Tale of Two Boys, I

Posted on November 11, 2007 
Filed Under Life, Parenting, Social Issues, Spiritual Life

This is orphan care week for Focus on the Family, FamilyLife Today, Crown Financial Ministries, and dozens of other organizations and ministries. The radio broadcasters are shining the spotlight on the needs of orphans and how we can make a difference for the fatherless. It is a privilege to join hands in order to make a bigger and more effective impact for these kids.

To help you better grasp the challenges that 143 million orphans are facing, I want to tell you a couple of stories during the next couple of days. The first is about a little boy named Artem.

Artem was born in eastern Russia to a 26 yr old woman, her third child. There is speculation that she tried to abort him mid-way through the pregnancy. We just don’t have all the details.

The mother gave up her parental rights to the boy at birth, and Artem was put in the care of The Ministry of Health. He was housed in one of the 252 baby houses which are called “dom rebyonka.”

As he grew older Artem attended a Russian public school for the compulsory nine years, where he could earn a secondary school diploma, or could leave school at the age of fifteen.

Under Russian law, he received the state-mandated initial stipend, housing and employment that all departing orphans are entitled to. …(however) the prospect of life in the outside world is a source of great worry to the orphans and child welfare experts alike. Artem wasn’t sure what to expect, not confident in his abilities and not socially prepared for life as an individual.

According to one statistic, at age 15 or 16, graduating have lived in the orphanage environment their entire life and most have no idea of how to live on their own and take responsibility. Most will quickly get frustrated and turn to drugs and alcohol.

A recent report in the Moscow Times, indicated that of the 15,000 Russian teenagers who leave the orphanages each year, 40 percent become homeless, 30 percent become criminals, 10 percent commit suicide. That is tragic! Another research report indicates that 9 out 10 graduate orphans end up in crime, prison, and prostitution. Statistically, the future looks pretty bleak for a vulnerable child who has no one to advocate for him.

I won’t tell you right now what path this boy took. The statistics indicate a pretty bleak future for Artem.

Maybe you can do something for the Artems of the world. Here’s a starting point.

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