Today, there are more orphans and street children living in Russia than there were following the aftermath of W.W.II. The Russian government estimates over 800,000 orphans; of them 300,000 are in the Russian orphanage state system. There are 1.5 million street children living on the streets.
Based on the St. Petersburg Governor's report, almost 10,000 orphans live in the state orphanage system in the city and the surrounding area. St. Petersburg has approximately 40 orphanages in the city and there are another 60 in the suburbs of St. Petersburg. Each orphanage accommodates approximately 100 children.
At 17-18 years of age, Russian orphans are turned out into society and must find their own way to make it in life. Most do not. Ninety percent of graduate orphans end up as alcoholics, criminals or prostitutes. Many end up in prison and a large number end up committing suicide.
In June of 2005, we took a team of 13 people to Saint Petersburg, Russia to work with a local missionary. While we were there we visited several orphanages and baby homes. We met some of the 
most amazing children, living in some of the most hopeless situations. As an orphan, these children face a very bleak future or, in many instances, no future at all. One in every two girls that leave the orphanges are predicted to end up in prostitution. Many of the children at the orphange we visited for children with disabilities will die very young, as they lack the basic care needed for survival. Many times as we left the orphanages we were so overwhelmed that we were unable to speak as we tried to process all that we had seen. These children captured our hearts and will remain with us forever. It was truly a life changing experience. We went to share Christ's love and His message of hope. We came back with a renewed sense of the urgency of sharing that message with a lost and dying world.