Childhood and prison. It seems that these two are not compatible, but the realities of this world show otherwise. In women’s prisons there are special facilities for children, who are born in prison and they stay there up to certain age. Another problem in our society is juvenile prisons. It’s hard to even imagine that young boys and girls live in barracks, wear prisoners’ robes. But what can you do – that's life. They committed crimes, and the society is compelled to take measures for their temporary isolation. Fortunately, other methods are being sought to change their behaviors.
The methods include special schools for children with deviant behavior. These facilities exist in the Republic of Tatarstan. In the town of Levchenko there is a special school with 70 to 100 boys of 11-17 years old. There is also another school, which is located in a picturesque place of Tatarstan, in Raifsky monastery, where about 70 boys receive secondary education and as well as a vocation.
We can speak a lot about the impact of such institutions, but in my opinion, their effectiveness depends on the people working there. Fortunately, people who work in these two institutions really care for children. They love them. They put a lot of efforts to reverse the wrong direction of children's lives. For more than a year now, these children have been friends with Christians, who are not indifferent to their fate. Last year, at the invitation of Christian mission "Light in the East", Brass Band from Switzerland visited Raifsky vocational school.
During Christmas celebrations a group of believers from three churches visited these two institutions. They were: a drama studio "Without Borders" from Revival Church of Naberezhnye Chelny, representatives of Good News Church (Naberezhnye Chelny), and New City music group from Good News Church of Mendeleevsk and Vladimir Anichkin, regional prison minister.
Children of these institutions were presented dramas that revealed the meaning of Christmas, and the essence of Christian and human values. During the performance actors interacted with children and after it played games with them. The music group sang Christmas chorales and hymns, and played instrumental classical music.
At the end of the program children and teenagers received colorful books about the life and ministry of Jesus.
Vladimir Anichkin
Regional prison minister
The Union of Pentecostal Churches of the Republic of Tatarstan
www.hve-news.ru according to the information of http://www.gospelhouse.ru/
