Russia

I realized that I really want to be with children!

As I heard such words after the training course, I can surely state that Children Mission has done its work in Northern Caucasus! 13 students were trained in the town of Mineral’ny Vody. Some of them were very young – 16, 15 and even 14 years old, but they did as well as grown-ups!

Students receive a practical experience with children. Most of them never played with more than one or two kids. But here they managed with a group of 10 and were able to involve each child, even those who, according to their parents’ words, never joined a game.

“When I saw kids’ eyes sparkling, their excitement and fun, my heart was overwhelmed with such a joy that I have never experienced before. It’s such a special feeling, and I’d like to share it with children. I realized that I really want to be with children!” (Nadezhda Malmigina, Pyatigorsk)

As it often happens during Children Mission courses, all uneasiness went away. Students stepped into freedom leaving fears, doubts, uncertainty, painful experiences of the past. Some rediscovered the importance of stories and how one can tell them. One of the students thought she was too emotional to tell children stories, that’s why she never actually did it! “During the lesson on story-telling I realized that my emotions are my strong point!” – she adds. The other lady, Yelena from Pyatigorsk, shared her thoughts: “When you were teaching us to tell stories I was surprised to hear that gestures can help to make them interesting. In my life I heard lots of Bible stories, but gestures used by a preacher irritated me rather than helped. I thought (and I did like that with kids!) that one must hold his/her arms behind the back. Now I changed my mind…”

So don’t be afraid to try new things! You may think it’s your weakness, but it can be your strength, because our God never makes mistakes!

Lyudmila Pasynkova,
CM coordinator for Northern Caucasus, Russia

31 January 2011

All materials on the subject "Russia":

• The Moms from Balakovo City start influencing the educational system!
• It does work!
• I realized that I really want to be with children!