UKRAINE
October 2007 Update:
Reaching an Abandoned Generation
The Ukraine is the second largest country in Europe. It is roughly the size of Texas and is home to 47 million people. It is also home to an estimated 300,000 orphans who spend their formative years without parents to guide them and with no training for the future. When they reach 16 years of age, those orphans must leave the orphanage. The fortunate ones go on to college or a trade school. But every year the Ukraine loses thousands of teens when they have no other option but to turn to the streets at which point they often fall victim to hunger, drug abuse and alcoholism. That is why Feeding The Nations partnered with Heart to Heart International to reach the Ukraine's hurting children with $325,000 worth of food and supplies, and the Word of God.
The Ukraine is home to a generation of hurting children due to the imprisonment
of parents, or abandonment often because of suicide or alcoholism caused by economic hardship or Chernobyl-related illnesses. An estimated 300,000 orphans live either in the streets or in one of the 200 orphanages within the Ukraine, spending their formative years without parents to guide them and with no training for the future. At 16 years of age, they must leave the orphanage. Some go on to college or a trade school, but every year thousands of teens end up on the streets, where hunger, drug abuse and alcoholism tear them down.
Feeding The Nations (FTN) partnered with Heart to Heart International to reach the Ukraine's hurting children with $325,000 worth of food and supplies, and the Word of God. In October, a team visited several orphanages and a women's prison, and Pastor Steve shared the Good News during two services at Pastor Henry Madava's Victory Christian Church in the Ukraine - the country's second largest church.
Victory Christian Church assisted FTN in distributing the supplies. The church works with a drug rehabilitation center and arranged for men within that center to help load trucks each day. The volunteers drove five hours round trip just to help load the food and supplies into trucks for distribution. They asked for no money or food in return. All they wanted were prayers. Pastor Steve gladly joined them in a circle as he blessed them and prayed for them.
The team visited Radomishe Orphanage located 20 miles outside of the Chernobyl
forbidden zone. The orphanage cares for about 180 children - most of whom have lost their parents to cancer or alcohol. They also blessed an orphanage in Tripoly and one in Kiev that is home to 250 orphans. At each place, the team preached to the kids, performed skits and puppet shows, played games, and delivered a truckload of supplies, including rice and vegetable meals, canned vegetables, Kellogg's cereals and Pop Tarts, Dove hand soap, new shoes and clothing. The children were always dressed in their best and some even sang and danced for the team.
Randy Souza, FTN director, noted one big difference between their experience in the Ukraine and that of the U.S., "In the U.S., you can never share the Gospel with school kids. But everywhere we went in the Ukraine in the state run schools, we could always share with the kids about God's love for them. It was an awesome freedom."
The team also stopped at the Chernigov Women's Prison - home to 927 imprisoned
women. The guards first opposed the team's entrance until they saw the food at which point they immediately opened the doors and welcomed the team. Pastor Steve preached and a music team sang and gave their testimonies. Four of the five music team members were ex-cons who were set free both physically and spiritually by God. The prison also has a child care facility where children who are born to imprisoned mothers can stay from birth to age three, allowing the mothers the opportunity to be with their children each day.
Even after the team departed, our Ukrainian partners have been instructed to continue distributing the supplies to the 15 orphanages, 2 prisons and 5 churches. Some will take nine hours to reach, but very soon they will see God's love for them in a very tangible way.
Thank you to those of you who felt the calling to reach this hurting generation with your monetary assistance. Your help has touched the lives of so many children who have already had a rough past. And with your continued support, we can help break the cycle and give them hope and assurance for the future.
Additional images in the photo gallery
UKRAINE UPDATE
AUGUST 2007:
Three forty foot containers filled with over 110,368 pounds of fortified rice and soy protein meal packages (270,864 meals), canned vegetables, cereal, pop tarts, vitamins, soap, new clothes and new shoes are on its way to the Ukraine. All three containers are due to arrive mid September in Kiev. Feeding The Nations will be working with a well established ministry in the Ukraine called "Heart to Heart". We have partnered with this ministry many times. Our FTN team will be in the Ukraine October 5-11 to distribute these items to orphanages, hospitals and prisons. The total project value is over $325,000.
See additional images in photo gallery