Elena is in the USA!

Thursday and Friday

That's right, Elena Antropyanskaya Hibbler arrived in North Carolina on Thursday June 24th. Craig Miller, Desana Board Member and Russia Team Director, picked her up in Charlotte and drove to Winston Salem. It was a late night and an even earlier morning when Craig and Elena headed out to a morning Christian breakfast meeting with the New Canaan Society of Winston Salem.  NCS is a gathering of men who want to experience life-changing relationships with each other under the umbrella of a friendship with Jesus.  "Life-changing relationships" ..... that was a good fit for Elena to meet a few people and tell her story. From all reports so far, it was worth getting up early!

The rest of the day continued to be a whirl wind of meetings with groups and individuals. Craig and Elena were given many opportunities to tell the Desana story to people that shared our same mission - to improve and enrich the lives of the children of poverty.  I know it was a very busy day to for both Craig and Elena. Watch for a report with more details when Elena gets a chance to catch her breath.

Saturday

The big event will be held Sunday evening when many interested people will attend one of Elena's famous Russian Dinners.  If you are going to cook something good, you better do the shopping yourself..... From the looks of the shopping cart, this is going to some dinner!  If you are reading this in the Winston-Salem area and are interested in learning more about the Desana Russian Projects, contact us here. We can get information pertaining to the Russian Dinner and the Desana Russian Projects to you.

Zhenya (Eugene) Vachaev (Volunteer)

by Elena Antropyanskaya Hibbler

It all began 10 years ago when Zhenya's boss at work asked him if he would go to Orphanage #1 in town to deliver presents to the graduating children. At the Post-Soviet time it was still a tradition for large corporations to assist the needy - unfortunately, it perished with the collapse of the Empire. Zhenya could not say no, and so at the end of June that year he went to present a few graduating children with simple but pleasant gifts.

It was all it took - to see the faces of these kids, needy, lonely, in many ways bold and arrogant, but in more ways desperate - and to leave his heart there forever.

He convinced his wife, Tatiana, that the orphanage ministry is where God sees them. And this marked a beginning of a new era in their life.

For 10 years the door of their home has never been shut close.  Children ring the doorbell and before Zhenya asks them any questions, he takes them into the kitchen to feed. He has 7 mouths to feed at home and a very meager budget, so it is a miracle that he always has enough for however many visitors show up.

Carnival in Paucarbamba

by Lou Whitaker

We were invited to a fiesta that the community were having on Saturday night which was great fun and their way of saying thank you for the help we have given so far. The centre of the celebration was a pre-chopped tree which was decorated with plastic kitchen utensil!

 

Everyone forms a circle and dances round the tree with couples taking it in turns to chop at the trunk. Whenever anything falls off the tree the children run to collect it and when the whole tree falls it is a mad rush to grab the gifts!