Christmas

For the last week, I've been receiving Christmas wishes from Ukraine. This isn't unusual since it is Christmas. What makes it noteworthy is that Christmas in Ukraine isn't observed until January 7. That is "Orthodox" Christmas. I'm not sure where the difference came from, but it's been around a long time.

Another Ukrainian Christmas tradition is that Father Frost (Santa Claus) visits on New Year's Eve and gifts are exchanged on New Year's Day. That tradition is a holdover from Communism. An atheist government had to find "something" to substitute in the place of Christmas. New Year's Day was convenient, so it was adopted as a gift giving holiday. Still today, the two celebrations are separate.

When you think about it, that may not be too bad. All of the commercialism gets transferred from Christmas to New Year's Day. And, Christmas becomes a "religious" holiday again.

Several friends have made special Christmas gifts to Mulberry for our parents and staff. Each family will get some money for New Year's Day and Christmas celebrations. And, there will be a Christmas party at Project Sasha for all of the regulars there. The Christmas story will be presented to some of the children for the first time.

Please remember their special days. They remember ours.

Don't grow weary.
Charles

US and Ukraine Orphans

In a session at the Global Missions Health Conference, the topic was AIDS orphans. Almost as a side comment, the speaker said there are 127,000 adoptable orphans in the US. That number sounds too small, but I don't know the definition of "adoptable." If that represents half, then the total would be around a quarter of a million.

In Ukraine, the government admits that the number of children in state institutions is over 120,000. Estimates are that the actual number is probably closer to 200,000. And, there is an equal number of children living on the city streets.


The total population of Ukraine is about one seventh the population of the US. Why are these children allowed to remain in these places?

In my position, I get to ponder that question a lot. The answer isn't simple. Basically it's one of the differences between a country founded on Judeo/Christian moral values and a country rooted in Communist atheism.


One illustration that I think sums up the difference is this one. When you visit Ukraine, there are high-rise apartment buildings on every street. Almost without exception, these buildings look abandoned. The outside is a shambles. The stairwells and elevator lobbies are covered with grafitti and trash. However, when you enter one of the flats you find a home that is neat, clean and well-maintained. There is a definite line of separation between the flat (it's mine) and the building (it's not mine.)

The same attitude applies to the chidren. Orphans and street children fall into the category of "not mine." They are the responsibility of someone else. Adoptions aren't just rare, they are frowned upon. The work Mulberry is doing with foster homes is so counter-culture that our parents can even be shunned at church. Ukrainians just don't recognize a responsibility for the "not mine" children. And, they will question why we care.

There was a time when God could have looked at me and said, "Not mine." He didn't. Now, my goal is to see these children through God's eyes. That makes them my responsibility.

Ukraine's Government/Economy

As often happens, the initial news gets revised almost before I can read it. Apparently, the banks in Ukraine are back to something approaching normal. However, there is still a lot of uncertainty surrounding the government. Elections will be held sometime in January, but there isn't a schedule. Until then, it everything seems to be on pause.

The latest bit of news is that families who rely on government assistance have been warned not to expect payment in January and February. Five of our supported families rely on this assistance. The reason given is the government uncertainty. There is no approved budget for 2009. The support for the two girls added to the Chernov family in October was not paid.

This is the latest news from Konstantin, our Ukraine Director:

November 16, 2008

Piece and blessings of the Lord, to you, brother Charles. Our prayers were with you and the whole USA during elections of the president. We came to know about the victory of the candidate of the Democrats from the news here. We will pray about the new government, for them to start working sooner and solve economical problems.

As for elections in our country – no one knows anything here. If it will take place, then probably, in January. The fact that our government isn't doing anything can effect our ministry. State officers told our parents that in January and February they will not receive any financial support because the document about state budget hasn't still been confirmed.

This problem can touch the families of Macevich, Chernov, Gudwill, Shalbetskiy and Zarizon. I am telling you about it in advance so that we could think of our possible steps for January and February.

The situation with banks here is more or less normal, but nobody knows how long it will be ok. It's better to send funds while everything is fine with banks.

Construction is going well in Yevpatoria – the walls are over my height now. Pilgrim is busy, working – we had 20 kids yesterday.

All in all we are doing fine.
Respectfully. Konstantin.

News from Project Sasha

I received this letter from Galya, the director of Project Pilgrim (Project Sasha.) You can find videos of her testimony and her vision for Project Sasha in the video links. In this photo she is leading worship, as she does every day.

November 8, 2008

Charles, hello!

Peace of our Lord Jesus Christ to you. Sorry for my long silence, I just didn't know what to write about. I could write something and just in an hour everything could be changing and information wouldn't be useful.

But now I just decided to write you, even though the situation in our country isn't getting any better, we still trust our God. We pray and thank Him for all of you, that notwithstanding the difficult time, you don't forget about us and don't leave us. Our faith has become stronger when the difficult times came! We know that God will not leave His people, and I'd like to encourage you that God has got everything under His control. He will not give us more than we can carry. Thank God and you all, our dear.

A little bit about us. Though our staff is 2 people short now, we are doing good, we have a lot of kids, up until 20 children. Konstantin Vladimirovich is leading a photo activity the kids love it.

We also make birthday parties for children, we pray for the birthday guy, play games. We have a Saturday day in town today, so we are going out with kids to work. We also have a lot of work at the project, it's getting cold and street kids come in big numbers. Just a few days ago we sent one guy to a rehab center, looking for a job for another guy, for now we found him a place in the shelter. The difficulties come when we have children that have no paperwork and we don't' know how to help them.

I correspond with 4 guy who are in prison, they are thankful for hearing the word of God at the project, their faith helps them greatly now. I hope they will change, God also can use this way to change people. School time has started and we give lessons at schools for prevention of bad influence among youth. I don't' know how we manage it all, but with God's help we can do everything.

That's our life is now. Write us what's new in your life? God's blessings on you, dear, we love you, pray for you and bless you.

Election Day

I just voted. The campaigns have become so negative that the sense of relief that it's finally over almost outweighs the concern for the outcome. Whoever wins, God will still be on His throne and He will still be calling all the shots. Hallelujah! The guys who want to be in charge scare me.

The news from Ukraine reminds me how peaceful a change of power is here compared to the rest of the world. The political and economic climate is so bad you can almost understand why some Ukrainian people get disgusted with the democratic process. New elections are scheduled for December. Meanwhile, the economy has deteriorated to the point that banks have frozen all deposits. ATM's have been turned off. People who rely on government support, like retirees and most of our foster families, can't access their accounts. So far, we've been able to send money successfully, but there have been delays and there is still concern.

As expected, we've added two children to foster care (front row, pink coats.) The Chernov family needs your prayers as they now have six children in their four room flat. Construction continues at Dyetski Dom, but it doesn't look like we will be able to do any more than add a new entrance this year.

The Project Sasha staff serves as parents, teachers and friends for boys and girls who desperately need parents, teachers and friends. They are using their new computers to start a photo club. Everyone enjoys taking pictures, being in pictures and using the computer to process pictures. Fun is good, but the real goal is to build relationships and develop some marketable job skills.

Thanks for being interested enough to read a blog.

Don't grow weary,

Charles

News from Ukraine

I received an update from Kostya in Ukraine this week. The families are all doing well. As expected, the Chernov family has added two children and Galina has added one. What wasn't expected is the new child in Galina's home is Timor, Zoya's son. Apparently soon after Zoya found a new place to live and moved out of Galina's home, she abandoned Timor again. Seems like whenever we take two steps forward the one step back can't be far behind. But, this is a praise- three more children are no longer living in state institutions.



Project Sasha is finding a way to operate even though they are very short handed. Kostya is even helping out with the cooking and cleaning. You have to know Kostya to appreciate that image.



Ukraine has been functioning with a coalition government for some time. The President is pro-west while the Vice-President is pro-Russia. Neither group has a clear majority. With the recent unrest in the region, the government has called for new elections in December. This has not been a smooth process in the past. The financial condition has deteriorated as well. Prices continue to increase. Factories and businesses are closing down. And, banks are freezing deposits. I will be sending construction funds today. Pray that there aren't any problems.

Don't grow weary,
Charles

Prayers Needed

Yesterday, my usual Friday morning Cracker Barrel breakfast became a discussion about prayer. That was the topic for Oswald Chamber’s daily devotional. We discussed Luke 10, the passage where Jesus tells his followers that the fields are ready for harvest. If I was in charge, the next line would be grab a basket and start gathering. Jesus instructions were different. He said pray for workers.

Then last night, my wife and I were discussing Mulberry and the communications that I send out. She asked if I realized that I didn’t ask for prayer as much as I used to. Sometimes God can get your attention with a whisper. Sometimes He has to be much more forceful. Today, I’m asking you to pray for the workers.

Pray for our foster parents. They are raising families with three to eleven children. Their names are: Andrei and Anya; Gena and Elena; Sergei and Lilya; Galina; Anatoly and Olga; Vadim and Irina; and Galya.

Pray for the Project Sasha staff. They are short-handed right now and working hard to provide as much ministry as they can. Their names are Galya, Bogdan and Igor.

Pray for the Administrative staff as they oversee each ministry. Our director is Kostya. Our bookkeeper is Valya. And, our translator is Vika.

Please include Natasha and me as we work to maintain the connection between the Ukrainian ministries and our US support team.

Pray for Mulberry’s board. They are all volunteers with a heart for the work that is being done in Ukraine.

Finally, pray for each other. You are a huge part of Mulberry.

Don’t grow weary- there are too many depending on us.
Charles

October Update

Mulberry is growing again. Zoya and her son have found a place to live and moved out of Galina’s home. So, Galina can now begin the paperwork to take in two more foster children. Also, two more children will be placed with the Chernov family by the end of the year. For Galina this is a matter of getting back on task after the Zoya diversion. For the Chernov family, this is a legal expectation in order to maintain their “large family” registration. Galina’s rented house is large enough to handle the additions. The Chernov family will struggle with six children in their four-room apartment until we can finish the next unit in Dyetski Dom.

And, speaking of Dyetski Dom, the first stage of construction has begun. With the matching funds, we were able to raise money to add an entrance and stairwell to give units three and four private entrances. This phase will be completed soon. Construction on the actual housing units will begin as we raise additional funds. The Chernov family is easily the most anxious group watching for this work to begin.

As the economy continues to deteriorate, the number of children visiting Project Sasha remains at a high level. Three Project Sasha staff members left during September for higher paying jobs. This is a recurring problem. Although this puts a real strain on the remaining staff, it does take a little pressure off of October’s budget.

Through a very generous donation, both Dyetski Dom and Project Sasha received computers in September. The Dyetski Dom children (foster care) are being taught basic computer skills by their parents. The Project Sasha children will be able to use the computers for homework or to learn marketable job skills.

Mulberry will roll out a new website and e-mail newsletter very soon. The next update may look very different.

Don’t grow weary,
Charles

PS As always, feel free to share this with others you feel are interested in our ministry.

Final from August

The number of children visiting Project Sasha continues to increase. This is the combined effect of a deteriorating economy and new contacts made while providing counselors for summer camps this year. This increase comes at a time when the devalued dollars don’t go as far. We are being forced to make some tough decisions.

Some of you may remember Zoya, the 21 year-old we met last March. She has a two-year-old son who was living in an orphanage. Well, mother and son are now living in one of our foster homes. We aren’t set up to handle this at all, but we’ve agreed to help at least temporarily. Grandmother had found a buyer for the child and was trying to sever Zoya’s rights.

The children returned to school in September. Pray for the mamas, especially the ones with multiple first graders.

Mulberry isn’t moving, but you will notice a new address on any mailings you receive. Our new address is 11866 Capital Way, Louisville, KY 40299. This allows us to eliminate the 35 mile round-trip to the post office.

Don’t grow weary.

Charles

Georgia Conflict

Several people have asked me if the conflict between Georgia and Russia will affect Ukraine. The following is my opinion after communications with friends in Ukraine.

First some background, Ukraine, Russia and Georgia all border on the Black Sea. Russia has a naval base in Sevastopol, Ukraine, a holdover from the Soviet Union. Russia hasn’t made any secret that it wishes it could have held on to Ukraine especially the Crimean peninsula, long a favorite vacation spot. There are several castles there built as summer homes for Tsars or other leaders. The joke lately is that Russia is repatriating Crimea in pieces by purchasing buildings, apartments, businesses and land throughout the region.

While Russia’s official justification for the conflict in Georgia is their desire to “liberate” South Ossetia, it is generally viewed in the region as an act of aggression. Further, the consensus is that if Russia is successful here, Ukraine could be next.

The bottom line is that Ukraine, and a lot of other former communist bloc countries, are watching this conflict very nervously. They know that success in Georgia will only fuel Russia’s aggression.

Don't grow weary,
Charles

Ministry Finances

This will be the final update from my recent trip. If you want to ask about anything I failed to cover, feel free to e-mail me.

The biggest shock on this visit was the rapid deterioration of the economy in Ukraine. It all started with a severe drought last summer that caused steep rises in food prices. Then the fall election of a “pro-west” president resulted in punitive price increases and supply reductions for oil and gas from Russia and another round of price increases. Now, the US dollar has weakened to the point that staff, parents and landlords are expecting to be paid in the local currency instead of dollars.

The end result of all of this is that the monthly budget in Ukraine has grown from $12,500 in January to $16,000 for August with more rent increases coming in September. These increases split pretty evenly between ministry growth over the past six months and the economy.

Some local prices have actually reached or exceeded western prices. Gas is over $6 a gallon. A house we rented last year for $600 a month will increase to $1500 this month. Renting a two-room apartment now costs at least $400. And still, the average monthly salary we pay our staff is $260- less than the government established poverty level of $300.

Throughout the country, young adults and families are forced to share housing because salaries are not keeping up. I know of one young family who moved to Belarus because they couldn’t live on the salaries they received- even living rent free with family.

I know I’ve written much about the building program at Dyetski Dom. Completion of that building is critical for our long-term growth and I thank those of you who have made donations. We are closing in on $10,000 in just one month. But right now we are facing some unpleasant ministry cuts unless we get a quick infusion of cash for operations. Increased monthly support would solve the problem, of course. Or, some one-time gifts would buy us time to adjust our budget gradually.

When I started sending these updates, I decided that they would be ministry updates for a relatively small group of Mulberry friends and family instead of appeals. Hopefully, this won’t become a habit.

Sevastopol Update

On Tuesday, we visited Sevastopol, a large city on the Black Sea coast. Just recently, Mulberry added a second Abandoned Baby Ward ministry in this city. Our new worker, Olya, is married with two sons and has a heart for serving these children. She is working for less than the minimum wage.

When we arrived at the hospital, I had to wait outside while Olya went in to get permission for me to visit. She is still new to the hospital staff and has to be careful about protocol.

We entered through a narrow, rusted door. The halls and stairways are unlighted. I’m not sure whether the dark made the place look better or worse. But, it sure didn’t look like any hospital in the U.S.

The Abandoned Baby Ward consists of four rooms on the second floor. There are two rooms for the children and two treatment rooms. The treatment rooms are set up with IV stands and inhalers. The windows are so leaky that they plug the leaks with pillows.

There were four children in the ward. In the first room, there was a two year old from one of the orphanages. He was being treated for “breathing difficulties” and treatment includes isolation. He stood up on the stained linens in his metal crib and clapped his hands when we entered. The “toy” he was playing with was one of his socks. He has Down syndrome. The nurse said he was much improved and would be going home soon.

The other room had three children. There was a three year old boy and his one year sister. The two have been removed from their parents. We weren’t given any details but the little girl jerked away whenever one of us touched her.

The third girl appeared to be about three years old as well. There isn’t any way to know for sure because she was abandoned in the local train station. The authorities are trying to identify her parents.

In Ukraine, each hospital patient is responsible for providing his or her own food. There is no kitchen. The nurses in this ward are given a budget of $0.20 per day per child for food. The children eat cereal two or three times a day unless something more substantial is donated. This will be part of the assistance Olya provides.

I’ll have one or two more updates later.

Don’t grow weary,

Charles

Luba at Project Sasha

I spent last Monday at project Sasha. That staff has such a high turn over rate that it is impressive how well they function. I met one new team member, Igor, on this trip. When I asked him why he wanted to work at Project Sasha, his reply was simple. “I love these children.”

That has to be the reason for the whole crew. The economy has deteriorated so badly in Ukraine that even with raises of 30-40% over the past year, salaries are still below the government measured poverty level. Everyone tries to hold a second job to make ends meet.

Let me tell you about one incident I watched unfold on Monday. Luba has been at Project Sasha less than a year. She is finishing Law School and could be using that degree for a much better paying job.

It appeared that the children at Project Sasha were younger than in previous visits. One seven year old girl from a family of eight caught my eye. She was small with long blonde hair and blue eyes. And, she was very shy, hardly making eye contact. Luba started “fixing” her hair and soon discovered lice. Some of the staff and volunteers groaned loudly and ran for the disinfectant. I could see the shyness in the girl’s eyes becoming fear. Luba leaned over and spoke very softly. She got a pair of plastic gloves, special shampoo and began to calmly shampoo the girl’s hair- thoroughly. Then Luba cleaned herself. When I grow up, I think I want to be like Luba. One other thing- Luba was on vacation this week.

Luba has asked to host a transitional center. For a transitional center, we would provide her with an apartment and she would take in two or three girls who are now living on the streets. The cost would be $800-$1,000 a month. Kostya, our Ukrainian Director, is looking for a suitable apartment. I’m looking for funds.

On the way to Crimea

Dear friends and family,

I’m sitting in another airport- Detroit this time- heading back to Ukraine. Mulberry has a lot going on right now and I’m eager to meet with the staff over there.

On this trip, the construction discussions will be more urgent. We have always talked about the work that needed to be done. But, on prior visits everyone understood that we were still a long way from having any money to actually begin work. With the matching pledge and some encouraging responses from some of you, we are ready to talk seriously about construction.

In case you missed it, Yakov’s Light foundation in New York has committed to match the first $100,000 that Mulberry raises for construction. YL is actually funded by a Jewish family that supports at-risk children around the world. Their interest is purely humanitarian. They support work regardless of religious affiliation.

Our first pledge came from a long-time missionary working in Simferopol. I know his ministry is hurting financially right now, but he feels that the work Mulberry is doing is worthy of sacrifice. What an encouragement!

Galina Gudvil is having some modifications made to her rented home. Now that we have a long-term rent agreement, some structural issues are being addressed. I also want to hear all about Vanya’s and Galina’s trip to Israel and the doctor’s reports.

Hussein has been installing a divider to separate the abandoned babies from the rest of the hospital. That funding was provided by a group who has supported his work for many years. Hopefully, I will be able to visit the hospital on this trip.

An abandoned baby ministry has begun in a new city, Sevastopol. This new work is being provided for by a group in Iowa. Our new worker there says that conditions are deplorable. I hope to meet with her and offer some encouragement. There is also a girl from Project Sasha in a home for unwed mothers in Sevastopol that I plan to visit.

The Project Sasha staff has promised to tell me all about their work this summer at different camps. They were invited by the government to work at a couple of summer camps and the government was so impressed that they have already been invited back next year. These are state sponsored camps and our staff is presenting Christian lessons. No wonder the staff is so pumped up.

I’ll try to keep everyone updated as this trip progresses. Hopefully, future updates won’t be this long.

Don’t grow weary.

Charles

June 27th Entry

The North American Christian Convention is next week in Cincinnati. Mulberry will be there in booth #215. Be sure to stop by if you are attending.

Recent news from Ukraine has been good. The Project Sasha staff so impressed the coordinators at the government’s summer camp that they were asked to work a second camp. The benefits here are far-reaching. Not only do we get to send some of our kids who would never have this opportunity, but we are able to share Christ’s love with a lot of at-risk kids. Many of the campers have come to Project Sasha in the past. Many will come in the future.

Vanya, the eleven year old with severe physical problems, just returned from Israel where he was seen by several specialists. Early indications are that he will have more surgery later this year. The doctors believe that his difficulty walking is the result of nerve damage suffered during a surgical procedure in Ukraine.

A three-year lease was negotiated for the home that Galina Gudvil has been renting. The owners had been trying to sell the house, but were persuaded to take it off the market and sign a lease. These agreements are notoriously unenforceable in Ukraine. Pray that the owners honor their commitment.

The families at Dyetski Dom are in their normal summer mode. I had a note from a mother with nine children. She said that the four boys had received scholarships to Christian camps and things were pretty boring with only the five girls. Can anyone imagine how life with five girls, ages four to seven, could be boring? Another family is spending the summer at their farm. They will raise vegetables to eat throughout the winter. The children in this family are learning the rewards of hard work.

A generous donation is making it possible for us to upgrade the computers used by the families and Project Sasha. Soon, I hope to be able to provide links to websites with current pictures and family news.

Our second Project Compassion ministry is now operating in an abandoned baby ward in Sevastopol, the second largest city in Crimea. Early reports about the conditions we found are depressing. I’m glad that we were led to add this ministry. Hussein is completing construction that will separate the abandoned babies in his hospital from the rest of the patients. Both of these additions are the result of special gifts.

Our monthly operating budget continues to be strained. The Ukrainian economy isn’t improving and we are experiencing a summer slump in support.

In spite of the economic situation here and in Ukraine, we will be kicking off a capital campaign in the coming weeks. Yakov’s Light, a foundation that supports work with children around the world, will match the first $100,000 we can raise for completion of the Dyetski Dom building. This construction will allow us to house two more families, each with ten children. That’s twenty children who won’t spend their lives in one of Ukraine’s state institutions.

I would be glad to share more information with each of you personally, just ask. As always, feel free to forward this to others that would be interested in Mulberry’s ministries. And, let me know if you want to be removed from this list.

Don’t grow weary.
Charles

March, 2008 list of Mulberry Childfren

List of children of Charity Foundation Dyetski Dom in Yevpatoria, Crimea, Ukraine:




Goryanov family – 9 Children.

1. Goryanov Sergei – 14.09.1997yr.
2. Goryanov Aleksei – 24.07.1999 yr.
3. Goryanov Aleksander – 11.07.2000.
4. Goryanov Dmitriy – 08.05.2001.
5. Goryanova Anastasia – 08.06.2001.
6. Goryanova Olga – 01.07.2001.
7. Goryanova Nadezhda – 24.01.2002.
8. Goryanova Marina – 17.08.2002.
9. Goryanova Ksenia– 12.09.2003.


Matsevich family – 11 Children.

1. Matsevich Alina– 20.06.1993.
2. Matsevich Karina – 25.09.1997.
3. Matsevich Bogdan – 08.11.2006.
4. Kulakova Irina – 04.06.1988.
5. Kulakova Olga – 02.11.1992.
6. Volkova Marina – 30.11.1997.
7. Volkova Evgenia – 11.07.2000.
8. Volkov Nikolai – 25.05.2004.
9. Gavrilov Oleg – 15.06.2004.
10. Chernishova Evgenia – 28.12.2000.
11. Chernishova Elena – 28.12.2000.


Chernov family – 4 Children.

1. Chernov Fillip – 28.10.1995.
2. Ovod Angelina – 31.07.2001.
3. Ovod Diana – 11.11.2003.
4. Stemplevskiy Michial – 21.11.2003.




List of children of charity organization "New Hope" in Simferopol, Crimea, Ukraine:



Gudvil family – 5 children.

1. Popov Michial – 14.09.1990.
2. Vasina Aleksandra – 07.11.1994.
3. Gudvil Ivan – 24.121996.
4. Gubin Viktor – 10.04.2003.
5. Roschina Yana – 27.10.2003.


Shalbetskiy family – 7 children.

1. Zhestkaya Alisa – 22.12.1988.
2. Salnikov Fyodor – 23.01.1998.
3. Lubach Viktoria – 02.05.1995.
4. Sergeeva Anastasia – 09.07.2002.
5. Belih Elizaveta – 04.10.1995.
6. Larionov Aleksei – 23.07.1997.
7. Emelyanova Anna 05.09.2005.


Tsaritson family – 1 child.

1. Dubenko Alina – 24.10.2003.


Ovsyanikova family – 1 child.

1. Slabinskaya Nadejda – 20.12.1990.










List of children of Adaptation Center "Pilgrim" in Simferopol, Crimea, Ukraine:



Galina Osipova family – 3 children.

1. Gusak Timofei – 25.06.1992.
2. Cherkaskiy Daniil – 02.04.1992.
3. Kravchenko Aleksander – 03.07.1993.


Roman Zadirenko family – 3 children.

1. Zabavnov Yuriy – 23.02.1989.
2. Dobrovenko Vitalii – 25.07.1989.
3. Dobrovenko Vladimir – 29.06.1988.






Totally there are 9 families in the ministry, having 44 children:

Biological children – 7.

Adopted children – 8.

Children with guardianship – 15.

Family type children's home children – 11.

With paperwork not completed – 3.