Lifesong - Ukraine orphan care

Austin Mann is phenomenal photographer/videographer traveling through 12 countries in about 7 weeks.  Check out this portion of his recent Trek travel blog post while visiting Lifesong's orphan care work in Ukraine...

 

LifeSong’s ministry here is out-of-this-world and unlike any orphan ministry I have seen. What makes it so unique is their full blown, multi-stage program that takes the kids from the streets or problem homes and prepares them and send them into the working world.

During the first stage they are taken from their troubled environment and put into an orphanage outside of the main city of Kharkiv about 10 miles in the beautiful countryside of Ukraine. The building that houses them, originally started and built by the state in the 1950’s is fairly large and allows them to house 230 orphans with plenty of space.

One thing that is remarkable is LifeSong’s agreement to work with the state and their funds. LifeSong has basically gone into less than mediocre orphanage and transformed it into a full blown program for not only sheltering orphans but also for educating them and most importantly sharing Christ Jesus with them. Fortunately, the state still pays some of their overhead costs so this helps LifeSong concentrate their finances into other areas.

At the orphanage, they have a farm where the kids can work and stay busy milking the cows and feeding them and taking care of the horses. They have a horse-drawn buggy that the little kids love ride and take laps on the soccer field on. As they grow older they also are trained to ride the horses themselves. Taking care of the horses teaches them valuable skills for working on a farm and also keeps them busy so they are less likely to get involved in substance abuse or gangs.

Prosperity & Adversity

Wow what a week, huh?  How do we respond to a week of financial turmoil like this?

Gary and I were with our good friends Mark Novotny and Aaron Klopfenstein from Ron Blue & Co. - Indianapolis recently and we were reflecting on the happenings of the markets from a Biblical perspective. Mark shared with us this verse from Ecclesiastes 7:14 that was perfect for me this week... 

In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; God has made one as well as the other...

Oh yeah...that's right...I almost forgot.  Economic debacle didn't take God by surprise did it? 

God is still on the Throne. God is still Sovereign. God is still Jehovah-Jireh (the Lord who provides). 

God is God no matter if the Dow has dipped to 8,000 points or less...

A great post from my friend Ed Bahler on keeping the market collapse in perspective

One less orphan...

Jerry & Christy's experience that moved them to adopt... 

Those eyes….that day in Santa Cruz, Bolivia… when this little girl came running after us.  I turned to look at her and her eyes caught me - I had to try to look away...

It was in her eyes that I saw tremendous hopelessness…In those eyes I saw the abuses she has undergone…It was in her eyes that I saw how much the Father loves this little girl who has nothing.

This little girl is but a pawn to help make money for her boss.  But this little girl is also "one of the least" of whom Jesus loves so much.  In the midst of an encounter with her I was undone - and still am.  The image of her grabbing Christy's hand and pulling at my shirt is a hard one to shake. 

So, here I walk through my days, finding it hard to shake the image of that little girl.  My prayer is actually that I never lose sight of her.  As I hold her in sight I am constantly reminded that she is who Jesus would have hung out with.  She is one who would have been open to hearing the good news He had to share with down and outers. 

 …we see that ours is a world full of injustices.  Despite our frustrations, we can't right them all.  But we can start with a single step towards righting one. 

Those eyes...left us undone.  I'm thankful.  May we never pull it together.  May we never get back to our "right minds".  And may you be blessed with an experience that leaves you questioning, spinning, willing to step out and risk...undone

 Undone by one little girl's eyes and the prospect of another's [Hannah],

 Jerry & Christy - excerpted from One Less Orphan blog

After this moving experience, Jerry and Christy determined to be "doers of the Word" and began the adoption process. Lifesong for Orphans had the privilege of giving an Adoption Grant / Loan to help remove the financial barriers, so Hannah can be loved by a committed Christian family...and ultimately be adopted into God's eternal family through Christ!

Hannah came home September, 2008.

Andy

Do Churches Care for Orphans?

Zionsville Fellowship is a church that "gets it".  ZF preaches it.  ZF teaches it. ZF lives it. ZF acts on it.  

I've had the privilege to personally meet with Sr. Pastor Tom Streetor, Pastor Mark Goins, and Larry and Judy Summers who are being a voice for the voiceless, launching and leading an Orphan Ministry at Zionsville Fellowship: 

• Teaching "Caring for Orphans and Widows" 

• Starting and Growing an Orphan Ministry Team of 6-8 couples from ZF congregation - Learn How - Hope for Orphans

• Lifesong for Orphans has helped ZF launch a Church Adoption Fund (matching grants & interest-free loans)  to help remove financial barriers (see another example)

 Check out these churches who are also actively engaged

It's a beautiful thing to watch a church step up.  God is glorified. Orphans and vulnerable children are ushered into a relationship with their Father!

143,000,000 or 1?

How do you or I bring joy and purpose to 143,000,000 orphans? 

Lifesong for Orphans believes every member of His Body can provide a unique and special service:  some to adopt, some to care, some to give financially, some to advocate. 

That doesn't answer the question though: How do you or I bring joy and purpose to 143,000,000?

 It starts with one.  One is always the catalyst.

If you think you are too small to make a difference,  you have never spent the night with a mosquito - saying in Kenya