Transition Home - Donetsk

Many of you may remember reading about Alina. It was on our mission trip last June that we met her and many other older Orphan girls through the ministry of my good friend Anya. Anya has been working with children in the Orphanages around Donetsk for several years. She is now seeing the children grow up and move from Orphanage to Trade School which is generally the next step for an orphan. She is seeing wave after wave of the girls leave the orphanage for the trade school and many of them become pregnant right away. Which changes an "against the odds" situation into a nearly impossible one.

Trade School Dorms 101

The above picture is of a typical Trade School Dorm room.

When we visited that day we were met out front by a young man named Dimitry. I think Dimitry was curious about Americans. I took a liking to him. We talked only a few minutes with Dimitry with him asking most of the questions. He asked me, "Do you drink"? I said, "I have an occasional beer but never to intoxication". He then said, "Oh, here we drink to unconsciousness"! I felt like i wanted to help this young man. I believe if i were there full time I could. I hope to see him again on our next trip.

We were there to visit a young friend of Anya's who was having a birthday that day. It was her first year out of the orphanage and Anya tries hard to give them some happiness. So this day, we took her a cake complete with candles. I could see that this small effort really made her feel special. We spent about two hours with her just talking and laughing.

I wanted to write about the situation at the Trade School Dorms, but there is just no way of doing it with offending. So, I ask you to trust me that it is a very bad situation. It is not a good place for a teen. But we are talking about a teen, freshly set out from a orphanage, unprepared to meet the world and who now has nobody to guide them or love them through the toughest years of their lives.

Having experienced this mission field that seems to be wide open, just leaving without acting just wasn't an option. So, just prior to the start of the School year, with the financial help of some generous friends, we opened a small transition home in Donetsk, Ukraine. Let me drift here a moment to make the point that Jesus does not always request or require that our efforts be grand in scale. And sometimes the thought that we have to be a blessing on a grand scale can hold us back from being a blessing at all. It is through a collection of small efforts that this transition home was made possible. And that i believe is God's plan, that we all come together, add our small part and that we learn to love through it! So, for a little less than $600 a month here is what we are doing. We have two full time volunteers in Anya and Olya. Anya does outreach to the children in the local orphanages and trade school dorms and Olya is our resident house mother. We also have three full time residents that i will blog about in the near future, but i can rarely talk about them and the progress they are making without tearing up.

So, we are a small transition home, that does outreach as well as we have many visitors during the week. We have Bible study and classes that teach them life skills.

We have regular visitors, occasional visitors and then we are always excited to have new visitors! This week we were visited by Oxanna and Olya, first year students in a trade school who came to experience "a family atmosphere". It was a very good opportunity for them to learn to cook. Their school provides meals for them, so they don't know how to cook and they don't have a way to learn. So we teach them this life skill as well. Oxanna and Olya say they can't wait to be back with us some day soon!

It is usually Saturday that is the busiest of all at the Transition home. It is a day that most of the young people have free and our place is a good alternative to all the un-healthy draws that seem to call out to them. I think that the kids that drift in to us are looking for a chance and the help to make their lives better. So Saturday night several young women stay the night so they can go to Church with the group on Sunday morning.

We are in need of financial support to keep this operation going and expanding. Right now we are renting an apartment. We are praying for the blessing of a house to be able to help more young people in the future. If you feel so lead to help you can give by clicking the DONATE button at the top right.

Alina Update!

And to all the Alina fans out there, Meet baby Ellie! Alina is doing well. She loves being a Mama!

I am one person that cannot wait to hug all three of the girls in this picture. For those that don't know Alina you can read her story here.

Thanks to some very kind people that came along side Alina, she was able to move into her apartment before the winter hit. She had to go through the winter using an electric heater because we weren't able to raise enough to purchase radiators. But she made it through and as you can see they are doing amazing!

I am having one of those days when i just sit in marvelous admiration of our God!

God's People Answer!

It is clear to us that Satan is against the survival of Father’s House. He has been hard at work against us for quite some time. The best news in all of this is that Jesus is an Orphan. He resides in the hearts of the children at Father’s House and you and I get the honor of caring for Him. It is so like God to allow something this amazing to come to the edge of failure, only to bring Glory to Himself in restoring it. A week ago we were nearly on the verge of having to close. We had borrowed money to help us get through February. We were two weeks behind on our bills and no donations were in view. I put out a cry for help and in three days we received enough funding to catch us up and cover the expenses for the next two months. Praise God!

Since I joined the fight for Father’s House we have never been in a place of comfort. It has always been “just in time” funding to keep us going a little longer. But today, we are enjoying some peace knowing we are going to be okay for at least the next two months. We needed this boost to our battle weary spirits.

We feel like we can't let up now that we've gained a little momentum. The board that governs Father’s House is making plans for the future as if God has already deposited the funds into our account. We know God is behind our efforts and He will send His people to support us. We wonder if you are the people He will send?

Our immediate need is to secure the funds to keep operating through 2012 as well as a little bit more for some much needed repairs. After that we will need to raise the funds to renovate a building we have on the property so that we can request from the Ukrainian government that more children be placed in our care. The entire plan is not fully detailed yet but is well in the works. I am meeting with the board next month to finalize the future plan for Father’s House.

Thank you all that have sent support as well as those that will come!

Grace and Peace!

Shane

Facts:

Because we are not yet a registered 501c3, Project HOPEFUL (www.projecthopeful.org) has become our surrogate until we get to a point where we can function independently.

Today, Father’s House has only one regular supporter which is a small Russian Church out of Spokane Washington. All other support comes from random donors.

Our operating budget per month is $3000.00. This is only operating costs and doesn’t allow for repairs or unexpected expenses.

Our highest paid employee receives a salary of about $70.00 a week. Most of our fulltime staff is paid about $25.00 a week. They all could easily find a better wage elsewhere but stay out of love for the mission.

We need help!

Father's House Christian Orphanage

Green Forest, Kharkiv Region, Ukraine

In August 2011 we were in danger of having to close due to lack of funding. By God's loving provision we received some "just in time" funding to keep us going for a little while longer. At that time we decided we would fight to keep going. So far, it has been tough, but somehow we have been able to get by. Each month God brings the people that help us just get our bills paid.

Today, we are carrying over a deficit from last month of $1500. We have borrowed to keep operating since failure is really not an option when children need heat and food. In addition we need to raise the $3000 budget to operate for the month of March. Please consider helping!

OPERATIONAL SPONSORSHIP
The founders of Father's House over time build up enough sponsors to cover the operational costs of the orphanage. The main person, Grigoriy Zenchenko, who traveled to raise support came to a point where he couldn't travel any longer. Over time, the sponsors he had built up discontinued their support. Today, we have no regular monthly sponsorship and are totally dependant on God to move hearts each month.

The board is right now putting together a plan for the future operation of Father's House. The plan so far includes a transition home for older orphans as well and bringing new children. I will be meeting with the board next month to finalize to plan.

To make our future plans come true, we need sustained support. The monthly Operational costs of the Orphanage are $3000. We are looking for 30 people, families and/or organizations to be $100. a month sponsors. The funds can be given annually, bi-annually or quarterly.

Our Operation Sponsors:

ANDREW NALL

KENNETH & LAURA KOLANOWSKI

28 more are needed!

If you would like to be an operational sponsor or help us with the purchase of firewood, please contact Shane Lewis (219)313-1424 or fathershouseua@gmail.com to email him.

Donations are accepted through Project HOPEFUL. Be sure to write "Fathers House - Ukraine" on your check or you can give electronically by clicking of the donate button at the top right. Thank you!

Desperate help needed!!!

I just got word that the orphanage is in dire need of help! Because of the extreme cold they had to take from their food budget to purchase more firewood. Now they are completely out of money for expenses like food, other utilities and wages for the staff.

Father's House is an orphanage but it also serves as home for the older children that grew up there. It is a safe place where they came live while attending trade school during the day. It is the place they know as home.

I know it seems like there is no end to people asking for your money. But by helping this orphanage you can see 100% of your money in God's service. This is not a state run orphanage. Father's House is a Christian, that raises these children by God's standards. They are raised with the Gospel and shown love, which is something that most orphans will never experience. These children need your help! Please help!

Traci from Project HOPEFUL is working on setting up a button so you can give directly via Paypal. Until then, you can send a check made out to Project HOPEFUL and write in comments "Father's House". You can mail it to: 6911 W. 90th Ave, Crown Point, IN 46307

Thank you all for caring!

Shane

(219)313-1424

If you prefer to send help directly to the Orphanage this is their address:

English: Ukraine 62460Kharkovskaya oblast, village Vusoky, str. Octyabrskaya, 50 Children's House "Father's House" Director Khorolskay Y.Y.

Russian: УКРАИНА 62460Харьковская обл., пос.Высокийул.Октябрьская, 50Детский дом "Отчий дом"директор Хорольская Ю.Ю.