WELCOME January 1, 2001 ISSUE

To Our Readers

Cyril Rakhmanoff

Their Laughter Filled the yard, but I could not see the children. All I could discern, through the leaves of the tress and shrubs, were the many colorful playhouses, benches, and swings.

Then, suddenly, as they came around the building, they saw me. They all ran toward me and, grabbing my legs, gave me a big hug. It was a special moment. This group of two-year-olds looked up at me with big smiles. They were the very picture of happiness. Yes, they were orphans, but only we adults knew that. They had a family—those who took care of them. Obviously, in their case, they were very well taken care of.

Many children all over the world need to find a home or to be cared for in some ways. Not all are cared for as well as the children I saw in the orphanage I visited during a trip to Kazakhstan. But the visit to that orphanage gave me a new perspective on the universal love of God. A love expressed by the children as well as by those who care for their needs.

The cover story this month is a special report on children—some of them severely neglected or abused—and the people who are trying to help them.

In our prayers, we can embrace all these children, and know that they are not abandoned. They have a Father and Mother—the tender God who is their true source of happiness and safety.

Cyril Rakhmanoff
Associate Editor

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