We asked our friend Rosalynn Prough, who also works in Ukraine, to interpret for us some information from an op-ed in the Kyiv Post. Rosalynn has a degree in International Relations and Journalism from California State University at Sacramento, and she graduated from Discipleship Training School in Kyiv in 2006. We hope her perspective will help you, our readers, to better understand the conditions in which Last Bell and other orphan-care organizations are working. Rosalynn works for a Christian family-style home for orphans in Zhytomyr called Father’s Home, where three couples care for about ten children each. Read more about Father’s Home here.

Guest post by: Rosalynn Prough

Recently Kyiv’s largest English language newspaper, the Kyiv Post, gathered statistics from the United Nations, World Health Org., and other reputable sources for an editorial piece with a comprehensive overview of the Ukrainian government’s performance in 2010 and 2011.

The results were disheartening. In many categories, from freedom of the press, to HIV/AIDS, to corruption, to poverty levels, the statistics were worse last year than the year before. Less than a third remained the same or showed improvement.

If you were under the impression that Ukraine is a modern European society on the road to post-Cold War progress, the statistics may very well put you in a state of shock. In most categories, Ukraine is the worst in Europe. In one category, adolescent alcoholism, it is ranked the worst in the world.

Alcoholism in Ukraine

Alcoholism is a national epidemic in Ukraine.

Ukraine has the sixth highest amount of per-capita alcohol consumption among adults (15 years and older) in the world. According to the compiled data in the article, Ukraine holds the number one position in the world for adolescent alcohol consumption between 10 and 13 years old, and about 15% of Ukrainian children start drinking at age 13.

The fact that so many children in Ukraine drink is an indication of just how ingrained drinking is in the culture. Children reflect a society’s values at large.

Kids are introduced to alcohol at a young age, and most grow up with one or more alcoholic family members. A young person who doesn’t drink is considered a social pariah. Boys watch men and older youth always drinking in their free time or at social gatherings. Girls watch women drinking to escape the pain of their lives and as a way to getting a man.

But drinking in Ukraine goes far beyond a social activity or part of a European way of life. Around 40,000 people die from alcohol-related causes every year in Ukraine. For comparison: out of 1,000 deaths in the United States, about 1.6 are alcohol-related; out of 1,000 deaths in Ukraine, about 57 are alcohol-related.

Alcoholism is rampant throughout the entire country, especially in economically depressed or isolated areas where drinking is both an escape and the only thing to do for fun. You can see the obvious effects of alcoholism by simply walking down any street.

The unseen effects are much more damaging to Ukraine and her future generation.

This disease has destroyed the Ukrainian family. Ukraine’s orphanages, homeless shelters, and streets are full of children who have at least one parent still living. These kids are social orphans, living away from their birth families because of neglect or abuse that is almost always connected to alcohol.

The majority of Ukrainian orphans start drinking before puberty. They steal money to buy alcohol or take it off a homeless person. On Easter they go around to the cemeteries where relatives have left shots of vodka for the dead and get drunk surrounded by graves.

As they grow older, many of them end up in the same cycle as their parents: single parents, unemployed, homeless, or in prison.

There is hope

Followers of Christ see the situation in Ukraine as dismal but not hopeless.

Despite all the negatives, there is much to be thankful for. There are freedoms Ukrainians have today that did not exist 20 years ago under Soviet rule. Most importantly there is religious freedom.

The Ukrainian Church is standing tall – a beacon of light in the middle of the darkness.

Believers are not waiting for the government to get its act together. They do not expect the government to solve all their problems. They see the government for what it is: a flawed system made by flawed people.

Instead believers see the Church, the body of Christ, as God’s social service system. They see that the greatest need in Ukraine is not more accountability or a democratic overhaul but sharing salvation from sin and the hope of Jesus Christ with every Ukrainian man, woman and child.

This is not just some idealistic dream.

Everyday is a battle for the hearts and minds of the Ukrainian orphans we work with, but it is one that each of us is willing to fight until our last breath.

We believe without reservation that God is going to use the work being done for the glory of His name to raise up a new generation of Ukrainians who love the Lord and who will be the future leaders and policy makers, the future mothers and fathers, and the future ambassadors of Christ.

These kids, who have been seen by society for decades as useless trash, will be the ones to break the cycle – to change the statistics.

By Carol Nickols

I was first introduced to Last Bell Ministries when I heard about the Ukrainian orphans through a friend of mine, Irene Millikan. Her extended family had adopted a Ukrainian orphan and wanted to help other orphans as well. Irene’s attachment to the orphans – “her kids” – was so heartwarming that I wanted to get to know them too. She talked to our Bible study group about the deprivations and abandonment they had experienced growing up, and how they needed help and to know someone cared, so they wouldn’t become a orphanage statistic and end up in prison or prostitution.

A year after I first heard about the ministry, Irene’s niece, Liz, came to our Bible study and spoke to us about what Last Bell was doing to help orphans, reaching out in the love of Jesus Christ and meeting their needs. Our hearts went out to them. We each began praying for a specific boy or girl and received pictures of the one we were praying for. We also began to send financial help and gifts to them through Last Bell. We were pleased to receive a direct response in the form of their newsletters. We found out that our giving provided for necessary surgeries, food, education, supplies, housing, and maintenance of the two ministry houses, Shelter and Haven.

In April of 2011, Irene and I traveled to Zhytomyr to visit the orphans and staff at the two homes. Because of my work as a mental health therapist, I was asked to speak at two weekend retreats with each group. I also counseled several of the girls and participated in staff training. On the trip, I was able to witness firsthand the staff’s amazing dedication and love for these kids and the close relationships they have developed with them. It was truly inspiring to see how kids who were deemed “throwaways” by their culture have been motivated to pursue education, employment, service to others, and faith in Christ. My time in Ukraine gave me a greater appreciation for and understanding of the devotion, hard work, persistent prayer, and personal sacrifice made by the staff and supporters of Last Bell. By their words and deeds, they are making Jesus known to young people who desperately need to have hope after all of the hopelessness in their background.

Because of the work of Christ I saw through the staff and ministry of Last Bell, I want to support them in any way I can. Currently, the ministry has an emergency need for financial help to pay for an extensive renovation of the Shelter. This will allow them to provide residential housing and houseparents for 15 orphans in the 8th grade after the government closure of Zhytomyr Orphanage #4 this June. Please join me and other supporters in giving generously, sacrificially, and promptly to Last Bell!

by Tamara Mesko

I first heard about Last Bell Ministries through a friend who is their office coordinator. I had been disillusioned with a few charities that I’d been supporting, and it was also around Christmas time, and I was searching for an effective charity that I could help fund long-term. As I found out more information about their work with children in orphanages in Zhytomyr, Ukraine, I felt led to give to support their ministry.

Having grown up in a single-parent household, I became aware at a very early age that my childhood experience was vastly benefiting from the charity efforts of members of our church, as well as organizations within our community. Friends would frequently offer to drive us home from after-school activities, give us clothing we couldn’t afford, and even anonymously leave groceries for us. I was also fortunate to grow up in a safe community, never fearing crime or danger when I left my house to walk downtown or play with friends.

I knew that not everyone had the advantage that I had of living in such a secure environment. As I grew older, I realized I had inherited this spirit of generosity and wanted to reach out to those in need, both in my community and around the world.

A philosophy of kindness was instilled in me very early in life, with many people I respected steering me toward the idea that we’re all in this flawed world together, and that out of the abundance of our own blessings, we should work hard to assist those who are less fortunate and have fewer resources than us.

Countless Bible verses point to God being a father to the fatherless, and a defender of the weak, while also instructing us to care for orphans and those who’ve been unjustly oppressed. Last Bell carries out this mission through helping “orphans in transition” by providing a safe and loving community, and I fully support their organization.

I am absolutely confident that Last Bell uses all the funds given to them in a fruitful way. Not only do they provide monthly newsletters with very specific updates about the Shelter and the Haven (the family homes) as well as the Support Center (counseling and legal assistance), but my friend provides many personal updates about her sister Liz (the overseas Director) and the rest of the staff in Ukraine who live in community with the orphans.

All of these stories help me feel very connected to all of the positive change happening on the other side of the world.

The most recent report from Last Bell greatly encouraged me—the newsletter comparing rates of success between orphans who completed the Last Bell program and those whose only support was the government trade school. The statistics on the government side are heartbreaking, while the emotional and spiritual and economic development of the Last Bell kids provides a stark positive contrast. The work that the tireless counselors and home leaders do in the Ukraine is amazing and I’m grateful to be associated with Last Bell.

Perhaps like a lot of Americans, I tend to look at my monthly budget and vacillate between feelings of guilt for purchasing things I don’t need, and feelings of selfishness for thinking of all the other things I could buy with the money that I give to charity. Even those of us in the church don’t like to discuss money – it makes us uncomfortable, and if we’re not careful, causes us to be judgmental of people who we view as wealthy.

However, when I’m not so busy comparing myself to others, I quickly realize that I am very wealthy, both financially and in other areas of my life. I have many people who support me and encourage me in my emotional, spiritual, physical, and intellectual growth. I hope that in sharing resources with Last Bell, I have played some small part in helping their ministry to foster these types of growth in the children of Zhytomyr.

Last Bell’s current plan is that they are working toward obtaining guardianship of 15 children to house them at the Shelter. These children are currently housed in an orphanage that will close in June, and they will be separated and sent to other orphanages far away from Zhytomyr. In order to intervene, Last Bell needs funding to renovate the Shelter to provide a safe living arrangement for these orphans.

I can’t imagine all the life changing experiences this new housing will bring to these children. Please consider making a donation to Last Bell.

Our Shelter “kids” are now young adults, out of trade school, and working or job-hunting. Salaries in Zhytomyr are extremely low, and a one-room apartment costs a whole salary to rent. You can understand why it is hard to make ends meet. All our kids are stretching each hryvnya as far as it will go. Sometimes they don’t have enough to eat. For many, buying decent clothes isn’t even a possibility anymore. We are doing everything we can to help. Sometimes in dire situations we help kids make rent or get the electricity back on in their apartments. We are always grateful when our friends from America help with clothes, especially for the Shelter grandchildren!

Since these young people are trying to work hard, and are not always able to support themselves (through no fault of own), we want to continue to help them with food. In Ukraine most parents continue meeting their kids’ physical needs well into adulthood. The poor economy means that the only way to survive is if all family members help each other out. We want to help our kids in the way normal parents would.

The past two months we have been able to buy each child (many of whom have children of their own) about $3 of groceries twice a month ($6 per month per child). We would love to increase our $3 care packages to $5 care packages ($10 per month per child). Please consider donating $10 a month to Last Bell Ministries to provide extra food for one child. We have about 20 kids at Shelter every other week. If 20 people offer $10 a month, this entire program would be covered. Please consider helping! Thank you!

Your generosity has made it possible for us to “adopt” all of these young people into our Shelter family over the years and to continue caring for them as our own family. Here are pictures of four different kinds of care packages we can give, including many items that Shelter kids have already been receiving, thanks to you.

Sandwiches

Pasta, buckwheat, peas, and rice

Around the house

Tea time

Our heavenly Father always takes care of us. Many things confirm this: the Bible, the Holy Spirit alive in our hearts, our experiences as believers, and also the many testimonies of brothers and sisters in Christ. We are confident in our God, because He is the one who never leaves us or forsakes us.  He said it himself: “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).

The Lord has shown us how he relates to us; He shows that He is our Father. When you are a father yourself, you understand what a great responsibility it is caring for your children. God entrusted me with two children to take care of and raise; he gave me the role of father. Also he gave me a ministry with the responsibility of caring for many orphans. He teaches and trains us for this role with many tests and trials.

One of these tests was the surgery of my little son Daniel. He had to have a hernia operated on. He is only six years old, and it was hard to agree to the operation, but it couldn’t be avoided.  But Danik was very brave and wasn’t afraid of the pain (if that actually can happen in a child).

We prayed and asked our heavenly Father to bless Danik and to bless the hands of the doctors. The surgery was planned and we had to wait a week. Every night before going to sleep, Danik prayed with us and asked God: “Dear Lord, bless this surgery, please don’t let the doctors mess anything up.”

He asked me if it would hurt, if they would have to give him shots. He asked his mom and dad all his questions. He didn’t ask because he really wanted to understand the details, he just wanted help calming down so he would not be afraid. When a child needs it, a father comforts him, the same way our heavenly Father comforts us, if we entrust ourselves to him in faith.

Our heavenly Father blessed. The surgery was quick and successful. Danik slept an hour after the surgery while the anesthetic wore off. Later he woke up and asked his mom if it was over or if it hadn’t started yet. Mom told him it’s okay, it’s all over. Today is the third day after the surgery and Danik feels fine. In him I see an example of how trust and love for God changes everything, and how God blessed my son in answer to his prayers.

Shelter Holiday Baked Chicken

10 chicken legs and/or thighs
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Mix together all ingredients except chicken; then marinate chicken in the mix for at least an hour and up to half a day. Bake in a 9×13 pan for about 1 ½ hours at 375 degrees.