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.