“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” James 1:27

Mission 1:27 is Christ United Methodist Church‘s effort to live out the calling found James 1:27.  A need was identified in Russia, and in late 2007, an exploratory team from Christ Church made the trip to Russia to find out how we could help.

In 2007, Russia had an estimated 4 million orphans under the age of 17. Life expectancy for orphans is only 28-30 years.  Of these 4 million children, 15% commit suicide within 2 years of leaving the orphanage.  Fifty percent abuse drugs and alcohol.  Sixty percent fall into prostitution or organized crime to survive.  Why? Because these children grow up feeling alone and unworthy.

After much research and prayer, Christ Church decided to partnership with Children’s HopeChest to sponsor an orphanage of approximately 130 students in Slobodskoy, which is part of the Kirov Oblast (region) in Russia. This sponsorship is a commitment by our community to be in relationship with the students of the Slobodskoy Orphanage to provide long-term, holistic and redemptive care.

Click HERE to download a document highlighting Mission 1:27′s efforts in Slobodskoy.