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