Russia 2007 Mission Team

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Brindabella

In 1992, the mayor of Roshina, a holiday town on the Gulf of Finland, invited some Finnish Christians to come and talk about Jesus in some of the children’s holiday camps near the town. The camps had been a communist institution – children would spend some recreation time in the forest each summer, and also learn to be young Communist Pioneers. The mayor was concerned by what he saw as a spiritual vacuum amongst children growing up in the post-communist chaos that was Russia at the time.

At first, teams simply visited camps, but it was decided that living in camp for a couple of weeks was far more effective. Australian teams first became involved in the mission from 1995 (teams also come from the US, UK, NZ and other countries). Around 100 Australians are involved annually. Brindabella Baptist has been involved since 1996. 2007 will be the sixth visit by Brindabellans.

Campers are usually aged from 7-16, and may stay for 2 weeks, or up to three months. Orphans (often wards of the state, rather than parent-less) may be in camp for the entire summer. Many camps are now privately owned (under the communists, they may have been owned by a particular factory, or a trade union), and conditions vary as to their financial status. Increasingly, camps are being bought by entrepreneurs and turned into regular holiday accommodation. This is particularly true of the Zelenogorsk area.

More information about the camps, and the mission itself can be found on the Kids Outreach International website at

www.kidsoutreach.org

The mission office in Russia is located in Zelenogorsk, and maintains an office in Australia at Charnwood in the ACT.

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