April 2010 MUCH Newsletter

Hi family and friends,

I hope that spring has sprung in your neck of the woods. Here in NC, the trees are full of green leaves. The re-creation of spring every year is pretty amazing. I have been in America almost two months. So far, I have visited friends and family in Indiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and North Carolina. I will be in Florida for a week in April and a week in May. I’m very pleased with the number of people who are interested in our children in Ukraine and my work with them. God continues to open doors and touch hearts!

Looking back over the past eight years, many doors have been opened to me. The first massage program was in Illichevsk where we now serve 24 children. The second began a few years ago at the orphanage in Marganets, where six children are treated. As you read last month, we will start a third massage program, this time in Froonza, Crimea for 12 children. Several groups of people in Michigan and Indiana have contributed enough funds to operate the massage program in Froonza for eight months. When I visited Froonza in January, I learned something very interesting. One of the mothers who has a child with a disability said, “I can’t believe that an American has come to our little village of 3,000 people to help our children. Most medical attention goes to the big cities.”

How do we value the life of a child? Is a child from the city more valuable than one from the village? Who are we to make that decision? They are all the children of God. As He opens the doors, I will gladly walk through. If He is showing us the children to help, surely He will provide. In the past eight years, I have seen many children with needs. I had some big ideas, but they were my own. When I tried to move forward with my own idea, a roadblock would appear.
There are so many children throughout the world who are in need. God’s love for His children is great. In His wisdom and His perfect time, their needs will be met. As I travel through America to raise funds for our children, I must listen to learn who the people are whose hearts God has touched to help our children. As I spend my final four weeks in America, I will seek out those people.

Here are some of Ira’s thoughts!

I am in the midst of people with giving hearts and children with great need. I am in awe of what God has done these past 8 years. As a team, making ourselves available, God will continues to use us according to his perfect will and timing.

Blessings of love and healing,
Mark