Religion

By PATRICK BUTLER
Religion Editor

Jennifer Winborn wants to hold the children. She wants to "love on them," she said, and bring them hope.

And Mrs. Winborn, a member of Bethel Bible Church, is going to do it by visiting various orphanages in St. Petersburg, Russia, come Sept. 26.

"When the opportunity to visit Russian orphanages came, I jumped on it," said the afternoon drive-time host at Tyler's Contemporary Christian radio station, KVNE. "I'll be traveling to the St. Petersburg area for a 10-day trip."

But she's not going empty-handed. KVNE, located on the "not-for-profit" frequency on the FM band at 89.5, is partnering with Orphan Outreach of Dallas and its "Mission Backpack" drive. It's an effort to collect and distribute to Russian orphans the basic school gear they need, said Mrs. Winborn. East Texas orphans will benefit as well.

"Our target is to collect 300 donated backpacks for Russian orphans," she said, "and 100 backpacks for local agencies that serve East Texas orphans. We will also be handing out Russian Bibles to the overseas orphans."

Mrs. Winborn will travel to Russia, courtesy of Orphan Outreach. She'll file reports to KVNE from Russia.

"We'll be doing remotes (live reports broadcast on KVNE) while we're there," she said.

She doesn't speak Russian, she said, but all children understand love and fun.

"There will be two translators with us," she said. "Our plan is to have a fun, encouraging day with them, just letting them know that we care and that Jesus loves them."

East Texans can donate backpacks at any Brookshire's or Super One food stores. Or, she said, drop them off at KVNE/KGLY studios at 2721 E. Erwin St. The drive ends Monday.

The idea to partner with Mission Backpack was sparked by Troy Kriechbaum, president of KVNE/KGLY, said Leah Coombs, director of community outreach. Ms. Coombs said she has been on mission trips to Poland and Mexico and seen the impact even small gestures make.

"It's a big, big impact on a child in Russia to get something as simple as a backpack, who may never have had one," she said. "Some are teenagers who have lived their whole lives in orphanages that cannot afford extras like a school backpack. It's a tremendous (financial) investment that one can't even consider."

The school backpacks come with a little message on them, she said.

"The backpacks have luggage tags that we've been writing 'Jesus Loves You' or a similar message on," she said. "This is a great, affordable way to reach out locally and the global Christian community."

How do you convince a teenager who never had parents that Jesus loves them?

"I think you have to start by meeting physical needs, provide for their needs to gain an opportunity to be heard," she said. "When Jesus asked Peter, 'do you love me' and Peter said, yes, Jesus replied, 'feed my sheep.' If you love me, you'll take care of my people. I think we need to take care of people to earn an opportunity to hear the message."

One Russian orphan who heard the message loud and clear was Natalie Horner, a 13-year-old languishing in a St. Petersburg orphanage who had "no hope" of being adopted, she said -- until a physician from Vermont came to visit.

"The first time I ever even heard about Jesus, was when I met my (adoptive) father," Ms. Horner told the Tyler Morning Telegraph in a 2006 interview. The 20-year-old had come to East Texas to receive missionary training at Teen Mania in Garden Valley and participated at the "Teenage Bill of Rights" reading on the steps of the Smith County Courthouse. The May 2006 event was organized by Tyler's New Covenant Church.

"You never hear about Jesus, really, in Russia," she said. "People were still afraid to talk about him when I was growing up. It's more like a habit than something to be really afraid about. People just don't talk about God there."

Ms. Horner, a striking blond with luminescent blue eyes and who walks with a distinct limp, said her handicap made her "defective" and "unadoptable."

"I was told it would be a miracle if someone adopted me," said. "Well, here I am," she added, breaking into a big smile. "Now I'm here talking to people about him."

After her missionary training, she knew exactly what she wanted to do.

"I want to go back to the orphanages in Russia and tell them there is hope and love in this world," she said. "And especially that God loves them."

That's exactly what Mrs. Winborn wants to do.

"Kids are my heart," she said. "I hope to awaken people to the needs of kids in Russia. I would love to see the orphanages in Russia go empty and all those kids go Christian families in America." said Mrs. Winborn. "I want to be the hands of Jesus."

Visit the Web at encouragementfm.com for more information about Orphans Outreach.

Updated Saturday, Aug. 16, 2008 at 11:20 a.m. CDT

KVNE director of community outreach Leah Coombs, left, receives the donation of a new school backpack from Brandon Fleming, 14, of Troup. Behind Brandon (right) is backpack donor Richard Howell of Grace Community Church, chatting with Mike Harper, morning on-air host for KVNE. Harper’s wife, Lois, looks on. The backpack drive, ending Monday, benefits orphans in East Texas and St. Petersburg, Russia.
(Staff Photo By Patrick Butler)