YEKATERINBURG
Arisen from the cellar!
Every day, our Yekaterinburg street patrol meets about 70 children and youth who live in the cellars and underground tunnels.
With her small team, Natasha Ivanova has been able to help many children and youth from the streets to the beginning of a new life. They have been able to arrange for identification papers, apartments, health care, rehabilitation and employment for the children.
Natasha is going to have a baby in August-September. We have tried to keep her off the streets, in vain. I just don't have time to give birth, I have so much to do! she laughs on the phone during her street patrols.
They do not live here any more: Aleksey on the left, Ilya on the right.
By NATASHA IVANOV, Director of the Street Patrol, September 2006
Aleksey was not a hopeless case after all!
Both the relatives and the police thought Aleksey was a hopeless case. He is a fatherless, homeless boy, whose mother is an alcoholic. Aleksey was seriously addicted to alcohol and glue, his conduct was at times irresponsible, at times apathetic. It was hard to reach the introverted boy.
Aleksey had two aunts in the city, but he chose the street, thinking he was useless to everybody.
We always paid special attention to him, like to a little child, we pet his head, we brought him clothes. Little by little, he became attached to us and began to open up and tell us about his problems. One day last winter he said, that he had found God and started to prayhe even prays for us! In mid-February he told us that he wants to leave the cellar and return to his relatives.
We looked up his two aunts. One of the aunts, where Aleksey had lived earlier for some time, refused to even talk about the boy. The other one, aunt Lyuba, turned out to be a warm person. She took Aleksey right away.
I cannot imagine how I could live in that filthy cellar before, Aleksey told us a little later. The home of aunt Lyuba is like a paradise compared to that!
We worked with the authorities to get Aleksey's papers in order. We were able to find him a job as well. Before the substance abuse had gotten the best of Aleksey, he had taken some trade school coursework and was able to get hired to operate a metal machining tool in a large factory. In addition, he was able to get a place in the factory's apartments for the employees.
Aleksey has been excited about working and believes that all will turn out well. I am so grateful to God and to you! he said.
Changed Ilya surprised the boys at the day center
Two years ago, we were introduced to Ilya, a 12-year-old boy who ended up on the streets. He lived downtown in a cellar, whose boys we started to help. Ilya never parted with his glue bag. The first thing we see in the morning is Ilya sniffing glue, the boys from the cellar told. Ilya did admit being severely addicted to the glue.
I have a mother, a sister, and a stepfather. I ran away from home after I had had an argument with my mom and she told me to leave, told Ilya.
I was so angry and said to myself: Very well, I can take care of myself.
I first lived at the computer club. I went to the school as normal and returned to the club in the evening. The guards helped me with the homework and even gave me something to eat. At times they gave me small jobs and I was able to earn some money. This is how I spent one year and was able to finish the sixth grade. But then the club was closed and I ended up on the streets.
I was 14 years old then. I was able to find a shelter at a tunnel construction site. The workers allowed me to be there, and they gave me food. But when the tunnel was finished, I had to find another place. I was no longer going to school, I had no suitable clothing, no books and no money.
That's when Ilya got to know the boys living in the cellar. Along with the new friends, stealing, drinking and glue-sniffing came into his life. The boy lost his dreams, his plans and his will to live. He became indifferent toward everything, glue was the center of his life.
When we visited the cellar and spoke with the boys, Ilya clearly became interested in the opportunity to leave the streets and start a different kind of life. He also had many questions: Does God really forgive everything, if you turn your heart to him? Can you pray anywhere and with your own words or only in the church?
A year ago in August, a small Christian youth rehabilitation center was opened in the Yekaterinburg area. We agreed to send some of the boys there from the streets when space becomes available there. Ilya wanted to be among the first to be sent there.
He changed dramatically in a years' time and was able to accomplish tremendous amount of things. He was able to kick the substance abuse and grew a lot in height, and becoming physically stronger as well. He was able to completed grades 7 and 8 through special courses. He has also practiced playing the piano. Ilya's dream after completing the ninth grade is to apply to a school where he could become a computer programmer.
It was moving to have Ilya visit us at our day center. He also met his friends, who still live in the cellar. He told everybody about what has happened in his life.
Unfortunately, Ilya's mother still doesn't want to meet her son. I pray for my mother, that we could make up and forget the past, Ilya says.
There is a great need for rehabilitation space suitable for teens and youth.
We are unable to place the boys from the street patrol anywhere.
We are studying a possibility to open a rehabilitation center in Yekaterinburg.
Translated by Jari Vesterinen, Jamtrex Language Services