Bay Area Friends Help FORO: Chris Baker wanted to do something special for his wife, Christina, for her birthday. So, he decided to share his love for his wife by helping Russian orphans in honor of their own children who were adopted from Russia. Chris staged a wonderful surprise party for his wife inviting many of her dear friends and family to an evening of dinner and dancing in San Francisco. During the party, Chris introduced the guests to the needs of Russian orphans and allowed FORO president Lisa Wurster to explain FORO's work. Chris' example of showing love by sharing love was a great gift to FORO. We hope others will be inspired by his idea to do likewise.
Journeys of Joy 2010
On July 16, five boys and five girls will arrive in Toledo, Ohio at 9:00 PM following nearly 24 hours of travel from an orphanage in the city of Severodinsk, Russia near the White Sea. Once they arrive, they will be introduced to their “host family” who will provide friendship, care, activities and love during their stay. The children will have the chance to participate in Vacation Bible School and hopefully have the summer of their lives. Importantly, the “host families” will continue to pray for, communicate with, and be concerned about the welfare of their guest child after the program ends. Host families will experience a special blessing that comes from expressing compassion, generosity and unconditional love. Please pray for the final preparations being made to welcome the children and their chaperones, and for each life that will be impacted by this program. Pray for the safety and peace for the children, and wisdom and patience for their host families. By giving the gift of friendship, guidance, community and faith to a lonely child, the host families have a sacred opportunity to enable fatherless children to understand the Heavenly Father’s love through our action. Please consider helping by making a financial gift to FORO designated for the "Journeys of Joy" program.
Irina Simonva Scholarship Award.
Orphans from the Arkhangelsk region who will soon be leaving the orphanage system have been invited to apply for FORO's 2010 "Irina Simonova Scholarship Award". This award is named for FORO's late beloved faciliator and is awarded to a young person who demonstrates Irina's amazing characteristics of determination, perserverence, hard work, and true grit. The applicants will be evaluated based on their personal essays and comments from orphanage directors.
What's Cooking Program 2010 Underway.
Thanks to FORO, a new group of children will begin to learn the important life skill of food shopping, cooking, clean-up and budgetting. With the help of our friends at Deti Nashi, several new orphanages will be participating in this unique FORO program in 2010.
FORO to Establish Computer Lab at Sol Vichegodsk Orphanage.
FORO has committed to create a computer lab at the Sol Vichegodsk orphanage in the southern part of the Arkhangelsk region. Even in this remote area, being able to understand and work with computers is becoming essential for children and their future self-support.
Need for Funding for Medical Equipment.
FORO is actively trying to raise funds to provide special equipment for cerbral palsy and other disabled children at an orphanage in the Nizhniy Novgorod region. If yoiu can help, please donate on-line and let us know of your interest in this project.
Funds Needed for Repair at Kotlas Baby Home.
Kotlas is the flagship orphanage for FORO and much work has been conducted there during the last eight years. However, further work is needed to repair the kitchen, laundry and living areas. If you can help, please donate on-line and advise us of your interest in this project.
Harmony, Hearts and Hope
On Valentine's Day, 2010, the Toledo-based singing group, "Collaboration" will present a special concert to benefit Friends of Russian Orphans. Tickets will be available after the holidays, but save the date now! In addition to a concert of beautiful love songs performed in a classic American jazz format, the afternoon will feature a silent auction and a variety of delicious desserts. So, treat your sweetheart to a lovely afternoon and warm your hearts by giving help and hope to Russian orphans. For more information or to reserve tickets, call 419-841-6971.
Shop for FORO at Krogers!
FORO has registered with the Kroger Community Awards program. Through this program, Kroger shoppers can register for a portion of their sales to go to FORO. Now, any time you shop at Krogers and swipe your discount card, a portion of your purchase price can go to FORO. For more directions,
click here for a step-by-step process.
FORO To Provide Speech Therapy Training
On December 21-25, FORO, in collaboration with the Russian humanitarian organization, "Deti Nashi" will present a seminar in Dzerzhinsk for caregivers of the baby homes of Nizhniy Novgorod region on the topic of speech therapy for babies having serious developmental disorders. The program will also address methods of evaluating infant motor development techniques for rehabilitation.
Friends of Russian Orphans Brings "What's Cooking" to New Orphanages
Friends of Russian Orphans extends "What's Cooking" program to three new orphanages. This fall, Friends of Russian Orphans provided funding to extend its "What's Cooking" program to three new orphanages. This program will allow children to plan a menu, budget and purchase food, and prepare a meal--practical life skills that orphanage children often do not acquire. Friends of Russian Orphans is introducing the program with the help of the Russian charity organization, "Deti Nashi". The "What's Cooking" program has been extremely popular with the children and with the orphanage directors.
Friends of Russian Orphans to provide vaccinations for disabled children
As part of its Dima Program, Friends of Russian Orphans is working with the director of Dzherinzsk Orphanage #1 to supply Prevnar vaccinations against certain pneumococcal bacteria that can cause serious diseases such as meningitis and bacteremia. This expensive vaccine is not widely available in Russsia, and certainly not to orphanage children. The communal living environment of an orphanage, plus the fact that the majority of children at this orphanage are disabled, put these orphanas at a much increased risk for the types of diseases that this vaccine is aimed at preventing. This is a costly program, so those with a particular interest helping children in this way may wish to make a donation to Friends of Russian Orphans earmarked for it.
Journeys of Joy 2009
Friends of Russian Orphans is pleased to announce the successful completion of "Journeys of Joy 2009". Friends of Russian Orphans welcomed 13 orphans from Arkhangelsk Orphanage 1 to Sylvania, Ohio in July and August. The children resided with ten host families and participated in the Vacation Bible School sponsored by the host community church "McCord Road Christian Church" in Sylvania, Ohio. Orphanage officials report that, since returning from America, all of the children have been very well behaved and excited about their adventures. Host families have said that, by the end of the visit, their guest children were participating well in family life activities, and had begun to model family rituals such as grace before meals and shared chores. As a result of this life changing experience, adoption of nine of the thirteen children is being actively pursued.
Arkhangelsk Baby Home Anniversary
The Arkhangelsk Baby Home located in the City of Arkhangelsk has been an important recipient of Friends of Russian Orphans' aid this past six years. This year the orphanage will commemorate its 75th anniversary. In recognition of this milestone, Friends of Russian Orphans is making a special contribution to enable the orphanage to develop a sensory development facility in the orphanage to assist infants and toddlers who lack normal stimulation that most children receive from the nurture of a mother. The new director and other staff were thrilled when informed of Friends of Russian Orphans’ willingness to assist with this important project.
Friendship Trip 14 Completed
Friends of Russia Orphans is pleased to announce the successful completion of Friendship Trip 14. This trip included visits to orphanages in the Arkhangelsk and Nzhiny-Novgorod regions in Russia. Friends of Russian Orphans officials were pleased that the visit coincided with training sessions for volunteers working in Friends of Russian Orphans' "Arms of Hope" program in the city of Dzherinsk. The volunteers and caregivers at the baby home where the program is being implemented were delighted to have the opportunity to interact with Friends of Russian Orphans' president Lisa Wurster, and learn firsthand why this program is so critical. Mrs. Wurster and Friends of Russian Orphans' facilitator Sara Harris were able to attend the Irina Simonova Scholarship awards ceremony held in the city of Arkhangelsk. Friendship Trip 14 also enabled Friends of Russian Orphans to solidify its relationship with the Russian humanitarian organization Deti Nashi on this trip. We look forward to collaborating further with Deti Nashi in the future, on projects in which we share common goals for the betterment of the lives of Russian orphans.
