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| St. Petersburg RUSSIA 2006 |
| Abundant Life RACE CHARITY |
| Abundant Life RACE CHARITY |
| Abundant Life Race Charity 400 Washington Street, Suite 311 Braintree, MA 02184 Attn: Greg Nanigian Phone: (781) 848-0993 Email: greg@gnatraining.com http://www.coalag.com |
| Greg Nanigian and Associates, Inc. 400 Washington Street, Suite 302 Braintree, MA 02184 USA Phone: (800) 611-7355 Fax: (866) 898-1003 Email: greg@gnatraining.com http://www.gnatraining.com |
| Greg Nanigian, Owner/Driver Prostock #28 |
Orphans and Street Children:
40,000 street children live in the city and the surrounding area.
110-120 state orphanages, accommodating approximately 100 children each.
20 government shelters and 10 private shelters, housing up to 25 street children each.
90% of graduate orphans end up in crime, prison, and prostitution. Within the first five years
many commit suicide. St Petersburg, Russia is a beautiful city with a dark secret: thousands of
kids are living on the streets.
They're the children of alcoholic and abusive parents, who run away for weeks or months at a
time. Most of these kids will drop out of school and become addicted to drugs and alcohol
themselves.
Two brothers, eight and nine years old, were found in a phone booth, where they had lived
for six months after running away from their alcoholic single mother. Another four-year-old
boy was left alone when his mother was jailed for knifing his grandmother.
Stories such as these are common the world over. But in Russia, slightly more than a decade
after it emerged from Communist rule, the number of such cases has reached epidemic
proportions. And those working in the under funded social system say it's impossible to cope.
An estimated three million children -- almost one child in 10 -- are now considered to be
neglected. Street kids, now crowd by the dozens into metro stations and underpasses.
The International Labour Organization estimates that between 30,000 and 50,000 children
live on Moscow's streets and another 10,000 to 16,000 in the other major metropolis, St.
Petersburg.
Following is a letter sent from Joseph Ruggerio (Missionary in St. Petersburg, Russia) to
Church of Abundant Life following the 2005 Mission's Trip:
Church of Abundant Life took a Mission of Hope
St. Petersburg, Russia
June 5-12, 2006
Missionary: Joseph Ruggerio
To: Members of COAL Letter
Greetings Elizabeth,
I am going to try to explain the impact you have had on these two girls lives. Ira is now
graduated and going to trade school. To be a cashier in a grocery store. This is the
lowest school there is. Because of her nervous breakdown she missed a lot of school
and graduated with low marks. Yours was the only letter she ever received during her
time at the orphanage. She keeps it and your photo dreaming of someday seeing her
friend or visiting her in America. You are her connection to a better life and to her the
embodiment of love. Her letter was very hard to translate because she doesn’t write
very well. She once looked like a skinny kid that wasn’t very attractive. Six months ago
something happened and she turned into a real beauty.
Katya received one of your Christmas Santa Clause gift packages. You wrote to her
because she had no friends and was always getting into trouble. Again yours was the
only letter she has ever received. I’m happy to say that she is doing much better with
the girls, but still has a way to go. She loves her beautiful American friend. She loves to
write poetry and a girl she learned to love is at the center. I know her well and I read
her poem and cry every time. My dear Elizabeth, these children need you. You already
have a ministry here without even trying.
“These Children Need You”
In His Service,
Greg Nanigian
Cell 617-943-3040
Office 781-848-0994
Home 781-848-5172
Abundant Life Race Charity
c/o GNA
400 Washington Street, #302
Braintree, MA 02184
40,000 street children live in the city and the surrounding area.
110-120 state orphanages, accommodating approximately 100 children each.
20 government shelters and 10 private shelters, housing up to 25 street children each.
90% of graduate orphans end up in crime, prison, and prostitution. Within the first five years
many commit suicide. St Petersburg, Russia is a beautiful city with a dark secret: thousands of
kids are living on the streets.
They're the children of alcoholic and abusive parents, who run away for weeks or months at a
time. Most of these kids will drop out of school and become addicted to drugs and alcohol
themselves.
Two brothers, eight and nine years old, were found in a phone booth, where they had lived
for six months after running away from their alcoholic single mother. Another four-year-old
boy was left alone when his mother was jailed for knifing his grandmother.
Stories such as these are common the world over. But in Russia, slightly more than a decade
after it emerged from Communist rule, the number of such cases has reached epidemic
proportions. And those working in the under funded social system say it's impossible to cope.
An estimated three million children -- almost one child in 10 -- are now considered to be
neglected. Street kids, now crowd by the dozens into metro stations and underpasses.
The International Labour Organization estimates that between 30,000 and 50,000 children
live on Moscow's streets and another 10,000 to 16,000 in the other major metropolis, St.
Petersburg.
Following is a letter sent from Joseph Ruggerio (Missionary in St. Petersburg, Russia) to
Church of Abundant Life following the 2005 Mission's Trip:
Church of Abundant Life took a Mission of Hope
St. Petersburg, Russia
June 5-12, 2006
Missionary: Joseph Ruggerio
To: Members of COAL Letter
Greetings Elizabeth,
I am going to try to explain the impact you have had on these two girls lives. Ira is now
graduated and going to trade school. To be a cashier in a grocery store. This is the
lowest school there is. Because of her nervous breakdown she missed a lot of school
and graduated with low marks. Yours was the only letter she ever received during her
time at the orphanage. She keeps it and your photo dreaming of someday seeing her
friend or visiting her in America. You are her connection to a better life and to her the
embodiment of love. Her letter was very hard to translate because she doesn’t write
very well. She once looked like a skinny kid that wasn’t very attractive. Six months ago
something happened and she turned into a real beauty.
Katya received one of your Christmas Santa Clause gift packages. You wrote to her
because she had no friends and was always getting into trouble. Again yours was the
only letter she has ever received. I’m happy to say that she is doing much better with
the girls, but still has a way to go. She loves her beautiful American friend. She loves to
write poetry and a girl she learned to love is at the center. I know her well and I read
her poem and cry every time. My dear Elizabeth, these children need you. You already
have a ministry here without even trying.
“These Children Need You”
In His Service,
Greg Nanigian
Cell 617-943-3040
Office 781-848-0994
Home 781-848-5172
Abundant Life Race Charity
c/o GNA
400 Washington Street, #302
Braintree, MA 02184
Many Russian orphans born
to HIV-positive mothers face
discrimination on the part of
health and educational officials.
(AP/WoldWide Photo/Dmitry
Lovetsky)
to HIV-positive mothers face
discrimination on the part of
health and educational officials.
(AP/WoldWide Photo/Dmitry
Lovetsky)
