Proverbs 23:18, "There is surely a future hope for you and your hope will not be cut off".

Today I spoke on the phone with my friend Edward whom I have known for more than twenty years. Edward and I were in the same orphanage for 11 years. It has been more than four months since we have talked. We talked for two hours. I am writing to you because I want to share some news from Russia that deeply disturbed my heart.

When I was 6 years old, I was transferred from Orphanage #6 pre-elementary into Orphanage #51 for ages seven through 18. I was there for 11 years with a two-year break during my disastrous adoption experience and when I lived on the streets. During nine years my orphanage had five directors because none of them could stay there for more than two years due to corruption, alcohol and neglect. However, one day we had a new director who was a former principal of a school. She was transferred into Orphanage #51 as a school attendant and later she became the director. One did not have to be a psychologist to understand or see that this lady had no love for orphans. She was there only because of money and a safe haven. She had tremendous government support. While she was the director, four orphans died, caretakers were fired because they sexually abused and drank with orphans, some orphans got pregnant at the age 14 due to neglect and a careless attitude by caretakers and the director, and the list goes on. Many orphans tried to report about the abuse, alcohol, death and neglect in order to fire the director, but since she had a close relationship with the government no one could do anything to get rid of her. Fifteen years later she decided to step down because she was tired. What was she tired of? Drinking booze daily? Tired of losing orphans? Tired of destroying the lives of orphans? Tired of stealing? Tired of doing nothing constructive or life giving?

Two months ago this director received a letter from the Russian government that she was going to be honored by one of the highest medals, a third degree Medal of Honor, for her fifteen years of dedication helping orphans. She went to Moscow to receive it. The Medal of Honor was presented by the Patriarch of Russia, Alexei II.

As a former orphan it makes me cry that the Russian government would honor someone like this director and not people who truly care for orphans. One of them that truly deserves a first degree Medal of Honor is Melana who was my elementary caretaker. She loved, cared, trained, protected, disciplined and taught hundreds of orphans. She invited us to her house where she taught many skills. She was our Russian mom. Melana worked in Orphanage #51 for 23 years and kindergarten for 27 years. She is the mother of three children and the grandmother of three. At 70 years of age she is now working for 16 hours daily as a nanny raising little Maxim whose parents have deserted him. Melana has become his grandma. When you give 50 years of your life to care and help others that deserves the Medal of Honor.

The point of this story that there are thousands of orphanages like Orphanage #51 that have directors who do not care for orphans, yet they are being honored by the government for their hard work. That is one of Proverbs 23:18, "There is surely a future hope for you and your hope will not be cut off".

the reasons why so many orphans become the victims of drugs, abuse, poverty, neglect and death. We do not honor the true people who deserve to be honored. We must pray for them and come alongside them so that the lives of orphans will not be wasted and be voiceless. Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

I understand that this world has a lot of unfairness. As a Christian, I know that our reward is not on this earth, but in the Kingdom of God. However, my biggest concern for Melana and others like her is that they do not know the Lord as their Savior. Colossians 3:23-24 says, "Whatever you do work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." What the Lord has in store for his true servants the world hardly notices, while it rewards those they do notice. The heavenly "well done, thou good and faithful servant." Please pray for Melana that she will make the commitment to accept Christ the Lord as her personal Savior.

On behalf of thousands of voiceless orphans I am grateful to those who have taken the responsibility and are making the difference in the lives orphans around the world. I am thankful that in the midst of busy lives you have been able to hear God’s call and do His will. Thank you, Alex