On February 7, in the city of Lomonosov, Leningrad Region, through the efforts of several Seventh-day Adventists, Orange Tree, a health food store, was opened. With the opening of the store, the city health center also began its work . Being in the center of Lomonosov, it has already begun to attract the townspeople not only with healthy food, but with master classes in the preparation of healthy food as well.

“Once,” says Anna Sheplyakova, “I heard about such a project as a health food store. I really wanted to implement this project in our city. For some time we worked in a health center near St. Petersburg and now we decided to establish a health center, the first step of which was to open a store. "

Initially, the city of Lomonosov was called Oranienbaum, which translated from German means orange, or orange tree. The fruit tree has always been a reminder of the miracle of the Garden of Eden. Therefore, in the name of the store, the organizers reflected on the health and freshness that have always been in paradise. The city of Lomonosov itself is located in the Petrodvortsov district of St. Petersburg and, as it were, is a city within a city. The store has become not just a point of sale, but above all a place where a person gets acquainted with the principles of health: first the physical and then the spiritual.

Every person needs food, no matter what religion he may adhere to. Therefore, in the store, volunteers meet different people. If a conversation is struck, the team communicates with people about health, that man is created by God and is amazingly arranged. Visitors are offered books on healthy lifestyles and spiritual life.

During the cooking classes, the organizers teach people how to cook healthy food and give lectures on healthy lifestyles. Particularly popular are children's cooking classes, which are attended by children with their parents.

Members of the Seventh-day Adventist community in Lomonosov pray and help the store's team in repairs, packaging, and holding master classes. Before the first customer entered the store, a special prayer of dedication to the Lord was performed. 

The store offers a wide range of healthy food items: whole grains, flour, different types of plant-based milk, tofu cheese, seeds, healthy sugar-free pastries, oils, diet foods and much more.

The team rejoices at the opportunity to serve the townspeople and believes that through this project, many people will learn about a loving Creator.

This article was originally published on the Euro-Asia Division’s news site