Children’s Stories from Orphanage Outreach Ministry

For children growing up in Ukraine, orphanages are a fact of life. While these type of institutions are almost unheard of in modern day Canada/United States, they are all too common in the countries of the former Soviet Union. Here is some stories from kids who have been abandoned and are growing up as orphans in Ukraine.

Here’s My Story: Nadia P.

My name is Nadezhda Panasenko, Nadia for short. I am 16 years old. I live and go to school at the orphanage-boarding school for children with mental disabilities. I came here because my parents are alcoholics.

In our family there are seven children. I had a very difficult childhood. When my parents drank they were irresponsible and neglected me and my brothers and sisters. In the village where we lived our neighbors did not like us because our parents were alcoholics and often stole from them. We raised ourselves and looked out for one another. Many times there was nothing to eat in the house but my parents did not seem to care that we were starving. Often we had to beg for food. So the authorities were called in and my parents were deprived of their parental rights. My eldest brother, even though he was still only a teenager, took charge of the rest of us and went to work to feed us younger children.

But my brother could only do so much and there were six little one he had to care for. He could not earn enough money to feed us all and keep us together. When I was seven years old I was brought to the orphanage. I really wanted the staff and the teachers to love me, so I tried to study well, be active and an exemplary student.

But when Anya came to the orphanage she told us that God loves us just as we are. I liked the idea of that. Anya herself was different, not like other adults whom I know. I wanted to be like her. I started to believe in God. I look forward every week, to when Anya comes to the orphanage. She brings us hope.

Anya tells us to ask God about our needs. God can turn all the bad that happened in our life for good. I have an older sister Tanya. I always had a bad relationship with her and she hated me. As Anya encouraged me, I began to pray for my sister. For two years I prayed for God to change Tanyaís heart. And God did a miracle – it has changed. Tanya not only changed her attitude towards me but she now wants to me to come and live with her after I finish school. For these two years God has done more for me than in the rest of my life without Him.

Here’s My Story: Kirill B.

My name is Kirill Belyaev and I am 16 years old. I have schizophrenia and I live in the orphanage-boarding school for children with mental disabilities near Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine.

When my mother gave birth to me in the hospital, she did not welcome my arrival as most mothers would. She did not gather me in her arms and cuddle me or speak soft baby words to me. She did not anticipate bringing me home from the hospital. Instead, she left me there and went on her way to live the life of a drug addict or an alcoholic. I don’t really know the reason because I have never seen her.

This orphanage is the only home that I have ever known. The workers here at the orphanage are kind and good to all the children but they are not like a mother. The orphanage provides food, shelter and clothing but it will never be like a real home.

A few years ago, Anya started to come to our orphanage to visit. At first I was suspicious because I did not know her. I thought she might be like others who have come once or twice and then never returned. But Anya was not like that. She returned again and again and gradually those of us older ones learned that we could trust her and confide in her.

Anya told us about God and the Bible. She also told us many stories about people whose life God changed. She showed us in the Bible how God loves us and he is able to make all of our dreams come true if we commit our lives to Him.

I have a dream. I am very fond of music and I want to become a DJ. But with my diagnosis they say I can only work as a builder or a loader. But now since committing my life to Jesus, I have hope and every day I pray about my dream. Anya told us that with God all things are possible. It is only necessary to learn more, to make the effort to try and the Lord will help with the rest. Even now God answers my prayers. He has helped me to control myself. He has changed my attitude towards people and now I try to help the younger children in the orphanage. I see myself growing up and maturing in ways that even I thought were impossible