This weekend was Vitya’s 14th birthday, a cheerful boy in the care of House of Mercy’s Moscow home for children. Born in the wake of the 1998 Russian financial collapse, Vitya was found by government officials as an abandoned young feral boy in the care of dogs.
He suffered from Mowgli syndrome, named after the child-character popularized by the Disney movie, The Jungle Book. Once an urban legend and mythological story, the unbelievable reality is that Vitya is one of many afflicted in this manner—acting in every way as would a dog. He barked instead of speaking, maneuvered on all fours and ate, slept and lived as did his canine caretakers.
His future was not much brighter—destined to be a ward of the state, institutionalized and in isolation for the remaining years of his life. But House of Mercy stepped in and took Vitya into one of their homes. House of Mercy provides loving, Christian care for neglected and abused children. For Vitya, this meant learning to eat with utensils, standing and walking upright and talking like other boys and girls. Today, his days are now filled with family, church and school—a place of childhood comfort and belonging.
Joyce Meyer Ministries’s Hand of Hope, partners with House of Mercy and helps make a home for Vitya and others like him, saving them from some of the darkest and dirtiest corners of society and caring for them day after day. Thank you for your continued prayers and support through Joyce Meyer Ministries. It is only because of you that we can fulfill our goal of sharing Christ and helping those in need.
He suffered from Mowgli syndrome, named after the child-character popularized by the Disney movie, The Jungle Book. Once an urban legend and mythological story, the unbelievable reality is that Vitya is one of many afflicted in this manner—acting in every way as would a dog. He barked instead of speaking, maneuvered on all fours and ate, slept and lived as did his canine caretakers.
His future was not much brighter—destined to be a ward of the state, institutionalized and in isolation for the remaining years of his life. But House of Mercy stepped in and took Vitya into one of their homes. House of Mercy provides loving, Christian care for neglected and abused children. For Vitya, this meant learning to eat with utensils, standing and walking upright and talking like other boys and girls. Today, his days are now filled with family, church and school—a place of childhood comfort and belonging.
Joyce Meyer Ministries’s Hand of Hope, partners with House of Mercy and helps make a home for Vitya and others like him, saving them from some of the darkest and dirtiest corners of society and caring for them day after day. Thank you for your continued prayers and support through Joyce Meyer Ministries. It is only because of you that we can fulfill our goal of sharing Christ and helping those in need.
Hand of Hope is the missions arm of Joyce Meyer Ministries. Our goal is simply to help as many hurting people as we possibly can, to alleviate human suffering and to help Christians grow in their faith.
