Our Current Residents
Vika came to the orphanage at 8 years old with her younger brother Artem. Her mom lost her parental rights because of alcoholism and neglect. Her mother is currently in prison for the second time for theft. Before she was put in the orphanage, Vika's mom and her boyfriend often left Vika and her brother alone for days at a time with no food. Vika's father let them live with him for a time, but he is a drug addict, so that didn't last.
Vika finished technical school with a degree in landscaping and gardening. She wants to be a cosmetologist, so she is taking night classes in this field. During the day, she works at Ozon, which is the Russian version of Amazon. She works at one of their warehouses. She is a very talented and artist girl who would be very successful in cosmetology.
She still stays in touch with her brother who is currently at Orphanage 1. He comes to the Harbor with the other teens from Orphanage 1 for our financial/budgeting classes.
Vika
Liza moved into the foster care system when she was 9. Her parents lost their rights because of neglect and alcoholism. She grew up in a Baptist family but when she turned 18 and the money to support her ran out, a lot of conflict happened between her and her foster parents. She was forced to move out on her own which she unfortunately failed at.
For a time, her biological parents and brother wanted to get her to move in with them, but when they found out she had no money, they all of a sudden didn't want her around. Her foster parents did help her buy a room in a communal apartment (private room, but shared kitchen and bathroom), but she is unable to live there on her own since she has no job and doesn't really know how to take care of herself.
She is currently in technical school learning to be a seamstress which she loves. When she graduates she wants to work in this profession. She is grateful for all she has learned at The Harbor, mostly for learning about budgeting and how to make a small salary last an entire month. While at The Harbor, her brother and biological parents came around to see if she had any income or money, and when they found out she didn't. they again didn't want to have anything to do with her. The mentors said this second time was really hard for her.
Because she grew up in a Baptist family, she also attended church often. One of the conflicts she had with her foster parents was dating boys who didn't go to their church. Now, she sees that God is not who her foster parents are. She is trying to see God in a context outside of her foster parents. She's attended church a couple times with our mentors.
Liza
When Sasha was 4 years old, his father died and Sasha was sent to the orphanage. His mother had epilepsy and couldn't take care of him. When Sasha turned 7, his mother also passed away. Sasha has an uncle and a grandmother that on occasion called and visited him at the orphanage, but when he aged out of the orphanage, they didn't want him to live with them. Since Sasha attended our barista class while he was still at the orphanage, he asked if he could join our program when he left the orphanage.
Sasha is very athletic and loves to play soccer. He dreams about getting his drivers license and is willing to give up his handicapped status (which pays a fairly decent social security payment monthly) in order to get his drivers license. He is currently studying plastering and painting at technical school.
Please be praying for Sasha, he so far has not expressed any interest in God and has not gone to church.
Sasha
Dennis was born in Nizhny. He never knew or saw his father, his mother lost her parental rights for alcoholism when Dennis was 8. He grew up in Orphanage 1 (which is the orphanage that is currently sending their kids to our training classes).
Dennis got the equivalent of his GED, and while he was doing that, he also finished music school on the French Horn. After turning 18 last spring, he came to the Harbor in September.
He is currently working delivering groceries. He also continues to practice his music, he plays for an orchestra and periodically has concerts. His mom lives in Nizhny, but has made clear to Dennis that she doesn't want to have anything to do with him.
Please pray for Dennis that he will understand the gospel and repent and come to know the Lord. He has been to church several times with the mentors but so far hasn't wanted to talk about it.
Please also pray for him that he would either find a living wage playing his instrument or that he would understand he has to support himself through another means. His dream is to play professionally, but music isn't usually a well paying job.
Dennis V.
Dennis is our newest resident, he just came at the end of January. When he was 7 years old, he ended up in the orphanage in Nizhny. He doesn't remember his parents, but he does know that his mom passed away.
When he was 17, he was transferred to an orphanage outside of Nizhny, and after leaving the orphanage, he was sent to a small village to live with a second cousin. Dennis doesn't have any money, so he was kicked out almost immediately and came back to Nizhny, sleeping in the train station and in underground walkways. He heard about the Harbor from his some of his friends from the orphanage and immediately found us.
He moved in and so far is very uninterested in anything. He doesn't want to work, he doesn't want to go to school. Please pray for Dennis, that God would begin moving in his heart and he would begin to see the love of Jesus in the mentors and how they treat him. Please pray that he will get a sense of his purpose in life and will see what (or who) he can live for. Please pray for wisdom for the mentors as they share with him the gospel.
Dennis M.
Training Center
We still have hopes that the Lord would provide for us to open our center. Please keep it in your prayers and the financial aspect especially. God is the great provider! He can open the doors for this to happen! Please pray for monthly donors for the center and for one time donors to give for our start up costs. Check out our video of the build out in the building where we hope to house the center. Please pray for this endeavor! We want to reach more teens at more orphanages throughout the city!