It has been a part of Open Arms Ukraine’s vision from the beginning to get full time workers from Ukraine invested in our ministry with the children from the Pravdinska Orphanage. After a great deal of prayer and discussions, we are excited to announce that Alexander Petrov (Sashko) will be joining our ministry full-time as soon as we are able to raise the necessary funds. Sashko will be focusing on our orphanage programming – camps, relationship building, the 8^th and 9^th grade program as well as special programs when needed. We are excited to have another member to the team; one whose heart aligns with our vision and ministry and someone who deeply loves the Lord and His children in Ukraine.
Sashko took the time to put his heart into words as best as he could and here is a little bit of what he had to say about the call on his heart to join Open Arms Ukraine’s ministry in the city of Sumy:

Two years ago I had the privilege of spending two weeks with the Open Arms Ukraine team working as an interpreter at the Pravdinska Orphanage. Often when I tell people about it, I recall the very first day we arrived. It was a hot Ukrainian afternoon as we walked through a village and big field in hopes of making our way to the orphanage. As we got there the children immediately swarmed around the team who dropped all of their belongings and just kept hugging those kids. I stood there thinking these were going to be two long weeks at some orphanage in the middle of nowhere with as many luxuries as a room intended for horses, a river, and an outhouse could provide.

Little did I know that two hours later my heart would connect with some of the most sincere and open kids I have ever met. Two years later, I know that those two weeks spent at the Pravdinska orphanage were some of the most beautiful and blessed days of my life; those days had changed me forever. Today, I can’t picture my life without those children, their friendship and their love while being allowed to have God reach them through me.

This summer I was able to be a part of Open Arms Ukraine summer camp at the Pravdinska Orphanage and God absolutely blessed us in that time. God provided the means, the people and, above all, his Grace. It was a fruitful time for both us and the children. In my group of 18 kids, five accepted the Lord as their Savior. For one young girl, Alina, she withstands ridicule from teachers and classmate as she commits to reading her Bible and learning more of what it means to follow God. It is our prayer and hope that God helps them overcome all of the sarcasm and insult they receive that they may continue to walk with Him.

A couple of months ago I was asked to pray about moving to Sumy to join the Open Arms team there full time. The Lord has begun to answer my prayers in guiding me towards taking that step and moving. My heart for the children is this: that they come to know the Lord Jesus Christ personally, to have a foundation in pure and solid Biblical doctrine; that they will not only adjust to life after the orphanage successfully, but they will grow into solid men and women of God, who are examples for other and take God’s calling in their lives.

Open Arms Ukraine has laid a solid foundation: building relationships with so many children as well as with the staff at the orphanage and various trade schools through the Sumy region. I consider it a great privilege to join the work God is doing through this ministry.

As I move to Sumy my desire is to continue the work with the children at the orphanage as well as the graduates from the Pravdinska orphanage. As the Lord leads, I hope to begin weekly Bible Studies at the orphanage as I continue to develop personal friendships with the children there. I am full of hope to be used by God in fruitful ways concerning the weekly ministry with the graduates by being open and available for the work God has planned for me. I have learned that for the most part time is a necessity in getting through the walls these children have spent years building, but my heart is to do what is required of me in caring for God’s children while leaving the rest to Him with the expectation to see lasting fruit someday.

Sashko’s heart is clear and we are excited to have him as a part of our team for countless reasons. His connection with the children and compassion towards them can only take place through God’s leading. If you would like to join us in prayer concerning this new addition to our ministry your name can be added to an e-mail list by sending an e-mail titled “Sashko” to OpenArmsMinistry@gmail.com.
Our goal is to raise monthly support of $500 to go towards Sashko’s living and ministry expenses. If you would like to take part in this through monthly giving or a one-time donation checks should be made out to Open Arms Ukraine and sent to P.O. Box 277, San Lorenzo, CA 94580 with “Sashko” written in the memo line. If you desire to join us in monthly giving, please indicate so with an enclosed note or by sending us an e-mail. We are excited to share with you all that God does in and through this in our ministry.
Thank you all so very much,
The Open Arms Ukraine Team

Post-Orphanage 2009 Ministry Kick-off!

Tonight Open Arms had the privilege of beginning a new ministry within the city of Sumy for the kids who just finished the 9th grade at the Pravdinsky Orphanage. 11 children from the orphanage have recently started their trade school education in the city of Sumy where the Open Arms team resides. It has been years of praying and dreaming that led us to this night.

6 children excitedly joined our team of 8 in a small church building within the city. Introductions were made to the new team members joining us from various churches throughout the city and the night ensued with laughter, thought-provoking questions, conversations, and an overall environment that proclaimed "come as you are."

One of the best parts of the night was simply watching the kids open up with one another and our team. After picking them up from their trade schools an excitement seemed to fill the bus as we made our way to the church. They were once again with the friends they have grown up with and people who love them dearly for who they are. Trade schools are a lonely place and these children are lost in city life with little to do in their days. Finishing up the night, we couldn't stop smiling from the joy that came during our time together.

Plans are to continue with these weekly meetings with the focus of showing these kids what it means to follow Christ. This is simply the beginning of what we hope develops into life transformation. Alongside these weekly meetings we will also be working as a team to connect with each individual child during the week. Simple coffee dates and meals together wherein we can mentor and be tools that draw these children closer to their Heavenly Father.

For all the prayers, encouragement, and support that led to this night - we thank you! We are excited to share with you all the miracles and trials God brings about in the road that lies ahead!

Open Arms July Newsletter

July 2009

Super Camp

For 10 days in June, the children and grounds of the Pravdinksa orphanage were buzzing with the excitement of a super hero summer camp. A team of 14 super-leaders from Ukraine and America lead about 120 kids split into 6 super-teams in various daily activities and events. There were games, crafts, Bible lesson, competitions, slip-n-slides, parties, classes and even a hidden Batman worth points for your team! Each day in our lessons the kids were taught about an certain attribute of who God is. His grace, love, faithfulness and compassion were just some of what we were able to share with these children. It was amazing, watching God work in the lives of these kids throughout our time there and in relationships with their leaders. Our team worked hard all 10 days loving on these kids and sharing Christ with them. Please read further to see what two of our American team members had to say about camp this year.

Meet Lena

That first day when I saw Leana in the crush of kids crowding our porch, I thought she was a boy. Along with the baggy secondhand clothes, her deep voice, close-cropped hair and rough exterior made her appear anything but feminine. When I discovered she was in my group and asked Melissa to remind me what the name of that boy was, I’ll never forget her response: “That’s actually a girl, her name is Leana, and you’re not the first person to make that mistake.”

I don’t know her story of where she came from or how she got to the Pravda orphanage, but I’m sure it must be a crazy one. All week long I watched as Leana sauntered around the orphanage, mostly on her own. When I did see her with other kids, she was often verbally bossing or physically pushing them around. Most times I think we wrote her off as “that crazy girl,” and she never did much to change our opinions.

Then came picnic day! Each of the camp’s 6 teams headed down to the river with bags of juice and soda, cookies and chips, for some bonding and fun. In the midst of the feeding frenzy, some slight confusion left Leana out of our party. Angrily she stalked off to the river on her own, the lone outsider among the celebrants.

Towards the end of the picnic, I finally learned what had happened. Most of the kids had returned to the river and most of the food was gone, but I rushed around to gather what leftovers I could. I brought my scavenged 2 cups of juice and box of chip-like things to a quiet spot on the edge of the river and called for Leana to come join me for a private picnic, not knowing if she would continue to sulk or accept my invitation.

What happened next caught me completely by surprise. Leana came and sat, but not for long. On her way out of the water and up the bank, she’d spotted a boy from our group who looked like he was having a bad day. Before I knew it, my tough little tomboy had her cup of juice in hand and was off at a brisk pace to offer her drink; he turned her down. So she returned for our picnic–and took off a second time to offer him our last box of chips. Again, he refused (the little punk), so she offered them to other kids and teachers instead. I sat in amazement at this simple act. Coming from someone else, maybe it wasn’t such a big deal. But from Leana, that simple act was so out of character and spoke volumes. We sat, enjoying the rest of our picnic in the summer sun, and I shot up a quick prayer of thanks and asked God to continue softening these kids’ hearts towards each other and him.

-Kari Bachle

Loving Like Jesus

A lot of people asked me what I was hoping to accomplish by going to an orphanage in Ukraine, and working with kids who, according to the statistics, were doomed. And the answer was simple - God loves them.

Truth is, once there, I loved them. These kids are more full of life and love than any other group of kids I've ever worked with. I saw God work in Ukraine. I saw Him turn the lives of 5 kids toward Him. I saw Him give these kids hope, so that even if they become part of those statistics, that they will continue to have life.
It dawned on me while I was there, that maybe, for some of these kids, the best time of there lives maybe during these camps. And maybe for the first time, these kids would feel truly loved. And I thank God that He was able to use me in this way.

"We are not here to imitate the Holy Spirit, but to live a life that gives off God's fluorescence."

-Tony Ruiz

Thank You

Thank you again for all who have been apart of supporting us. We are so thankful for you. We know we could not be here without you. God truly blessed our summer camp.

Upcoming Events

Though this may be the first time we have talked about it in a newsletter, we have been in the process of trying to get everything together to bring one of our graduates to the states this summer. His name is Roman Yeremenko and we have worked closely with him for the past 3 years. On July 28^th, Roman has an appointment with the U.S. Embassy for an interview to see whether or not they will grant him a visa. Even though the time seems short, we have spent much time in prayer and believe that God will work it out according to His plan. Please check our blog for more details - www.openarmsukraine.blogspot.com. Open Arms has been blessed by a matching donation for this project! Please help us make this trip a reality for Roman. If you would like to donate specifically for Roman's trip to America, please make sure to write America or Roman in the memo line.

Prayer Needs

• Future ministry with the 5 kids who just recently accepted the Lord at camp. That God would put it on the hearts of Ukrainian Christians who would want to disciple them.
• Open doors at the juvenile colony we have been visiting and favor in the department that grants permission to continue visiting Sasha Pevniv.

• Roman's visa appointment. That he would really see God through all this process. And that we would be able to raise the financial support that we need in such a short time.
• There will be 12 new graduates coming to Sumy next year. That God would guide us specifically in our graduate ministry with this new group of kids.

Thank you again for your support! None of this is possible without you.

OpenArmsMinistry@gmail.com * PO Box 277, San Lorenzo, CA 94580-0277 * (510) 435 – 3625 * www.openarmsukraine.org

Superhero Summer Camp 2009

This summer for 10 days Open Arms ran our very first summer camp at the Pravdinski Orphanage. There were about 120 kids as some were gone for the summer. Each day was filled with bible lessons, crafts, all camp games, and spending time with the 14 American/Ukrainian leaders. Each day we taught about an attribute of God. We wanted to give the kids an idea about who God really since they have many false ideas about who God is. God's love, faithful, grace, trustworthiness, and holiness were some of the attributes that were clearly explained.

The whole camp was divided into 6 teams. We had a all camp competition to see whose team would be first. The point system was not just for winning the games but participating during bibles lessons, night meetings, having good sportsmanship, and working well together. Games such as capture the flag, a 75ft sheet of linoleum for a slip n slide, and relay races were some favorites. At the end of camp the winning team was treated to an ice cream party and served by the camp leaders.

The most exciting part of camp occurred on the very last day. After a lot of good discussions with their camp leaders about who God is 5 kids from the oldest group accepted the Lord. Praise God!

Thank you so much to all of you who contributed to this camp with prayer and financial support. We know that we could not have done this without you.

[To view more pictures from camp, click here to visit our myspace. And for videos, please click here to check out our youtube.]

Graduation 2009

Friday May 29th was a special day at the Pravdinsky Orphanage in Ivanivka. 23 children completed their 9th grade education and this day was used to celebrate their achievements. Open Arms has been privileged to watch these children grow into young men and women and we are proud to stand by them as they enter a new season in their lives. We are excited for the ways God will provide in our ministry to these graduates as they pursue further education and experience a new wave of freedom.

As a ministry, we were blessed to provide dresses for the girls of the class thanks to the support of so many. Enough dresses were given that the girls were able to find the perfect dress to suit them. Watching them try on dress after dress until their eyes lit up was such an amazing experience. As they looked in the mirror, their eyes told the emotions of their hearts - they felt truly beautiful.

Financial donations made it possible for us to help the orphanage purchase decorations for the overall day as well. Thank you to all of you who gave so graciously to help make this day special for these beautiful children. It was their day to shine and you helped make that possible.

We look forward to sharing with you all the trials and triumphs that will inevitably ensue as we walk alongside these children into the future.

Blessings,
The Open Arms Team

8th & 9th Grade Orphanage Ministry

In our graduate ministry we have always seen the need to build relationships with the older kids before they leave the orphanage. In the beginning of 2009 we began talking to a small group of Ukrainian Christians about joining us in our ministry these children. For the past 2 months, this group has joined the Open Arms team in Sumy to make once a month trips to run short programs for the oldest 2 classes at Pravda. Games, skits, contests and discussions have entertained the 30 kids and friendships between them and the Ukrainian team have already begun to form.



Our vision is that the individuals in this group can begin building relationships with these kids that will extend beyond their time in the orphanage. We hope that when these kids graduate and leave the orphanage and their world drastically changes, they have a strong, stable Christian friend that they can go to who can guild them with wisdom and share Christ's love.

Please join with us in praying for not only the children but also for the team. Pray that God will give us wisdom on how best to reach the kids' hearts.

January 2009

Graduation Dresses

For a kid in high school, prom is usually a highlight. For the children at the Pravda orphanage their graduation is their time to shine. The girls wear prom dresses, the boys in shirts and ties, and for that day, they are the stars. This year, economic crisis in Ukraine has escalated the prices of dresses even more than usual as orphanage support from the government has decreased. We have decided to see how we can help make this day special for the children at Pravda and are looking for your support. If you have a used prom dress, jewelry or dress shoes that you would like to donate, please contact us through e-mail (openarmsministry@gmail.com) or by phone [(510)435-3625)]. Monetary donations are also greatly appreciated as they can help us buy dresses here in Ukraine for these beautiful young ladies. Together we can share God’s love in this way and help make this graduation a day they never forget.

Aids Talks/Abortion

Ukraine ranks #1 in all of Europe, which includes 43 countries, for the prevalence of AIDs among adults. According to the UNAIDS report in late 2008, Ukraine and Russia are stated as the region with “the fastest growing HIV epidemic in the world with prevalence doubling since 2001” (avert.org as quoted from UNAIDS statistics). With this reality, we have seen an increasing need for awareness among the children we work with as many turn to sex at a very young age. On January 16^th, we held a two part lecture series for the oldest classes at the Pravda orphanage and we are set to do the same for the next classes in the coming weeks.

We have also received permission from the Sambir Juvenile Colony to hold the same lecture series for the young men there who are preparing for life outside those walls. Every day decisions are made, but we hope that with education some of those decisions may be altered for the better.

Alongside the AIDs lecture at Pravda, we will be holding an abortion program January 24^th with a young pregnant woman from a local Sumy church as the speaker. She will work with the oldest classes and share with them about the realities of pregnancy and what takes place with an abortion. Our goal is to inform these children of the truth behind the terminology used while shedding light on God’s truth in these subject areas.

Orphanage Ministry

Ever year we are faced with a new class of graduates from the Pravda orphanage and therefore our relationships there are of the upmost importance. If trust is not built with the children before they are placed in the trade school system, it is hard, if ever, to build trust to bring them to help. With this reality we have been building a team of Ukrainian volunteers from the local church who will be traveling with us monthly to the Pravda orphanage. They will focus their time on creating programs and building relationships with the 2 oldest classes that will hopefully lead to continued relationships beyond the children’s time there. Our goal and vision is to see long-lasting relationships developed that will lead not only to tangible help and support when the children are released from the orphanage, but also to a personal understanding of salvation in their lives.

OpenArmsMinistry@gmail.com * PO Box 277, San Lorenzo, CA 94580-0277 * (510) 435 - 3625

Watch Drive Update
Thank you so much to all of you who helped participate in our watch drive for the boys in the Sambir Juvenile Prison! We were able to bring enough watches for every one of the boys for Christmas! Because of your willingness to support and give, this enables us to be able to continue to do ministry in Sambir and brings a little bit of joy to these lost boys in prison. Thank you!

Another Yeremenko
Ira Yeremenko, age 23.
Ira is the oldest and the only girl with six brothers. We have worked with three of her brothers, Roman, Losha and Ivan, but had only ever briefly met her once. Upon returning to Ukraine, our translator got a disturbing call from Ira. She had been kidnapped and held in a nearby city for the last three months. She had been forced to work and beaten daily by a man who had a personal vendetta against her mom. After three months, she was finally able to get a hold of a phone and found a piece of paper in her pocket that she didn't know what in there. Ira had washed her pants seven times, not knowing that this paper, with numbers for her brothers and Sasha, our translator, was in the pocket. She found the paper and was surprised to see that it still looked like new, having no water damage to the phone numbers written on it. She tried each number and the only one that worked was Sasha's. Thanks to the help of a friend who works for the police, we were able to get the man to put Ira on a bus to Sumy and we picked her up at the bus station the following day.

Since arriving back in Sumy, the people in the local church have warmly accepted and showered her with God's love. Ira has now professed to accepting the Lord and has been filled with joy and a peace we didn't see when we first met her. Right now she is staying with us and looking for a job in Sumy. Ira strongly has it on her heart that her brothers, and even her mom, need to know that Lord and has spoken to them boldly about it from the moment they were reunited.

Upcoming Events
We will be making a trip to Pravda on the 6th to celebrate Ukrainian Christmas with the kids there. We will be bringing home-made American sweets and small gifts for each of the children.

Ukraine is the number one country for AIDS in Europe. We have been approved by the orphanage and the prison in Sambir to bring a small group and give a presentation on AIDS. An international organization called ACET - AIDS Care Education and Training - has developed a curriculum that we will be using. Both of the presentations will be some time in January.

Prayer Needs
Ira - Pray that God would continue to give her boldness in her new faith. Pray that she would be able to find a job and begin a new life in Sumy.
AIDS Presentations - Please pray that we would be able to find a couple more volunteers to help with the presentation in Sambir. Pray for the effectiveness of our times in both locations.
Finiancial Support - Continue to pray that we would receive the nessecary financial support for our ministry in Ukraine.
Local Church - Pray for God to work in the hearts of Ukrainian Christians as we reach out to try find more volunteers for our ministry.
Graduates - Please continue to pray for our graduates salvation.