International Mission

Janelle Davis and Karen Morey — Co-coordinators

• Communicate frequently, sharing with each other the needs and joys of our communities
• Promote exchanges between the partnership communities
• Work together in partnership on program and projects, while being good stewards of God ’s gifts.

Presbyterian Church of the Cross volunteers participate by 1) offering prayers, 2) sending cards, letters, pictures, and emails of support, 3) sharing ideas, materials, and supplies for the camps run by the partner church, 4) traveling with small delegations to visit the partner church. Contact the coordinator for more information about how to get involved.

 

Historical overview: Three members of the Mission Committee (Janelle Davis, Karen Morey, Geri Clanton) traveled to Russia in March, 2009, to explore a partnership with the Baptist Church of Gnezdovo, Russia, a village near the Belarus border. There was no agenda—just an interest in the thousands of Russian orphans and post-orphans ("graduates" who age out of orphanages at age 16 to 18). Orphanages are the last resort for thousands of abandoned children in Russia. Within a few years of "graduation" from the only life they have known, orphans are left undirected and stranded in seemingly impossible circumstances. Of this group, every fifth orphan becomes homeless; every tenth orphan commits suicide; every seventh orphan ends up in jail; and one out of two girls turn to prostitution. The Baptist churches in Gnezdovo and Smolensk work with many orphanages throughout the Smolensk region touching the lives of both young and adult orphans. Their goal is to tell the children about Jesus and to bring joy to suffering children.

 

For five days after arriving in Moscow and traveling by train to Smolensk, our mission team visited the Baptist churches and their congregations; worshiped with them; had meals in their homes; and experienced the warmth and love of family life in Christian families. Orphans in Russia are usually taken to the summer camps in the summer months. Most orphanages are old and need repairs. Because the government can only afford to offer food and shelter, the Baptist churches are stepping in and offering Bible lessons, crafts, music lessons, sports competitions, day camps, and playgrounds. Our team had the opportunity to talk to graduates of the orphanage system about growing up in the orphanage and the impact the church is making on their lives. As one post-orphan said, “When the churches came, that was a Gold day! We looked forward to those days.” He also asked, “How do you know when you believe?”

 

The team also visited a drug and alcohol rehab center built by our Baptist friends in a nearby village (alcohol and drug abuse are widespread in rural areas of Russia); they visited a Christian Outreach Center being built by the Baptists in Smolensk — they want to reach young adults, including graduates of orphanages; we watched videos of their prison ministries. They visited a camp being rebuilt in a forest — it had burned down a few months before. The team felt humbled and in awe of the outreach ministries of the Baptists in their communities.

 

The Church of the Cross ambassadors had the pleasure of staying with and meeting Ellen and Al Smith and their girls and also Joe and Hannah Kang, some of our Presbyterian missionaries in Russia. Ellen guided them through Russia and served as their interpreter.