Hello family and friends,
Living in Illichevsk these past 5½ years, I have learned a new meaning of being thankful. I have lived in the same apartment for the entire time, most unusual in Ukraine. I have not had more than one encounter with the police. They are not considered public servants but are feared because of past abuse of authority. I have not had to use the Ukraine health care system, another discomfort of the people of Ukraine. I have been able to afford to pay a cook two days a week to improve my diet for the past two plus years. My personal and mission financial needs have been provided. This Thanksgiving, I have many reasons to be thankful. God has blessed our children and me abundantly. May your Thanksgiving be a filled with joy.
I often want to talk about one group of our children, saying that their needs are the greatest, but I can’t. In my heart of hearts, each group of children, each child has great needs in his or her life. Each child tugs at my heart. I see their needs first hand. As God leads me, I walk through the doors that He opens. This Christmas season, we are focusing on six programs within three of our five child groups. Two of these child groups are orphanages. During the six years that we have been working with the Marganets orphanage, we have learned quite a bit about the needs of the children. As we have pursued each need, we have learned the greatest need of the children. It is to be loved. Each of our programs projects our love for the children in a unique manner. One of our programs that we are asking for your support is the Drug and Alcohol Prevention Program. It is about much more than drugs and alcohol. Ira will tell you something more.
Enna, my new translator in Marganets, Olga, and I waded through flooding streets to get to the children for this first presentation. You can see the bottoms of Olga’s jeans (photo below) are soaked. We have a powerful opportunity to redirect the lives of our children through this program.
If you haven't already, read about our Christmas Fundraiser - MUCH's Goal is $3,620.
Blessings of love and healing,
Mark
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Ira's Insights (November 2008)
Mark asked me to express my opinion about the Drug and Alcohol prevention program in Marganets. The first thing that came to my mind was that working for MUCH, I always experience something new. Someone may say: this is just your life experience. I would agree with that person, but I would add that it is God who lets me grow and realize that we can change a lot of things with His might and His strength.
It was in autumn 2006 when Mark invited Nadezda from Illichevsk to go to Marganets to give some lessons about drug and alcohol prevention for the children in the orphanage. At that time, the children had a serious problem – many of them sniffed glue. Even now I remember Nadezda’s lesson. The children were listening to her very attentively. Each of them was taking an active part in the conversation. Before my eyes the children were changing. I saw their eyes were brighter. Their little inner worlds were changing. They were becoming bigger. During the lesson, some of the children's personal conflicts were solved. Even after the lesson, many children were following Nadezda to ask her questions that they worried about. Next time that Mark went to Marganets, the assistant director of the orphanage told him that the number of children who sniffed the glue was less. It was a good sign.
Unfortunately Nadezda couldn’t go to Marganets very often because of her ministry at the church in Illichevsk. Mark was concerned about the children. He understood that they needed someone who could help them to understand why they live; for what purpose they have come to this world; how to begin to love themselves and other people.
Soon God answered our need. He introduced us to a person who has a desire to give such kind of lessons to the children. She has a heart full of love and compassion towards children at the orphanage. The name of this woman is Olga. She lives in Marganets and can go to the children not only three or four times a year, but every week. I believe that this program will continue to change the lives and the future of the little children at the Marganets orphanage who need spiritual support day by day.
Until next time,
Ira
It was in autumn 2006 when Mark invited Nadezda from Illichevsk to go to Marganets to give some lessons about drug and alcohol prevention for the children in the orphanage. At that time, the children had a serious problem – many of them sniffed glue. Even now I remember Nadezda’s lesson. The children were listening to her very attentively. Each of them was taking an active part in the conversation. Before my eyes the children were changing. I saw their eyes were brighter. Their little inner worlds were changing. They were becoming bigger. During the lesson, some of the children's personal conflicts were solved. Even after the lesson, many children were following Nadezda to ask her questions that they worried about. Next time that Mark went to Marganets, the assistant director of the orphanage told him that the number of children who sniffed the glue was less. It was a good sign.
Unfortunately Nadezda couldn’t go to Marganets very often because of her ministry at the church in Illichevsk. Mark was concerned about the children. He understood that they needed someone who could help them to understand why they live; for what purpose they have come to this world; how to begin to love themselves and other people.
Soon God answered our need. He introduced us to a person who has a desire to give such kind of lessons to the children. She has a heart full of love and compassion towards children at the orphanage. The name of this woman is Olga. She lives in Marganets and can go to the children not only three or four times a year, but every week. I believe that this program will continue to change the lives and the future of the little children at the Marganets orphanage who need spiritual support day by day.Until next time,
Ira
Friday, November 7, 2008
October 2008 MUCH Newsletter
Hello family and friends,
During my return trip to the Kiev airport to accompany Milan Anderson, visiting doctor of chiropractic from America, the Bible verse Matthew 10:16 came alive in my mind and my experience. “Behold I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; therefore be shrewd as serpents, and innocent as doves.” Here is the story. Our driver asked us to meet him at a location that required two different lines on the subway. At the subway track, we asked directions. We listened closely to the explanation in Russian, followed the directions and found the second line. As we approached the track, I noticed that my wallet was missing. My wallet had been picked out of my front pocket.
My heart sank. I had just read a report from the American Embassy about identity theft. My train ticket, credit card and other things were in my wallet. At the moment, all I could do was continue my mission to get to the location where we would meet the driver. When Dr. Anderson and I sat down at a table to wait for the driver, I was still in shock over what to do. Then a surprise occurred. As he set his open bag on the floor, he pulled out my wallet and sat it on the table. The thief had dropped my wallet into his bag after he took what he wanted. His first words were, “God is really watching over you.” I looked through my wallet to see what was missing. The money--less than $25--was gone. The phone card, a value of $5 was gone. Everything else was intact. “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want….” How big is your God?
In the 7 days that Dr. Anderson was here, he helped about 40 people relieve their pain. He had hoped to help more, but there were a number of factors that got in the way. Even so, the door has been opened. His giving heart, excellent chiropractic knowledge and skill, and his warm bedside manner, won the hearts of the Ukrainian people. They had accepted pain as part of life; now, people he treated have a new outlook.
Blessings of love and healing,
Mark
During my return trip to the Kiev airport to accompany Milan Anderson, visiting doctor of chiropractic from America, the Bible verse Matthew 10:16 came alive in my mind and my experience. “Behold I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; therefore be shrewd as serpents, and innocent as doves.” Here is the story. Our driver asked us to meet him at a location that required two different lines on the subway. At the subway track, we asked directions. We listened closely to the explanation in Russian, followed the directions and found the second line. As we approached the track, I noticed that my wallet was missing. My wallet had been picked out of my front pocket.
My heart sank. I had just read a report from the American Embassy about identity theft. My train ticket, credit card and other things were in my wallet. At the moment, all I could do was continue my mission to get to the location where we would meet the driver. When Dr. Anderson and I sat down at a table to wait for the driver, I was still in shock over what to do. Then a surprise occurred. As he set his open bag on the floor, he pulled out my wallet and sat it on the table. The thief had dropped my wallet into his bag after he took what he wanted. His first words were, “God is really watching over you.” I looked through my wallet to see what was missing. The money--less than $25--was gone. The phone card, a value of $5 was gone. Everything else was intact. “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want….” How big is your God?
In the 7 days that Dr. Anderson was here, he helped about 40 people relieve their pain. He had hoped to help more, but there were a number of factors that got in the way. Even so, the door has been opened. His giving heart, excellent chiropractic knowledge and skill, and his warm bedside manner, won the hearts of the Ukrainian people. They had accepted pain as part of life; now, people he treated have a new outlook.
Blessings of love and healing,
Mark
Ira's Insight (October 2008)
My greetings to everybody. Have you ever felt that you had a grip on how things happen in this life, and then in one moment you meet someone who changes your attitude? It happened with me last week. I have called it a great surprise. It was my work with the manual therapist (chiropractic) who came from America. I had the privilege to translate for Dr. Anderson for a couple of days.
Before his coming I had heard some stories from my friends who had had good experiences with manual therapy. They had a positive attitude because their results were wonderful. It was a time in Ukraine when people who needed the help of a manual therapist began to go to the doctor who lived in Kobiljaky, Ukraine. People told stories of wonderful healing. At that time I could only listen to the stories.
Now I am ready to share my own story with you. For me, it was an unusual treatment that I had never watched or experienced. It was wonderful! After the first session, I didn’t feel any pain in my shoulders and in my lower back. Then for several days I watched how people came to the doctor to be treated. In the beginning, some of them came alone with some guarded curiosity, but after the session, they brought their friends and families to the doctor. Even after his departure, many people called and asked me to pass their greetings and thanks to him. Most of his Ukrainian patients experienced manual therapy for the first time in their lives.
Until next time,
Ira
Before his coming I had heard some stories from my friends who had had good experiences with manual therapy. They had a positive attitude because their results were wonderful. It was a time in Ukraine when people who needed the help of a manual therapist began to go to the doctor who lived in Kobiljaky, Ukraine. People told stories of wonderful healing. At that time I could only listen to the stories.
Now I am ready to share my own story with you. For me, it was an unusual treatment that I had never watched or experienced. It was wonderful! After the first session, I didn’t feel any pain in my shoulders and in my lower back. Then for several days I watched how people came to the doctor to be treated. In the beginning, some of them came alone with some guarded curiosity, but after the session, they brought their friends and families to the doctor. Even after his departure, many people called and asked me to pass their greetings and thanks to him. Most of his Ukrainian patients experienced manual therapy for the first time in their lives.
Until next time,
Ira
Christmas Fund Raiser Kick-Off
Through our Christmas Fund Raisers, we are able to support pilot projects annually that go beyond our budgeted three major programs. In the June newsletter, I mentioned that our camp for the disabled has been taken over by the Illichevsk Baptist Church. Camp was a big item on our previous Christmas Fund Raisers, so this year we can direct more attention to other projects that have proven their value. In spite of the global economic crisis, we believe that God will bless His children through you. Their needs are small, and we believe that your hearts are big.
Marganets Orphanage, Eastern Ukraine, with 156 children during the school year, 60 children in the summer time.
• The Drug and Alcohol Prevention Program. It will be taught once a week--$600/yr.
• The Massage program has shown very positive results--$360 for 9 months during the school year.
• The Computer Class helps children enter the world of word processing and graphic arts--$180/sch.yr.
• Music and Dance, a new program. Music and dance have always been a big part of the orphanage. This new opportunity will broaden their program and offer more to the children--$180/sch.yr.
Marganets Transition Home processes as many as 26 children every 90 days.
• Last year we provided clothes and shoes for these children. We would like to do the same every year. The cost is only $500/yr.
Dobromel Orphanage for Special Children, Western Ukraine, with 120 children.
• Clothing, shoes and food. The children receive our help through a local pastor. I have visited with him and am very impressed with his heart for the children. We would like to continue helping them with clothing, shoes, and food. This is our biggest project. $1800/year.
Our Christmas Fund Raiser goal is $3620. Last year, your response was amazing. If God is speaking to your heart this Christmas season, the children of MUCH ask you to include them in your generosity. They want to learn to help themselves through these programs. That is the ultimate goal and the mission statement of MUCH.
Marganets Orphanage, Eastern Ukraine, with 156 children during the school year, 60 children in the summer time.
• The Drug and Alcohol Prevention Program. It will be taught once a week--$600/yr.
• The Massage program has shown very positive results--$360 for 9 months during the school year.
• The Computer Class helps children enter the world of word processing and graphic arts--$180/sch.yr.
• Music and Dance, a new program. Music and dance have always been a big part of the orphanage. This new opportunity will broaden their program and offer more to the children--$180/sch.yr.
Marganets Transition Home processes as many as 26 children every 90 days.
• Last year we provided clothes and shoes for these children. We would like to do the same every year. The cost is only $500/yr.
Dobromel Orphanage for Special Children, Western Ukraine, with 120 children.
• Clothing, shoes and food. The children receive our help through a local pastor. I have visited with him and am very impressed with his heart for the children. We would like to continue helping them with clothing, shoes, and food. This is our biggest project. $1800/year.
Our Christmas Fund Raiser goal is $3620. Last year, your response was amazing. If God is speaking to your heart this Christmas season, the children of MUCH ask you to include them in your generosity. They want to learn to help themselves through these programs. That is the ultimate goal and the mission statement of MUCH.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
