Stories from our Teams
In the last three years, many team members have stayed at the House of Grace and Hope. Team members come for varied lengths of time with different skills and abilities to enhance the household.
The Harrisons hope that more team members will come in the future and stay for a period of anywhere from a few weeks to a year. Every person contributes and helps change the life of one or more of the kids at the house. All the kids have different needs and thus different people can relate to them in different ways. There are opportunities for men and women, both old and young.
If you feel like you want to come and join the House of Grace and Hope for a while, please contact the Harrisons and they can share with you how to start the process. Required skills range from cleaning duties to human interaction with those around you and a love for young people in need. A verifiable commitment as a Christian is an absolute requirement!
John from Orange, Australia
I have been involved with many trips to work with orphans in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. I met many of the teenagers at the House of Grace and Hope when they were quite young and still living at their orphanage.
In July 2008, I came back to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk to look after the House of Grace and Hope while the Harrison family returned to Australia for a vacation.
I had some trepidation, because I knew from previous experience how noisy, impulsive and attention seeking older orphans can be. I was shocked! The same guys I knew previously were now quiet, relaxed and running the house in a manner that brought credit to themselves!
They all had a quiet disposition with a look on their faces that spoke of the love and acceptance they have experienced at the combined hands of Peter and Tracy, their children and other team members. There was contentment and a glimmer of hope that there was a future for them. There was also a loyalty to this family who had opened their hearts and home for these forgotten teenagers.
It is interesting to see too what a vitally important role Luke, Jacob and Rebekah (the Harrison's children) play in relating to the orphans. The house would not work nearly as well without them, and they are as much team members as anyone!
There are always issues to deal with in teenagers' lives. In youth work I always look for trends in a young person's life rather than individual issues - where are they heading? The trend for those living at the House of Grace and Hope is surprisingly good - these young people are now going somewhere and building a life for themselves!
Katherine from Gosford, Australia
I first came to Sakhalin in the winter of 2006/2007 with an Australian group to work in an orphanage. A friend and I stayed on for two more weeks at the House of Grace and Hope.
The Harrison's house was a haven for many kids and it was obvious it was a place where they felt loved and appreciated.
When I returned to Australia, I told my fiance (now husband) about the House and particularly how the happiness the Harrisons give is such a gift to the orphans. We visited again in June 2009 and look forward to visiting more often in the future.
Robyn from Orange, Australia
My two week visit to Sakhalin in January 2009 was both inspirational and challenging. It was challenging to go into a new orphanage and not know how many children would be there from the orphanage that I visited two years ago. Meeting up with Stas, Lilii, Nena and a few others was wonderful. The look on their faces when they saw us again will remain in my mind for a long time. It was great to see how much they had grown, how well they looked and that they where really happy.
Spending time with Peter and Tracy at the House was inspirational. Seeing them in action with the diverse personalities of the young people that live at or drop into the House was amazing. Young people are accepted the way they are and guided through the situations that they have to deal with. Tracy, Peter and their children (Luke, Jake, Bekky) all give out love, friendship and acceptance of all the young people as family members. It was good to see Kartya and Roma moving on from dislike of their mothers to showing forgiveness. Both are preparing personal packages for their mothers who are in jail.
I thank God for the Harrison family and for the work that they do and pray for continual guidance from God for them. I look forward to continued contact with the Harrisons and my next visit to Sakhalin.
orphanshouse.org