Why Are We Here?

Change is hard.  Especially in ministry.  We knew we could not go back to Lugansk; and yet it almost feels like a betrayal to go elsewhere.  Almost.  But we felt the Lord opening a door for us to minister in western Ukraine.  Far from the war.  So we went.  We hoped to plan the summer hosting program as well as explore opportunities for camps. 

Taryn, Lori and I arrived in a small village in western Ukraine on Monday.  The first day was spent with administrative type activities.  Another difficult aspect of ministry.  And, frankly, there were moments where we all looked at each other and asked “now why are we here?”  But we continued to walk in faith, trusting that the Lord had sovereignly  brought us here.  Near the end of the day, the Director introduced us to a boy with downcast eyes.  She explained he did not know much Russian or Ukrainian.  I told him it was okay, I didn’t either.  He almost smiled.  God whispered:  “this is why you are here.”

Later, we got the chance to go with some of the older children to tour a nearby castle.  I got on the bus and said hi to a 14 year old girl.  She gave me a nod. I gave her one back.  She turned her face to hide her smile.  She was going to be a tough one to crack I thought.  I asked why she was so grumpy.  She said it was because she did not want to go to the castle; she had already been a hundred times.  Then she asked “Am I coming to your house this summer?”  “I sure hope so,” I replied.  Then she blurted out: “I want to come.  I want to be adopted.  I want a family.  FOR LIFE!”  God shouted “This is why you are here!!” 

The next day, we watched a performance by the younger children in the orphanage.  7, 8, and 9 year olds with no parent in the crowd to beam at them or applaud their efforts.  My heart ached thinking “no child this young, this beautiful, should be orphaned.” God consoled me: “this is why you are here.”

We visited the children with mild special needs.  We talked to them.  Held them.  Heard their stories.  With few hours left in the day , I pulled Taryn and Lori away:  “We still have so much to do while we are here!”

Minutes continued to slip away.  Children, previously withdrawn, began to soften.  We laughed together.  Had tea together.  Strangers became friends.  A boy’s almost-smile became a real smile.  And the grumpy girl on the bus burst into tears as we drove away.  “It’s enough now, God.  I understand.  I know why we are here.  Please don’t make me see anymore.” 

For a few moments we sat in silence.  Words were insufficient. Love for a new place was blossoming.  God had given us care, concern, and even pain, where none had been a day before.  And then my thoughts looked ahead.  Plans to be made.  Money to be raised.  One of us spoke what the others were already thinking:  how can we make others see, care,  help?  I don’t know the answer to that question.  But one thing I do know.  I must live each day asking how I can bring these 100 children to the attention of the world.  And not just these 100.  But  the 500 orphaned children in east Ukraine we have been asked to help. Children displaced by the war; with no socks, underwear, or basic hygiene products.  Now more than ever, we need your help. They need your help.  The withdrawn boy.  The grumpy girl.  The orphaned. The poor.  It's not easy.  There is pain in the offering.  But offer we must.  I mean, isn't that why we're here?

Guest Blog: Be Brave

One year ago, I blogged about Vova, an older orphan. Prudence, whom I did not know at the time, read that blog and is now in process to adopt Vova and his sister. I pray at least one person will now read Prudence's blog and be brave enough to follow in her steps.

http://anobedientjourney.com/be-brave/

Harvest time is here.

I face moments every year where I wonder if I can do this again next year.  It’s usually after hosting.  When I am tired.  Or discouraged. Or wallowing in self-pity because something did not go as planned.  This year, when the moment came, my sweet daughter was there to shake me back into reality.  “What?!” she exclaimed.  “Every year, kids you host are adopted!  Every year God brings new people to help you!  You can’t quit!”  And I don’t.   Because, you see, my daughter is right.  I can’t quit.  There is too much at stake.   Now more than ever.  The war in Ukraine brings an urgency to the mission of Grace to Ukraine that must supercede my fragile emotions.  God knew I would face these feelings.  And so He gave me Galatians 6:9:  Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.  And then, just for good measure, He made sure I saw this video from our friends, the Evans.  They got involved with GtU for the first time this summer. They looked an orphan in the eyes; hugged him; opened their homes and hearts to him.  And their lives will never be the same.  I am not giving up.  Harvest time is here. 

Go here to read more of April and Scott's story.

WE ARE COLLECTING FIRST AID SUPPLIES TO HELP VICTIMS OF THE WAR

Last fall, Taryn Kilpatrick and I had the opportunity to meet with the mayor of Krasnadon to discuss our work in his region. This fall, Grace to Ukraine has the opportunity to partner with the Birmingham Sister City - Ukraine Committee in collecting medical and first-aid items for wounded soldiers and civilians in Krasnadon and other areas of Lugansk.   The special needs orphanage that we have supported is located in Krasnadon; we have also hosted from there.  We mourn with them over the loss of lives in their community and cherish this opportunity to minister to those wounded yet alive.

Items that are SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED by the Ukrainian Embassy are
➢ large waterproof pads
➢ large adhesive pads
➢ large sterile non-adhesive gauze bandages
➢ wound care kits
➢ band-aids
➢ gauze sponges
➢ dressing gauze — “ALL SIZES”.
➢ non-adherent dressing
➢ medical adhesive tape
➢ hemostatic blood coagulant burn ointment
➢ bacitracin (triple antibiotic) ointment - NOTE: only small tubes available for minor/small wounds or burns.
➢ painkillers, such as Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen (ADVIL), Tylenol, and Aspirin.

If you would like to purchase and donate these items, and you live in Alabama, you can drop them off at the following locations:

The Church at Brook Hills

3145 Brook Highland Parkway

Birmingham, Alabama  35242

(far end of the lobby near the modulars; near Room 130)

Ridgecrest Baptist Church

7773 Gadsden Highway

Trussville, Alabama  35173

Northwestern Mutual of Alabama

1901 6th Avenue North

Suite 2800

Birmingham, Alabama  35203

Crestway Baptist Church
6400 Crestwood Blvd
Birmingham, Alabama  35212
(Mondday-Thursday, 9am - 3pm)

Eaglepoint Baptist Church

301 Henry Road SW

Jacksonville, Alabama  36265

International Services Counsel
102 Gates Avenue
Huntsville, Alabama
Monday-Thursday 9am - 5pm)

Billy Barnes Enterprises

1626 Alabama 21 Frisco City, AL 36445 Liquid Life 25741 Perdido Beach Blvd. Building A Suite M Orange Beach, Alabama  36561

If you live out of state, you can send them to Grace to Ukraine at 4006 St. Charles Drive, Birmingham, Alabama 35242. If you would like to make a monetary donation please write a check payable to the Birmingham Sister Cities Committee and in the "FOR LINE" write “Ukraine Humanitarian Relief". You can mail checks to:

Scotty Colson
Honorary Consul for Ukraine to Alabama
P.O. Box 55761
Birmingham, Al. 35255-5761

We will be collecting supplies through October 12th.  

Living in Two Worlds

This is our reality this summer:

* a child many of us know (an orphan graduate) was killed by shrapnel as he innocently walked down the street

*we have swam, rode horses, roller coasters and water slides

*one of our guardians (a government official)  has returned to Ukraine; he was shot at and a bullet grazed his head; for the last week, he has been hiding in a bomb shelter as his village was under heavy fire; he is now riding around in a tank surveying the unbelievable damage to his community and asking for humanitarian aide:  medicine, food, clothing.

*we have laughed, loved, and learned of the God who created us

*our hosted children sat at my kitchen table and cried as they watched the video of the damage to their orphanage during battle

*nine of twelve children have a family committed to them as mentors, future host families, or  hopeful adoptive parents

Pray for these children, and for their country.

"I have told you these things so that in me, you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world!"  John 16:33

The Rescue

We began to plan for their summer trip to Alabama even before the protests began at Maidan, in Kyiv, in November.  12 orphaned children.  A peaceful country.   An easy road.  Then I stood at Maidan in December, bringing my own 3 new Ukrainian children home.  Something good was happening.  But there was thunder in the distance.  In February, a government was overthrown.  And then I stood in shock with the rest of the world in March when Russia invaded Crimea.

Immediately, I began communicating with our partners in Lugansk:  what if this happens here?  How will we get the children out?  For 3 months, text after text, email after email, communicating through an intermediary with government officials; talking directly with other humanitarian organizations in Ukraine; calling Embassies and Senators;  coming up with ideas that were impractical or too expensive.  Being told there was nothing we could do.  Being asked to do the impossible.  Praying.  Agonizing. Then in late May, hearing from the kids we planned to host that they were hiding in the basement of the orphanage; that they heard explosions; that they were scared they would never be able to travel to Alabama.  I am a doer by nature.  I fretted because time and time again, I came up with the conclusion:  there is nothing I can do. 

All I wanted was to get the children to safety.  There are 517 children in the state run orphanages in the Lugansk oblast.  This was not about 12 children but 517.  We made the decision that if we had to make the choice, the money we had raised for hosting would go to evacuating the children.  We tentatively made hosting plans even while being warned that all roads leading from the town where our children resided were closed.  No one could get in.  And no one could get out.

On June 2^nd, there was a bombing in Lugansk city; at least 5 people were killed.  Things were getting worse.  Then on June 3^rd,  I got this message:  we are in contact with the Ukrainian army and the Lugansk People’s Republic as well as the head of the train station; all orphans in the region will be evacuated to Odessa.  “When?” I asked. “Not sure”, was the reply.  This was a massive undertaking.

On June 4^th we talked to Luda, one of our hosted kids.  She told us that the director was saying that only kids going to Odessa would be leaving the next day; kids going to America would have to wait.  What?!  I called Anton, our partner in Ukraine; he agreed we had to get our 12 kids out as well; this may be their only chance.  The morning of June 5^th was chaotic; our 12 kids were not prepared to leave but were now being told to get on the bus.  There were now too many kids for the bus, according to the rules.  So we broke a few rules and our 12 kids joined the other 118 orphans escaping Severodonetsk.  The police escorted the bus the hour and half drive to Lugansk, through checkpoints, past armed men.  And the LORD our God went before them; mighty in power; with a gentle and fatherly love for the orphan.

Meanwhile, a train was on its way from Odessa to Lugansk to take the children to safety.  Several news sources reported that the train was detained at some point by militants, insisting it return to Odessa.  I do not know the details; but what I do know is that eventually those 118 children plus another 384 orphans got on that train and made it safely to Odessa and our 12 got on a train leading them to Kyiv.

Right now they are staying at a Christian camp out side of Kyiv run by Andrew Kelly and Jeremiah’s Hope.  Their visa appointment is tomorrow, June 10^th; they are scheduled to fly to Alabama on June 16^th.  I am overwhelmed by what happened.  When I could do nothing, my God did it all.  My new Ukrainian daughter, still struggling with faith, said “I began to believe more in God yesterday when the children got out of Lugansk.”  God was on display for all to see. 

Yesterday at the Church at Brook Hills, the sermon was on Psalm 91.  What perfect timing:

2 I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,

    my God, in whom I trust.”

3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler

    and from the deadly pestilence.

4 He will cover you with his pinions,

    and under his wings you will find refuge;

    his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.

5 You will not fear the terror of the night,

    nor the arrow that flies by day,

6 nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,

    nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

7 A thousand may fall at your side,

    ten thousand at your right hand,

    but it will not come near you.

As our hosting date nears, and I plan for our nightly sabrinya (Russian for "gathering" and when we have our  Bible study), please pray that these children will see that God alone is their Rescuer and that He offers the ultimate rescue through Jesus Christ.  I, personally, am once again humbled by that Truth. 

Stories from the Spring Trip to Ukraine

Today, Taryn is winding up her last days in Ukraine on behalf of Grace to Ukraine.  She and her small team have visited all the orphanages where we serve.  They have also made time for outreach to individuals and families in a variety of difficult situations.  Every trip to Ukraine brings back hosts of stories of despair as well as encouragement.  Today I  want to share with you one of the more encouraging stories.

For well over a year, Grace to Ukraine has been providing Jesus Storybook Bibles to the orphaned and poor in Ukraine.  When someone purchases an English version of the bible from us for $20, we give  a Russian version  to a child in Ukraine.  One of our partners in Ukraine is a young woman by the name of Lori Jackson.  Lori delivers our diapers each month to the special needs orphanage, among many other things.  She always takes a Jesus Storybook Bible with her. Some would question if the children there understand these stories.  But today, I received this wonderful message from her about her time at the special needs orphanage with Taryn:

 Suzette, let me tell you...we were all in the room there at the special needs orphanage, and you know how chaotic (in a good way) it can get in there, but I'm playing ball with one kid, interpreting across the room for Taryn for another kid, trying to listen to the conversation Terry and Anton are having behind me all at the same time. Next to me on the floor is the Jesus Story Book Bible, and one of the little boys scoots up beside me, opens it, pushes it towards me, points at the picture on the title page of Jesus surrounded by children and says "Jesus." 

I stopped worrying about what Anton and Terry were talking about, I told Taryn what had just happened, I threw the ball to one of the other kids and turned to Danya and said "you want to read about Jesus?" and with the biggest smile on his face he nodded his head and said "DA!"

When I'm there I mostly play. I always take the Bible, and spend maybe five minuets out of my two hours actually sharing it's stories with the kids and even that is a minute here and a minute there with whichever kid has brought it over and sat next to me for as long as their attention will hold them, then it's onto the next thing. 

With Danya today, it was the same, we didn't spend long looking at the pictures or talking about who God is, but what a gift for me to see that He KNOWS what's important. Mostly you just want them to know that they are LOVED, but you wonder how much they understand. Today  I asked Danya who Jesus loves and he said "me." I asked him if Jesus loved me. He said yes. I asked who else He loved and he said "everyone." 

Oh me of little faith.

What a gift today to get a glimpse of what He is doing! So thankful for those who came before me and for every person who has held a child there and told them that they are loved.

Glory to God.