It has been several years now that Operation Blessings supports the activity of “New Life” social Center for street children in the town of Nickolayev by providing hot meals for the kids during the day. The staff of the Center offers real home atmosphere, possibility to talk to Christians, to take showers and spend time with other kids and, most importantly, they share their love with the children. Many of them have come to the Center to find love and support they can’t have in their own families.

Tatiana Melnick, one of the people working with the kids at the Center, shared her heart about the Center’s activity.

“New Life Center is attended by the children from so called “problem families” and street kids. Many of them came to the Center right from the street. Some were brought by their neighbors or their own parents. In general, all of the children have a great need in simple care love and mercy. For instance, Cherepanov Yulia (6 years old) and Dima (8 years old) came to the Center last year. They were actually brought to the Center by their mother’s boy-friend who had found them bagging at the marketplace. The children were all dirty and hungry. They had no idea of how to behave at the table and were using their hands to take and eat food. In this one year that they have been to the Center, both of them changed a lot. They became smarter, learned how to talk to adults and other children. The Center helped them to prepare for school by purchasing their school uniform and stationery. The relationships of these children with their mother and grandmother also improved. Today the children go to public school in the morning and come to the center at the afternoon. They eat their lunch at the Center, read the Bible for children and the tutors help them with their home work.

Another child, 7-year-old Lesovskaya Nastya has been coming to the Center for 1,5 years. She lives in 1-roomed apartment with her old grandmother, grandfather and father who had been heavily drinking. Her mother left Nastya when she was a baby. When Nastya’s grandmother brought her to the Center, she was a very uptight and reserved child. Now she is feeling much better – her memory improved and she has become a very happy child. Many times we tried to talk to her family members but her grandmother would argue with our staff on the issues of Gospel and the father would not want to meet with us because of his alcohol withdrawal sickness or constant drinking. However, Nastya’s prayers and the prayers of our staff had worked and all of her family members repented and Nastya’s father stopped drinking».

The life of each child visiting “New Life” Center is quite a story. Unfortunately, most of the stories are sad and there are too many children out there suffering without parental love and care. Our staff is thankful to our sponsors who are donating money for this project. Without your financial support we would never be able to change the lives of the children and their parents. Thank you so much for your help and may God bless you for your mercy!

If you want to help this person, please, contact Operation Blessing Ukraine at OB.Partners.ua@cbn-cis.org

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