OPEN ARMS UKRAINE FUNDRAISING WALK

Saturday, September 14th, 2013 

at Ygnacio Valley Christian School in Concord, CA.

Registration begins at 8:30am

The walk begins at 9:00am

$25 for adults, $10 for kids, or $45 for a team of two.

Be sure to register for this amazing event! All proceeds go to help ministry in Ukraine! Click on the links below to register and send your registration information to MelissaOAU@gmail.com
Name:
Email:
Phone number (please indicate if text is available):
Number of registrants:
Shirt sizes:

Registration includes a t-shirt for each participant that will be presented at the walk.
Parking is limited, so consider carpool if possible. Wear comfortable shoes and cool clothing. Water and food will be available for purchase at the event. Can't wait to walk alongside you!

To register an adult click here:

To register a child click here:

If you are interested in volunteering (spread the word, donate food items, baked goods, or help work a booth) send an email MelissaOAU@gmail.com.

If you are interested in donating to the walk without registration, click here:

A SPECIAL COFFEE DATE

From the heart of Anika Bachle...

The lovely Dusya Sityuk is a 24 year old mom of 2 crazy, beautiful little kids named Vala and Andre. (Andre also happens to be my godson and may be the cutest little boy alive. It's true. I'm not biased at all.) Dus and her family live in the village of Ivanivka where Dusya has no toilet, no bath or shower, no oven, no stove, no washing machine, and uses a bucket on a rope to pull her water from a well in her front yard. She works so hard to take care of her family and the poor girl never gets a break! We were so excited to get her to Sumy where we had 2 days of much needed girl time with her. 

It was so good to see her just relax a bit! We took her out to coffee and just laughed and reminisced about her younger days at the orphanage when she would break dance. We talked about the days when we barely understood each other because we didn't speak each others' languages. At some point, the conversation turned to her life before the orphanage. She shared about her little brother Losha, a baby she took care of as a child herself until they were taken by the authorities and separated into different orphanages. She has looked for him for years and still hasn't been able to find him. I pray that God leads them to each other again, be it sooner or later, and that He restores that sibling bond that was so strong when she was less than 9.

While the conversation was filled with tears, I am so thankful that Dus was able to have the time to rest, remember, laugh, cry, and just be who she is. I am incredibly blessed to know her and be considered part of her family. Her kids are amazing and she works relentlessly and sacrifices so much to give them the childhood she never had. Never having seen a good mom, I don't know how she is so wonderful. I wish you all could meet her! I am so glad for the support we receive that allows me and my team to continue to know and serve this beautiful woman. 

ONE TRUE, FAITHFUL, AND CONSISTENT LOVE

From the heart of Chelsea Rollins...

This Summer was my first time ever being part of an Orphanage camp at Pravda. It was a very different transition going from a week with our grads to four days with the youngest group at the orphanage. It had it's challenges, but there were so many kids in my group that absolutely captured my heart. One little boy in particular was Dima. Dima is seven years old and has the sweetest little face and demeanor. Even though our words were few, we still bonded. Anytime we were sitting down he would lay across my lap and I would scratch his back and just pray for him. It was one of my favorite parts of every day. About a week after camp we went to visit some of the kids at Revesnik, which is a camp near Sumy that the kids are sent to in the Summer.When we arrived, Dima wiggled his way through all of the kids and gave me the tightest hug and just repeated over and over how he didn't think I would come see him again. It broke my heart to hear him say this and to realize how many people come and go from his life. He so desires to be loved, like anyone really, but unfortunately he has faced so much trauma, neglect, and disappointment in his short life. My time with Dima reminded me how much these kids long for consistent love and how they are looking for someone they can trust and depend on. I wish I could be that person for Dima and bring him into my own family but I can't. However, I am encouraged by the fact that I can pray for him and introduce him to the one true, faithful, and consistent love I know, Jesus Christ.