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Twin Towns Fund Newsletter, Christmas 2009
Dear Friends and Supporters,
This is our Christmas update on the work of our Charity Twin Towns Fund, and its work in Novgorod, Russia.
The beginning of this year saw us doing fundraising concerts for our week long trip to Novgorod in May. With your massive help, we managed to raise a staggering 10, 000 dollars to take to needy places.
Our trip started early on Sunday 24th May, loading up a minibus and van with a huge amount of equipment, and suitcases full of clothes and gifts to give away. The journey went smoothly, except for the usual 2 hour hold up at Novgorod airport because of taking the expensive string instruments in. We thought we were well prepared, but as usual the paperwork was not enough! We filled in about 5 customs forms each before we managed to get it right! As usual, we received an extremely warm welcome from the families we stay with.
Monday 25th we set off to the Tuberculosis Centre for children. We saw noticeable improvements since last time, and as always Xena and the children gave us a wonderful welcome. We played music, acted out a Bible story with musical effects, prayed for them and painted their faces. They sang us some beautiful songs they had prepared.
(Above: Children playing Pete's trumpets)
 In the afternoon, we rehearsed in a concert hall for a concert to raise money for the Rodnichok centre, put on by some Jewish friends we had met previously. This did not go quite according to plan, as we found out during the afternoon that they had booked two other groups to come and play as well! After some negotiation, it was arranged that one of the singing groups would sing in the interval and the other graciously decided not to play that evening.
Pete writes of his memories of the evening – “I felt strongly that I should tell the audience the importance for each one of us of considering the person of Jesus .I said this as I introduced one of the pieces and a couple of pieces later, whilst playing, it suddenly hit me that I had said something that I perhaps would have been more cautious about had I remembered we were guests of a Jewish community. All I could do was leave it in God’s hands. Looking back I have to trust that I was speaking the Lord’s message for someone there.”
(Right :- A newspaper report of our concert for the Jewish community)
Tuesday 26th we visited the Blind Centre again. We played music, danced to the Irish jig together, and they shared their hearts with us. Jill remembered that one man said “We are treasured. Your music cleanses our souls. Your music lifts our souls and we are brothers.” Another lady shared – “Often people are not aware of the gifts and the presence of blessings that God sends to them. God our Lord has sent a wonderful group of people just to give us a possibility to listen to this wonderful music and singing, and He surely wishes to touch our hearts”…
Next we returned to see our faithful friend and doctor, Dr. Yuri at the District Hospital. Again we played to the children and staff, and then gave our gifts. We had a chance to hear about proposed changes to the hospital and staff morale.
Lastly that day, we visited a ‘Special centre for children with educational and family problems. Judith writes “Visiting this centre was a highlight for me… the work of the staff and their dedication to the children in their care was truly inspirational. The aim of the centre is to keep the family together, but give shelter to the children when necessary. Most families are affected by alcohol and drugs and children often have to take care of dysfunctional parents. ‘The Shelter’ is for 3-15 year olds either for day or residential care; “the Social Hotel” is for 16-18 year olds where they can learn social and family skills and learn about the legal system.
(Above: Some of the children at the shelter)
Day Respite is given for families on low incomes, and help for young mothers trying to find accommodation. They have 200 young people on their books at any one time, and the state funding is very poor. Natalia, the head of the centre works very hard to fundraise and the atmosphere is of selfless love and concern. The centre ha strong links with the church and Natalia’s faith shines in her eyes. The children loved our short concert and treated us to their own songs. Natalia said as we left ‘We are so grateful that you brought Jesus to everyone.’
Wednesday 26th was our longest day. Alison writes
“One of my memories from the trip was our day to Valdai to visit the prison and the rehabilitation centre for drug addicts and alcoholics.
The day started early, supposedly picking up a news crew and two officials from the local government to monitor our visit. However, the officials obviously decided we were not a threat to security after all and didn’t turn up! Travelling on Russian roads is like taking a roller coaster ride – don’t expect to read a book or have a nap – the roads are full of pot holes and bumps! We arrived in good time, were warmly welcomed, and after going through all the passport routine, walked down to the hut for the concert.
We noticed that the prison was looking in better shape – things had been painted and the prisoners wore uniforms instead of the threadbare clothes we had seen last time. We learnt that there are 1.200 prisoners there, mostly young men with short sentences. They have a farm, a mill, make their own clothes, a craft workshop, a furniture workshop and make thermometers. They also use the hut for music. The prisoners all queued up outside the door, and had to wait quite a while for us to set up. During the concert we noticed several who were moved by the music and really listening and taking in the testimonies. Afterwards, the prison guard made two telling comments in his speech. “We share music, friendship, songs and faith” and “the atmosphere in the prison after your concerts is different for several days”.
After a lunch by the lake at Valdai, we travelled onwards in our mosquito infested bus to the rehabilitation centre, which we thought was a half an hour away, but which turned out to be a bumpy two hours to the middle of nowhere, with a walk at the end when the bus could not cross a wooden bridge because it would have collapsed! The rehabilitation centre only takes 20 men and women at present because they need to refurbish an old outbuilding to accommodate more people, and the money has dried up. They send people out to the country because it gets them away from their old lifestyle and friends and they are there from 2 months to 2 years depending on their needs. They have a farm, and give basic training in computers, welding and car repairs to help them get a job later on.
We set up outside in the wind and shared our music, wondering why we had come to such an out of the way place just to share with 20 people. They commented afterwards that “No-one has visited us in 3 years. The way you overcame your difficulties in getting here showed us that we too can overcome our difficulties in our lives.”
(Above:- Judith with some of the men at the Rehabilitation Centre)
Thursday 27th we started at the Ear, Nose and Throat Department of the Regional Hospital where Luba is our contact. Graham and others had a meeting with the head of the hospital to discuss a much bigger concert idea for next time. We played music to a small group of children and parents in the ward. Following on from there Nina and others went to the Infectious Diseases Hospital. We are not allowed to see the patients, but Nina was able to see the poor condition of the hospital and facilities. We then travelled out of town for about an hour to a wonderful music centre at Shimsk. We had the most wonderful time playing and talking to them including a group of disabled teenagers who had also been invited. They were so enthusiastic and wouldn’t let us go home!
Friday 28th we were privileged to join the end of term celebrations at the Rodnichok centre for the disabled. It offers daytime and 24 hour care as well as supporting disabled people from outlying villages who cannot access the centre. It is the only one of its kind in the whole region of Novgorod. Olga and the residents were all dressed smartly for the special day, and laid on a wonderful spread for us. We played to them, danced and sang together.
In the evening, we put on a public concert at the University. There we met afterwards a group from the ‘Children’s Ark’. Tim writes - “Masha and Sveta are a couple of professional young people who are part of a group called ‘The Children’s Ark’. They are dedicated in their free time to teaching young people a Christian way of living using Biblical principals. They also do regular bible teaching at the Children’s TB hospital. For the last year they had been raising funds to buy transport to enable them to take regular parcels of clothing to a couple of outlying villages where they also teach the children and young people. We were able to add to their funds to enable them to buy a much needed minibus.”
(Above:- The ladies who work for the Childrens Ark)
How the money you raised has been distributed.
Rehabilitation Centre near Valdai for repair work, to enable an additional building to be set up to house more men and women.-$1000
Tuberculosis Centre for new computer, towels, bedlinen, tights and slippers. -$650
Blind Centre for new chairs and tables. $500
Childrens Ark for a minibus to visit outlying villages. $6,000
Rodnichok centre for the Disabled for ongoing needs. $250
Infectious diseases hospital for new beds $1.228
Centre for Educational and Family problems, for educational supplies.$400
Lastly, we want to say a huge thank you to our two translators and organisers in Novgorod, without which none of this would be possible – Sveta Buzulutsky, and Svetlana Kriokshina.
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