My name is Victor. My father was an African student and my mother was Ukrainian. When I was one year old, my father finished his school and returned to his home country. He wanted to take me with him but could not. Two years later, my mother got sick and died; and I was sent to the state orphanage. It was there that I first met Christians and later on, met God as well. When I was in 5th grade, Little Lambs Ministry started to visit our orphanage. They began to organize summer camps for us and encouraged Christian families to take us home for holidays and weekends. They were very different people – not only in their beliefs but also in their behavior. In the orphanage, our physical needs were well taken care of. However, we did not have the one thing that we were missing the most. We were missing parental love, care and guidance, which every child needs. Only now do I understand how wonderful it is that the Lord compensated this deficit through His committed and sacrificial servants.  To tell you the truth, it wasn’t easy for them to work with us because of our behavior. Most of the time we were rude, angry and egotistic. To the kindness of the Christians, we responded with the opposite.  After the orphanage, I went to a trade school. Only then I felt what it means to be lonely and unwanted by everybody. While living in the orphanage, we could not wait to obtain the long awaited freedom. But when we received it, we realized we were not able to handle it.  For this reason about 65 % of our graduates were filling prisons. And this tendency continued for many years in our orphanage and only now has been broken. I think it is because the Christians did not give up on us. And through their example, they helped us get to know God personally. After the trade school, I went to the university. I cannot describe how horrible and bad I was. I still thought that I was better than the others. When my friends were smoking marijuana, I was just smoking; when they began to use stronger drugs, I began to smoke marijuana; and many of us very quickly became drug addicts.  With my own eyes I was able to see what kind of a life this was. I realized how totally lost I was without God. I repented of my sins and Jesus Christ, who now lives in my life, has changed me quite radically.

When I was invited to work at the Little Lambs Camp, I did not have a great desire to become a counselor. Not because I did not want to be like the Christians who we laughed at, but because I understood the seriousness of the responsibility. But God always has His own plans for everything. I was offered the job of a sports coordinator, which I gladly accepted because I loved sports. The first couple days went as I expected; but a few days later, we were told that one of the counselors could not make it to the camp, and I was asked to step in. Since that time, I have worked every year in summer camps for orphans, and I have never regretted it. I remember when I was in summer camps as a child. We often argued with our counselors, telling them they did not understand us; but the kids I work with now cannot tell me that. I am a living proof that the camps have a great influence on the children – their characters and for many, their future.  What a great blessing it is to be used in God’s kingdom. Now I am a third year university student and am very grateful to the Lord. Even though I accepted the Lord, life is still tough. But I am glad that I not only have joy in my life, but also a purpose.