MINISTRY VAN

For the past 5 1/2 years, the Open Arms team has relied on public transportation to get around here in Ukraine. It has worked... well enough, but it is high time for a change! Y'all, it is time to buy a VAN!!! 

Ministry has continued to grow over the years and with growth brings about new needs. The sheer inefficiency of public transportation is slowing down what we believe God is ready to do. Here's a little example of what a car could do for our team:

Current situation - Let's take a trip to visit kids in the village of Mezanivka - sweet! Walk to the bus stop. Get on a bus to the actual bus station. 40 minutes later, you get to buy your bus ticket. Wait 15 minutes for the next bus. Take that bus for an hour to Kransapolye. Wait 15 minutes for the next bus. Take that bus for 30 minutes to Mezinivka. Get off at the bus stop, walk 15 minutes into the village. Visit the kids for a bit, but the last bus out is at 4:20 so you'd best head out or you'll be stuck all night. Let's be real, you don't want to be stuck in Mezinivka. 

Future situation - Let's take a trip to visit kids in the village of Mezanivka - sweet! Team walks down to the car. Gets in. Drives 40 minutes to the kids houses. Stay until ministry is done for the day. 

We can NOT wait to spend more time doing ministry and less time traveling, but we need your help to make this happen. 

A pastor in our city is selling a Mercedes Vito. It's a beauty.

We have $8000 to go towards this car, but we need $9000 to purchase and $1500 more to pay for the year's insurance. So, we are in need of $2500 more for this to be a done deal. 

ANY AMOUNT gets us closer to the goal. $5. $500. Whatever is on your heart to give can bring about some amazing ministry! 

We're excited. 

Here's a link so giving can be ultra simple:

Or feel free to send checks to Open Arms Ukraine, PO Box 277, San Lorenzo, CA 94580. 

SP - A BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY

Today's post comes to you from the heart of Sasha Pevniv (aka SP). We were recently able to take a trip back to the juvenile detention center in Sambir (where he spent 3 years) for him to continue his healing process. Read and be encouraged. Our God writes beautiful stories. 

Hello.

It has almost been 3 years since I got out of prison. It hasn't been easy to talk about it and I wasn't very comfortable when people asked me questions. When I was in prison, I didn't know God very well. I always thought about, you could even say, I always dreamed that after I got out, I would go back to the the guy who always had me beat; who had been out to get me all those years in prison. He did things to make me stay longer even  though I always did my work, even beyond what I was asked. 

When I got out, I started to know God more and more everyday. I understood that what I wanted to do wasn't what God would want me to do. And so I thought "if I never go back there, everything will be ok." At first, this didn't seem too bad. But, I still always want to ask him "why?" But anytime I thought of that question, I just wanted to beat him.

God helped me deal with all of those thoughts and told me that I should just go there. I went with the Open Arms Team (the same team who came to visit me every month in prison) - it was such a long trip! I realized how much God loves me; I went to Sambir one time and I was tired from just the trip there. The girls came to visit me every month for 3 years and 3 months. Honestly, I don't even I can't even put into words how I feel. Thank you, God, for my new family. 

So, we arrived in Sambir and walked up to the prison. I absolutely did not want to see Roman Bogdanovich, he’s the one that used to beat me. I saw Grigory Mikolaevich [the librarian] and walked up to talk to him. And while I was talking to him, Roman Bogdanovich walked up. We were all talking together, laughing, and I didn’t even ask him "why" he did what he did. And I don’t know why I didn’t ask him, but I think that’s what God wanted. Now, it doesn't feel so bad. After that, girls took me on a tour of the city and I liked it.

From then...

Till now... 

T-GIVING: A MONTH OF GIVING THANKS

That's right - we want to take this fine month of November to say THANK YOU for all the ways you help keep ministry happening here in Ukraine. So, for every donation of $20 or more we receive this month, we would love send an amazing Open Arms T-shirt to you as our way of saying: "We think you are amazing". Wear it with pride and share the Open Arms love with those around you.

You can mail checks to Open Arms Ukraine (PO Box 277, San Lorenzo, CA 94580) and put in a little note with your T-shirt size and address. 

Or just click the handy-dandy donate button below to give online:

You can add a note with your T-shirt size and address or send a quick email to: OpenArmsMinistry@gmail.com.

Child sizes (S,M,L,XL) and unisex adult sizes (S,M,L,XL) available! Get them before the run out! 

And, again, THANK YOU for helping us share God's love with the beautiful children of Ukraine.