October 2009 MUCH Newsletter

Hello family and friends,

Many leaves color the ground, yet many remain green upon the trees. People from all around await that autumn freeze. October 15th is the annual day when the city turns the heat on in Ukraine. This fall has been mild thus far, so we have no heat as of October 16th. I think the first frost will come soon.

First, the frost is on the pumpkin, next the turkey and fixin’s, then chestnuts are roasting on an open fire. Soon, the Christmas season will be upon us. Our Christmas Fundraiser will focus on the futures of our children. At the Marganets Orphanage in south central Ukraine, we have four programs that have been supported, not by our annual budget, but by the Christmas Fundraisers in the past several years. I want to share with you some of the results that we are seeing:

The computer class that we support has come a long way in one year. For the low cost of $180 per school year, children are learning to use Word, the Microsoft word processor for writing text; they are using Microsoft Paint to create graphic art design, and Microsoft PowerPoint to create professional presentations. These children who have learning disabilities now have more skills to compete in the work world in the future. Andre, the teacher, is passionate about teaching the children computer skills.

Unfortunately, physical rehabilitation for the children is not a part of the orphanage budget. The massage program that MUCH supports here costs $360 per school year, providing two children each day with massage treatment. Eight children will receive massage treatment this school year. The results provide children with that personal attention, neurological and physical stimulation, and emotional encouragement. The doctor tells me that she is seeing changes in the children because of each of these activities.

The music and dance program is producing big surprises. Leonid, the music master, is creating new challenges for the children. Two of them, see the pictures below, have started to attend the local music school, an after school program. Children from this orphanage have never been considered for music school. To everyone’s surprise, they have been given free tuition. Music has always been a big part of their program at the orphanage, but with the MUCH contribution of $180 per school year, they are making leaps and bounds in their resourcefulness and learning opportunities. Leonid even composed music for a song that I wrote for the children, and taught these two children to sing it. It is very beautiful.











Olga is connecting with the children through her introduction of morality, self image, maintaining control of self, and the understanding of addictive practices. She is influencing the children most, I think, with her love and compassion toward them. If you were to see her work with the children, you would see that special light in her eye. Olga is not on staff at the orphanage. MUCH supports her work with the Drug and Alcohol Prevention Program at the cost of $450 per school year. The big result that I see is that the children are attending church. His Spirit is at work!

Also in Marganets, we support the Transition Home, where children stay for ninety days, sometimes more, as they are being transitioned from difficult homes to an orphanage. For the cost of $500 per year, MUCH provides the basic underwear, socks and shoes that are needed as these children are removed from their families. This is a very fragile time for the children. MUCH helps them to maintain dignity and self-image during this time.

At the Dobromel Orphanage in western Ukraine, close to the border of Poland, we support the work that Pastor Volodya has been doing for eight years. MUCH provides funds for the purchase of clothing, shoes, some food, and fruit juices. As he provides a spiritual program to build Christian character, MUCH provides $1800 a year to clothe and nourish the children. I see the great relationship that he has with the children! His work is changing their lives. MUCH is helping Volodya continue this great mission.

So many children with disabilities are in need where I live in Illichevsk, south western Ukraine. MUCH wants to provide two more hours of massage. This will cost $1800 per year. We have a proven track record with our massage program at the Clinic. Children, who could not walk, are walking. Some of our children are entering the regular school system. Most of all, our Early Intervention program is showing great and permanent results.

The total amount of the MUCH Christmas Fundraiser for 2009 is $5270. If everyone who reads this newsletter were to contribute $20, less than dinner for two, about 300 of the 400 plus children that MUCH serves will be able to continue to receive the services provided through our 2009 Christmas Fundraiser.

Seven years ago, I answered the call to live the remainder of my life in Ukraine, serving the children of lesser provision and ability. I had a lot of questions, but I stepped out in faith. God has provided for all of my needs, but more importantly, He has provided for the needs of the children. He has provided through your giving hearts. This is not about me asking you, but it is about you responding to the gifts that God has given you to share with those less fortunate. So, I will ask you to read this letter again, and ask God what He wants you to do for His children. The children and I are so grateful for all that you have shared with us these past seven years. We thank you for being a part of our lives.

Blessing of love and healing,
Mark

Ira's Insights (October 2009)

Each time when I get encouraging emails about “Ira’s insight” it gives me only one thought – I am very thankful to my God, for He inspires me to write, to put my thoughts on paper.

I do know that some miraculous things happen in the life. Especially when you think that this or that couldn’t be because of these or those circumstances, but when something wonderful happens in our lives we usually say – “Oh, it’s a miracle!”

I hope that very soon one of such “miracles” will become a reality for mothers and their children from the organizations for the disabled in Illichevsk. This miracle is called “hippo therapy” (equine therapy, or horse therapy). This type of therapy for the disabled is widely used in many countries. Mark, himself, brought to Ukraine some videos about this therapy after his visit to America. He also brought an idea to have this therapy in Illichevsk. In the middle of my story with my question I want to remind you one incredible thing: -- Do you know how God work in our lives? -Yes, right. - He gives the same idea to different people.

And I am a real witness of it. About two weeks ago, a group of mothers and their children had a meeting with Mark where they asked to fulfill one dream – to have “hippo therapy” in Illichevsk. Then when Mark had a meeting with one of the city officials, she told us the same – her dream is to have a trained horse that could be brought in the yard of the rehabilitation centre twice a week for our children to ride. Isn’t it a miracle? God is doing what He wants through different people, but He gives them the same idea!

And recently Mark spoke to one of the members of Odessa Rotary Club who lives in Illichevsk. When Mark asked that person to help with this new idea, he told that it’s possible and what we need to do is to present the project to the Rotary Club.

This story has happened in a short period of time. For me it is a real miracle that God wants it to become a reality for many disabled children of Illichevsk. My hope is that very soon in “Ira’s insights” I will write about the success of “hippo therapy”.

Until next time,
Ira

Doing the Wash

When I first arrived in Ukraine, I had a mindset of how things would be. The first four weeks fit my expectations according to the correspondences that I had before I moved to Ukraine. The modern conveniences were not available everywhere that I visited. It was common to see a wash basin perched on wooden rack on the back of the bathtub. This was for washing the clothes.

Weeks five and six presented a very different situation. I stayed in an apartment with a family who had a very modern looking atmosphere. I the kitchen, under the counter, was a roll-out wash machine. I was treated to this modern convenience, but it seemed strange.

During my three months in missionary school in Ternopol, Ukraine, there was a washing machine. There were eleven students and eight children. I decided to embrace the earlier culture that I had experienced, and do my wash by hand. As I watched the other students rejoicing in their freedom from the doldrums of washing by hand, I wanted to understand their lives better. So I continued to wash my clothes by hand.

When the time arrived for our Outreach practical experience, my team was once more in a more normal Ukrainian situation. This time, not only was there no washing machine, but water was only available at certain times during the day.

In April of the following year, I set up house in an apartment in Illichevsk, Ukraine. I have been living her for six and a half years. After starting a massage clinic for children with Cerebral Palsy, I looked at my own need for exercising my left hand. My bathroom is ready for a washing machine, but I have decided to wait. When I find that special woman, then I will buy a washing machine. Until then, I will do wash by hand, getting the exercise that I need, but have to force myself to do.

The Harvest is Plentiful

In all of my experiences, one theme has stuck in my head, has burned within my heart, and made more sense to me than any other. It is the theme that Young Life, a Christian outreach for youth, stands upon. It simply states that you must win the right to be heard before you should begin to share with others what is most meaningful to you.

I have been told that talking about God in the government orphanages in Ukraine is against the law. The children may go to church in the city, but preaching on the property is not allowed by law. For the past seven years, my organization, MUCH, has been meeting the humanitarian needs of these children. We have won the right to be heard. But how can we capture the attention of the children on the orphanage grounds, to get them to join us at church, off the orphanage grounds.

Last September, MUCH started a Drug and Alcohol Prevention program at the orphanage. Olga, from the charismatic church in Marganets, meets with the children once a week during the school year with this program. This summer, the youth from the Baptist church in Marganets began to visit the children, starting with a concert. These two representatives are building relationships with the children. They are living examples of Christian character for the children to follow.

In the Ukrainian orphanage system, the children are all lost souls, broken hearts and minds, waiting for true direction, for someone to reach out to them and care. It is unfortunate that so many are reached out to by the wrong people, people of crime, prostitution, drugs, and control. In Matthew chapter nine, Jesus says, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.”

It is a long process, but we are seeing the children respond to our love for them. I have personally seen eight children from the orphanage system attend church during my visits. They are hungry for answers. They are young minds wanting to be filled with good thing. They are the plentiful harvest, waiting...

Simferopol

After a pleasant conversation with an Odessa sailor and his girl, I had a pleasant night sleep on the train. Arriving in Simferopol around noon, I had some time to explore the city. The independent type that I am, I headed straight away from the front of the train station. I wanted to find the center of the city where all of the beauty is, but, unfortunately, that was to the right of the front of the train station. Full backpack on my back, I headed out.

After walking about a half of a kilometer, I decided to ask for directions. After a few minutes of discussion about the pronunciation of the word “center,” the woman told me that I would have to go back to the train station and turn left. I thanked her and determined if I should waste all of that time to back track my steps.
I saw a bridge about twenty meters in the direction that I had been heading. I figured that, if I took two rights from where I was, that would put me at the center. A third right would put me back at the train station. My good friend, logic.

I walked on: to the bridge, and over the bridge, and then right, across the street. I found that there was a very nice sidewalk that paralleled the meandering little stream that was about fifteen meters wide. I set my feet in motion, as I began my adventure. To my surprise, I found that a park continued the length of the stream. There were weeping willow trees and other greenery, but my biggest surprises were all of the foot bridges that crossed the stream as I walked on. At one point, I realized that the stream was turning to the left. It was time for me to start thinking about turning to the right.

I crossed the next bridge, and proceeded along the steam until I saw a bridge that would take me back up to the street. I didn’t want to leave this little wonderland of bridges, but I needed to continue my journey to the center and back to the train station where I would meet my friends.

I crossed the street and turned right, heading for what I hoped to be the center. As I approached a T in the road, I saw a sign with the word Voksal, Russian for train station, pointing to the right. A bit disappointed, I abandoned my search for the center and headed to the train station. At least I had not gotten lost.

My final surprise, as I walked on, was that I found another park. This one was narrow and long, between two streets. I saw the most unique use of trees to be removed in this park. Instead of cutting the trees to the ground and removing the roots, they cut the tree, leaving about two meters in height. Then, they carved, I think with a chainsaw, a statue of a person, maybe a historical or fictional character. This was the nicest gift for me to encounter at the end of this particular adventure!