Each of us has an innate need to feel attached to another person and sometimes it doesn't take long to feel connected with someone. If you are authentic and open, you can easily touch hearts simply by being around people. Every visit Allies volunteers make to an orphanage is a new experience, filled with emotions and sentiments.

My daily goal is to manifest my philosophy of saying "yes" to opportunities to help others whenever I can. It really does enrich our lives more than we could possibly imagine.

We regularly visit children with no families but the orphanage itself. We spend our days playing games, sports, teaching them basic life skills, and giving them treats and individual cleanliness supplies.

Seeing less fortunate children smile and burst into excitement as if everything around them is beautiful is genuinely inspiring.

Nastya, a 28-year old, is a kindergarten school teacher. She has participated in these volunteer projects for the last 6 years. She loves to work with children and has become an asset in developing children’s academic and social skills.

With our combined efforts, we are praying for and working toward the best results for Irina, a 16 year-old orphan who has musculoskeletal disorder.

She has undergone a series of surgeries and now, she can move by herself in her wheelchair and walker.

Many children live in orphanages because their family cannot look after them. Irina is one of them. She has parents and an older sister who never visited her, for more than two years. Her parents abused and neglected them because of family conflicts and financial instability.

Irina is slow to talk but she is very skilled and passionate in drawing and has an amazing singing voice - things that she could not pursue unless she fully recovers.

Irina’s stay in the orphanage is ending in 3 years because of the time frame set up by the government. At that time she will have to go back to her family, which has no means to take care of her. We’re not sure what’s going to happen to her.

These experiences have changed our outlook on life in so many ways. It’s something you cannot avoid when interacting with these kids. So many of the children really have no one to lean on. It’s a life of isolation and loneliness. We’re so blessed to be able to help and serve them and show them “yes,” we do care for you.