Update 2010

These are notes from our Berdyansk Training Center to a church in the US that helps them. They are a wonderful couple who have dedicated their lives to work with the orphans and the youth.

"Many young people have repented through our ministry. There are more than 20 orphans in our church. Recently at one Sunday worship service, 5 orphans accepted the Lord. We praise God for that!

Each morning before going to school and work we gather for common prayer. Also each Friday we gather at the teaching center for all-night prayer. Each Saturday we have youth gathering at the office where young people get to pray and learn to live according to the Word of God. Such rich prayer life helps our young people become stronger in the Lord.

Also each week we have small groups, where we study the Word of God, pray and encourage our young people. We have two groups with 10 people in each. Sometimes the two groups meet together, but normally we meet in two groups. Young people like this very much. We enjoy both spiritual and physical food at these meetings. Praise God!

We love you and pray for you. You are a great blessing for all of us. Without you and your support we would not be able to accomplish any of these things for the sake of the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. May God bless you abundantly."

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THE BEGINNING

This is where it all started. My husband, Andy and I, had heard about 3 sisters at an orphanage in Berdyansk and felt the Lord calling us to adopt. While there, the need was so overwhelming we felt we had to help those who were left behind.

Being left behind means you must leave the orphanage at 16 and your options are grim. Most orphans are ill-prepared for what life has to offer on the streets; alcoholism, prostitution, drugs and despair. Without job skills or basic life skills, these children don’t stand a chance. So Ukraine became the birthplace of the Orphan’s Promise Ministry.

Our first goal was to provide a training center. These centers are teaching English, computer skills, life skills and offering hope and a future for these forgotten children.

We currently have five satellite centers on the grounds of government orphanages, and two transition houses in Berdyansk and Donetsk teaching business skills and helping start micro enterprise businesses.

Since the fall of the former Soviet Union, Ukraine has become an independent Country. However, with independence come the problems that face many countries in Eastern Europe today; Prostitution, trafficking in women and children, poverty, disease and drug abuse.

Orphan’s Promise is dedicated to helping orphans and abandoned children have a decent chance to live life and an opportunity to become contributing members of their society, changing it from the inside out.

Major Issues

• Orphans (approx. 150,000)
• Drugs
• Prostitution
• Trafficking (women, children)
• Poverty