News from Kiev

Last night I took a few Americans to the city center.  We ate in the food court of a mall. Some of the girls left for a bit and a teenager came by and tried to take their drink.  I gave a resounding “No!” He left and then I saw him again a few minutes later and decided to buy him some soup. (I could tell that he was probably a street child. I never give children money.)  So I told my friend what I was going to do.  She wanted to do it instead so I helped her order his food.  She then invited him to eat with us if he wanted and he did. 

His name is Artur. He is 14 years old and lives on the streets.  He and his brother and sister lived in an orphanage but long ago he ran away and now lives on the streets.  We shared with him about God’s love for him.  He answered, “I know.”  I asked how he knew.  “Because I received Jesus in my heart last month.”  We didn’t have a Russian bible with us at the time so we told him that we would pray that he would be given a bible and encouraged him to read it.  So please pray for Artur.  He seems like a sweet boy.  He had a great smile when he did smile.  Pray for him to get to know God and that someone will indeed give him a bible or that he will find one.  Pray that he will read it and believe it.

Today as I was thinking of him, I realized that I know of a Christian rehab center for street children.  I wish I had remembered about it last night.  So I will pray that God brings him back into my life again so I can tell him about it and then pray that he would be willing to go.

“Handicapped children require a lot of help from a lot of people.  Wouldn’t it be best to just let them die?” A nursing student asked. There were 8-9 American women in the room and our mouths dropped to the floor in absolute shock.  I knew that the doctors here advise mothers of handicapped children to just leave their children at the hospital.  That it would just be a lot of heartache for them to bring them home, but I had never heard anyone speak so blatantly about it.  I felt like crying and one woman did.  The American team was very gracious in answering her question.  The girl only reflected what she is taught in school.  How sad.

This week a group of 22 American healthcare professionals came to
Ukraine to address the care of handicapped children.  A physical therapist was in the group and God blessed me with part of her time.  She went to the orphanage with me to see my children.  She gave me some great ideas of what more to do with them.  Also I was invited to the conference and learned even more.  It was such a blessing.

Last week my pastor and his wife adopted a baby from my orphanage.  They weren’t one of my children though and I asked one of the workers why noone comes to our room to adopt babies.  She looked at the babies and said, “Would any one want them?”  My heart sank…”I do.”  My heart was sad because that is the attitude of doctors and workers here.  Parents of handicapped children are told that it would be better to leave their children at the hospital and not try to take them home.  Fortunately many parents do take their children home but many other parents don’t and just sign away their rights.  On rare occassions the mother continues to come and visit her baby. She just feels helpless to take care of the child.  I have such a child in my group now.  She is a precious, sweet girl.  So cute!  I hear that her mother comes on Saturdays.  I am considering to go on a Saturday in hopes she will be there and start showing her things that she could do with her.  My desire is to see her mother change her mind and take her home.

I am always trying to find seminars for me to attend when I come to the States to help me work with my Down’s children.  Unfortunately most of these seminars are in the summer and I come home in the spring or winter.  I have been thinking about it a lot lately.  Last week one of the missionary doctors here called me and invited me to a medical conference being held this week for workers of handicapped children.  What an answer to pray.  Instead of my trying to find a way to get training in the States at a high cost, God has sent a team here to teach a whole spectrum of care and it is free.  Last week a team of 22 medical professionals came to
Ukraine and taught this seminar in Western Ukraine and this week the conference will be here starting tomorrow. A physical therapist from the group, who specializes in treating children with Down’s sydrome, went with me to visit my babies.  It was great to see her work with them so that I got more of an idea how to help them.  Wish she could be around for more sessions. But God is good.  I got more practical help today in 1 ½ hours than I ever have in an official course.  God is good.