Central Asia: God's Healing Love

In 1994, a young woman came across what she thought was an abandoned building behind a large state orphanage in a Central Asian city. The Lord had called her and her husband to serve the poor in this city. When she entered the building she discovered it was not abandoned at all. Inside was a maze of rooms holding myriads of children with mental and physical handicaps. These children had been abandoned by their parents and left there to die. It was a house of death. These little ones were dying quickly and each week new children were dropped at the doorstep of this institution. The children awaited their death in the most severe of settings. They lay in their own waste, their skin was covered with infections, and their legs were blue from frostbite from the harsh winter.

They were unprepared for what they found. For nights following their discovery she lay awake crying about the plight of these suffering and dying children. She went to the orphanage every day to give what love, care and resources she could. Then a friend who is a language teacher started to go with her. God soon provided even more volunteer caregivers. The team has since expanded to a total of seventy-six national Christian women from many ethnic and religious backgrounds working together, praying together and loving the children in Jesus name. They teach music, art, aerobics, reading, writing and other skills to the children every day.

Today there are 405 mentally and physically challenged children in this orphanage. These children have autism, epilepsy, spina bifida, multiple sclerosis and many have multiple handicaps. The children have many different kinds of challenges, but the love of God through the caregivers has healed these children physically and emotionally. Children who could not walk are now walking! Children once bedridden now run, laugh and play. They sing songs, perform dramas and do beautiful artwork. Today all the children, even the most challenged are happy and full of affection.

The staff continue to serve these little ones in Christ name. World Challenge has had the joy of financially supporting this ministry for the past five years. Your support will provide continued life saving care for these children. The needs are great and the work intense but the rewards are eternal. If you could go there and see how these precious children are being loved and cared for, and see how the love of Jesus is transforming lives you would be thrilled that together we are able to aid this powerful work. Your support will go directly to this orphanage in Central Asia. Please hold up this ministry in your prayers. God is at work and it is marvelous in our eyes.