RAI’s Faculty, Staff and Students at the Moscow Conference

On April 20-21 in Moscow, the Russia-American Institute (RAI) joined with ministry leaders who convened the first Russia Without Orphans Conference, an inter-confessional gathering to unite churches and social work organizations in the effort to promote child welfare and adoption reform in Russia.  Following successful efforts in Ukraine, organizers in Russia hope to encourage increased adoption by families in Russian churches.

“A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation” (Psalm 68:5) and “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world” (James 1:27) – these Scriptural  refrains echoed throughout the plenary sessions, panel forums, and seminars of the conference.

RAI’s School of Social Work and Counseling participated in its recognized role as an academic and professional training center, with four faculty members leading seminars throughout the weekend.  Dr. Ruslan Nadyuk, dean of the school, led two seminars and took the stage with a panel of specialists committed to strengthening the impact of the church on the social welfare system for children in Russia.  He has been invited to represent RAI and the Alliance, Russia Without Orphans, when a federal government council convenes in Moscow to discuss policy and strategy for child welfare and adoptions in Russia at the end of May.  As the evangelical church increasingly engages in pressing domestic issues in Russia, RAI has a key leadership role to play at the epicenter of this social action movement.

During a reception following the evening service, several RAI students and friends from Word of Life church approached Christine to express their appreciation for her message and the continuing work of RAI’s School of Social Work and Counseling.

On March 6, the fifth Social Work and Counseling class began, with 20 Christian leaders registered.  RAI attributes the success of this program to its faith-centered, Christian worldview that balances the theory and practical application of psychology and counseling.

Comments from RAI graduates:

“The course was pleasing in its practicality, good atmosphere, and the form of delivery made the knowledge very accessible.  In a short period of time, a large amount of very useful, practical information was given.  The value of the course is that this knowledge can immediately be applied to life.”

“This course was very useful and thorough; my expectations were completely fulfilled.   Although I’ve served as a Christian counselor for some time, my counseling has been largely intuitive because I was self-taught.  This course suggested a definite method and approach that I can use to help my counseling to be more effective.”

“This course is very useful, especially for pastor and church leaders who are involved in Christian counseling and soul care.  I’ve been a pastor for many years and every week I have meet with people who want my help as they decide their problems.  Therefore, I hoped to receive from this course a practical method of counseling that would help me in my ministry, and I receive much more than I expected!”

According to Galina Obrovets, who will direct this department, three new courses have been created and will be offered this spring.  The first is to train volunteers to work with teenagers in the Child Welfare System’s children’s homes.  At the present time, teenagers are the largest part of the system’s population and only 10% of the teenagers who “graduate” from children’s homes successfully adapt to adult life.  Forty percent become criminals, 40% become alcoholics or drug addicts, and 10% commit suicide.

One of the basic reasons for such shocking statistics, according to experts, is the absence of life experience and self-supporting lifestyle skills among children who grow up without a family.  They do not have a good example of parents nor do they acquire the skills necessary for personal growth and employment.

A second course is for employees or caregivers at orphanages.  At the present time, orphanage workers are not required to be trained or certified for work in these institutions.  RAI’s program will offer training for these workers and they will receive certificates when they complete the program.  Our staff is also working with government officials who are drafting legislation to require the orphan caregivers to be certified.  This puts RAI right on the cutting edge in this field.

A third course supports Russian parents wishing to adopt an orphan child or teenager.  As of September 2012, a new law will come into effect requiring that parents who want to adopt must take a course preparing them for this adoption.  RAI is now offering a course of study, approved by the Moscow Department of Youth and Social Policy, to meet this qualification.

The Institute’s President, Dr. John A. Bernbaum, believes this new department will become an important part of the Institute’s effort to strengthen Russian families, which is a basic goal of the school.  He notes: “Many of the young leaders in this field of orphan care and child welfare are graduates of our Institute, and we are excited to be partnering with them to strengthen this important work.  The movement to build ‘Russia Without Orphans,’ of which RAI is now a part, is a major grassroots effort by a wide range of Christians working together to deal with one of the country’s most pressing domestic challenges. “

The RAI Campus in Moscow

On Thursday, February 2, 2012, the staff and Board of Trustees at the Russian-American Institute were informed that the Institute has been granted state registration for its new campus facility in Moscow. This exciting news was given to the staff and Board by the Institute’s lawyers at Baker & McKenzie, who handled the complex registration process.

Dr. John A. Bernbaum, RAI’s President, noted that this brings an end to the ten-year process that began when the Institute purchased the land lease and the challenging task of building a new academic facility was initiated.

“This is an exciting moment in the history of the Institute,” Dr. Bernbaum said, “and we have many people to thank for their support of this new facility and their counsel as we worked our way through the many challenges of construction in a turbulent environment.”

State registration confirms that the Institute is the sole owner of this property and that it can be used for its educational programs that impact not only Moscow, but other regions of the country as well that send students to the school. Dr. Bernbaum made it clear that “the completion of the registration process initiates a time of celebration for the RAI community.”

Julia Popova (left) and Dr. Christine Currie (right) of RAI at the Word of Life Church in Moscow

Dr. Christine Currie, professor of counseling and director of RAI’s Center of Counseling and Soul-Care spoke at the main campus of Word of Life Church on November 3, 2011.   She was invited by Julia Popova, director of family ministries at the church.  Ms. Popova heard Dr. Currie speak at a conference held by RAI’s School of Social Work and Counseling and was impressed with the practical biblical application of her teaching on relationships and communication.   Ms. Popova explained, “I’ve never heard practical teaching like that on communication in a marriage.”  Teaching on the importance of right communication between spouses abounds, but practical keys and concrete examples of “how to” are less frequently heard.   At this mid-week church gathering, Christine elaborated on John Gottman’s concept of “the bid”, just one of a series of techniques that comprise her relational communications “toolbox,” a metaphor she has developed to catch and keep the attention of the men in her audience.

Popova, who studies at the School of Social Work and Counseling, and Currie are planning a series of lectures at the church as part of their family ministries program.  RAI has a solid body of students from the church enrolled in several of our programs.  The church has 4,000 members in Moscow and 30,000 in sister churches across the former Soviet Union.  This partnership makes a formidable combination to bring good news and good works to Russian families and post-Soviet society.

Dr. Ruslan Nadyuk, Chair of RAI's Social Work & Counseling Department

From October 20-22, Ruslan Nadyuk and Mark Currie of RAI’s Department of Social Work and Counseling were featured speakers during an “Encounter” retreat hosted by Word of Life church, one of Institute’s Moscow partners

“Encounter” is a “Cursillo”-like experience centered on the Cross, encouraging believers through stages of Confession, Acceptance of Forgiveness, and Faith and Vision for Tomorrow. Because of his enthusiasm for our emphasis on counseling and soul care at RAI, Pastor Nikolai Gorbunov also asked Ruslan and Mark to serve in the pastoral counseling team during the retreat.

This Encounter, the largest ever held by Pastor Nikolai who conducts them regularly, embraced more than 400 people, many of them students and most of them associated with Word of Life church. Many are or have been students at RAI. During their two-days at the retreat, Ruslan and Mark met and counseled with several scores of people. Pastor Nikolai and many others expressed their appreciation for Ruslan, Mark, and the counseling and soul care ministry are developing at RAI.

"Encounter Retreat" at the Word of Life Church in Moscow

Dr. Christine L. Currie

“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.”

What Is Soul Care?

The activity of caring for souls has a long tradition in Christianity.  Soul is the most common translation of the Hebrew word nepesh and the Greek word psyche.  In the Old Testament, nepesh may mean life, the inner person (particularly thoughts, feelings, and passions), and the whole person, including the body.  The soul is understood as that which distinguishes humans from animals and living from dead.  It is also the source of emotions, the will, and moral actions.  Similarly, in the New Testament, psyche means the totality of a person, including the physical life, mind, and heart.  The soul is the religious center of life and the seat of desire, emotions, and identity.

Many Biblical scholars suggest that the best single word for both nepesh and psyche is either person or self.  Both words carry the connotation of wholeness.  Therefore, soul care can be described as the support and restoration of the well-being of persons in their depth and totality, with particular concern for their inner life.  The goal of such care can be described as fostering the psychospiritual growth and health of this inner person.

-from Care of Souls, by David G. Benner

» Click here for the bio of Dr. Christine Currie, Center Director