Dear family and friends,
We are excited to let you know that we are in St. Petersburg, Russia, as you may have heard from Tatiana! Our first week has been full of many challenges and victories. We will give you a brief outline of each day since we have been here:
May 7: Arrival into St. Petersburg, Russia at 11 PM! Going through customs was a breeze and they had no interest in us. We immediately separated and departed to our host families.
May 8: Our first full-day in St. Petersburg included an outing to the Peter and Paul Fortress, the day before “Victory Day”. We spent our day looking at impressive Orthodox churches and a lot of artillery, with a bit of time on the beach of the Neva River! Frankie and Adi’s hosts Volodya and Sveta respectively, acted as our tour guides for the day. In addition to sightseeing, we began our cultural training with Tatiana and her husband Misha. We learned about Russian History.
May 9: “Victory Day”. We learned that this is
an important day to Russians because over 27 million troops died during WWII in Russia. This day for us was full of seeing grief and victory combined. Our second cultural lesson was about St. Petersburg history, which we would be more than happy to answer any questions upon our return!
May 10: For our last cultural lesson we learned about Russian people and their customs, but before we sat down to learn, we paired off and went on excursions to a Russian orthodox church and a market.
May 11: Our first day at an orphanage, an HIV Infant Orphanage was an eye-opening experience for our team because this was our first time we’ve experienced our ministry. This was an especially exciting experience for our team, as Volodya and Sveta decided to accompany us and stay and work at the orphanage. This was quite a blessing for us, as they were not asked or expected to join us, they chose to out of their own interest. After our day with the children, we gathered bags and hauled them over to our new apartment, in which we as a team will be living in with Tatiana for the remainder of our stay.
May 12: We visited the same orphanage as yesterday, which we will visit for the duration of this week. Today was spectacular! We were all more comfortable and able to understand what goes on at this facility. It was encouraging for us to tour the rehabilitation center they have there and the enthusiasm, care, and pride the doctor showed for his children and facilities. This facility in particular is funded by sponsors, including SunErgos, of whom the doctor and staff are tremendously grateful for, as the Russian government gives so little, such as just one diaper a day per child. Some of the children we spent time with yesterday already recognized us today and we could see a bit of impact we had just through our love we showed them. Although it was heartbreaking to realize these children are abandoned, it was also a blessing to see how well they are cared for.
We are extremely grateful for your prayers and support, as we have gone through a long preparation that we are now seeing played out here in St. Petersburg, Russia. Continued prayers are appreciated for the remainder of our stay here and for you all to keep the orphans of Russia in your prayers long after our time here ends. In parti
cular we ask for prayer for, patience as we work with the children, Volodya and Sveta’s hearts for the orphans of Russia to continue growing and their questions to continue about why we are here, the health of both our team and the children we come into contact with, the staff at the orphanage and the doctor and their relationship with SunErgos to stay strong. We also ask for our language abilities to strengthen, as Alejandra and Joy are continuing to work hard on learning Russian and for both Adi and Frankie with their translations as they are our team interpreters, and our team unity as we have moved in together and our now spending the majority of our time in each others’ presence.
We are thrilled to be here and to see what God will do in our team! Our days are tiring and long, but we are happy to report that our jet-lag is gone and our health is strong. This morning we began our day in team prayer and reading Isaiah 40:31 which discussed not becoming weary. This helped our team focus for the day and we ask it as a prayer request that we will not become weary throughout the rest of our time working with the infants and toddlers and that we will continue to keep our focus on glorifying God through serving the orphans of Russia.
S Bogam (With God),
Frankie, Adi, Alejandra, and Joy
We absolutely LOVED this letter with all the great details about what you are doing and experiencing! That’s a great team pic in front of Church of the Spilt Blood – every time I look at the watercolor version above our fireplace, I remember to pray for you. And the children are beautiful! How blessed they are to have you there – and you as well, as their precious lives touch yours. Trust that you all are tremendously encouraged and really pumped about all you are learning and experiencing. Continuing to pray …..
Keeping all of your requests close to our hearts,
The Shermans
Thank you so much for the precious update and the beautiful pictures! These children are so sweet. It is so touching just to look at them and what a major blessing that you have been chosen to minster to them… and yet I cannot stop thinking that they are ministering to all those who care for them. They need to be loved, which speaks to our own hearts. In loving these joyful babes, that love is reflected back to you and multiplied. In meeting their need, you are blessed.
It may seem overwhelming or even hopeless at times because what kind of life are these little ones going to have? or what will become of them when you leave?
In Deut 23:5 is a very hope-filled word.
“Nevertheless, the Lord your God would not listen to Balaam, but the Lord your God turned the curse into a blessing to you, because the Lord your God loves you.”
God is using you and these sweet babes to turn the curse of the enemy’s plans (to divert, destroy and devaste destinies) into mighty blessings of untold strength. Why? Because He is faithful to Himself, His Will be done.
Could it be that God is intent on breaking your heart for what breaks His? Could He be giving you first-hand experience to cause righteous anger to well up within you as you see daily how satan acontinually ttempts to steal, kill and destroy especially children, the future? Could God be using the joy these children express under such harsh circumstances in their young lives to teach us all that He can and does turn every curse into a blessing?
Lord God almighty, we come to You today in the mighty delivering Name of Jesus. We don’t know how You are going to create blessings from cursing, but our eyes are on You, our faith is in Your absolute sovereignity. All of this is a set-up to bring glory and honor to Your Name. I humbly ask for You to speak to Alejandra, Adi, Frankie, and Joy about Your plans and purposes in everything they are experiencing. You created the universe from nothing, You spoke and it was made manifest. These darling babies are safe in Your keeping and we thank You for meeting their needs everyday!
What are You saying through this process to each of Your dear children, Father God? Speak,
we are listening! Amen.
I am looking forward to hearing and seeing more of all that is happening in this time of preparation and ministration.
God bless you and keep you all!
~Melanie Yaya
2Sam 22:29-37, 50
“For You are my lamp, O LORD: and the LORD will lighten my darkness.
For by You I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped over a wall.
As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him. For who is God, save the LORD? and who is a rock, save our God?
God is my strength and power: and he makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like hinds’ feet: and sets me upon my high places.
He teaches my hands to war; so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.
You have also given me the shield of Your salvation: and Your gentleness has made me great. You have enlarged my steps under me; so that my feet did not slip.
Therefore I will give thanks unto You, O LORD, among the heathen, and I will sing praises unto Your Name.”
Dear Alejandra, Joy, Adi and Frankie!
Today as I was praying for you, I heard God tell me to share a couple things with you. Stay with me on this…if you will receive it, there is deep encouragement in it!
When Alejandra’s older sister got married, she felt especially blessed because one the greatest desires of her heart was to become a parent. She thought about it, prayed over it, prepared herself for it to the best of her ability. When that day finally became a reality, she was filled with great joy and felt honored by God.
Several months into the pregnancy, she called me and said tearfully, “This isn’t what I thought it was going to be!” She didn’t have regret by any means, more like disappointment, questioning and disillusionment.
When David was annointed King by Samuel, he did not immediately take his seat on the throne.
There was much strengthening, equipping and discipling that needed to take place. While David was being “groomed” to become King, he was being hunted by the current reigning king, Saul.
God turned his dark nights of confusion into light, caused him to run right through troops who wanted to kill him and leap over walls of discouragement, despair and disillusionment. He taught his hands to war; how to win the battle with the enemy for his inheritance.
Right where God has you may not “be what you thought it was going to be” in some capacity. So today, receive the place God has prepared for you. As God’s light is shining in the darkness through you in these children’s lives, you are enveloping them with God’s perfect love which is a shield about them, because the enemy – the current reigning king – is hunting them to invade their world with discouragement, despair and disillusionment to keep them from fulfilling their destiny. You are the warriors, the strong defence team sent to speak life, hope, identity and destiny over these children; to do your part to help keep them on course so they can claim their inheritance.
As you battle for them through the daily speaking their identity to them, the way God sees them, who they are and WHOSE they are – in direct opposition to their circumstances, you are innoculating them and empowering them against enemy take over.
As you begin to look at them through God’s perspective, where does He want these children to go, what plan does He have their lives? …God will show you how He is making good on His promise to you about your own life. It is His infinite gentleness and patience that will make you great! He is enlarging your steps under you so that your feet will not slip off the path of righteousness leading you to fulfill your destiny.
So if there is any sense of disillusionment right now about any aspect of your life, rejoice! since God is helping you to look through His perspective, because He never holds any illusions about you in the first place! THANK GOD it isn’t what ANY of us THOUGHT it was going to be,
for we think far too small and way too mediocre.
Thank You Holy Father, that You are blessing us with Your spirit of excellence and will not let us settle for goodness because You have prepared the highest and best for each of us to achieve GREATNESS for You. We praise You that in Your infinite wisdom You gently reveal the illusions we hold based on our own vain imaginations while at the same time You embolden us for victory to claim our inheritance in You! I pray the peace that passes all understanding to invade and permeate each and everyone of Your dear children, Frankie, Adi, Alejandra, Joy who are seeking to serve Your Will today. Thy Kingdome come, Thy will be done, as in Heven so on earth! In the mighty delivering Name of Jesus, we pray!
We worship and adore You, Jesus!
Standing with you in prayer and thanksgiving!
~Melanie Yaya
Thank you, Mom!
I just wanted to let you know that we are actually reading these and they are SO encouraging. It means a lot to know that you are praying for us and I love that I’m able to be content in that knowledge. You showed me how to be a great warrior first, so I’m thankful for your words now. I love you so much and I thank you for all you are doing for us. Continue to pray for our team unity, as we had a long honest talk tonight and this is the area we’re most lacking in.
I love you, Mom!
~Alejandra
Could you contact me? I have a specific question about the name of the orphanage where you were and possibly even the name of the child in one of your photographs. I am working on adoption – specifically trying to find a child who my sister just met this past summer. Thank you!!