Thursday, June 23, 2011

THE VILLAGE CHURCH AND THE WORK OF MANY...





LYNN IN PETEHOTKYE - WITH THE VILLAGE CHURCH WAS TIME OF LEARNING FOR ALL.

With a team about five years ago - a small building was bought to be used as a church - it was a lovely brick structure that was being built to be a home - abandoned and left to turn into ruins if not bought and used. Enter our Canadian team from our church, along with Ruby's mother from Arizona, saying, "We can buy that church!" For just $2,000 the building and land was purchased.

Today the group of believers are flourishing - reaching out to the community around and to villages near by. Many different groups have started as a result of this little group in Petehotktye - multiplying by personal contact after personal contact.

Lynn had the wonderful privilege of being with the members of the church and surrounding groups over the last weekend, teaching a leadership conference and then preaching in their special evening service.

Then on Sunday, Lynn preached the service in Krivoy Rog at the Church of Praise. A wonderful weekend sharing and loving on our partners in Ukraine!

Lives being changed - one at a time. Hope and dignity.

Friday, June 17, 2011

HOPE AND DIGNITY FOR ORPHANS






ONE OR OUR PARTNERS - ALLIANCE UKRAINE WITHOUT ORPHANS is making tire marks across Ukraine - one bike at a time. We are so excited to be a partner of this organization and to be working together toward a UKRAINE WITHOUT ORPHANS. Just a couple of days ago - orphan children from Western Ukraine and orphan children from Eastern Ukraine - jumped on bicycles and headed to Kiev - the capital of Ukraine. They are riding about 100km a day and will arrive into Kiev on June 24th.

The purpse of the ride is to bring awareness of the orphans in Ukraine.

Pastor Gennadiy (a true champion for the children of Ukraine) thanks all those people who responded to the call to take part in the action and did everything for it to happen: “ ........ We dream for the last boarding orphanage in Ukraine to be shut down in Ukraine and for there was not to be a single kid without parents. Once (in the past) we put a target – to have no street kids in Mariupol. And it came to pass. Now we are moving forward to another purpose and I am certain that it can be fulfilled if we all want it and do our best”.

AND there are over 40 orphans riding new bikes hoping for a good ending to their journey. ONE DREAM IS FOR ENOUGH SPONSORS TO BUY A BIKE OR TWO TO ENSURE EVERY CHILD RIDING GETS THEIR OWN BIKE - COST FOR THESE BIKES? $250. You can donate on our donate buttons and we will buy a bike in your name for a child....JUST THINK OF THE SUMMER FOR THESE ORPHANS - RIDING WITH THEIR FRIENDS, SHARING BIKES AND LOVING THE DREAM OF THE FUTURE FOR CHILDEN IN UKRAINE.

UKRAINE WITHOUT ORPHANS - 2015


WE BELIEVE - WE HOPE - WE PRAY - WE WORK TO REACH THE VISION!

The time in Ukraine has been very exciting - QUICK RECAP....

1. Completed training with key leadership - which was part three of a five part series.

2. Established a plan for a implementing a training for key church and NGO leadership who are working on the projects they have developed for moving toward a UKRIANE WITHOUT ORPHANS. Will develop the training, train leadership and develop trainers to carry forth the same training.

3. Established a plan for delivering a key trainng program to a governmental agency for their rehabilitation center, their crisis family/children's center and their shelter.

4. Established a plan to develop a key training for key leadership who meet together to make decisions on child placement, reunification with families, etc. Will develop the training, train trainers and complete the first training of the series before turning over to national trainers.

5. Committed to join a committee/work group to make a difference in how children are placed - for the quality of oversight for children in care.

COMING UP NEXT:

1. Judy Rycus from IHS in Columbus, Ohio is arriving to work with our ILDC team.
2. Board meeting of our Ukraine organization - International Leadership and Development Center
3. Meeting with key persons about future work with orphans, adoption and strengthening families
4. Lynn is working with the church in Petehotyke - a weekend conference and evening service.
5. And we return to Ohio on Wednesday...before heading back to Canada. We have two days of "tent making" in Ohio before we go home.

Remember - we believe ALL CHILDREN DESERVE A FAMILY - and orphanage care is not the best resource/option for children in need. Although the orphanages are needed for now, the only way change of placement will occur is to implement new and innovative options NOW. Watch the changes for Ukraine - they are happening. The movement is real.

We ALL ENVISION A UKRAINE WITHOUT ORPHANS.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

ILDC: FIRST VOLUME OF THE FIELD GUIDE TO CHILD WELFARE ...


EACH RESOURCE MEANS CHILDREN ARE SERVED BETTER AND FAMILIES ARE STRENGTHENED.....

WE ARE SO GREATFUL TO THE INSTITUTE FOR HUMAN SERVICES FOR GIVING US THIS GREAT TOOL... click on the link below and read what our Ukraine organization is doing!


ILDC: FIRST VOLUME OF THE FIELD GUIDE TO CHILD WELFARE H...: "Finally we have got to the finish line. Our publisher has reprinted first volume of the Field Guide (1500 copies) and we expect it to be del..."

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

AS THE JOURNEY CONTINUES FOR THE SCHOOLERS







SERVING IS THEIR PASSION

We want to celebrate two our team members - Pastor David and Jayne Schooler. When they joined our team we were delighted at the skills, experience and knowledge they would bring to our team. We have John and Julie as our "search and rescue" experts, and Pastor David and Jayne as our experts in counseling, spiritual development, education and training. Then recently we were blessed to have Glen Pitts join us with expertise in building programs, systems and strengthening people to serve as God has called all to serve. This is our Canadian Team! (We will celebrate the rest of the team at a later time.)

Pastor David and Jayne have been building and strengthening many over the years they have been serving in Kyrgyzstan and Ukraine with us. Right now they spend over 6 months of the year in the foreign mission field. We want to tell you a little about them:

Pastor David
1. Professor with International University of Central Asia
2. Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the International University of Central Asia
3. Counselor in the foreign mission field - working with IUCA, Mercy Foundation, Chinese Church and many others.
4. Student counselor - funder of many private projects and supports for students and families.
5. PhD educated and fully qualified as a pastor, professor and trainer.
6. Senior consultant in the area of Theophostic Healing.
7. Board of directors for ILDC in Kyrgyzstan and in Ukraine.

Jayne Schooler
1. Author of 7 books on adoption, one of which has just won a national award. Considered one of the most expert consultants on adoption in the United States.
2. Two books published in the Russian language, one in Polish language.
3. Expert trainer in child welfare.
4. Works as a professor at the International University of Central Asia
5. Coordinates LAMb projects for training, consultation and program development.
6. Developing a major video product to promote healthy families post adoption - doing this as a project of Christian Broadcasting System of the USA.
7. Board of directors for ILDC in Kyrgyzstan and in Ukraine.

This is just a little glimpse of our team members David and Jayne. We are so honored to have them on the ground with us in both Kyrgyzstan and in Ukraine. They are committed and passionate about bringing "life to the parched lands." They are the catalyst to our motto - "Just show up and stop for the one in front of you."Pastor David and Jayne - we honor you. We thank you and the seniors, disabled, children and families of Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan thank you as well.

Monday, June 6, 2011

ILDC - UKRAINE MAKING A DIFFERENCE



A beautiful picture of graduates - read the statistics below and see how you would feel chosing the 1/3 that are successful. It just breaks our hearts.


EACH DAY CHILDREN LEAVE THE ORPHANAGES AND ARE PREY FOR PERVERTS, TRAFFICKERS AND CRIMINALS. The orphans graduate at age 14 - and they are given a chance to attend a technical school, live in a dorm and become independent. Some orphanages are seeing the damage this causes and are keeping youth longer - that is a good thing. However many are dismissing their graduates and leaving them to learn the hard way of life - from the "streets."

ILDC - our organization in Ukraine - founded by LAMb, the Institute for Human Services, Father's House and Christian Broadcasting System of Ukraine is working to make a difference one child at a time.

1. We are working hard to find permanence for youth in the orphanages by finding and encouraging nationals to adopt children. We have seen great success from this work over the last several years. Our program Adopt Ukraine is active and will become even more active in the future thanks to a great support from a new sponsor for this program. But we have other needs to ensure youth are safe and protected.

2. Each week ILDC offers training and consultation to NGO's, government workers and volunteers who are working with children and families - with the goal of supporting the movement of strengthening families and protecting children from orphanages.

3. We are seeing partnerships built with powerful child focused organizations like Alliance for Ukraine Without Orphans, Father's House, Kiev City Children's Services, and Partnership for Every Child - all working toward GATEKEEPING and diverting children from the orphanages into permanent homes through adoption and/or reunification.

4. Our staff in Ukraine are professionals - hard working young adults committed to the movement of UKRAINE WITHOUT ORPHANS. We have ongoing training for Life Skills for Youth aging out of the system - training on leadership, on and on....working as fast as possible to help as many as possible.

TODAY THEY NEED YOU AND WE ARE ASKING FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IN A CHALLENGE - Let's sponsor them for more - finding more families, finding more trainers, giving more materials, more parenting booklets, more seminars and more encouragement! They cannot do this alone...Ukraine is a developing country - they don't have the resources of North America - but they DO HAVE THE DREAM - TO SEE THEIR CHILDREN WITH A MOMMY AND A DADDY, TO SEE THEM SAFE AND LOVED - TO SEE THEM SUCCESSFUL! You can help....

Will you please hit the donate button for them - asking each of you reading this to donate just $25 OR EVEN MORE IF YOU CAN - not much to ask for so much return as it will bring so much to so many. We don't usually ask so boldly, but the need is great and the time is limited - graduation is just around the corner once again and the statistics are sickening.

Out of all the graduates - ONLY 1/3 MAKE IT!!!! The other 2/3 end up suiciding, dying on the streets, in prison, in prostitution, trafficked out of the country for sex slaves, addicted to drugs. PLEASE - LET'S NOT FORGET THEM AS WE WALK IN THE COMFORTS OF OUR LIVES.

JESSICA'S FAMILY - RELIEF, RESTORATION, DEVELOPMENT IN ACTION



Little Medlin - coming out of the hospital after his surgery. He was a very brave little boy!


YOU KNOW THEM AS JESSICA'S FAMILY - named after one of our team members, the social worker (Jessica) from Cleveland, Ohio who found them at a park and followed up with finding out more about their family.

Today we see this family growing and developing...here is a brief recap of the involvement with them:

1. Found children hungry at the park, fed them and took them home.
2. Met with mother, father (who was drunk at the time)...took food to the home.
3. Kept in touch with the family - encouraging them and taking RELIEF from time to time.
4. Began to RESTORE the family, had another team from Canada with us and they did a renovation on their home - the family worked along side of us the entire day, painting, renovating and making their home a little safer. This RESTORATION included bringing new beds so each person had a bed to sleep in. It included bringing in a new rug, a table with stools.
5. Continued visiting the family - taking some RELIEF from time to time.
6. Mother decided to bring her children to the Chinese Church where we attend - where she NEVER knew we went there. She was delighted and continues to come to the church with her children and sometimes her husband. They also sometimes attend a little cell group.
7. Our team members John and Julie begin RESTORATION of a home for a widow who was burned out of her home. They hire our favorite contractor - Vlady and he needs a helper. We recall the good work of our father - from Jessica's family - and he is hired to work along side of Vlady and we learn he is DEVELOPING into a great worker. Vlady says he is talented in construction. Our father is not drinking and tells someone, "he cannot drink anymore because Lynn and Ruby will be really mad..."
8. Our family is now doing remodeling on their own home - using funds they have earned by the father working - DEVELOPMENT IN ACTION.
9. Madlen - the second youngest child needs a surgery on his knee and this is beyond the funds they have made or can make at one time. ENTER a sponsor from LAMb and the surgery is complete.

We just wanted you to know the story once again - what an example of RELIEF, RESTORATION AND DEVELOPMENT - something we are learning and attempting to apply. The book, When Helping Hurts has really made a mark on our team and the work we do for Kingdom Building! THANK YOU SPONSORS FOR HAVING FAITH IN OUR TEAM!

Saturday, June 4, 2011

ILDC: FINISH LINE

(Click on the line BELOW which says ILDC:FINISH LINE and go to the ILDC blog.)

WE ARE EXCITED TO HAVE YOU GO TO OUR UKRAINE ORGANIZATION (International Leadership and Development Center) BLOG....THIS IS BUILDING SUSTAINABILITY AND SHOWS HOW THE IDEA OF
1. RELIEF
2. RESTORATION
3. DEVELOPMENT

ALL WORKS.

Ukrain team is doing the job and making a difference leading to UKRAINE WITHOUT ORPHANS. We head to Ukraine on Saturday - watch for updates on a great movement in this beautiful country of Ukraine.


ILDC: FINISH LINE: "It has been very challenging for us in the beginning. We had met a lot opposition from the participants but after the fist module the situat..."

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