Keeping Calm and Carrying On!
18 months into the war, it’s hard for us not to be concerned about the dramatically changed landscape we find ourselves working in. As a western-based Christian charity, working in Russia always carried its risks. Today the risks are infinitely higher - and with our general income lower, you might question why we carry on. Is now the moment to declare our work in Russia ‘done’?
We firmly believe that answer in ‘no’ - we are far from done. We are dedicated to the mission God put on Noel’s heart, who founded Love Russia Charity 30 years ago, and on the hearts of every person who has been involved with Love Russia since. We are aware of the risks and take every precaution to reduce them. Staying faithful to God’s purposes through supporting our brothers and sisters is something we can never give up on as part of the body of Christ!
In case you've not read it in a while, this is our official mission statement:
“Love Russia charity is committed to improving the lives of orphaned children, destitute young people and adults in crisis. This includes those with disabilities and learning difficulties. Our aim is to provide relief of poverty, suffering and distress by demonstrating practical Christian compassion and where appropriate sharing the Christian faith.”
It really is a privilege to carry out this mission statement and we do it by empowering Russian Christians so they can respond to social needs in their communities. Caring in this way takes consistency and of course a practical response from our staff team, our project leaders and people like you. Prayer for our Russian partners, families in crisis, vulnerable children and the orphanage leavers our projects engage with is vital, and ongoing communication ensures we are always up to date with needs that arise.
In our next blog, you'll be able to see how every donation gets divided up, where it goes, and how your involvement is changing lives and bringing people to Jesus!