JEREMIAH HOUSE RECEIVED A NEW DAUGHTER TODAY

LtoR:  Anna, Cholpon, Gulnara (mom), Vika, and Olga (LAMb Residential Director)

VIKA
JOINED THE JEREMIAH HOUSE FAMILY TODAY
JEREMIAH HOUSE NOW HAS SEVEN RESIDENTS

GRADUATION IS OVER AT THE ORPHANAGES in KYRGYZSTAN AND UKRAINE

SO WHAT IS NEXT?

Each year the orphanage graduate youth who are left asking this question, "What is next?"  Many are guided into state run technical schools, others make their way back to families and yet others just drift off never to be heard from again.  The state run schools provide a dorm - but so many of them are extremely limited in facilities, are co-ed and offer little to no support or supervision.  Pregnancies are common among dorm residents.

Often their choice of career was determined a staff member and directed by the openings in the technical schools as opposed to the students own choice of a career.  The state is doing the best they can - but with limited resources and hundreds of graduating orphans each year, the service they offer is seldom sufficient to entice a student to complete their studies.

The future is dim for most all of the graduates:

• 1/3 of the graduates actually are successful, learning to live interdependently, getting a job and making a life for themselves.
• 2/3 of the graduates - the results are not as positive
• traffickers are waiting to move youth into the sex trade
• drug and alcohol become all to available for the youth - leading to dependency and addiction
• crime is rampant and prison a sure end for many
• suicide rates are very high with graduating orphans
• homelessness is common

Jeremiah Project offers a home and hope for youth - a pilot project to help the local authorities see success in another alternative.  Our pilot project is a demonstration of this hope.  The model is extensive, three parts and each part focused on helping the youth in a specific way.  

Part 1:  Jeremiah Drop-in-Center - now serving youth who are either graduating or preparing to gradate soon.  Even graduates who need help can come and get help, referrals, emergency food or even shelter on occasion.  

This part offers assessment, training of Life Skills and much more.

Part 2:  Jeremiah House - a residential home for youth - learning critical life skills.  Here they will live as a family with a house mother who teaches them daily.  They will go to school, work and learn to become interdependent enough to someday move into their own apartment.

Part 3:  Jeremiah Steps - an opportunity for youth to live interdependently in an apartment where they will be matched with a mentor who is checking on them daily or a minimum of thee time a week.  Working, going to school the youth will learn to keep their own home here.  We found our first steps apartment, secured the funds and the owner backed out of the sale.  However, we have new prospects in sight and we have the funds to purchase the first apartment.  We are very eager to get this part of the project opened.  We have potential candidates for steps we are now working with.

This is a very brief description of the project.  We envision it to be a model where others can replicate and begin to make a difference in the lives of the graduating orphans.

SOME RECENT SUCCESS FROM JEREMIAH HOUSE:

1.  One boy working this summer full time picking up apricots.

2.  One girl working this summer full time helping teach Life Skills to the little girls at Dayspring.

3.  One girl working part time at the local telephone company call center.

4.  All students grades have improved while living at Jeremiah House.

5.  Youth are attending cell groups, church and other positive influence gatherings.

6.  A cell group is conducted now at Jeremiah House.

7.  AND the chickens are laying eggs finally!!!!!