Orphanage Ministries
There are hundreds of thousands of children in orphanages across the former Soviet Union. Who will teach these children about their creator who loves them? SGA's 'Orphans Reborn' program was designed to meet this need.
God's Word tells us of the importance of children in the eyes of God. In Russia and her neighboring countries, generations are growing up with little or no knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, and reaching them with the Gospel is critical.
Children are the church of tomorrow, and whether it's through SGA-sponsored summer camps, orphan ministry or Sunday schools, the God-given opportunities to reach them are truly vast.
- from Ivan Papkov, Orphans Reborn, Russia
The beginning of June was very sad. We got a call from the teacher of one of the orphanages, where we had worked for many years. One of the graduates, Olga Kashtanova, died and she had nobody to organise a funeral. Olga had been in the orphanage when we visited there to give Bible lessons. We remember her very well. After the graduation we lost contact with her. Olga began drinking alcohol. She sold everything that she had and by the end of her life she had very delicate health and some very bad habits.
She was living with her friend, another orphan. Olga died at the age of 29 of pneumonia - most probably Covid. A couple of us went to the hospital to transport her body to the cemetery. We held a small funeral with several of Olga’s classmates, her teacher and a couple of friends. There were no relatives. Very few people came to say goodbye and very few felt sorry that Olga wasn’t alive any more. What a sad end of such a young life.
What Else We Do
Church PlantingSGA exists to bring Biblical truth to the people of the former Soviet Union. Since the fall of communism, many churches have been planted but there are still many places without a Christian witness... | |
Pastoral SupportFull-time Christian ministry in the former USSR is difficult when local churches can't afford to support their own pastors. SGA helps by coordinating sponsorships and raising support... | |
Bible Students & CollegesPreparing faithful pastors, missionaries, youth leaders and children's workers for lifetimes of ministry is vital to sustain evangelical churches. SGA assists by sponsoring seminaries and students... | |
Bibles & Literature DistributionDuring Soviet times, SGA printed and smuggled Bibles across the Iron Curtain. Today, Bibles and Christian books are still needed, especially in Central Asia. SGA continues to raise funds for literature distribution... | |
Summer Camp SponsorshipsIn summer, a huge evangelistic effort is made to reach thousands of children through Christian summer camps. SGA raises funds to pay for disadvantaged children to attend, so they can learn about God's love... | |
Humanitarian AidIn the poorest regions, there is special need for humanitarian aid. Through missionaries, pastors and church volunteers, needy people are receiving spiritual and practical help. SGA raises funds to make this outreach possible... | |
Prisons MinistriesPrisoners, especially those in despair, need to hear there is hope through the shed-blood of Christ. SGA raises support for ministry teams to conduct Bible studies and outreaches within prison walls... | |
Drug & Alcohol RehabilitationDrug and alcohol addiction are affecting thousands of men and women across the former USSR. SGA is helping local churches by raising funds for the operation of Christian rehab centres... |
Where We Work
Russian FederationWith over 17 million km², Russia is the largest country in the world. It covers over one-eighth of the earth's inhabited space, and is one of the world's most populous countries, with over 144 million people.... | |
Far East RussiaFar East Russia is the extreme eastern territory of Russia, situated between Lake Baikal in Eastern Siberia and the Pacific Ocean. There are many isolated villages in this region that can only be reached by boat or plane... | |
UkraineUkraine, in Eastern Europe, is made up mostly of Orthodox, Catholic and unbelieving citizens. The nation has a long history of territorial disputes, which continue to this day - especially in the regions of Crimea, Luhansk and Donetsk... | |
Republic of KazakhstanKazakhstan is the world's largest landlocked country, and is located in Central Asia. Officially, it is a democratic republic with a constitution, but the administration is under criticism for restricting religious freedom... | |
Republic of UzbekistanUzbekistan is a 'double-landlocked' country (fully surrounded by landlocked countries) in Central Asia. The population was largely converted to Islam during the Early Muslim Conquests in the 7th century... | |
Republic of TajikistanA mountainous country, Tajikistan is home to many Persian-speaking people of Iranian origin. After centuries of being subjugated, it finally became independent at the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991... |