This wonderful news came in from my manager, Viktor, in Zhitomir – 150kms west of Kiev.
“We prepared for the Christmas gift project this year to provide gifts for more than 400 orphans and street children in Zhitomir and the surrounding towns. After that we took Christmas gifts to the sick children and orphans as well as the children at the Street Kids Centre and children of 20 poor families around us.
The children each received gifts of sweets and toys. Since some of the street children were sick we had to meet with them separately from the other children because of their illnesses. The Slavic Christmas is in early January, so the orphans don’t mind their gifts and party meal in January.
We then visited Berdichev, a town 60 km away and met with Viktor Artem, Lena, Sasha & Vova whom we’d supported for years in another orphanage – very spiritual children with a passion for Jesus. Each received gifts of new sweaters/jackets and personal toiletries. They were very happy to receive their gifts and our fellowship.
We visited a small orphanage for handicapped orphans in Zhitomir and had a really good time. The children were waiting eagerly for our arrival. We saw beautiful smiles on their faces as they received their gifts. The next day we took gifts to a large orphanage 160kms away. After that we visited two further orphanages, one 100 km away with 150 orphans.
We met with them, enjoyed fellowship, shared the love of Jesus and prayed God’s blessings on them for the New Year In Ukraine on January 14 the New Year is celebrated, according to the old calendar. After lunch we returned the 100 km Zhitomir and then drove 120kms north to another orphanage where 82 mentally ill girls were housed. We gave the children gifts of toys and a special treats -because of their health condition they cannot eat sweets.
All the children were very happy and grateful for the gifts and sent thanks to you for your wonderful generosity. The children say, “Thank you for your care and your very big generous heart”.
Handicapped Orphans needed warm blankets & a blender Viktor sent this recent report, “It was minus 25 C degrees with heavy snow but we decided to go to the N. Borova village orphanage 75kms away, with blankets and a blender for the orphans. The trip was difficult, because our old car wasn’t working properly. I need a better car that doesn’t break down like this one. I pray that God will help me to buy another vehicle. It was very difficult journey through deep snow, but we thank God that we made it. (Wow. All the travelling Viktor does in a faulty car – I am amazed).
They needed a blender juice fruit and vegetables in the medical section of the orphanage – where the handicapped children who can’t eat solid foods and need to have their fruit and vegetables juiced. With the money you sent, I bought blanket/quilts different colors (red, orange, white, gray, blue, purple,
green and striped) to brighten their lives, and several smaller quilts for the younger children. With the director and his assistant, we visited bedrooms where children sleep. We went into each room and handed out quilts. In this orphanage there are only girls who have health problems – 85% of them are
mentally ill. I also gave the Director of the orphanage the blender you paid for. We set the blender up in the orphanage dining room for the handicapped children who began to enjoy their fruit smoothies at once. The Orphanage director hugged me and said, “Thank you for all that you do for our children. You brought blankets just as the severe cold arrived and the rooms where the children sleep are not very warm.
We were able to help with blankets for the majority of children in the orphanage, but there are 35 very small children who we were not able to visit because of a flu epidemic. We’ll need to get blankets and winter jackets to them soon. The recent Revolution in Ukraine caused the President and the government to spend a lot of money to protect the police and special forces (which they should have
spent on the orphans needs & the poor) – just my observation” says Viktor.
I want to thank you very much for supporting these needy children.
