In November, because of the pandemic restrictions, we had to cancel most of our public events. We only managed to hold a seminar at the old people’s home in Koltushi and had young people from St. Anne’s church in St. Petersburg travel to Kronstadt. We performed a concert in the pastor’s house in Kronstadt as part of our Church’s social work and socio-cultural contacts with Mother and Child State Aid Center, Kronstadt’s old people’s home and hospice. Unfortunately, all those organizations are currently closed to visitors and our collaboration plans have been postponed for an indefinite time.
We have come in contact with evangelical churches in Kronstadt and talked with them about collaborating in social work. The leaders of the evangelical churches supported the idea to hold a monthly interdenominational prayer meeting and said they are willing to provide foodstuffs to support our aid efforts for the needy.
Our old people’s homes in Taytsy and Kikerino have been without pastoral care for almost a month as they are closed to visitors. As an exception, we only managed to make an arrangement with the old people’s home in Koltushi for Rev. Dean Ivan Hutter of the ELCIR St. Petersburg Deanery to make visits there.
We have been giving most of our time to our aid recipients Yeva and Darina who are receiving treatment at Raisa Gorbacheva Children’s Oncology, Hematology and Transplantation Research Institute and at the Pediatric Academy. We helped bring them around for the treatment, paid for the food and medicines for the child, did the laundry, prepared food and brought it to the hospital.
Also, we helped our aid recipients Artyom and Karina do the child’s disability paperwork, provided them with clothes, foodstuffs, and pampers.
We continued to assist the aid recipient mothers in their further socialization, finding a job, doing the social security paperwork, and in other ways. Within our project, Deacon Pavel Tsvetkov provided pastoral care, led Bible studies and evening prayers.
We continued to give aid to the ELCIR pastor from the Siberian Deanery.
We provided foodstuffs and legal aid to a distressed lady who had been defrauded by real estate fraudsters. Unfortunately, it’s very likely she will lose her apartment and end up on the street with her son. If so, we’re going to ask Rev. Igor Shcherbakha in Luga to provide them hospitality in Luga for a short time. To end up on the street without sustenance in December would be a big distress, whatever the victim’s own fault is.
Also, we received, sorted, and distributed clothes to the needy at Ubezhishche Diaconal Center. We finished cleaning up and face-lifting Vasileostrovski Diaconal Center after a major repair of the heating network, sewers, and water supply pipes.
We are very thankful that our messages have been moving many ELCIR church members to get involved in diaconal ministry. Our prayer support is tremendous! Also, the ELCIR Diaconal Department has been receiving donations of money, clothes, and many other things. Special thanks to St. Mary’s congregation in St. Petersburg for their help in collecting foodstuffs for the needy!
Unfortunately, “the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few” (Mt. 9:37) Many of the workers are sick now and need care themselves. Please continue supporting our ministry with your prayers and donations! We believe that if the Lord sends us needy people, He will also give us the ability to aid them. Not for our own glory, but so that His Name may be glorified as His Church aids the needy.