Honestly, who could resist faces like these? I love the hair!

One of our workers in Ukraine, Karen is a beautiful, young American woman who has devoted her life to helping the orphans that we minister to in Ukraine. She writes about a young woman named Sveta:

A little over a year ago, a young woman named Sveta was in a desperate situation. After giving birth to a baby girl, Sveta was abandoned by her live-in boyfriend. Having nowhere to turn, the hospital workers advised her to leave the baby and go on her way. But Sveta knew all too well what it means to be an orphan, as she herself had grown up in a Ukrainian orphanage. Determined to be a mother to the baby, Sveta took the baby with her and called the only place she knew to turn- her former orphanage in Berdyansk, Ukraine.

The director of the orphanage recognized Sveta's desperate situation and knew that if she didn't find her help, Sveta and her baby would end up on the street. The director knew about the Orphan's Promise training center for graduate orphans in her region, so placed a call to them to see what they could do for Sveta.

The OP staff immediately responded and made the long drive to pick up the desperate mother and child. They took Sveta and her baby, Liza, into care and began to pour time and energy into her all the while providing a place for her to heal.

Initially Sveta remained closed to the friendship that the people at the OP training center were offering her, and despite their provision of housing and support, she kept to herself and seemed nervous and unsettled. But as the year went by and their love and consistency remained, Sveta's heart began to soften. Her interest in Bible study and going to church began to peak and slowly her heart began to open towards God.

Finally Sveta was led to a moment when she was ready to invite Jesus into her life and stop running. Since that moment Sveta's life has been transformed. Currently, she is taking classes in preparation for baptism and is active in her local church. She is also thriving as a mother to her growing daughter Liza, who is now 1 1/2 years old.

Thanks to the training center provided by Orphan's Promise, Sveta was able to have a safe place to turn in her time of need, and her baby was saved from being sent to an orphanage.

Terry – this story and so many others like it are why we do what we do. Thank you for helping to make it all possible. And, thank you, Karen for on the ground and giving your life to help others.