Ugligorsk Birthday Celebration - by Jared White...

Yesterday, Tanya and I rode 3 hours in the car so we could have a group birthday party for some kids at the Ugligorsk orphanage. She goes every two months and has a group party for the little ones who have birthdays in those months.

I think the kids were from the ages of 7 to maybe 12, most of them closer to the younger age and there were about 22 of them. The little boys got little toy cars and the little girls got small stuffed animals. We also had cake, bananas, and soda.

Before the kids ate we played some games. I started out by doing the song Father Abraham with them and had them do the motions with me, I think they enjoyed it…they at least thought I was pretty silly doing it. We also played a version of hot-potato with a beach ball.

Here are some pics from our trip to Ugligorsk.

Awesome Video with Important Message...

Some fellow missionaries showed me this video recently. The message is VERY important and speaks somewhat to what we are doing here in Ukraine.

Ivankiv Orphanage - January Outreach Day...

Today was our monthly outreach day to the children in the orphanage in Ivankiv. We were blessed to spend about three hours with the 21 kids who were there today.

Sheri Gray and Joni Long from Texas joined us to help us celebrate "Christmas" with the kids. They brought crafts with them for the kids, a couple of Twister games and the most amazing snacks. For snack time they brought brownie mix, stuff for rice crispies and hot chocolate. The kids LOVED IT!!!

The best part of the day was distributing the Christmas gift bags sent by the Monterrey Church of Christ in Lubbock, TX and the children's Bibles from EEM.

Craft time.

Jenny directing the giant Twister game.

We actually taped 4 Twister mats together for the game.

New House Parents for the TLC...

Meet Valik and Anya - our new House Parents!

Valik and Anya joined our staff at the beginning of the month as our House Parents at the TLC in Mariupol. Valik is a long-time member of the Left Bank Church of Christ in Mariupol and Anya has been a member of another congregation near Donetsk. They were married this fall and togehter have been pursuing opportunities to minister to orphans. With the kids at the TLC knowing Valik so well from church and Anya's previous experience working at orphanages teaching Bible lessons and doing outreach, it seemed like a perfect fit. We welcome Valik and Anya to our staff.

Valik and Anya will be replacing Alexandra and Sveta who had been taking turns serving as House Moms. They both feel they could no longer keep up with the teenagers and most especially the boys! We love and adore both Alexandra and Sveta and appreciate their amazing service to the kids and the Lord this past year!

Ruslans Baptism...

Ruslan is a young teenager who has been living at the Transitional Living Center in Mariupol for several months. Ruslan was placed with us by the city Social Services office while they determine what is in his best interest.

What is in Ruslans best interest? A relationship with Jesus Christ! After several months of attending worship and studying with Gennady (one of the preachers in Mariupol), Ruslan decided that he DID want a relationship with Jesus and he was baptized on November 30th. Vanya Moroz, a graduate from our TLC, assisted Gennady with the baptism.

Gennady talking about Ruslans new walk after his baptism.

Gennady presenting Ruslan with a Bible.

Ministry Begins at Ivankiv Orphanage...

Andrew and Jenny Kelly moved to Ivankiv in late April of this year to build a Christian camp for orphans. Through their relationships with local church members, Andrew and Jenny were introduced to contacts at the the local orphanage.


The orphanage in Ivankiv is rather small compared to most in Ukraine. It is home to 40 children, split evenly (at the current time) between 20 boys and 20 girls. The children are also NOT schooled at the orphanage, instead they are incorporated into the local Kindergarten and grade school system. This is not the usual way orphans are educated.

The front of the orphanage in Ivankiv, Ukraine.

This is the bedroom for the younger children at the orphanage.

One of the bathrooms at the orphanage.

This week, Andrew and Jenny, along with Dr. Jeff & Donna Crain, missionaries in Kiev, Ukraine, visited the orphanage to begin making plans for full-time ministry to the children there. They met with orphanage director, Galina Vasilevna, and she was VERY open to Jeremiah's Hope coming on a weekly basis to hold Bible studies/discussion groups with the children. Please be praying about this new ministry opportunity!

Jeff & Donna Crain, Jenny Kelly and Galina Vasilevna

Quarterly Birthday Party at Ugligorsk Orphanage...

Yesterday, Tanya, along with TLC residents Julia and Marina spent the day celebrating with 54 children who had their birthdays in October and November at the orphange in Ugligorsk. Of that number, 15 were younger children and 39 were older.

The spent the day being a blessing the kids. They came bringing birthday cakes and drinks for the festivities. They also gave each of the kids a small birthday gift. The girls got a small stuffed animal. The younger boys received a hot-wheels car and the older boys received a chocolate bar.

For most of us, this does not seem like much, but for these children, this is probably the only acknowledgement of their birthday.