Early Saturday morning we travelled to the Ukraine with Kati and another couple from the Reformed Church of Hungary. This proved to be an appointment arranged by God. Kati is the woman who has been going to the Ukraine with bibles and food for 25 years so she knows many people there and introduced us to many of her friends.
We visited and received a tour of the farm orphanage in Nagydobrony. This Christian orphanage is supported by the Reform Church from the Netherlands and is a self-supporting facility. The children here are well cared for by a staff that is employed by the church. Many of the children have special needs and may remain at this orphanage for the long term.
Later in the day we visited a home in Munkacs that was established 10 years ago. This home is also supported by the Reform Church. Here, 16 foster children are being raised by a woman and helpers. The youngest child is now 12 years old and these children have had an opportunity to learn life skills in order to be independent someday. All the children attend church and bible studay and some have received Jesus as Lord.
Then we met a wonderful man, Pastor Lyosh, who is 83 years old and still going strong. The brother was imprisoned in the gulag during the 1950's. He says, "I was arrested for preaching Christ to the youth and sent to prison. Now I am still preaching to the youth but the people who condemned me are nowhere around." He has planted a church among the gypsy people and is looking for donations to build a bathing facility at the church.
The next day we attended the Reform Church in Beregszasz and after met three of the men who established the Samuel Foundation. Linda and I both felt a heart connection with these men and feel they are doing much to end the suffering of the orphans in Ukraine. We had a 2 hour meeting with them and are excited to share their ministry with you when we return home.
The Director of the Samuel Foundation was able to arrange a tour of a State-run Orphanage nearby. The conditions were inhumane and bordered on cruelty. The children there have no personal space or possessions. We saw no clothing except for what they were wearing. The sewer seems to be permanently broken and the stench is awful. How can the human spirit survive this kind of treatment?
We are back at the Greathouses now writing down our thoughts and what we've seen and experienced so we can share more with you. Please continue to pray that God will reveal His will for the Ukraine.
We visited and received a tour of the farm orphanage in Nagydobrony. This Christian orphanage is supported by the Reform Church from the Netherlands and is a self-supporting facility. The children here are well cared for by a staff that is employed by the church. Many of the children have special needs and may remain at this orphanage for the long term.
Later in the day we visited a home in Munkacs that was established 10 years ago. This home is also supported by the Reform Church. Here, 16 foster children are being raised by a woman and helpers. The youngest child is now 12 years old and these children have had an opportunity to learn life skills in order to be independent someday. All the children attend church and bible studay and some have received Jesus as Lord.
Then we met a wonderful man, Pastor Lyosh, who is 83 years old and still going strong. The brother was imprisoned in the gulag during the 1950's. He says, "I was arrested for preaching Christ to the youth and sent to prison. Now I am still preaching to the youth but the people who condemned me are nowhere around." He has planted a church among the gypsy people and is looking for donations to build a bathing facility at the church.
The next day we attended the Reform Church in Beregszasz and after met three of the men who established the Samuel Foundation. Linda and I both felt a heart connection with these men and feel they are doing much to end the suffering of the orphans in Ukraine. We had a 2 hour meeting with them and are excited to share their ministry with you when we return home.
The Director of the Samuel Foundation was able to arrange a tour of a State-run Orphanage nearby. The conditions were inhumane and bordered on cruelty. The children there have no personal space or possessions. We saw no clothing except for what they were wearing. The sewer seems to be permanently broken and the stench is awful. How can the human spirit survive this kind of treatment?
We are back at the Greathouses now writing down our thoughts and what we've seen and experienced so we can share more with you. Please continue to pray that God will reveal His will for the Ukraine.
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