Tikhvin Baby House

St. Petersburg was next on the list. We returned to Moscow to catch the train north. Vitaly did not want us on the train New Year’s Eve, he felt it would not be safe. So, we suffered in Moscow, instead. Well, somebody has to do it.

St. Petersburg was experiencing the same heat wave, freezing temps, but no snow. Once again, the plans we were still in process for visiting new orphanages, but they weren’t working. At that point, we knew Tikhvin Baby House was our next stop. Vitaly and I had visited there a couple of years ago.

We also picked up a new team member in St. Pete, Nadia. She is a beautiful young lady we have watched grow up over the past 7 years. Her mother, Lena (not the Lena we have as an interpreter), was an interpreter we met on our first trip to Vladimir. You will see Nadia wearing a pink scarf, as she assembles chairs and plays with the toddlers. She preceded us to St. Pete to visit friends, and we had her join us for our time there.

Before Treasures visited Tikhvin, we went shopping. Ikea loves Treasures. We purchased 10 tables, 51 chairs, baby mobiles, play rugs, cars, pots & pans, play food, and tons of wooden toys. What should have taken a couple of hours in USA time took 8 hours in Russia time.  We purchased 10 tables, 51 chairs, baby mobiles, play rugs, cars, pots & pans, play food, and tons of wooden toys. What should have taken a couple of hours in USA time took 8 hours in Russia time.

In the dark, on Friday morning, we headed for Tikhvin. One hundred and twenty-two kms were pretty good roadways. The last 75 left at lot to be desired, but we did see snow at this point.

We arrived around 11 am, during naptime. This gave us time to assemble some of the tables and chairs. As the director saw all the goodies, he was so excited. The plastic food, dishes, and pots & pans were just what the teachers had asked for. In the mean time, the babies were waking up. He allowed the team to play with all the early risers, while we waited for the toddlers to wake and see the new toys.

Finally, we got the call, toddler alert! It looked like Christmas morning for 15 + toddlers. Each table was full of new toys, they covered the floor, and kids were having a ball. Some were “cooking”, some were riding the wooden rocking mooses… the wooden meese… One kid was on a wooden moose. Another kid was on the other moose.



Some were “driving” cars on the roadway rugs, some were putting puzzles together, but all were having fun. We had a great time, but as usual, it ends too soon. It was time to return to St Pete.

It happens every time. We plan, we prepare, some of it happens, some doesn’t. But, we have to be ready for change. It will change. It always has. Some doors close, other doors open. We just have to be ready. Thanks to prayer and your support, we are.

There are no small roles in God’s plan. If you play any part, it is a leading role. It may seem small, even insignificant, to you. To the child you touch, it may be life changing.

Every time we leave, I always think of the lyrics to the song, “Thank you, for giving to the Lord. I am the life you changed.”