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!

Strawberries Business in Ukraine -- At a glance

We are excited to start seeing a harvest of strawberries for our new business venture in Ukraine!

Denis, Lifesong Ukraine, talks about the initial stages of this business development, "We are starting to see some fruit. The harvest is always very encouraging...if you have something good to harvest. These berries taste really good and our kids just love them!"

Vitalik, Sasha & Sergei enjoying the fruit of their labor!

Immediate Transition Home Need - Lifesong Ukraine

Zap Transition Home - - Immediate Need

We are reaching out to you, our Ukraine supporters, to invite you to help give futures to the current and upcoming young men and women who will graduate from the State orphanages in Ukraine.   

...A young man like Igor.  

Igor was once an orphan impacted by the gospel through Lifesong Ukraine.  Because of that influence, after graduation, he chose to live in one of our transition homes.  He was baptized and became a Lifesong volunteer. His dedication in weight training earned him the title as Kharkov's State Heavy Weight Lifting Champion.  This spring he was married to a godly woman and we are thankful for his hopeful future.

 

(Igor & Anna with Lifesong Ukraine Director Denis, Tanya & family)  

Will you join us in building hopeful futures for young men like Igor?

To learn more about this project and how you can partner with Lifesong Ukraine, click here. 

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice." Proverbs 31:8-9