Mission Statement
Vision Statement:
Relational Bridges International has been called to follow Jesus Christ, build friendships, bridge cultures and change lives in His name.
Mission Statement:
Wherever the God opens doors of opportunity, we will intentionally build relationships and true friendships with children and adults who do not yet know the Lord Jesus Christ so that by sharing the Gospel with them, our lives become bridges over which He can walk into their lives to redeem them.
Overview of Ministry Activity
YEAR-ROUND PROGRAM
Approved by the Committee of Education, St. Petersburg, Russia
When people from abroad come to work with the children of Russia, it is important for those with the responsibility of caring for the children to know clearly what is to be offered by the visitors as program.
We believe that all would agree that it is always better to build a child well than to have to repair an adult. Since August 1994, Rev. Browne has mobilized to Russia over 3,000 volunteers (adults, young adults, teenagers) to work with children in camps during the summer and in orphanages during the winter. Relational Bridges International now provides clear cross-cultural training for its volunteers who come at their own expense to work, share and build friendships with the children.
Since the lives of all children are enriched by new experiences that will help them to develop a broader world-view, we are committed to offering the following general program:
1. The teams Relational Bridges International will bring will offer to the Camp Directors and Children\'s Home Directors cultural exchange though English classes, music, games, crafts, conversations, stories and the sharing of family histories. Our teams will also want to learn of your country\'s music, culture, stories, and art forms as well.
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As the founder and leader of this organization, Rev. Browne is also an Anglican Priest. We have deep respect for the Russian Orthodox Church and the spiritual heritage of the nation of Russia. The volunteers we will bring to Russia have made a commitment that they will never force any religious decision upon any Russian child or adult as do some cults who pretend to be Christian organizations but are not. Since Christ Jesus calls us into a living relationship with Himself, we are committed to strengthening and offering ourselves to help build bridges of friendship that will help to reinforce the spiritual heritage God Himself gave to Russia over one thousand years ago. We affirm that childhood is the best time for building strong moral and ethical character in a person. Knowing that Russia has such a rich and deeply spiritual Christian heritage, our teams will:
2. Seek to help to introduce and reinforce this spiritual heritage through the sharing of Bible stories that will help children be able to make wise life-decisions. The teams will share songs that affirm basic truths of orthodox Christianity, and take time to really listen to the children\'s questions. Team members will be willing spend time in dialogue about the spiritual and ethical concerns that the children indicate that they wish to discuss.
Our teams do not represent any sect, but all team members are true Christians that believe the biblical, historical, orthodox Gospel and faith that the Church has always taught. Our teams will not put pressure upon anyone to make any spiritual decision, but will simply share through building real friendships the difference that faith in God has made in their lives. We affirm that Jesus Christ is able to transform the life of anyone who will put their trust in Him.
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Our teams always bring in personal medical supplies and because my organization works in agreement with various humanitarian aid organizations, the teams bring in extra amounts of items such as Tylenol, antibacterial and anti-fungal creams, and cough medicine, vitamins, and children\'s antibiotics. Our teams will:
3. Give these extra items to the Camp Directors and Orphanage Directors for use by the camp and orphanage doctors for the treating the children that are taking rest in the camp. Our teams also bring extra toothpaste and toothbrushes which will be given to the Camp and Orphanage Directors to distribute to the children.
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Our teams bring in different kinds of sports equipment such as soccer balls, basketballs, and volleyballs. Our teams will:
4. Leave this sports equipment with the Directors of the camps and orphanages to support the physical training part of the children.
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Rev. Browne has personally contacted and mobilized certified, licensed dentists from the United States to come to the Zelenogorsk area of Russia since the summer of 1998. The organization, Relational Bridges International , under his direction will:
5. Continue to make these dentists and their assistants available to the Directors for a Dental Education Day and for any requested general examination of children from which will be given suggestions for any further treatment that might be needed. We will also bring dentists to help with disabled children’s homes during our winter trips.
These dentists will be offering their time and skills free of any charges, giving them out of love for the children.
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6. We try to bring medical personnel both in the summer and in the winter to be able to share as colleagues with the doctors in the camps and orphanages. We will work with you to arrange for dentists, Doctors, medical specialist and other support people to come from America during the year and work with those who are committed to working with orphans, disabled children and others in need. We will cooperate with medical officials in the government of St. Petersburg to bring in these volunteer medical specialists to share new techniques and the use of new medicines with their Russian colleagues.
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7. Our teams will offer the sharing of practical skills in English for the children, especially helping them to learn more everyday phrases that we use often in conversations among friends. Our teams would also welcome any help in practical skills in the Russian language with help in learning the everyday phrases that the children use in conversations with friends.
We will be able to provide teams during the months of June, July and August for the summer camps. These teams will average 10 American members and 5 Russian interpreters. As we have said, the teams will be made up of a mixture of men and women: adults, young adults, and teenagers. The teams will live in the camp for two or three weeks at a time.
The teams of volunteers who come in the winter to work in orphanages will endeavor to come during January and again in March if we have enough volunteers. We will try to have 20 to 30 volunteers so that we can function as teams of 10 with 5 interpreters per team. Our desire is that each team spends 3-4 days in two different orphanages so that several are visited well. We will do our best to provide help to these homes in the form of school supplies, clothes, and other needed items for each orphanage we visit. We would request any help you may be able to give to us to make it possible for us to bring this aid that we might be able to distribute it directly to each orphanage.
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8. Understanding the deep needs of elderly pensioners in the St. Petersburg region we will bring teams of older adults to share in conversation and in fellowship with pensioners in day-facilities. We wish to share God\'s love and Truth with them and to develop friendships and build bridges of fellowship between Russian and American older adults. This can only strengthen the hearts of both nations.
Our teams will bring in board games that can be enjoyed in the group settings of the pensioner day-facilities. They will also bring in resources to help provide for assistance in obtaining winter coats and boots for those they visit. The teams will provide a special “tea” for the regular pensioners who come to the facilities that will be visited. The team will help with providing medicinal help as well while they are there.
Plans and Goals
- Train, mobilize & deploy teams of volunteers into summer youth camps in Russia to do friendship-evangelism
- Train, mobilize & deploy teams of volunteers into orphanages and disabled children’s homes in Russia in the winter to do friendship-evangelism
- Train, mobilize & deploy teams of more mature or retired volunteers in the autumn into elderly home facilities in Russia to build friendships so that they can share the Gospel with this forgotten population.
- Conduct regular medical mission outreach (dental, pediatric, etc) in the regions where we have established bases of ministry & staff in-region in the spring for orphanages, elderly home facilities in Russia to care for physical needs of these Russian people and in that context, share & demonstrate the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
- Bring in or purchase in-country needed humanitarian aid for children in summer camps, orphanages and old-folks facilities.
- Purchase an available camp in the region north and west of St. Petersburg (Zelenogorsk/Roshino/Palyani area) and make it both as resource center for the area camping associations, a place for orphans & transitioning orphans in the summer and winter, and a place for retreats & conferences for the Church.
- Develop Russian leadership for the regions where we have personal invitations to bring in teams of volunteers: St. Petersburg, Vladivostok, Black Sea region, Moscow, and Siberia
