Oksana Leonova (SMS missionary) and her son Mark were privileged to spend an afternoon with Alex Leonovich, the director of Slavic Missionary Service this past month. Their trip to America focused on raising support for the ministry of the Safe Harbor Ministry (Transfiguration Center) in the city of Bryansk, Russia.

This ministry has been successfully reaching neglected and abandoned children for twelve years. Providing material, emotional and spiritual support, children ranging from six to sixteen years old experience compassion and love from the volunteer staff of the Transfiguration Center.

Now, some of those children, who were assisted when they were young, are now assisting the ministry as volunteers. Because of the kindness shown to them, they now want to assist the center by working in the kitchen, teaching Bible lessons, playing games and making crafts, or assisting the children with their homework. The center is now helping twenty-five to thirty children each day.

Oksana traveled to many churches to share wonderful stories about the children and also reported that a new aspect of the ministry has begun. Opportunities to provide this same assistance to homeless adults started in November of 2011 with encouraging results. Six people have already attended a rehabilitation center for their addictions, and they are now attending church regularly. Alex was overwhelmed with joy that Slavic Missionary Service could support such an amazing ministry with Oksana and her staff.

Funds were gathered to install a new kitchen and dining hall in the Transfiguration Center building behind the church. The first floor has been donated to the ministry so that the meals can be prepared and distributed more proficiently. Renovations will begin this month. Gratitude is expressed to all who have given from cheerful hearts for this inspiring and indispensable ministry.