Summer Camp 2007
This June Open Arms put on a two week summer camp program for the children of the Pravda orphanage. It was clear throughout our time with the children that God was working overtime to help us accomplish our goals and truly bless these beautiful children. Sashko, our translator, was a complete blessing in our lives as a team. He went above and beyond anything we could’ve expected and helped us in countless ways throughout our weeks in Ukraine. Our days at Pravda were filled with some of our favorite activities with the kids such as soccer games, break dance parties, and swimming in the river. We were also given more time to spend building relationships with the children we love so much. As an added blessing, we had the opportunity to spend time with some of Pravda’s graduates from last year. The time with these kids was a beautiful way to deepen our relationships with them. At the same time, it was a painfully eye-opening experience to the reality of how quickly the statistics become the lives of these children after they leave the orphanage. This trip was key in the continual development of our relationship with the orphanage director and the teachers as well. Nina, the director, gave us the green light to continue our ministry and visits throughout the year at the orphanage. Overall, God’s love for these beautiful children was driven even deeper into our hearts and our desire and commitment to love and care for them has never been stronger. We are excited for the incredible privilege of sharing God’s grace and love with these children and continuing our ministry to them.
Graduation
One of our major focuses for this trip was the kids of the graduating class; on May 31st, 45 amazing children “graduated” from the Pravda orphanage. It was an amazing blessing for Open Arms to be there for this event and to show our support for the kids who we are privileged to know and to have watched grow up over the last few years. We were able to give each of the graduates a gift, including a brand new blanket, beanie, clothes, a watch, school supplies and other things that will help them as they prepare to leave the orphanage and begin the next stage of their lives in just 2 months. Getting to know these kids in the time we have spent at Pravda over the last few years has been an honor and a gift. The statistics that are typical for these orphan “graduates” in Ukraine are heartbreaking. For many of the Pravda graduates, the orphanage is the only “home” and their friends the only “family” they have had for the majority of their lives. Realities sink in quickly as they are suddenly forced to learn to live life on their own without proper food, shelter and support at such a young age. These kids are a huge part of our focus in ministry and we look forward to years of continuing to love support the kids of this class and many others.
The Shipment
One of the highlights of our trip was the arrival of the shipment we sent the end of last year. We spent months collecting, sorting and organizing donations to bring to the children of Pravda. Many of you spent time and money putting together presents for each of the kids at the orphanage. We sent these gifts, and many other supplies – blankets, beanies, socks, crafts, games, toys, etc. – to the orphanage in a large cargo container at the end of last year. We learned a great deal in this process and on June 13th, a truck filled with 126 boxes arrived at the Pravda orphanage. We were able to give gifts to every single child at the orphanage; with special attention given to the orphans facing life on their own in a matter of months. Seeing the joy
and excitement on their faces as we handed each of them their gifts and watching them walk proudly wearing their new clothes was well worth the work put into collecting, sort-ing, organizing and shipping it to Ukraine. Thank you so much for those of you who bought presents, participated in the blanket drive, brought donated items, gave money to help pay for shipping, or simply prayed for it all to get there safely! There is no way we would have been able to do this without your help. Through this, God’s love was once again showed in tangible ways to these beautiful children.
Long Term Ministry
The ministry of Open Arms is one based, not solely on a program, but primarily on our relationships with the children. A large part of the purpose of Open Arms is to provide for the physical needs of the Pravda graduates and also to support them both emotionally and spiritually. The graduates of this years’ class will be going to over 15 different trade schools spread out over the Sumy region. Lord willing, by the end of August, the Open Arms team will be moving to Sumy. Our purpose will be to provide a home that is a place where they feel like family and know that they are safe, cared for and loved. Because they will not all be located in one city, this home will be a safe haven for them to come to at any time they need a place to go. These graduates are often without a home and it is common for them to find themselves in crime and prostitution as a means of survival. With your support, we will be able to provide a home where they can always find a safe place to sleep, a warm meal to fill their stomachs, and the love and support they need to help encourage them in life. We believe that by providing for their physical needs while loving them in the place they are in, we will be sharing the gospel of Christ in a tangible way that will be the most understandable way for them to receive.
While the graduates are a major focus of our
ministry, there are still around 200 kids living in the Pravda orphanage. The Open Arms team living in Ukraine will be making weekly visits to the orphanage to continue our ministry there, both to the orphans of Pravda as well as the director and teachers. We will be further building trust and relationships with the children while providing activities and Bible studies there weekly, as well as putting on a camp program for them in summers and winters. Open Arms is looking to purchase a small house near Pravda so that we are better able to function in our ministry there. This home will provide a place for us to stay when we are running camp and different activities throughout the year and it will also be a place for graduates to stay, as many come back to visit friends and siblings still at the orphanage. We are excited to see the impact that faithfully displaying the love of God will have on the orphanage and even community of the village surrounding the orphanage.
A Face of Open Arms
This is Sasha Pevniv – to sum it up, Sasha is someone who just makes you smile. He loves to make people laugh and his own laughter can fill a room so beautifully. Recognized as one of the kids with great natural leadership abilities and intelligence, he was transferred to another orphanage that would provide him with more opportunities. However, Sasha, missing his close friendships in Pravda, decided to come back in order to be with his friends. The brotherhood that ex
ists amongst these boys is the only family that most of them have, including Sasha. After his mother abandoned him when he was only 8-years-old, his only relative is an aunt, with whom he spent the summer in 2006. He described it as a bad experience and said he never wants to go back. He would rather be at the orphanage. Definitely one of the most popular and influential kids in the school, instead of being feared amongst the others, he is mostly respected by all. Full of charisma, Sasha is someone who can win over anyone with his charm upon first meeting them. People are drawn to him due to his natural upbeat and truly friendly nature. He is always full of energy and rarely complains even in the midst of actual, physical pain. However, beneath all his charm and natural extroversion, Sasha has a sensitive side that is so beautiful to witness. He is able to reach out to others when they are in pain, being there for them and showing them that he truly cares. He is genuine in his actions and emotions, whether they are moments full of joy or pain. He embraces life and makes you want to live life more fully as he does so despite the harsh circumstances of the life he faces alone. He longs to be loved and soaks up all the love and attention that is given to him. He longs for care and support as he is there for those around him. I have been truly blessed just to know such an amazing young man. And I consider it one of the greatest honors in my life to call Sasha not only a friend, but a brother.
-Annie Carbonaro
Fundraising
Open Arms has many hopes and dreams for the children of Pravda as well as many plans and goals to help these dreams become reality. The team is planning to move by August 22nd and our goal is have $75,000 for our all start-up costs by the time we leave. This money will go to the purchase and furnishing of a home in the city of Sumy and a house in Ivonivka, the village the Pravda orphanage is in. Our goals are big, but we trust in a God who can provide everything we need and more to allow us to carry out our ministry to these kids. We cannot do this on our own. Any amount you can give will help us reach this goal and bring God’s love to the otherwise forgotten orphans. Checks can be made out to Open Arms Ukraine and mailed to 17049 Via Flores, San Lorenzo, CA, 94580. We are also in need of people who want to partner with us in this ministry by financially supporting us on a monthly basis. Please pray about how God may be moving you to share what He has given you and become a part of what Open Arms is doing to love the orphans of Pravda.
Get Involved
Open Arms would love to see you getting involved in our ministry by helping to raise support. We are blessed to be the ones doing the actual work in Ukraine, but we certainly cannot keep this going without your help. We have had friends, family, businesses, churches and youth groups that have taken the initiative to tell others, sell bracelets, organize benefit concerts, car washes and clothes drives. A ten-year-old girl and her friends even went door-to-door around their neighborhood asking people if they could wash cars and walk dogs to help raise money for Open Arms. Please contact us and we will gladly send you pictures, flyers or bracelets if you would like for you to have at a car wash, bake sale or some other event you may organize. We would also love, as time and travel may permit, to speak at your church, youth group, Bible study, club or other event. Feel free to contact us about any information you would like to receive about Open Arms or if you would like to set something up to have part of the Open Arms team speak.
This June Open Arms put on a two week summer camp program for the children of the Pravda orphanage. It was clear throughout our time with the children that God was working overtime to help us accomplish our goals and truly bless these beautiful children. Sashko, our translator, was a complete blessing in our lives as a team. He went above and beyond anything we could’ve expected and helped us in countless ways throughout our weeks in Ukraine. Our days at Pravda were filled with some of our favorite activities with the kids such as soccer games, break dance parties, and swimming in the river. We were also given more time to spend building relationships with the children we love so much. As an added blessing, we had the opportunity to spend time with some of Pravda’s graduates from last year. The time with these kids was a beautiful way to deepen our relationships with them. At the same time, it was a painfully eye-opening experience to the reality of how quickly the statistics become the lives of these children after they leave the orphanage. This trip was key in the continual development of our relationship with the orphanage director and the teachers as well. Nina, the director, gave us the green light to continue our ministry and visits throughout the year at the orphanage. Overall, God’s love for these beautiful children was driven even deeper into our hearts and our desire and commitment to love and care for them has never been stronger. We are excited for the incredible privilege of sharing God’s grace and love with these children and continuing our ministry to them.Graduation
One of our major focuses for this trip was the kids of the graduating class; on May 31st, 45 amazing children “graduated” from the Pravda orphanage. It was an amazing blessing for Open Arms to be there for this event and to show our support for the kids who we are privileged to know and to have watched grow up over the last few years. We were able to give each of the graduates a gift, including a brand new blanket, beanie, clothes, a watch, school supplies and other things that will help them as they prepare to leave the orphanage and begin the next stage of their lives in just 2 months. Getting to know these kids in the time we have spent at Pravda over the last few years has been an honor and a gift. The statistics that are typical for these orphan “graduates” in Ukraine are heartbreaking. For many of the Pravda graduates, the orphanage is the only “home” and their friends the only “family” they have had for the majority of their lives. Realities sink in quickly as they are suddenly forced to learn to live life on their own without proper food, shelter and support at such a young age. These kids are a huge part of our focus in ministry and we look forward to years of continuing to love support the kids of this class and many others.The Shipment
One of the highlights of our trip was the arrival of the shipment we sent the end of last year. We spent months collecting, sorting and organizing donations to bring to the children of Pravda. Many of you spent time and money putting together presents for each of the kids at the orphanage. We sent these gifts, and many other supplies – blankets, beanies, socks, crafts, games, toys, etc. – to the orphanage in a large cargo container at the end of last year. We learned a great deal in this process and on June 13th, a truck filled with 126 boxes arrived at the Pravda orphanage. We were able to give gifts to every single child at the orphanage; with special attention given to the orphans facing life on their own in a matter of months. Seeing the joy
and excitement on their faces as we handed each of them their gifts and watching them walk proudly wearing their new clothes was well worth the work put into collecting, sort-ing, organizing and shipping it to Ukraine. Thank you so much for those of you who bought presents, participated in the blanket drive, brought donated items, gave money to help pay for shipping, or simply prayed for it all to get there safely! There is no way we would have been able to do this without your help. Through this, God’s love was once again showed in tangible ways to these beautiful children.Long Term Ministry
The ministry of Open Arms is one based, not solely on a program, but primarily on our relationships with the children. A large part of the purpose of Open Arms is to provide for the physical needs of the Pravda graduates and also to support them both emotionally and spiritually. The graduates of this years’ class will be going to over 15 different trade schools spread out over the Sumy region. Lord willing, by the end of August, the Open Arms team will be moving to Sumy. Our purpose will be to provide a home that is a place where they feel like family and know that they are safe, cared for and loved. Because they will not all be located in one city, this home will be a safe haven for them to come to at any time they need a place to go. These graduates are often without a home and it is common for them to find themselves in crime and prostitution as a means of survival. With your support, we will be able to provide a home where they can always find a safe place to sleep, a warm meal to fill their stomachs, and the love and support they need to help encourage them in life. We believe that by providing for their physical needs while loving them in the place they are in, we will be sharing the gospel of Christ in a tangible way that will be the most understandable way for them to receive.
While the graduates are a major focus of our
ministry, there are still around 200 kids living in the Pravda orphanage. The Open Arms team living in Ukraine will be making weekly visits to the orphanage to continue our ministry there, both to the orphans of Pravda as well as the director and teachers. We will be further building trust and relationships with the children while providing activities and Bible studies there weekly, as well as putting on a camp program for them in summers and winters. Open Arms is looking to purchase a small house near Pravda so that we are better able to function in our ministry there. This home will provide a place for us to stay when we are running camp and different activities throughout the year and it will also be a place for graduates to stay, as many come back to visit friends and siblings still at the orphanage. We are excited to see the impact that faithfully displaying the love of God will have on the orphanage and even community of the village surrounding the orphanage.A Face of Open Arms
This is Sasha Pevniv – to sum it up, Sasha is someone who just makes you smile. He loves to make people laugh and his own laughter can fill a room so beautifully. Recognized as one of the kids with great natural leadership abilities and intelligence, he was transferred to another orphanage that would provide him with more opportunities. However, Sasha, missing his close friendships in Pravda, decided to come back in order to be with his friends. The brotherhood that ex
ists amongst these boys is the only family that most of them have, including Sasha. After his mother abandoned him when he was only 8-years-old, his only relative is an aunt, with whom he spent the summer in 2006. He described it as a bad experience and said he never wants to go back. He would rather be at the orphanage. Definitely one of the most popular and influential kids in the school, instead of being feared amongst the others, he is mostly respected by all. Full of charisma, Sasha is someone who can win over anyone with his charm upon first meeting them. People are drawn to him due to his natural upbeat and truly friendly nature. He is always full of energy and rarely complains even in the midst of actual, physical pain. However, beneath all his charm and natural extroversion, Sasha has a sensitive side that is so beautiful to witness. He is able to reach out to others when they are in pain, being there for them and showing them that he truly cares. He is genuine in his actions and emotions, whether they are moments full of joy or pain. He embraces life and makes you want to live life more fully as he does so despite the harsh circumstances of the life he faces alone. He longs to be loved and soaks up all the love and attention that is given to him. He longs for care and support as he is there for those around him. I have been truly blessed just to know such an amazing young man. And I consider it one of the greatest honors in my life to call Sasha not only a friend, but a brother.-Annie Carbonaro
Fundraising
Open Arms has many hopes and dreams for the children of Pravda as well as many plans and goals to help these dreams become reality. The team is planning to move by August 22nd and our goal is have $75,000 for our all start-up costs by the time we leave. This money will go to the purchase and furnishing of a home in the city of Sumy and a house in Ivonivka, the village the Pravda orphanage is in. Our goals are big, but we trust in a God who can provide everything we need and more to allow us to carry out our ministry to these kids. We cannot do this on our own. Any amount you can give will help us reach this goal and bring God’s love to the otherwise forgotten orphans. Checks can be made out to Open Arms Ukraine and mailed to 17049 Via Flores, San Lorenzo, CA, 94580. We are also in need of people who want to partner with us in this ministry by financially supporting us on a monthly basis. Please pray about how God may be moving you to share what He has given you and become a part of what Open Arms is doing to love the orphans of Pravda.
Get Involved
Open Arms would love to see you getting involved in our ministry by helping to raise support. We are blessed to be the ones doing the actual work in Ukraine, but we certainly cannot keep this going without your help. We have had friends, family, businesses, churches and youth groups that have taken the initiative to tell others, sell bracelets, organize benefit concerts, car washes and clothes drives. A ten-year-old girl and her friends even went door-to-door around their neighborhood asking people if they could wash cars and walk dogs to help raise money for Open Arms. Please contact us and we will gladly send you pictures, flyers or bracelets if you would like for you to have at a car wash, bake sale or some other event you may organize. We would also love, as time and travel may permit, to speak at your church, youth group, Bible study, club or other event. Feel free to contact us about any information you would like to receive about Open Arms or if you would like to set something up to have part of the Open Arms team speak.The Heart of Our Ministry
The more our vision becomes solidified and as we move forward with developing our ministry, the clearer it is that everything we have done and will do is revolved around our relationships with these amazing children. As God has blessed us with being able to spend over three and a half months with these children, over the past two years, He has also extremely blessed us by helping us grow some intense friendships with them. We have gotten to know these children more and more each trip, and each time our vision becomes a little clearer in how we can best love and care for them. We know more of where they are at with God and the struggles that they will be facing in life. One of us summed it up with this: “How can we explain what our ministry is? Our ministry is Sasha, Andre, Kolya, Sergey, Vitalik....” Consisting of very specific
friendships, our ministry will strive to demonstrate the love of Christ by not only helping to care for their physical needs but by continuing to walk with them in life and be there for them when no one else will be. These children are very much alone, in a world that has abandoned, abused, and forgotten them. When we stop to think how amazing each child is, how they have such an ability to care for others, or how they are so generous, or when we see their natural leadership abilities and charisma, we are blown away with the blessing it is to know them. God has truly given us such a beautiful gift in allowing us to be friends with these children. Our ultimate goal is to show them the love of God, that calls each one of them to come to Him as they are and find comfort in His arms that will never let them go.- Laura Oyen
Prayer Requests
· Fundraising – our plans for ministry cannot be accomplished without the necessary financial support. Pray God would provide the supporters who can help us raise the funds we need to bring God’s love and grace to these children
· The hearts of the staff and teachers at the orphanage – pray that as we are interacting with these people that God would soften their hearts to the gospel and that they would be able to accept his gift of salvation
· The graduates – at the end of August, these kids will leave the orphanage and enter a frightening new stage of life out on their own. Pray that they would be we would be encouraged and motivated as they enter their respective trade schools and that they would not fall into the unhealthy activities that so many orphans often do
· Our home in Ukraine – pray that we would be able to find and have the funds to purchase a home both in Sumy and in the village so that we can provide the support needed for the kids
· Preparation for the move – there are still a lot of things that need to fall into place before we can move. Pray that we would get all the paperwork settled with our sending organization and our visas, and that we would have the needed amount of monthly support
· Language studies – pray for us as we are learning to speak the language both before we leave and once we have moved
Thank You
There will never be a way we fully show our gratitude for the support so many of you have shown as we take on this dream. Stories of prayers, support checks that come so faithfully, and generous gifts from so many – these are just a few of the examples of the ways you have encouraged us. If we could express the way that these kids are being blessed and the changes we are seeing in their lives, you might understand how grateful we are for all of you. Our dreams of hope for the children that we love cannot and will not be accomplished without your continued prayer and financial support. God’s hand is moving in the hearts of the children and you are a part of that. Thank you.
