A year to be THANKFUL for...

Thank you!!!!!!!

Thank you for helping make 2011 a fruitful and beautiful year in ministry!!! Thank you for the support you gave through financial donations, prayers, and countless words of encouragement!

More specifically, we want to thank all those who purchased dental work, winter clothes, and birthday cards for Christmas this year! 36 were purchased in total and are already going to work providing coats, cavity fillings, and birthday celebrations. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! 

Sasha and Sasha with new winter coats thanks to you!

Here are some highlights as outlined in our Christmas letter (in case we don't have your address). None of this would have been possible without you!!!

Village trips (Dusya, Melissa, Anika, and Valya)

HUMANITARIAN AID – Through your donations this past year, we were able to bless the Sambir Juvenile Colony with 12 new windows that would provide extra insulation to the 200 boys that reside there. Prom dresses and jeans were given to the orphanage’s graduating classes. Clothes, winter jackets, shoes, and hygiene items were provided yearlong to orphans throughout the Sumy region. Dental work and healthcare were provided to over 20 orphanage graduates as warm meals were provided daily for those children seeking a safe haven and better life. We are also thankful for the support we received to bring blankets, warm clothes, and food to children we know who are currently imprisoned.  

Fall Graduate Retreat

PROGRAMS – Summer camp and the fall graduate retreat were highlights of 2011 for our team and the orphanage graduates.  Over 40 orphans were ministered to through these days filled with games, Bible lessons, worship, and more! Weekly visits to trade schools, mentorship with orphanage graduates in villages, and connecting with children at the orphanage were a big part of our regular routine. Let us not forget the many birthday celebrations throughout the year as well as the outreach programs that allowed us the opportunity to further connect with these beautiful children. And, as always, at the core of ministry are the ever-growing relationships within the Open Arms Home as we work towards transition for these amazing kids!

Summer Camp (Camp of 1000 UNO games)

Orphanage Visits

Trade School Visits (Putival)

Vova  – Vova began study at a trade school in Sumy this year, thus brining him to full time residency in the Open Arms Home.  He plays on the schools volleyball team and has participated in their dance programs as well.

Roman – Roman has faced a challenging year, but his drive and determination continue to push him to live a better life. He is currently studying at trade school in Sumy, living and working in the Open Arms Home, and actively involved in the church floorball team.

Birthday Celebrations

SP – Following his release from the Sambir Juvenile Colony, Sasha has flourished. Recently baptized, his faith continually grows. He is also studying in Sumy and has begun to work in ministry with Open Arms (including orphanage and prison visits). His activities include kickboxing and playing on the church floorball team.

SP's Baptism (October)

Dusya – Dusya relocated back to the village of the orphanage spring of this year. She gave birth to her second child, Andre, in September and presented Anika (Open Arms team member) and SP with the honors of becoming his godparents. Her recent dental work thanks to your generosity has given her a brighter smile as she seeks to live for God and share his life in her small village of Ivanivka.

Andre's Baptism (November)

Vitalik – Vitalik came into possession of a small house in Mezinivka this year. He finds jobs within his village to make a good life for himself as he turns his little house into a home.  Through your support, we have been able to help Vitalik get his feet on the ground in this endeavor!

Visit to help fix up Vitalik's house in the village

Though the updates could go on and on, what we really wanted to say is that GOD IS SO GOOD! Looking back at this past year we are constantly reminded of how much He has given us as a ministry. We are so thankful for each of you as you have played a critical role in making all of this possible.

From our Family to yours,

The Open Arms Ukraine American Team 2011

Anika Bachle, Mike Loso, Chelsea Rollins, Melissa Keane, and Annie Carbonaro

“Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let them say among the nations, “The LORD reigns” 1 Chronicles, 16:1

THIS CHRISTMAS

Thanks to those who have already chosen to purchase the gift of dental work this Christmas, we were given the opportunity to take Dusya to the dentist and get her all fixed up! Many of you may have heard of Dusya from us in the past. She recently gave birth to her second child and works harder than anyone I know - hand washing clothes from well water through winter, outhouse runs in the snow with her daughter... standing at 4' 10", she is easily the littlest, but strongest woman I know. 

Anika, Open Arms team member, was the gracious and patient "parent" in the dentist situation. Taking trips to the village to help Dusya with her two kids on the train, waiting hours at the dentist while the work was completed, and paying the bill when all was said and done. 4 weeks, x-rays, 2 root canals, 2 fillings, and a new tooth later - Dusya is smiling bigger than we have seen in years!

Dusya's amazing smile right after all her dental work was finished. 

After children finish the orphanage much of their medical and dental help finishes as well. Years following graduation with lack of proper hygiene have led to this problem in many of our graduates. Our hope is to put the hard work in to get them each smiling bright now and continue to teach them how to take care of their teeth in the years to come. Consider joining us this Christmas in this endeavor. Check out this past blog to get the details: http://t.co/e0GSpPEN Watch the slideshow and think of this gift sitting under the tree!

THE GRATITUDE GROWS DEEPER

Today Melissa and I had the opportunity to visit Vitalik in the village of Mezinivka. The weather has grown colder making day trips like these much more daunting, but I'm so glad we made our way to see him. 

After Dusya, Sergei, and Vala headed back to the village of Ivanivka, Vitalik was given possession of the small house they were leaving behind. He's worked hard to make it his own, but with little jobs available in the village he has a long way to go. 

Vitalik's "heater" for his house.

We found Vitalik working hard building a fence for the village's sports field when we first arrived. We had brought along wallpaper for his kitchen and were able to pay off his debt at the local store for food. More than anything, today reminded me how grateful I am to still be a part of Vitalik's life after all these years.

Vitalik is no longer the little 7^th grader with bleached blonde bangs we met years ago. He continues to struggle to maneuver his way through life and walking alongside him in his struggles is a privilege that goes beyond words.

Then: Our first summer with Vitalik - 2005

When we first started as a ministry, many people told me I needed to forget kids like Vitalik… the kids that had stolen my heart, but were too old to help, too troubled, too far gone – I need to set my sights on the younger kids. For many, Vitalik’s age wasn’t the only thing working against him. He had a great deal of anger towards authority and his stubbornness brought a lot of trouble his way. But what I saw, and still see, was an honest heart seeking to be loved. 

Now: After our day visiting with Vitalik

He was so grateful for the help we brought along today and his smile said it all. For me, I was so grateful to see a kid who is growing up, working hard, and in my life against all the odds after so many years. A little brother - that’s my gift and that is why I am so thankful for every single person who has believed, prayed, and encouraged to get us to this point in ministry. Because of your help and support, Vitalik wasn’t left behind and I am so thankful for that! 

THANK YOU!

We are so thankful for everyone who supports us and allows us to be here in Ukraine. Yesterday we celebrated Thanksgiving with our little family here and that would not have been possible without your support and prayers. Thank you!!

CHRISTMAS FUNDRAISER!

To donate, click the "DONATE" button on the right-hand side of the webpage. In the Paypal notes, please include which ministry you'd like your $25 to go to (Dental, Birthdays, or Warm Clothes) as well as your mailing address. Each card will come to your door tied with a ribbon and will include a full explanation of how your gift will be used. We so appreciate your support in these three crucial areas of our ministry! 

If you would like more information about Open Arms Ukraine or this fundraiser, please email us at OpenArmsMinistry@gmail.com.  And feel free to pass on this Christmas gift idea on to friends, family, churches, neighbors... :) Thank you and happy Christmas shopping!

Winter Newsletter 2011

FALL GRADUATE CAMP 2011

Last month we had our first ever Fall Grad retreat. It had been on all of our hearts to have this retreat at the start of the school year in order to support the most recent graduates as they transition into life at their trade schools. We ended up having 26 kids at camp which is our biggest group yet. We were joined by the recent grads as well as some of the older kids. The theme for camp was Freedom in Christ. Our days were full of morning and night meetings, worship, small group discussions, games, skits, crafts, American football, a bonfire and s’mores night, and fellowship.

Through the various teachings on Freedom in Christ, the kids were able to start thinking and applying it to their own lives. On one of the nights we focused on forgiveness and encouraged the kids to think of a sin in their own lives that they wanted freedom from. They wrote it down on a slip of paper and later had the opportunity to burn it in a bonfire. It was amazing to see God working in their hearts and to hear some of the questions that it was stirring up within them. We are praying that God continues to reveal to them the freedom He has in store.

Overall, we had an amazing time at camp and were so thankful for all that God did. Thank you to everyone who helped us with this camp through sponsorships and prayer. We could not have done it without your support!

A FACE OF OPEN ARMS - SASHA ZAKORKO

When I think of Sasha, joyful is the first word that comes to mind. He is always smiling with a smile that takes up his entire face. He loves to joke, is constantly trying to make others laugh or playing a joke on friends. He is one of 9 children. His mother lives here in Sumy but unfortunately he has been in the orphanage since he was very little. He has a little brother that is still in the orphanage. Sasha is little for his age but makes up for it with his huge personality. Since graduating and moving to Sumy in September, we have been able to have a lot more fellowship with Sasha. He was very interested in attending church with us and comes every Sunday he can. Some of our other graduate boys play floorball and Sasha looks forward to joining them every week. He often comes back from floorball and just hangs out for a couple of hours. We are so happy to have him here in Sumy and continue to minister to him.

THE SHEVCHENKO FAMILY PROJECT

We’ve shared in the past about our love for the Shevchenko family and some of their needs and ministry opportunities. This past month they asked us for help with paying to finish up the installation of heaters in their home. We were so blessed to be able to help cover the remaining costs for the heating thanks to the donations given in response. We were just at their house this past week are happy to report that it was not only warm, but even hot! Dusya says baby Andre sleeps better and loves to be able to just lay on the bed in his diaper and smile at her now that it’s so much warmer inside. They were very blessed to receive the help and we were also blessed to be the ones to hand it to them. Thank you so much to those of you who donated!

UPDATE – SASHA PEVNIV

Sasha Pevniv – we know him as SP – many of you know him as the Sasha you spent years praying for as he struggled through the juvenile detention system in Ukraine. At the end of November, Sasha will reach his 6 month mark of freedom and he has been flourishing! It was through his time in prison that Sasha came into a personal relationship with the Lord. During a particular visit, Sasha was busy reading through the Bible and sharing about what he was learning. When asked, “what do you believe about what you are reading?” Sasha quickly replied, “How could I not believe it all to be true after all God has done for me!” This was the response of a kid in prison who had been abandoned by his mother, beaten by his teachers, and neglected by all those who were supposed to care for him. Sasha’s perspective had drastically changed as he found his Heavenly Father. The joy brought on by his release was contagious as he quickly became involved in church and within the Open Arms family. Sasha has a deep desire to know God more and follow His commands. With this desire, SP was baptized just last month and as he put, “the old SP is dead!” He also quit smoking this a month ago in a desire to get healthy and enjoy life. Sasha’s compassion, grace, and love seemingly grow daily and we are blessed to have him as a part of the Open Arms Family. Please keep SP in your prayers through these winter months as he continues to seek the Lord and live as a man.

THE PERFECT GIFT

This Christmas, we’d like to help you with your Christmas shopping! We’ve created three beautiful cards that would look smashing in anyone’s stocking or under your tree. The best part? When you buy one of these cards, you’ll be bringing light to an orphan’s life. A donation of $25 to the area of your choice will provide: Dental Care, Birthday Celebrations, and/or Warm Winter Clothes to the orphans we care for. When we receive your donation (through our website: openarmsukraine.blogspot. com or through the mail), we’ll send you your card(s), wrapped in a bow and ready to go. Much easier than hitting the mall, right? This is a great way to tell your friends and family about the ministry of Open Arms, to give a meaningful Christmas gift, and, most of all, to share Christ’s abundant love with a child in need.

More information on these cards will be coming to the blog soon! To donate, click the "DONATE" button on the right-hand side of the webpage. In the Paypal notes, please include which ministry you'd like your $25 to go to (Dental, Birthdays, or Warm Clothes) as well as your mailing address. Each card will come to your door tied with a ribbon and will include a full explanation of how your gift will be used. We so appreciate your support in these three crucial areas of our minisry!

PRAYER REQUESTS

Please Pray:

-For our American team as they deal with acquiring new visas as a result of new laws passed in Ukraine - for finances and efficiency in the process.

-For the Open Arms apartment through the winter months – that all logistics would be taken care of and for Ukrainians to run the program while our American team is home.

-For a new Open Arms apartment – we are seeking a smaller apartment to house weekend visitors and act as an office in the meantime – pray that an apartment would be found within a decent price range and that it would help our ministry grow.

-For all the children studying in Sumy; that ministry opportunities would be seized and the children would grow closer to the Lord through it all.

-For our upcoming Christmas fundraiser – that the children would be blessed in the year ahead as a result.

-For our general ministry budget to be replenished and that God would continue providing vision, opportunity, and the means to care for these broken children.

Open Arms Ukraine would like to thank everyone who helped support our graduate camp, graduation dress project, and our transitional living program these past months! Without your prayers, support, and encouragement the lives of these children would remain unreached. We are excited to share all that God has in store for this ministry and these precious children in the months ahead!

Sunday Goodness...

Sunday mornings can sometimes be hectic as it is church day and there are a lot of us trying to get ready. We had 8 of us this morning and only one bathroom. The sun was shining but it was a much colder day today. But we were so excited because we had 2 new graduates join us for church this morning. Our church family was very welcoming and excited to have the new kids. It was a holiday so there was extra fellowship after church. We then took the kids to New York Pizza and we all ate our fill of pizza. One of the boys, Sasha, came back with us and hung out all day. He played card games, the Wii, and helped with dinner. He stayed as long as he possibly could and then gave numerous hugs before leaving. We are so thankful that were able to open our home to these kids.

Guest Post - Camp Update!

It's been about a week and half since we wrapped up our Fall Graduate Retreat and we had so much fun! Thanks to everyone who helped make it happen. To fill you in a bit on how it went, we've got a guest blog from one of the team members we were blessed to have - Katy Catron.

Graduate Camp

In Ukraine, orphans graduate from the system at around age 17. At that point, they are connected with a trade school and sent off to live on their own. As you might expect, this system has some major flaws. Statistically, most of these precious orphans end up in lives of crime, addiction, imprisonment, and prostitution. Many factors contribute to these outcomes: trauma during childhood, trust/attachment disorders, lack of preparedness for the “real world,” lack of parental/familial support, and others. Open Arms’ goal is to give these children a hope for the future by helping them transition into post-orphanage life and providing them with a loving, stable family environment.

An important start to this relationship is Grad Camp, which was the focus of my trip. This camp occurs each year, shortly after the children graduate. Our camp was three days long and was designed entirely with the kids in mind. Outside of meeting times and small group discussions, the schedule was very loose and free. Since these kids have grown up in a very rigid, strict system (one where they're not really free to be kids), we wanted to provide a fun, retreat-like atmosphere. Breakfast was at 10:30AM every morning so that they could all sleep in, and there was no bed-time. Free time included the opportunity to play sports outside or do crafts indoors (two activities Ukrainian kids absolutely adore). Needless to say, the kids had a blast and we saw them blossom in a fun, loving environment.

The whole gang at Grad Camp!

The theme of the weekend was "Freedom in Christ." During our meeting times and small group discussions, we talked with the kids about what it means to live in Christ - what it looks like to be truly free. These children have all lived with heavy burdens on their shoulders for the duration of their young lives. We wanted to communicate to them that Christ wants to lift those burdens off of their shoulders and that He wants them to live in His love; completely free, completely accepted, and completely loved.  We also talked about the decisions, actions, and attitudes that displease God and hinder our freedom and only work to hurt us. At their orphanage, a very "rules-oriented" and legalistic Christianity was presented to them. Most of them have the misunderstanding that God just wants them to follow a list of "do's and don'ts" rather than submitting their lives to His love. We saw the kids processing through these concepts with great questions. It's our hope and prayer that they will really see that their hearts are what matter to God and that they will understand and desire the freedom and love Christ extends to them.

Lena: The difference a relationship can make

I want to highlight one of the incredibly important aspects of Open Arms’ ministry: consistent relationships. All of the children who end up in an orphanage have been betrayed by or have lost the people in life who should have loved them the most. It's heartbreaking to hear their stories and to think about what each and every one of them have seen and experienced. Because of their painful pasts, there are always deep-rooted trust and attachment issues resting right below the surface. For some of the children, however, these issues don't bother to hide under a happy exterior. For some of them, their hurt and pain is the most obvious thing about them.

When I visited Pravda two summers ago, I encountered Lena for the first time. Her attitude and external appearance screamed, "BACK OFF." She constantly terrorized other kids, never smiled, was always disruptive, and often resorted to violence in her dealings with others. Honestly, I was truly scared of her at the time.

With this image of Lena in my mind, I was absolutely shocked to meet her again on this visit, as she joined us for Grad Camp. The girl I saw this time was night-and-day different from that ferociously mean girl I'd seen before. She was soft-spoken, kind, participative, and was always happy to give me a smile. I had to ask, "What happened to Lena!?"

Lena has had a very tragic past. Years ago, her father murdered her mother right in front of her. She saw her mom die at her dad's hands. Lena was then placed into Pravda Orphanage, where the director thought, "she's been shocked, she needs to be shocked again to bring her out of it." This cruel director and her husband essentially tortured Lena, filing her teeth and doing other things that Lena won't talk about. It was at this stage in her life when I first met her - that mean little monster who was lashing out at anyone and everyone around her. Now it all makes sense.

Lena today - with a smile on her face!

But that still left me wondering, how did that girl become the sweet, smiling one who came to Grad Camp? The answer is: her relationship with Open Arms. The consistent love and kindness she has received through this relationship has truly changed her life. And this transformation with Lena, while extreme, is not a unique story in this ministry. These children who have been abandoned, abused, and rejected by their parents, who have lost (or never learned) the ability to trust, are slowly learning to trust again because of the love they experience through the faithful people of this ministry. What these children are really seeing is God's love displayed to them: unconditional and unfailingly consistent.

Help Needed for the Shevchenko Family

If you've followed our ministry much, you probably know about how much we love the "Shevchenko" family - Dusya, Sergey, 4 year old Vala and 7 week old baby Andre. Dusya and Sergey graduated from the Pravdinska orphanage in 2006 and have worked hard to build a happy family. Despite never having seen good parenting modeled for them, they do their best to be good parents to their two children and they love them more than anything. They fight so hard to provide for their kids and give them the family they never received. We are so privileged to work with this beautiful family and be a part of their lives! 

Since spring they have been working hard to do some much needed work on their home in Ivanivka. While they were waiting for Andre to arrive, they were busy redoing bedrooms, floors, wallpaper, knocking out walls and adding on... And they have done an excellent job! This week they called us asking for help. They don't have running water, they don't have gas, and they've always heated the house with an old fashioned stove and whatever they could burn to keep it warms through the winter. But with the new baby they've decided to have electric heaters installed. They've already put in 7000 hryvna into it but they've come up short on what they need to cover the cost. They only need 2500 more hryvna, which is about $315. We've committed to helping them and are looking to see if there is anyone else who wants to help keep them warm this winter. 

If you are interested in supporting the Shevchenko family please let us know. Donations can be made through PayPal [link on the right] or by mail at Open Arms Ukraine, PO Box 277, San Lorenzo, CA 94580. Thank you so much for your prayers and for helping us come alongside this growing family.

Fall Grad Retreat!

Fall Graduate Retreat

At the beginning of September a new class of Pravdinska graduates left the orphanage and entered into trade schools throughout the Sumy region. Twenty-five young kids out on their own for the first time. This is a time that has critical impact on their futures. Many kids after leaving the orphanage quickly find ways to use their new freedom to get into trouble. Statistically 70% of orphanage graduate boys end up in a life of crime. And 60% of the girls end up in prostituion. Adolescent alcoholism is worse in Ukraine than in almost all other European countries. And for many of these young adults, the first steps down that road are taken within the first few months of being on their own.

With that in mind, we are excited to be running a graduate fall retreat for some of these kids from October 21st through 24th. With all these freshly graduated kids, as well as the other grad kids we’ve worked with in the past, we are expecting a pretty big crowd. Our heart is to use the 4 days of camp to help set them on a course that will keep them from becoming just another sad statistic. And having known Luba, Lusya, Yaroslav and the 22 other new grad kids for years, it’s about much more than just numbers and statistics.


Melissa’s Heart
6 years ago, I came to Ukraine and spent a month with a group of kids who changed my life forever.  They were ranging in age from 10-12. I instantly fell in love with them. Over the past 6 years I have been privileged to walk beside them and be a part of their lives. So many of these kids have become my family. In May, they graduated the ninth grade and left to trade school in September. We are doing a graduate camp at the end of the month and am so excited that 10 of the kids are at a trade school in Sumy. We are going to travel to the other trade schools and connect with the others. Transitioning out of the orphanage is a critical time for the kids. Choices are made that will affect the rest of their lives. Camp is such a great opportunity to plug in the kids to Ukrainian leaders here and just some good fellowship sharing how much God loves them. We will have topics about freedom in Christ. I cannot wait to see what God is going to do in our time at camp.

Teaching Freedom
As we get ready for camp, visiting kids at their schools, planning lessons, organizing games, prepping crafts,please be in prayer for us! The focus of our camp is freedom in Christ. We’ll share about grace, being a new creation and the life God really has for us. Through small group discussions and a night splitting up boys and girls, our goal is make it personal for each one of these amazing kids.



Our team of 8 Americans and 5 Ukrainians will be leading up to 40 kids throughout the weekend. Please be in prayer for our American team as they arrive in Ukraine and for our Ukrainian team as they help invite kids and organize logistical details. We are so excited to see what God will do in their hearts and the freedom that He will bring! Be praying for the finances to do all that we’re working for. Pray that God would be preparing them now for what they will hear.



If you are interested in sponsoring to help cover the cost of one of our graduates to come to camp, please contact us at OpenArmsMinistry@gmail.com or give via PayPal. The cost for one camper is $65, which covers their transportation, food, games, crafts and other supplies. We are anticipating a large group of kids and are praying that God will provide for all our needs.



Thank you for your support and prayers as we serve the graduate orphans of Sumy! We are grateful for the part you play in our ministry.

$10 Challenge - What You Did

Thank you so much to everyone who was a part of our $10 Challenge! Some of gave, some of you blogged, some of you posted the link on your Facebook, some of you emailed friends and got others to join. In these past 10 days we had a total of 39 donors who gave. Thanks to your generosity the total count of donations received was $1,140!

Thank you all for your willingness to be a part of this ministry. Because of your help this month we are better equipped to pay bills, support kids at the Pravdinska orphanage, take care of grad kids with health needs, buy groceries to make meals in the Open Arms Home and celebrate birthdays. We are so thankful for each and every one of you and the role you play in our ministry!

$10 Challenge - Day 10

Today is the final day of the $10 Challenge! The challenge is simple, looking for 10 new people who are willing to spare $10 so we can finish out strong. $10 can go so far in our ministry and as 10 of you give $100 can make a bigger difference than we can express.

Today's focus is on the family your donations allow us to create here for these kids. With few places to turn to, no family to trust, Open Arms has the extreme privilege of offering a trustworthy safe haven. Thank you to all for giving and for helping us minister to these beautiful children!!!

$10 Challenge - Day 9

Welcome to day 9 of the $10 Challenge! Only a couple of days left so let's finish strong! Today the goal is the same as it has been the last 8 days - 10 new people giving $10 to help support the day to day ministry needs of Open Arms Ukraine. Today we're highlighting how just $10 can help keep kids healthy. Please watch the video and join us in the challenge!

$10 Challenge - Day 8

$10 Challenge - Day 8! Yesterday we only got half way to the goal but we're gonna make up for it today! Hoping for 10 new people to give $10 today to help support our ministry in Sumy. With the PayPal link on the right, you can make a donation in 5 minutes! And sharing the video is as simple as hitting the little Facebook logo below and posting it to your profile. As you watch this video, keep in mind that we have multiple birthdays and Halloween we're so excited to celebrate this month! :)

[YouTube videos are not wanting to work right on the blog for some reason... Watch it on here and if you want to share the video from YouTube you can find it here.]

$10 Challenge - Day 7

Day 7 of the $10 Challenge is here! Thank you to all 7 of you who gave yesterday! Didn't quite hit our goal of 10, but hoping we make it today. Watch the video below and consider taking the challenge and joining our ministry in Sumy. Thanks!

The embeded video is struggling so please follow this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_profilepage&v=wl35hqFVd-I

$10 Challenge - Day 6

Thank you to everyone who has taken part in the $10 challenge!! Today is day 6 and we are looking for more people to partner with us. Our goal in the $10 challenge is to get 10 new people each day to donate $10 dollars. The challenge goes on for 10 days with the hope of raising $1,000!  Are you ready to take the challenge? Watch the video below to find out how your $10 can help!

$10 Challenge - Day 5

In case you are just getting here, we're right in the middle of the Open Arms Ukraine $10 Challenge. The goal is simple - 10 people giving $10 for 10 days. The first couple days started off slow, but yesterday picked up! Special thanks to Kari Bachle for encouraging a bunch of her friends on Facebook to see what we've got going on! Anybody else who wants to follow Kari's lead and post a link on your friends pages is welcome to do so! :)

Today is day 5 and each day we're showing you just one way your $10 can help support our ministry here in Sumy. If you haven't watched the previous videos feel free to go back to the last few blogs and check them out. And be sure to watch this one and see how your $10 can help get us where we need to go!

$10 Challenge - Day 4

Thank you Lauren and Andrew for giving yesterday! We've yet to get 10 people on a given day and are still hoping to make it there in a day. Let's get it done today for the Shevchenko family...

If you're interested in giving, please use the PayPal donate button on the right. And please share with your friends :)
Thanks!

$10 Challenge - Day 3

Day 3 of the $10 Challenge is already here! The first two days weren't quite what we hoped but we are so thankful for those of you who did give. Please watch the video below to find out what your $10 can do and consider joining us in this challenge today!

The YouTube link was struggling, but it's here if you want to share it. 

$10 Challenge - Day 2

Welcome to Day 2 of the $10 Challenge! Still waiting for those donations from day 1, so we're hoping day 2 we can do double! 20 people, 10 bucks each.

Today we took a trip to the village of Ivanivka and were able to see a few kids from the Pravdinska orphanage... It was a good reminder of how much those kids need individual, loving support. Watch the video for today, share with your friends and let's see what we can do today! Donate via the PayPal link on the right. Thanks!

$10 Challenge - Day 1

Last year in October we kicked off the $10 Challenge fundraiser on Facebook. The goal was 10 people giving $10 for 10 days. We were overwhelmed by the response we got - 62 donations totaling almost $2500. And so we decided to make it an annual thing. So... today we're starting the 2nd annual Open Arms Ukraine $10 Challenge!

The goal is the same - each day for the next 10 days, we're looking for 10 people to give $10. Or more if you can! :) Each day we will be posting some pics and videos sharing here on the blog of the kinds of things that $10(ish) can do. Today we're starting at home...

There you go! Give. Tell a friend. Share the video. Post it on Facebook. And be checking back here and on Facebook daily to see how it's going and how you can be involved! We're looking forward to seeing how God works through you!

September News - Camp, New Projects & Upcoming Ministry

SUMMER CAMP 2011
This year’s theme for summer camp was “transformation” and it fit every aspect of our five amazing days in the woods. New location, new schedule, and many new faces were only the beginnings of the transformations that took place. Through games, skits, worship, lessons, small groups, swimming and many more activities we witnessed life transformation happening all around us; not just with the children, but within ourselves as well. Here’s a glimpse into the amazing experiences God blessed us with from the phenomenal American team who joined us to love these beautiful kids.

“Camp this year was full of so many amazing memories… what impacted me the most through our week at camp were the relationships I built with the grad students. Through our time at camp I connected with the kids and was overwhelmed with love for them. We would play games together and laugh and attempt to talk to each other. It was in those moments of not being able to communicate that we somehow bonded. It was through the smiles, hugs, laughing, and time together that I felt like the Lord was really present. This experience taught me that it is not always about what I can say but about what God can do through me. I have truly learned that there is so much power in the things unspoken if we look to the Lord and humbly ask Him to use us.” – Chelsea Rollins

“This being my 3rd year of going to Ukraine, I feel like a seasoned veteran. Camp though never ceases to amaze me and blow me away and this year particularly so. I think for some of these kids, the message we've been trying to relay to them has started to "click". I'm excited to see God grow the seed's that have been sown during camp.” – Anthony Ruiz

“One of my favorite times at camp was when the kids would teach me new words. Because they would say them so fast, my version of them would be kind of hilarious! For example, one kid tried to teach me how to say “sorry” which for the longest time I thought was "robot" (though it is actually pronounced “probach”). So, of course I got laughed at a lot, but through that God showed me that it was ok to be goofy and to just be yourself. I came to the realization that by letting myself truly open up I was also allowing God to use me better which was the reason why I was there.” – Kiki Bachle

From kids to the Open Arms staff, transformation took place all around during camp and this would never have happened without all of your help! To everyone who gave, supported, encouraged, and participated in this year’s camp: Thank you!

A FACE OF OPEN ARMS – LUBA
Luba is much like any other 16 year old girl: she is boy crazy, into fashion, and takes extra time to always look her best. What separates her from most girls her age is the fact that she has been living in an orphanage for the past 5 years. She has come a long way since we first met her those years ago; from closed off and separated, she is now loving and open to our team. It has been a privilege to watch her grow and mature while walking alongside her in the process. Luba is a strong leader among her group of friends as well as one of the most respected girls of the oldest class. Her potential for positive influence is undeniable! She loves to laugh and just sit on her bed and share all the things that have happened in her day. You will often find her bobbing her head, singing and dancing to the music that is currently playing on the radio. Luba finished the 9 th grade this past June and on the st of September she will be leaving the orphanage to begin study at a trade school. We couldn’t be happier that she will be going to school in Sumy and we will be able to see her on a regular basis. Transitioning from the orphanage to life on their own is extremely challenging for these kids. It is often in these transitions that they make choices that will affect them for the rest of their lives. Our desire is to be a support system for Luba and to help her build relationships with people who truly love her and want to help her achieve what God has planned for her.
Please join us in prayer for Luba’s transition into this new chapter of life!

UPCOMING – HEALTHCARE PROJECT
All one has to do to understand the desperate physical needs of the “graduate” children we work with is to look at their smiles. Though they are absolutely beautiful in honesty, the years of inadequate nutrition and improper hygiene are clearly evident. Teeth are rotting, gums are decaying, and some children have to squint so hard to read it is a miracle they see at all. Some children were diagnosed with liver problems and received medicine while at the orphanage, but with no one looking after these needs and no money to cover expenses, these physical necessities are left by the wayside. Our heart’s desire as a ministry is to change this reality. This is nothing out of our grasp with some help from home and if it is laid on your heart to give, we will see to it that every child possible is provided with dental work, health check-ups, and vision aids if necessary. Donate online at www.openarmsukraine.blogspot.com or send a check to PO Box 277, San Lorenzo, CA 94580. Looking forward to being His hands and feet in these children’s lives in such a tangible way.

GRADUATE RETREAT – OCTOBER 2011
This October we're looking forward to kicking off the new school year for our grad kids with a weekend retreat! One of our main goals with this retreat will be to plug the new kids that have just recently left the orphanage into ministry with our Sumy team. In the weeks prior to camp we'll be making day trips to the different schools, reconnecting with kids, inviting them to join the retreat, and hopefully establishing some relationships with the trade schools' staff for future ministry as well. For many of these kids, in their post-orphanage transition, trouble starts within the first few months of their new freedom. Planning this for the beginning of their school year will allow us to help guide them from the beginning to make good decisions in their independence. Please keep the planning of the retreat in your prayers as we work on location, lesson plans, games, crafts and more!

COMING HOME

On May 24 , Sasha Pevniv finally made his way home to Sumy. Many of you have walked alongside us, through prayer, support and encouragement, as Sasha completed his 3 years at a Juvenile Colony. Thank you!! When he began his time at trade school after finishing his 9th grade education, he made a decision within the first 2 months with a group of new friends that would change his life forever. God used Sasha’s time in the Sambir Juvenile Colony to change his life for eternity. For Sasha, the Open Arms Home in Sumy is his first chance at family and he plans on making the most of his time. He is studying, playing on a floorball team with church, learning English, playing guitar and doing amazingly well in his transition. For more updates check out the blog at www.openarmsukraine.blogspot.com!


PRAYER REQUESTS
Please Pray:
- For the 25 children from the Pravdinska orphanage who will leaving on September 1st for their trade schools.
- For the Ukrainian couple, Bogdan and Natasha, staying in the team apartment with grad kids while our American team is home in the states.
- For the lessons, themes, and all the activities being prepared for the October grad retreat.
- For provisions to help with and financially cover the health, dental, and vision needs of the graduate kids in our ministry.
- For our general ministry budget to be replenished and that God would continue providing vision, opportunity, and the means to care for these broken children.

Open Arms Ukraine would like to thank everyone who helped support our graduate camp, graduation dress project, and our transitional living program these past months! Without your prayers, support, and encouragement the lives of these children would remain unreached. We are excited to share all that God has in store for this ministry and these precious children in the months ahead!