Summer Camp Success -- Lifesong Ukraine

**New Opportunity** We invite you to share a word of encouragement to our staff at  Lifesong Ukraine. To do so, please or comment on this blog or our Facebook wall and it will be forwarded to our staff. Thank you in advance for your kind words of support!   Please enjoy this end-of-summer update from Denis, Lifesong Ukraine Director... We trust our Father you are doing well and are working hard on behalf of the kids we work with in Ukraine. It has been a great busy summer season. Our last summer camp program has ended this past Monday and we are happy to present you a brief update on that program.  Overall we had 14 different programs May - August (both week programs and weekend) for over 440 kids from Kharkov, Zap, Chernigov and Sevsastopol areas. That's at our camp property only. Besides of that, we had 5 large camp programs at State run camps for over 320 kids. Our prayer is that all of those programs would bear fruit for His Kingdom. I would like to thank you all for a great support both with prayer and action in helping us to make these camps a reality. Also, I would like to praise God for our Ukraine team who did an exceptional job of leading those camps.  Alexei, camp program director  Morning Bible study Our equestrian side of the camp program remains a big hit among kids. It makes our program unique in the eyes of the State authorities. And, it's always great for the kids to be around animals. Please continue to pray for the young men and women who participated in our summer camps. Pray that God would bring fruit from the seeds that were planted this summer in each special heart.

Ukraine Strawberries Hit Local Stores

In efforts to create sustainable business for our work in Ukraine, Lifesong has partnered with Plant Sciences, Inc. to develop strawberry farms at our Camp location.

With the harvest underway, these strawberries are now being sold to some of the top local grocery stores in Ukraine.  The buyers have been very impressed with the strawberry's excellent shelf life, sweet taste, glossy-look & nice aroma, and the mid-to-large size of the berry. 

Denis, Lifesong Ukraine Director, shared, "All of the retailers are asking about the name of variety (of the berry), most of them never seeing such a great combination of berry qualities in one product!"

plentiful harvest

ready to sell!

in the store!

Please continue to pray for Ukraine and this new strawberry project. Pray that above all, God would be glorified in the work that we do and the orphans we serve!

Join our Prayer - Lifesong Ukraine

We are blessed to share this update from Dennis Poshelok, Director of Lifesong Ukraine,

...we had a great small event at the camp for 20 kids from Zap orphanage and 10 Zap volunteers and staff, including the Director Larissa. The Director really liked our camp and thanked all of us for such a great work we do with the kids and ministry! Enjoy the photos and join our prayer for thefuture of these children. They need God's mercy! We also thank you for being involved in the ministry which change lives.

Olya, our Matvievka CCP, with the girls before the bed time

We encourage you to look into the eyes and faces of these children and young adults and pray for God's powerful Spirit to be in their hearts as they are mentored and ministered to by the Lifesong staff in Ukraine.

First day, having just arrived at camp

"...the earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results." James 5:16b

Summer Camp in Winter?

Last year Lifesong Ukraine finished construction on a camp facility complete with a lodge, picturesque outdoor kitchen and eating area, fire pit and a nearby wooded area for camping.  The team in Ukraine has made many sacrifices to get this project completed and have been using it to it's potential, giving orphans a place to rejuvenate, learn about God's love, and meet other kids in the church and community.

Here's a video to give a little feel for this new addition to Lifesong Ukraine:

2010 Ukraine Camp from Lifesong for Orphans on Vimeo.

And now that winter has come, thanks to the lodge facility and local field trip opportunities, summer camp can last all year round...

playing games inside (Valera, shown leading a game, is a volunteer from a local church):

riding horses (Andre, shown walking the horse, grew up in an orphanage and now works as a volunteer):

visiting a Karkov bread company and learning to make biscuits (Alexi, in the background, is on staff with Lifesong):

and playing soccer in the cold:

I love seeing the community, from orphans who have aged out of the system to church members who were raised in a home with loving parents, joining together to serve orphans!  This camp is such a tangible way that local orphan advocates can serve... and enjoy the process!

“This is a dream come true to have such a wonderful place we all dreamed about and prayed for several years. Praise the Lord and thanks for everyone who supported and built such a place for the kids!” 

 Ruslana, staff member and orphanage #4 graduate (on the right with campers)

If you want to be a part of serving orphans through camp, consider going to our online gift catalog and "give Camp."  You can give in honor of someone for birthdays or anniversaries... or you can just give too... we won't complain :)

Churches...making big difference in Ukraine

Several churches in the Birmingham, AL area are helping to change the lives of orphans in Ukraine, through their partnership with Lifesong for Orphans

Help Ukraine orphans get US college education, and return to foster change in their home country - through Bright Futures