastor Alexi gave us a testimony of his life experience. When 10 years old, his mother died. He told us how his family struggled in the years following her death. The State threatened to take him and his siblings to an orphanage. Despite the hardships, Pastor Alexi and family stayed together. At the age of 15, the youth ministry he was involved with visited an orphanage. This would have a profound impact upon his life. After moving to Kiev from Russia, he entered a Christian University and soon after was ordained to the ministry. In the years since his ordination, Pastor Alexi’s heart has remained with the orphans. 

---

He told us of the problems for orphans who must leave State orphanages when they turn 15 years old. These children have no place to go and the odds are that they will become drug abusers; many will commit suicide. Pastor Alexi and his church provide two apartments that house a total of 13 of these children. His ministry is in a suburb of Kiev that is known for its high crime rate. They provide tutoring as well as ministering to their spiritual needs. They also provide another place that young people can go that is open 24 hours a day. There is a great need here for financial help. Please pray for this ministry that is called “Open Doors.”

---