Ministry Opportunities

LifeLine Missions International offers several ministry opportunities:

SUMMER CAMPS

What we can do in the Russian Summer Camps can’t be done in the United States! It is impossible to gain access to the majority of America’s young people during any period of time. The astounding thing is that it can be done in Russia. Each summer millions of young people from the ages of 7 to 17 spend at least 21 days in one of thousands of Youth Camps across Russia.

Since 1994, many teams of volunteers have used arts, crafts, music, drama, sports and personal stories to build relationships and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the children and staff. These teams have made a dramatic difference in the children’s lives. Each year as the teams return to the camps, the camp directors and counselors become much more accepting of their message. Although they were skeptical from the beginning, they now understand that we are coming for the sake of the children, and not for any personal gain. Trust has grown in direct proportion to the growth in friendship.

ORPHANAGES

In the winter volunteers minister to the orphans of Russia, Belarus and the Ukraine. Many of these children come from dysfunctional families, effected by alcohol and drugs, and are desperate for love and affection. While in the orphanages, teams focus on building friendships and sharing the Gospel in relational terms, using stories, skits and crafts.

The needs of the children and these orphanages are very great. For example, even though each orphanage has a resident doctor or nurse, they often do not have the most basic over-the-counter medicines. Recognizing this and other needs, teams bring humanitarian aid in the form of medicine, clothing, arts and craft supplies, and sports equipment.

You and your team will stay at a local hotel and make day trips to one or several orphanages. A typical day would start with breakfast at the hotel, followed by team worship time. Since the kids are at school the first half of the day, you will have free time for planning your afternoon activities. Once your team arrives at an orphanage you will generally stay until dinner time. The first day the orphanage will probably put on a presentation which may include Russian songs and dances. Thereafter, your team will be able to spend time with the children on a one-to-one or group basis, presenting skits, making crafts, sharing Bible stories, memorizing Bible verses, playing “hair salon,” sports, or taking the kids to McDonald´s for a treat. All these activities help build close friendships and open the door to the hearts of the children.

SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN

The population of special needs children and baby homes is immense. Their special needs may run from being diagnosed as a “slow learner” to being severely handicapped. These are the forgotten children of society. Abandoned by their families, they desperately want to know that someone cares for them. You now have an opportunity to do direct care with these broken and forgotten children – feeding, bathing, changing, and holding them in loving arms. With songs, hugs, smiles or just holding a child, lives are changed. It’s people like you who make the difference! “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and windows in their distress…” (James 1:27)