The Semichkov Family – our pilot family-type children’s home
Viktor and Natasha Semichkov are in their early fifties, have been together 30 years and have raised three of their own biological children to adulthood. They are now fostering and in the process of adopting 12 youngsters abandoned to the elements, making them new parents of young family second time round. Their 12 beautiful looking children have been rescued from some of the most horrendous and appalling conditions and situations imaginable for children. To list but a few:-
- Denis lived in the forest, growling like a dog and moving on all fours eating grubs and worms to stay alive, he is now just 8 years of age
- Luba 18 months was six months old when found dirty and barely alive, her baby clothes cutting into her tiny body.
- Deliara 12, Nellia 11and Serghey 6 had been raped.
- Gennadiy is 4. his diagnosis was general physical emaciation when found. He is constantly hungry and takes a crust of bread to bed with him each night for security.
These and the other children aren’t living in comfort by anyone’s standards. They are children traumatised. One doctor advised that one boy would likely not live, another “will never walk”, but they all alive and healing physically and emotionally. As well as being sheltered, fed and clothed, they are being taught what it means to love for real. Loss of parental rights for these children means they can now be nurtured and admonished in a family orientated home with loving relationships and discipline instead of the regime and regulation of institutional life.