It’s easy to write about the success of a summer camp for orphans- right after it has all taken place. There are wonderful stories to share, happy children to show and testimonies to give about how God was at work. But what happens to these kids later? How do these moments in the summer influence their future lives? How do these seeds of hope continue to grow?
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95% of the orphanage graduates today in Ukraine find themselves not adjusted to independent living and cannot find a job. Molochansk specialized orphanage is special. Being here, all of the pupils receive the knowledge they will need in their adult life. They spend most of their time in practical lessons – they learn how to grow vegetables, work with the wood, do the cross-stitch and sew. Thanks to the gift of Operation Blessing – 11 electric sewing machines, the female graduates of this orphanage will have stable income in sewing.
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Natasha dreams about becoming a teacher one day. She wants to study hard and learn English so that she can realize this dream in her future. But Natasha is an orphan in Ukraine, and statistics say Natasha should end up on the street or in prostitution- repeating the cycle of her parents.
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A twelve day summer Life Skills Camp, sponsored in part by Operation Blessing and AGAPE ministries took place in two orphanages in Kherson. Through daily lessons, games, and evening programs, the youth were encouraged to dream about their futures and also think about the challenges they will undoubtedly face. Through the daily lesson time and evening programs, the leaders were also able to share about the love of Christ and the way to have a personal relationship with him.
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For the last couple of months life in the Melnitsa-Podolsky orphanage was especially hard. Due to the break down of the water-carrier that was used to provide the orphanage with 9,000 liters of drinking water each day, the orphanage was at risk of being closed down. Since the lack of clean drinking water is the biggest problem for the whole region, the orphanage director was not able to find a new water-carrier to replace the old one. To provide drinking water to meet the minimal needs of the orphanage, the children had to hand-carry water to the orphanage in buckets, while the orphanage staff had to hand-wash the children’s clothes in cold water. Operation Blessing helped the orphanage by providing $3,000 to repair the water carrier and now the children can enjoy normal life again!
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Between December 18 and January 8, Christmas concerts sponsored by Operation Blessing Ukraine were provided for more than 800 children of Nikolaev region and for 4 villages of Bashtanka area. The children had a chance to watch a Christmas play, to learn the wonderful story Jesus’ birth, to participate in various games and to receive wonderful presents. More than 800 children received stuffed lambs personally presented by the Superbook Club’s President and beloved children’s hero – Robot Robick.
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Organizing summer Christian camps in Nickolayev region has become a good tradition for Emmanuel Charity Association. Unfortunately, high unemployment rate and alcohol abuse are very common for remote Ukrainian villages and, as a result, there are many street children there. Many of these kids might have parents who are unable to take a good care of their own children. Luckily, thanks to the work of the local church in this region and to the support of “Operation Blessing”, these children have a chance to have a good time, find new friends, share wonderful meals and, most importantly, learn about the love of Jesus Christ.
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Two weeks may seem not enough time to build lasting relationships and make a meaningful impact in the lives of children, but through the grace of God, steps were taken in this direction through the Life Skills Camp that was held in June 2007 in the small town of Radomeshal Ukraine. The Camp, sponsored by Ukraine Ministries of Oklahoma and Operation Blessing International was held on the grounds of the orphanage, where 170 children reside. 25 Ukrainian and American volunteers came together to organize the weeks’ events and create meaningful lessons and activities to bless the lives of these children. Ultimately the goal of the camp was to teach the children of their value in the eyes of God and how they can have a personal relationship with Jesus. Through daily lessons in our Life Skills curriculum, we were also able to discuss some practical life topics and situations that they will face upon exiting the orphanage.
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To kick of the year of 2007, Christmas celebrations for children were held at National Aviation University. 20,000 orphans, socially neglected children, invalids, and children from large and lower-income families were able to attend one of three concerts held each day between January 3rd and 9th. The children watched a Christmas play and learned that Jesus was born to save them and give them eternal life.
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The children of Rogatyn boarding school received 50 new and comfortable mattresses for their new beds that were purchased with the help of our International Partners are were given to the orphanage by Terry Meeuwsen – a woman whose heart is with Ukrainian children. The students and teachers of this school are very thankful for the donation given and also for the sound sleep of the children on the new mattresses. The kids are sure to have sweet dreams!

Christmas time became a real holiday for the orphans of the Zhukin orphanage. Their American friend John Delphino came to visit them and brought wonderful Christmas presents to the children. 23 boys and girls received packages with various sweets and fruit. Besides the Zhukin orphanage, John Delphino visited the Petrivtsy boarding school for orphans where 17 boys and girls received sweets, fruits, toys and clothes.
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After attending the summer camps in 2006, about 100 children began to attend Sunday school and “Superbook Club” in the town of Bashtanka in the Nickolayev region of Ukraine. 70 more children are also attending Sunday Schools in the villages of Bulgakovo, Yavkino and Maryanovka. Most of the children who attended the summer camps were from “problem families” where one or both of the parents were heavily drinking. We are rejoicing at the fact that some of the children’s parents started to attend Church as a result!
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In Early January of the coming year, Operation Blessing Ukraine in cooperation with Emmanuel Charity Association’s Concert Department, will be giving Christmas concerts for orphans, children from lower income families and handicapped Ukrainian children. Between 14,000 and 18,000 are expected to attend the performances and all who attend will receive a special gift from the Ukrainian children’s famous hero- the Robot named Robick.
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During the months of July and August over 400 children from underprivileged families in four villages of the Nicolayev region, were blessed to participate in a very special summer camp program. Operation Blessing International partnered with local churches in each of the villages this summer to provide four week long Bible camps for these children who are growing up amidst very trying circumstances.
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In the month of March 2006, more than 30 orphanages and boarding schools throughout Ukraine received humanitarian aid – new socks collected by US citizens in the framework of a project sponsored by a famous Christian magazine “Focus of the Family”. Although it may seem that socks are not such a wonderful gift, the reality shows that it’s hard to live without them too.
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In January 2006, the orphans of Veliko-Polovetsky boarding school for mentally retarded children received a special gift from OB – a wide-screen TV-set. The money for the TV-set was raised by our Correspondence Partners. Soon the children will receive another gift – a VCR and a set of Christian videos provided by our US sponsor.
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In December 2005 we received an e-mail from a private person from USA. The e-mail said: “I would like to come to Ukraine for my Christmas vacation and I would really want to help the orphanages. I want the children at the orphanages to have a real Christmas this year”. We couldn’t leave such a request unanswered and decided to visit three orphanages in Kiev area and give the children real Christmas gifts.
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Berdyansk orphanage, located in southern Ukraine and far from the capitol, Kiev, has very limited financing and receives less governmental attention than the orphanages located near the capitol. Berdyansk has been using the same furniture for over 25 years and the children lack the simplest things like nightstands and wardrobes. As a result of the very old furniture and lacking basic pieces, the rooms in the orphanage appear very dismal for the children. However, recently the appearance of these dreary rooms changed. Thanks to a long standing relationship with Operation Blessing, the Berdyansk orphanage was able to receive assistance to purchase bright new furniture for the rooms.
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On July 15, 2005 mission Emmanuel received the sad news from an orphanage in the remote town of Melnitsa-Podolsky - there was an epidemics of Hepatitis A in the orphanage. To save the children from getting sick, they needed money to buy the vaccine.
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