Karen with some of the Gypsy children.

This just came in from one of our workers in Ukraine. Her name is Karen and she is a beautiful, young woman inside and out. As you read of her recent trip about our work with some Gypsy orphan camps in Ukraine you’ll understand why we do what we do.

Jesus said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." Luke 10:2

Karen -

Recently I spent a couple days in the harvest fields of Mukachova, Ukraine. A city nestled into the valley of the Carpathian Mountains of Western Ukraine.  For a little over a year now, Orphan's Promise has had several projects going on in this area, working with a local orphanage and three gypsy communities.

I've read the monthly reports that our team in the region there has sent in over the past year, but this was the first chance I was given to visit and see first hand the work going on.

The gypsies, often referred to as the 'Roma' people in Ukraine, are a people group that can be found largely in this region of Ukraine-- their population somewhere around 14,000 surrounding Mukachevo. Their history is complex, and their poverty some of the worst I have seen.

Because of their skin color, their social background, lack of education and the negative stigmas that surround their lifestyle, the Roma people in Ukraine are largely discriminated against. It is difficult for them to obtain work, education and even medical care in this country. They are deemed outcasts.

While in Mukachevo I visited 3 different Roma communities, or as they are colloquially termed, 'gypsy camps.'  One of these communities has 5,000 residents- and no plumbing or water system. The shanty style homes were the first thing my eyes caught attention to as we drove in-- that and then the children everywhere- running to greet our car. The children came quickly to see the new visitors that arrived with Natasha, our OP staff person who coordinates the work being done in the Roma communities. Most of the children don't speak Russian or Ukrainian, but instead a mix of Hungarian and a gypsy dialect-- so communication was more of a challenge.

Buddies hanging out.

For three months now, Natasha has been leading a group of volunteers to come out to this specific community 2 times a week to teach lessons in Life Skills, Bible, and the Russian language. About 60 or so children attend these lessons, and at the end of their lessons they are given a hot meal that our team provides. For many of these children these are the only concrete meals they can count on for the week. From the way they came bounding towards Natasha and the teachers it was obvious that the kids were more than eager to learn and engage...and eat!

The teachers I talked to while I was there said they have noticed a change in several of the children in just the three months that they have been coming. Several kids, they said, are hungry to learn, and are grateful that people from the church care enough to come and teach them. One mother I met was in tears with gratitude as she thanked our team for coming to teach her children.

I was without words as I observed the poverty that these children live in each day. It is a vicious cycle of poverty that they have been born into and has existed for generations. It has become their normal. I wanted to just scoop up a couple of them and give them a good bath! But in that moment I also realized that these children need so much more than just a good bath. A bath would seem to be a quick fix-- but it would be temporal. It wouldn't last for more than a few moments.

A bath would be nice, but we gave more.

I recognized that what these teachers are doing each week will take TIME. That results won't be seen in an instant---but unlike a bath, an education will be lasting and it will instill in them information that they can use the rest of their lives.

My friend Natasha and the rest of our OP team on the ground inspired me with their commitment to these people. They have a calling to love and serve the Roma people and it is very evident in all they do.

On my way home, as my train rattled away from the Carpathian Mountains back to the comforts of Kiev, I read in Matthew where Jesus tells the disciples that the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. I couldn't help but think of the little faces I had met the days before-- and how many more workers needed to be sent into that harvest field. I am so grateful that he is using our team through the work of Orphan's Promise and am excited to see the way God will expand this work.

Terry –

The fields are definitely ripe for the harvest and we are excited to see all that is happening thanks to you and your being a part of the amazing Family of God!