Lifesong Cup Builds Relationships - Lifesong Ukraine

We invite you to share a word of encouragement to our staff at Lifesong Ukraine. To do so, please comment on this post or on our Facebook wall and it will be forwarded to our staff. Thank you in advance for your kind words of support!   Please enjoy this update from Denis, Lifesong Ukraine Director... "This past weekend we had our fourth LS cup soccer competition where four teams have been qualified and participated in the semi-finals and final game. Sport is a great tool to reach out to the kids who would not typically attend our regular CCP lessons and Bible studies. With some of the kids we have just reinforced our influence and secured our relations.  As we did in previous years we have rented local Football Club Metalist stadium training fields and played four games. It was a two day event where all of the kids competition participants stayed at our camp property. LS cup goes to Zap this year, Sach got silver, Loubetin bronze.  October 11-14 there was a small camp at the Equestrian Sport base "Scope" for children who have already graduated from a boarding school in past years. The camp was attended by both boys and girls, who study in boarding schools, and those who have finished boarding. Some of them are now members of the Kharkov churches, some with spouses and children - they were talking about their faith. We could also see the results of our service."  Please continue to pray for the kids that we serve -- specifically that their hearts would be open and soft to the acceptance the Gospel.

Sarah's Birthday of Purpose

Meet Sarah.

Sarah just celebrated her 6th birthday last month. You would expect to see dolls, games, and maybe even a bike on her birthday list, right?

Wrong. 

For the second year in a row, Sarah has asked that instead of gifts for her birthday, money be given to Lifesong for Orphans as we care for children around the world.

Recently we recieved this note, along with a check to Lifesong from Sarah's mom,

Enclosed is $500 to help fund the adoption of an Ukrainian orphan into a Christian Ukrainian family through your Adoption without Borders program. Our daughter, Sarah, chose to collect donations for Lifesong in lieu of presents to celebrate her 6th birthday. God bless you and your efforts at Lifesong!

Isn't so refreshing to know that because of the selfless choice of ONE child, an orphan in Ukraine can become adopted into a forever family!

Sarah, thank you SO much for the example that you have shown us of what Christ's selfless love looks like. We pray that God our Father would bless your heart and life as you live for Him!

Breaking the Cycle...

"I was looking for someone to understand me, to love sincerely...I received all this!"    -Natasha, 22 Breaking the Cycle from Lifesong for Orphans on Vimeo. As you heard Natasha share in the video, the orphanage took care of her basic needs -- food, shelter, clothing.   But she longed for more.  Belonging. Commitment. Love from a family. Hope for a future. Because we believe kids like Natasha need much more than their 'basic needs', the staff of Lifesong Ukraine are building relationships inside the orphanage walls to create what we call Constant Christian Presence (CCP).  The CCP provides mentorship and discipleship, improved living conditions, one-on-one counseling, group Bible study, job skills training, music lessons, and computer skills training. Instead of the common trend of orphans creating orphans, Natasha, because of her support through CCP, now desires to help other children who are in orphanages to give them the support she received. Orphans mentoring orphans...a cycle worth striving for! Child Sponsorship We are excited to announce that Lifesong Ukraine has recently launched a new child sponsorship program. If you are interested in helping build Constant Christian Presence by sponsoring a child like Natasha, please contact us. "...He will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory." Isaiah 61:3

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!