thepromise Orphan’s Promise newsletter | September 2018
Orphan’s Promise newsletter | September 2018
where it all began:
Ukraine giving hope. promising love.
by Terry Meeuwsen Founder & Executive Director Orphan’s Promise
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meet Volodya read more about his story on the next page
reaching thousands of children every day If you’ve been involved with our organization for any length of time, you know that Orphan’s Promise began 15 years ago, shortly after my husband and I added three young orphan girls from Ukraine to our already large family of six. I saw first-hand the plight of Ukrainian orphans, fewer than one percent of whom would ever be adopted, and I wondered, “What would happen to these precious children?” I prayed about how to make a difference, and before long many of you stepped up to join me, sharing a passion and burden for these vulnerable children who deserved to know they were loved and cared for.
Our work has since exploded, growing to include projects in 61 countries around the world and helping more than 100,000 orphaned and at-risk children each year. Nowhere has our work grown faster than in Ukraine, where we’ve expanded from one small education center for older orphans to now comprise 19 centers across the country. We’re reaching thousands of children every day through summer camps, feeding programs, family care projects, agricultural microenterprise efforts, and a neverwavering commitment to share the love of God with every child, family and community we meet. Thank you for making that possible!
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LOVE SPEAKS VOLUMES
Ivan and family find hope
I also met a 7-year-old girl named Benu. She was stunningly beautiful, but also very shy. When I asked for permission to photograph her, it seemed that—unlike others in the community—she didn’t need a translator to understand my English. She smiled as I took some photos, seemingly a natural in front of the lens. When I was finished, I was amazed to learn that Benu was deaf and mute! What a special little girl! It was so inspiring to see the difference Orphan’s Promise makes in the lives of these vulnerable people.
When I reflect on my time in Ukraine, I’m overwhelmed by the incredible needs I saw; the Roma live in desperate poverty. Yet I’m equally overwhelmed by the impact Orphan’s Promise is making. When we commit to love and care for our neighbors, wherever in the world they may be, we can make a difference. So many children like Volodya and Benu are benefiting from the remarkable work of Orphan’s Promise, and yet there are still so many children who continue to need our help.
by Abhinav Revis, Media Correspondent, Orphan’s Promise
I recently had the opportunity to visit the Roma communities where Orphan’s Promise is impacting at-risk children and families. We operate multiple training centers in numerous Roma villages, but in one village, Khust, we also run a brick factory. This factory employs Roma men, who would otherwise be unable to find work due to their unsavory reputation in Ukrainian society. These men are the fathers of children in our training center. Despite the negative public perception of the Roma people, the bricks made in the factory are of such high quality, and the demand is so massive, that the factory occasionally has to turn business away. I met 12-year-old Volodya, who attends our education center in Khust. Hunger had always been a part of his life, so much so that he once thought he might die from starvation. Making matters
worse, a few years ago his father, Ivan, suffered a head injury and was hospitalized in critical condition. Volodya’s mother, who would typically support her family by begging for food and money, had to stay with her husband in the hospital while Volodya was at home with his brothers. When Pastor Sasha—who oversees the work of Orphan’s Promise in the community, including the factory—got to know about Ivan, he went and prayed for him. Ivan told us that Sasha’s love so moved him that he decided to give his life to Jesus! Sasha actually hired Ivan, and today, he is the best employee in the brick factory. Volodya, who is so proud of his father, is a strong student at our center, and never has to worry about going hungry again.
when we commit to love and care for our neighbors, wherever in the world they may be, we can make a difference
Benu
you’re changing lives give us a call: 1-800-818-4016 orphanspromise.org Orphan’s Promise, a children’s ministry of The Christian Broadcasting Network, Inc., serves orphans and other vulnerable children around the world, taking them from at-risk to thriving through the transforming power of God’s love. CBN is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization and your contributions to our ministry are tax-deductible.