Antonina's class

Look at those toys and home decoration! These are all hand made by the girls who attend Antonina’s Creative Arts class. Well, this is not all – the girls also make a lot of things for their practical use: babies’ booties, mittens, pillows, socks, etc.  Antonina, a former orphanage director, leads the class twice a week and while teaching the art skills, she shares her life experience with the young ladies and engages them in meaningful conversations. Antonina helps them feel at home and to open up. “We sat together, sewed, chatted, and then had tea. We felt so happy…Now I try to come to the Ministry Center more often even though I live far away”, says Vika. Natasha agrees with her: “Antonina loves all of us and she always gives us good advice and helps us.” The girls donated many of the toys they made to the orphans at a St. Petersburg shelter and they also made gifts for their American friends as an expression of gratitude for remembering them and coming back to spend time with them.