Hidden from father

A week ago we were looking for a 15 year old girl. Olya graduated from boarding school this year. Her father drinks, beats mother and kids, humiliates them, abuse, threatens. He even tried to kidnepped Olya and blackmail her mother! Can you imagine what the poor girl feels?! It is impossible to describe all the horror that this poor family has experienced and endures! They hide in a wild and remote from civilization village in a very old house, where the roof leaks and mosquitoes "eat" you! We have millions of them this year! In a village where there is no school for children, no a kindergarten, where there is no work, mobile phone works with difficulty in certain places.

 The medical first-aid station is closed and it is noticeable that it has not been working for a very long time. So, if you feel bad, you have to die there...

  There are very few families. About 70% of abandoned houses. Transportation does not go there. You have to walk more than an hour to the nearest village to catch some kind of transport.

 There is no store in the village either. People in the village say that the "store" comes 2-3 times a week and brings them some food. The "store", this is vehicle what brings groceries and it stays about 30 minutes. And then goes to the next village. If you did not have time to buy bread or what you need, you will wait two more days when the vehicle comes again.

  The kids wanted ice cream. But ice cream will be in a few days, maybe... :( It is not difficult to imagine the state of perishable products, when there is no refrigerator in the car and today it is 35 degrees of heat outdoors...

  Olya is very scared, along with her mother and her smaller sister and brothers.She looks lost :( When we gave money for groceries. You should have seen how mother and children were happy! ♥ She thanked heartily and was ready to cry... After all, they had only 150 uah($6.00) for living! Their family receives child care in the amount of $150 per month. At one time they received $65 per month for 4 children.

Olga's younger brother was very pleased that he drove the car! ;0)

“Then Jesus told them this parable: ‘Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, “Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.” I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent’” (Luke 15:3-7).

The parable of the lost sheep offers an extraordinary glimpse of heavenly emotions. The shepherd calls his friends and neighbors together, saying, “Rejoice with me.” The rescue of the lost sheep was a cause for proclamation and celebration.

We traveled many hundreds of kilometers and villages to find Olya! We drove from village to another wild and lost village asking people. It was crazy! Mother hides a new place of settlement for fear that their father did not find and kill them! Olga`s mother was greatly surprised how we have found them! The Lord miraculously blessed us and could find sweet gilr! Olga is so happy she is safe today and could stay with us for a while! We were very happy, rejoiced and celebrated in our hearts, when we found Olga, like shepherd a lost sheep! :)

Roads where we often have to drive

This is WHY!

   How would you feel while living in this house? What would you think when you sleep on a dirty and broken bed? What would you do, if you are often hungry? 

  When we arrived and entered this terrible house, it was a HUGE shock! Dirt, the smell of cigarettes and alcohol, the stench, the dark and old house that is about to fall... All this terrifies and the question arises. Do people live here???

  We knew that Sveta was living in terrible conditions, but we had no idea that they were so terrible. Huge shock and silence! I began to understand the young lady much better, why there are some difficulties in everyday life and behavior. Our hearts were absolutely broken when we saw where she grew up or sometimes she came to visit her parents and smaller siblings. I stood silently for a long time and was ready to cry.

  Children seemed to be ok with this... Because they are used to this life and have not seen anything better in life... :( I`m typing and my eyes are full of tears. My heart is heavy... I do not find words to explain this whole nightmare...

Yes, they sleep on this bed

 

  Do you see a small sandwich and a half orange on the table? Natasha, who is 14 and graduated orphanage this year. She brought the food from the orphanage. The poor girl knew that there was no food at home ...

Here is sleeping 13 year old Vova. Yes, on this terrible and dirty couch, without a bedding,without a warm blanket and a soft pillow and probably full of lice and bedbugs.Can you imagine how cold it is in winter?

There is no electricity in the house

These leaky and horrible doors lead to the street.

The support inside the house so that the ceiling does not fall down on head

A rotting ceiling that can collapse at any time...

Seeing all this nightmare and danger in which children live, we simply could not leave them there!!!

  Parents drink for a long time and absolutely do not care about these beautiful kids...By court decision, they should be deprived of parental rights in several months.

 Children will live until the end of the summer with us. When they officially become orphans (on paper), the state will decide their further fate.

  Kids were so excited to be out of home! You would see how Sveta laughed and was so joyful her younger sister and brother are with her!

Brother Misha taught Vova how to use a fork...

And what kids don`t like icecream? :)

  When we started to wash all their clothes that they took with them. It broke my heart that the clothes were in the same condition as the house. Everything looked like trash and there wasn’t anything to be washed because the clothes were very worn out. Therefore, we are forced to buy these lovely souls ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING!

  This is the reason WHY children get to orphanages! Poverty, hunger, hopelessness, alcoholism, abandoned, violence and much more... They survive! This is the reason WHY we attend orphanages. This is the reason WHY we support graduates. This is the reason why BOM supports poor families. And this WHY your support and prayers are so cherished!

  Today, these lovely children are safe, sleeping on clean beds, taking a shower every day, their bellies are full, they spend time together, laugh, play. We study the Bible daily. It was funny when one of the girls began to eat and Natasha said. "Wait! We did not pray yet!" And they live only a few days with us! They quickly learn new things and are so sweet! :)

  But most importantly, they are surrounded by love and care. We are so blessed to take care of them! We do not know what will happen to these kids. We ask you to support us in prayers, please. Pray God to give us wisdom, strength and patience. Pray God to change their minds and precious hearts. They are absolutely  immature and such children! Pray for God to take care of their needs. They have some health problems and we will need time and funds to help these sweet souls. We need take them to a dentist. Also Natasha is 14, but she is so very tiny as a 9-year-old girl! We need to help her body to grow. And many other worries. We need the mercy of God... Thank you so much for your care and love! Your prayers mean a lot for us!!! ♥♥♥ God is so good as always! We love you all!!! :)

God sets the lonely in families (part 2)

  Last year, when we first took teenagers to the Carpathian mountains. We were very worried, there were a lot of difficulties and experiences. But God blessed in an incredible way! And it was one of the best trips!!! During the week while we were living with the children together, God began to work with my heart. Knowing the horrible stories from the life of children, it overwhelmed my heart even more knowing what awaits them outside the orphanage... The more I prayed, the more and more God gave me the desire to take several girls into my family to help, protect, teach them life skills and surround them with care and love. I knew it would not be easy... Perhaps even harder than I could imagine. I knew that I would spend more than one night in tears and that more than once my heart would be broken. But the heart pain for these abandoned and defenseless girls was stronger. Stronger than me. Love and incredible desire was beyond my strength. 

 My greatest fear was. Can girls get along with a special girl? Will I not be a witness to insults and strife? Can I handle it? How will Masha feel? and so on...

 I forgot many details of life in the orphanage. But when the girls started living with us and doing some things. My brain turned on in a moment and I remembered that we did the same thing at the orphanage! Wow! At some point, it became shocking to me and scared a little! I was even confused for a moment by suddenness. That I do not remember much, but my brain remembers! I thank Jesus that He set me free and healed my heart!What a mighty God we serve!

The girls are sweet and very different ...

 Luba, brave and confident in herself, at first glance, was very worried and afraid to live in a students dorm ... When she heard that she could live with us, the girl burst into tears...

For one of the girls we were told that she was a difficult teenager. I decided to try and prayed that the Lord would give me the opportunity to try to help this beautiful young lady, to do everything in my power. "Even if she lives several months and go, I will be grateful to You my Lord", I prayed. My heart was broken.We know her from 4 years old, when she was in the Children`s House, which BOM also supports.

Lyuba at Children`s House

Lyuba at the orphaange

On the first day of trade school, it turned out that the administration had "forgotten" Luba to add to the list of students who had to live in dorm and there was no place there. Coincidence? I do not think so! God already knew and prepared a place for her! If people forget, but not God! God has a place for orphaned child!

  Sveta had a similar situation, problems with the settlement in the domitory. She was very frightened, confused and defenseless ... Again an random event? God has no random events! He had already prepared a place for her also! When she officially (according to the documents of the trade school) came to our home. You would see her! She became so happy, joyful and even more talkative!We could not believe our eyes!

"God sets the lonely in families..." (Psalm 68:5)

 Girls live for almost a year with us.This is what Lyuba says:

•  During these years you have replaced my parents.

• You support me very much, both emotionally and physically. I learned a lot from you.

• I changed a lot for the better while living with you. Everyone noticed and is talking about it. I became softer, generous and grateful. You taught me a lot to appreciate what I have. In spite of some difficulty, you need to love what you have, that I live, I have my arms, legs and so on ...

•   During this year, when I live with you, I do not remember when I was crying. I was more pleased and more joyful!

• I saw a lot, and learned a lot about what I did not know before. I also learned a lot about God. Since our guests at the orphanage told only about the creation of the earth and nothing else.

• I learned that God is not only there in the Heaven, but always near. He represents Himself through someone when trouble comes. When it's hard for me, I always turn to God and He helps me. I used to think that God created everything and just watched us. Now I know more about Him. I did not even imagine that He would act so fast in my life!

• Without you, I would not find a job and get into trouble. Thank you for the help!(Lyuba is going to work soon during summer time).

•   If I lived in a dorm, then I do not know what would happened with me... I have no idea. But I see how girls survive in the dorm.

•   I have no one to share my worries as mom and dad are constantly drinking alcohol. And you are always near me and constantly support me! You are always with me when something is wrong.You became like mom for me.

Love heals broken hearts!!! ♥♥♥

The other girl was very reserved, rarely spoke, only briefly answering questions. She always looked sad and with her head down. Sveta has very low self-esteem, uncertainty...At the boarding school, she had little contact with anyone and rarely was friends with someone. Sveta did not know what she wants from life, did not know what she liked or what she loved, there were no desires or dreams. :( She looked like a small cute snail that hid and was afraid to lean out.

Children who grow up in secluded places and are isolated from the world cannot see anything. When they finish an orphanage, it is difficult for them to adapt and face various difficulties. Very often graduates of orphanages are 5-10 years behind their peers and often immature. Sveta is such a sweet girl. God gave the desire to take her into our family, teach life skills and protect against all dangers. Once, when we gave her money for her needs (for a bus ticket to school and other needs). She burst into tears ... and revealed her precious heart about her personal experiences at her family...

Over time, Sveta began to unfold more. Talk more and even laugh! Today, every day you can hear this children's light-hearted laugh in our house! She found friends and became much more confident in herself. She began to defend for herself and to assert her rights. The girl began to study better in school and in her free time to practice her favorite needlework. When she hears words of encouragement, you would see her shining eyes!Sweet girl...

Looking at her, I see myself in childhood, with low self-esteem and many other problems. She still has a lot of problems. But we see huge changes in her life and behavior! This gives us tremendous hope! We pray that Jesus saved her and healed her broken heart!♥

Sveta is studying for cooker in a trade school

  Both girls became wonderful friends. Once Lyuba said: "I never thought that we would be friends with Sveta! After all, in the orphanage, we were not friends at all!" :) When she hugs, she keeps you for a few minutes without letting go. ♥

The girls learned to cook pizza

   Children came from very difficult families, where they were deprived of childhood. :( The girls had to go through and see a lot of things ... Orphanage, a shelter for children and a lot of terrible moments both in the families and in the boarding school. Insult, humiliation, ridicule, indifference, loneliness, abandonment, helplessness, drunkenness of parents, tears, fear, hunger and many, many other things.

 And you know what? God turned my greatest fear into a blessing!They became best friends with Masha! :) They protect her when necessary, help, have fun and more. And they even fight together against me and Oksana! Haha

Yes, we have difficulties ... Big and small. It is not easy to be a mom of teenagers with a broken heart and soul. I realized that I, as a mother, need to learn a lot more, very, very much! Every day I learn something new... Every day I learn to depend on Christ, needing His wisdom, patience, and strength. We need a lot of prayer, love and patience ...

Lyuba often remembers and is delighted that we remember and support her from the very childhood.Once a few months later living with us, she asked:" Maybe you adopt me?" And Sveta. "Yes! Yes! And me too!" This is impossible by the law of Ukraine. And I always tell girls that I adopted them in my heart. ♥♥♥We are very attached to each other and love them dearly! We are feeling blessed to support and love them! They stole my heart...

 So, our small family is growing ♥ :) God is doing AMAZING things!

Please, pray for the hearts of these beautiful young ladies! God cover their needs.So that they entrust their lives to Jesus Christ! That He changed their minds and healed broken hearts. So that in Him they find salvation, comfort and peace in hearts. Thank you so much! ♥