A Mother's Love
Imagine you’ve lived your whole life so far inside an institution. You leave and it’s scary because you’ve nowhere permanent to live, no money, job or the know-how to get one. Branded as an orphan – ‘not deserving any better’ – you’re thrown head on into independent living involving procedures and responsibility you’ve never encountered – a mass of unknowns and no idea where to start. And on top of all this – total poverty. This environment could so easily see you forced into crime, attempting escape through drug use and left to rot on the street.
Now imagine having a genuine friend who puts your needs before their own. Someone you can turn to day or night – who’ll advise, listen, help you with any difficulties you face and face them with you. Someone who’ll keep you safe until you’re confident in your abilities, awake to the dangers around and ready to make decisions of your own accord. This friend could make all the difference.
This is exactly what Love Russia Mentors do for orphanage leavers. Our female Mentors are the mothers desperately needed by orphanage leavers – including those already with babies. And our male Mentors are the father figures – dependable, hardworking, full of Christian compassion.
These individuals are not paid for their unending, emotionally draining and extremely time consuming duties. They each have a heart for orphans despite their own over stretched incomes, preferring to give, and go without themselves. Love Russia chooses to support them any way we can. Could you?
This Mother’s Day, as you look around for your Mother's Day gift, consider giving a ‘Parent Power’ Alternative Gift. This gift could help provide phone credit, bus fare or fuel to maintain contact, or a cup of tea and that much-needed chat. Starting from £5, a 'Parent Power' gift could support mentors to plan and run life skills classes that help orphans gain independence.
With this gift for the mother figure in your own life, you'll encourage and thank our Mentors ‘Mums’ too for their compassion and amazing work with those who would otherwise be forgotten.
*The face of our Mentor is obscured for her safety and protection.