We traveled 3 hours out to the town of Salomotova to minister with the Risen Christ Church of Kemerovo. There we found an orphanage of only 35 children. Lena, our guide from the church, has been ministering at Salomotova for 5 years. “When we first found the orphanage there, we thought they had been forgotten by the world. They were in the middle of nowhere–and they were so poor! They had no good food and they lacked many things. We prayed and we started to visit them. We helped them make changes to their orphanage.” The team brought shoes, CarePacks, clothing, and more for the orphanage. Even the orphanage caretakers received a gospel apron. “Thank you for your hearts of love for these children,” Lena said. “You came so far to see them. Thank you!”

The Kemerovo mission team came to the city to help open doors to orphanages, hospitals and other sites for Vladimir Tsapkov, the Kemerovo JESUS Film coordinator. Vladimir explained to the team that he has over 80 teams in the region who preach the gospel and use materials like the Four Spiritual Laws, the JESUS Film, Christian music CDs and other Christian movies. “On May 4, 20 young volunteers preached to over 640 people in the streets,” Vladimir told the team. “The Gospel is spreading. These methods work!”

Vladimir and his team traveled to Novokuznetsk after the GAiN winter mission there. “One of the great joys of my ministry was that after the winter mission, three JESUS Film teams in Novokuznetsk showed the film in sites GAiN worked in. “We saw many children pray with the movie,” Vladimir said.

Those teams also met a man there who wanted to commit suicide. “After the teams shared the gospel, he told them that he no longer wanted to die. The gospel message works.”

Vladimir was recently in the hospital with pneumonia. He distributed more than 70 Christian music CDs. The GAiN team visited that very hospital with a now cured Vladimir. The team went room to room, praying with the patients and distributing New Testaments and CarePacks for adults.

The team traveled two hours out of town to the city of Zelenogorsk. There they visited three sites–two orphanages and one Civic Center that allowed children from poor families to go and learn handicrafts. As the team started the long drive home, Vladimir addressed the team. “As I walked from room to room with your team, my heart was filled with gratitude for what you do,” He told the GAiN team. “I know some of you are not young. Visiting three sites in one day takes a lot of energy. But you came and gave all you had. Each director thanked me for all you do for their children. I know you are tired. But may God bless you for all you do.”

Natasha, a member of the Kemerovo Christian Center church joined the team as a guest at one orphanage. She was trying to decide if she should join her church’s team that ministers to orphans each week. “I felt so blessed today,” she told one of the volunteers. “I just felt like the Holy Spirit was pouring into me as you talked.”

“Other groups have come and just presented programs,” one director told the team. “We did not expect such great gifts! Thank you for your help.”