Blessed By A New Letter From Papa Dima

Papa Dima, whom we all adore, works relentlessy day in and day out along with his wonderful wife Galya to minister to the children in Ukraine. He spends ALL of his free time from his job working with the children.
Here is his latest letter and a few pictures:

Dearest beloved sister Christie and brother Mike,

Warm Christian greeting from snow and cold Kharkov. God so good for us and we had really wonderful possibility celebrated Christmas and New Year with many sick and orphan children. We have started celebrate in December 25, after that we celebrated New Year and finally we celebrated Christmas in January 7 according to Ukrainian calendar. God so good for us, so good. It was really wonderful serve these preciously children and tell about GREAT and UNCONDITIONAL LOVE. God really care about orphan children. This year, I mean in the end of 2008 year, several peoples donated very good jacket for children with different age, we had possibility bless children by some sweets and so on. This is really very good, because we had possibility not simply tell about God's love, but show this LOVE in reality. It is really wonderful help children in different ways, but much important show God's LOVE and explain children that presents and gifts it's very good, but we have really greatest GIFT from Heave, we have Jesus Christ. I have asked what children think about Christmas and many children answer that Christmas is a Christmas and only few children says that this is Birthday of Jesus Christ, this is His day and He is a reason for this holyday. It was really wonderful when children says that if this day is a Jesus Christ Birthday we need give Him a present, not one another, but give present to Jesus and this present is our repent heart, love, honor, worship and obedience His Holy Word. We really was very blessed when we have listen such answer. Praise the Lord!!!!

We had great possibility serve adults, school masters, too. We have very difficult situation in Ukraine in many aspects, economy, politics emotional. Many peoples really afraid crisis which come to Ukraine, afraid when all prices increased each day, when Russia stop sell natural gas for Ukraine, many peoples not see hope in future. I'm so thankful God, He give wonderful Word from Mark 4:36-41. Praise the Lord, we had wonderful possibility serve by this Word to many adults. It is really when Jesus and His disciples go over to the other side they meet a lot of problems. Really many problems and disciples says we go to die because of storm. But Jesus was in the boat, He was with disciples and everything was under His control. Jesus says: "go over" it mean GO OVER, it mean we will come through, even we will meet greatest storm, great crisis. Jesus in the same boat, He along with us in the same crisis, He promised: I will not leave you. Praise the Lord!!! This word was really very inspired for adults we had privilege to serve. It was really wonderful to see how peoples begin, even, breathe much freely. Praise the Lord!!!

We very thankful God for you, for your love and prayers. Thank you very much. Please keep many orphan and sick children we have privilege to serve in prayers. This is really very important and preciously for us. Thank you!!! We love you very much and pray daily. May God richly bless you.

The Train Ride

Our Trip In September

The Hostel for Girls aged out of the orphanage

Hot Plate Central at the Hostel

Judy and Yana with girls from Zmiev Orphanage

Being Greeted at the TB Sanitarium

The return to Green Forest Special Needs Baby House

Zmiev Orphanage
Wow, alot happened between our trip in September and I neglected to post about it. It has been on my mind to update for a while, so here goes!

Our trip was fantastic. We sensed the presence of the Lord with us while we were there and when we were able to share with the children.

Our visit consisted of visiting Vysoki Baby House (where are girls are from) or Green Forest Special needs baby house, 2 times. We visited the Vysoki or Green Forest Internat once. There were 2 girls who had just graduated from the internat and are now living in Kharkiv who went with us. They were darling girls, and are being trained to paint walls. They had very little money and one of the girls did not have a warm coat, only a jean jacket. They are attending Papa Dima's church, and from the last report, doing well.

One of the most precious places was visiting the hostel for girls. I so much enjoyed talking to about 35 girls. These girls are from various orphanages and are staying in a very bleak environment. In fact, they only had hot plates for cooking, no refrigerator, no washing machine, and only one small shower. It was pretty sad. We were able to purchase for them 2 stoves with ovens, 1 large refrigerator, hair dryers, cooking utensils and a really nice washing machine.

These things will make their lives a little easier, but the most important thing we did was share the love of Christ with them and talk about the changed life we can have in Christ. Christ doesn't see "orphan" or "poor", He sees us all the same and we ARE all the same. Some of us know we are poor and naked and blind and sinful, others do not. That is the only difference. We have all come into the world exactly the same.
Naked, and in need of a savior.
We will all leave the same too. Our body will die and we will be buried. But to those who believe, we will be raised to eternal life on the last day.

We were also able to visit the TB Sanitarium twice, and that was a real pleasure too.
The second visit was with older children and they were very attentive.

The home for older people was very well kept and I was actually impressed with how well the people were cared for. We met a girl at that home who had actually lived in Erika and Sarah's orphanage when she was little. She has arthrogryposis like Erika, but had her legs amputated due to infection. She was getting around on a dolly.
She had a room with a TV and decorations and seemed to be happy, but as she looked at our pictures of the girls, she told us, she never knew what it was like to be loved or have a family. :( That was something she could not relate to or comprehend.

We went to Zmiev and enjoyed visiting the children. They were gathered around saying, "Please adopt us, please adopt us~". When that happens, it just breaks your heart. The need to be loved is so very great.

It then helps you to see how much danger the girls in the hostel are in. They have a great need to be loved, and at the ages they are, they can easily seek that need in all the wrong ways. Many become pregnant, and with no way to care for a child, the cycle begins once again and another baby enters the heart breaking system that leads to misery and emotional trauma.

Please pray for these girls as they learn about life in Christ and begin to grow.
Please pray for their emotional and physical protection and that we will be ale to minister to them once again.

I have so much to write about: more soon