Dear friends and partners!

Because of your partnership, in   2012 Kharkov Pregnancy Assistance Center was privileged to provide services to 282 clients.

• 13 babies were saved from abortion.
• 29 clients made the first time commitments of their lives to Christ.
• 240 pregnant women in the birthing hospital of Merefa Kharkov region were educated  about sanctity of human life to prevent abortions of second and third babies.
• “Forgiven and Set Free” facilitated 4 groups for those who have experienced an abortion. Memorials were held to honor the lives of 110 babies.

Education for Lifetime presented a character based, abstinence-centered, abortion preventing message,   to 2620 high school and university students in Kharkov and Kharkov region.

The True love waits

Here is  some notes from students after lessons  about abortion:

“It was very important for me to learn about abortion . Now I know if your girl or wife would want to perform abortion you should stop her.”

“After what I saw I made decision, I am not going to do abortion”

“I feel such compassion to the children, which will never be born. When woman does abortion she does the biggest mistake in the world. Child is the most precious treasure human can have. “

“It was hard to see but it taught me a lot. I agree that handy captive children can teach us to love. Everyone has the right to live.”

“I learned that it is important to  treat the person you love the right way, express love the right way, not harm him”.

“Before you do something you have to think about consequences.

The lesson opened my eyes on the true reasons and consequences of abortion. I am not going to do abortion, never. “

The message of sanctity of human life was presented in 13 churches of Kharkov and Kharkov region.

We trained  3  new groups of volunteers who started pro-life work in regions: in Simpheropol , in Merefa, in Kharkov.

                                                                         Year 2012 the start of a new education program 
  “Life Skills” for  young mothers and fathers  with children from 0 till 3 years old.  Jesus commanded us “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. “ Matthew 28:19

Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” James 2:14-17

Together we were able to supply needs of 79 mothers and babies.

We walk together to bring hope to the hopeless, showing God’s love and sharing His uncompromising truth regarding the sanctity of life. 

Kharkov Pregnancy Assistance Center counts on year end gifts to help us make it financially the coming year.

This year we need  to raise $36,000 to continue to offer services to women, children and families next year. Every amount – from $25, $50, $100, $1,000 to $10,000 – is vital to help others. Join us in the mission. There are so many people in Kharkov, young girls, who need to find out God is the Father to the fatherless.

Merry Christmas 

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Children abandoned by their parents...

from birth to three years of age, live at Children's Hospitals, until it is determined whether they will be assigned to a foster family, a family-type children's home/s, a boarding school, a guardian family, to adoptive parents, or they are returned to their biological family.  But initially, their first home becomes the hospital.  Even the best hospital is not established for a living, rather for healing.  The fate of these children lies in the hands of social services officers (both district and metropolitan) who process the legal documents associated with the status of the child.  Thus, this process may be a delayed one.

A person' social development occurs in several stages.  Up to two years  of age, a child is entirely dependant on adults for care and relationship building, the quality of which forms the future of the young personality, his or her perception of the surrounding world and, their attitudes towards people at large.  If a child is caressed, cuddled, told tales, sung to, the child forms trust towards people, gradually becomes aware of himself as being accepted, protected, loved.  The moulding of a sense of belonging to people, to family begins.  The foundations are cast toward establishing a complete harmonious personality: "I belong to someone, I am needed, I am loved".  Emotional needs are being met in this stage, not just physical.  If a child under the age of two feels a lack of care, neglect or cruelty, these children experience fear, mistrust, danger, insecurity, jealousy and suffer from  dissatisfaction and loneliness.  In effect, an outcast personality is formed.  Which in the future translates to teenagers with destructive behaviours.  The influential model of their relationships with people and the surrounding environment is simple: "Once you rejected me, now I  will neglect everyone and all; the best defence is attack!" This all starts subconsciously and then manifests itself externally by means of: aggression, anger, violence, or visa versa through: apathy or chronic depression.  As adults, they will have relationship problems, low self-worth, lack of knowing how to love.  This being the bitter harvest of what was sown.

The volunteers of our Centre visit the abandoned babies at the Clinical MultiProfile Hospital No. 17 (of the city of Kharkiv), at the Neonatological Unit of the Metropolitan Children's Hospital and at the Regional Children's Clinical Hospital.

Volunteers spend time with the kids, taking care of them, feeding them, reading books, taking them out for a walk and a play outdoors.  Always bringing a gift and necessary items: diapers/nappies, medicine, fruit etc.  Friendly relationships are built with the hospital staff.  Thanks to your donations and the fidelity of the women volunteers who have dedicated themselves to the children, this work has been able to continue over the past six years.

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In ten years there will be 36-38 million residents in Ukraine

If, however, the current negative demographic trends continue, in 50 years it is said, 8-12 million Ukrainians will remain. 

These statistics were stated by  Tatyana Bahteeva, Health Minister of the Regions party, the Head of the Verhovna Rada Committee, referring to the forecasts of experts.

 

In her words, the population of Ukraine has decreased by almost 7 million over the past 15 years, a drop from 52.2 million to 45.6 million.

 

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Hard way - to learn to trust

On weekend my daughter wanted us to go to park. The day was not very warm; from time to time it was raining . We were under umbrella, when it was raining. We took nuts with us. Nastya saw pigeons  and decided to feed them. Very soon other inhabitant of the  park realized that we were feeding birds and flew  to us.  Pigeons, tit , magpie, jay came for the feast .  But not every bird participated and could take the blessings.  Nastya wanted to feed them from the hand. And seams like every bird had their own experience of encounter with people. Only one pigeon trusted us to take the nuts from hand. Some were brave enough to come close and when some nuts were lost by trusting pigeon they quickly picked up them. Tit set above on the branches of the tree and  in order to take a nut had to dive to our hand, grab our finger for quick second. It was such a joy and pleasure while a little bird trusted  us  even on a second and stayed  on my hand. But still only two trusted us. All other turned back at last moment almost reaching the goal, but could not overcome fear.  Magpie was at a distance. She could see everything that was going on. But didn’t come close enough even to pick up dropped nuts . She had no chance. Jay was even further and up.  All had equal chances to be fed. But past experience kept most of the birds from blessings at that day. We had nothing to do with their past experience, we had pure motives and  didn’t had any intention to hurt them.  But they projected  their experience on us.

I was thinking about us. Do we trust God to eat from His hand or we stay so far as jay.

We had encounter with one of our clients, Vika. She grew up in an orphanage.  She had a room in an apartment with the people who hated her and tried to poison her.  She lost the room because of lack wisdom, sold to change the place of living and couldn’t buy another one for the same price.  When she became pregnant she didn’t even recognized it  as pregnancy. She shared with an older woman  her  concern about a growing belly. The older woman looked at her and asked her,  whether she was pregnant. She laughed.  She gave birth a baby boy in a barn. Neighbors heard the baby cry and called police and ambulance.  It took her a month before she got the baby out of a hospital and got shelter in Maternity home.  After 6 month she got  child benefit and decided  to rent apartment,  but without success. She came to us ready to give up, to give baby to an orphanage.  For the first time I saw how severe distrust could operate against a person. She was  difficult to help. All we offered didn’t fit her ideas . She lived in a barn and didn’t want to move in another part of the city.  She wanted room in the same part of the city as she had a room. It looked like she had invisible tie to that place, like she was chained to it. While we were talking she would stay at distance, she didn’t want to be hugged, she didn’t trust the love, she couldn’t understand why I was visiting her, bringing her food, she didn’t want to open her barn out of fear I could take her baby.  She was pushing the help  and people out, trying to be independent and ready to give up out of  the lack of support. 

That is not the end of the story. Could you join us in prayer for her and Peter,  her baby son.  When I hold him in hand he was disturbed , like he was felling his mother ready to give up on him. After awhile, he became interested in my coat touching new fiber. All my soul wanted just  to take him home and love him. But it was her baby and her life. I could come along side, if she let it.  She doesn’t trust anybody. 

 To survive she did cleaning for people, leaving the baby alone. The baby got used to it. She came back from cleaning. Somebody called police while she was away. The baby was taking from her.

When what she feared the most happened she came to our office. This time she was ready  for help. She said, you told you can help, can you. We started a way with her, a way where she need learn to trust and obey. We found a room to rent, we helped to move her belongings. This time she listened about love of Jesus. I said to her: Look, not many people will invite you to live in their home, even you pay.

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Three days in the Crimea

We gained new sisters in Simpgeropol. New center take it start in Simpheropol.  It took 13 years for dream to become reality for one of the attendee. Long way, with difficulties and traumas, with lost and gains. It all started with abortion.  Her boyfriend wanted her to do abortion. And she couldn’t imaging to go through along, so she agreed. The sadness that followed after was great. She had a friend who comforted her in her grieving.  He was different from the guy who pushed her in life of despair and sorrows. She said, guess whom I got married.  The one who knew about her fall but stood by.  He was a great guy, they started to dream together, they perfectly fitted to each other. In their dreams was plenty place for children.  But two miscarriages’ follow as the result of abortion.  He was standing alongside again, grieving with her. They both knew what cause it. Life of unborn became precious for  both of them.   During that time God  turned their hearts to Him,  Holy Spirit always with those who mourn.  They joined God to carry message of sanctity of life. They wanted to start a center to help prevent others from fatal mistake. They worked on that, going to schools with lessons about value of life. 

 When it looked like became a mother was not achievable a good news, another pregnancy. A little baby  girl was on the way. Such a joyfull event followed  by unexpected diagnose censor and quick death of her beloved  husband.  Deep lost. Followed afight to live without him.

 Five years followed.  American lady came to our office, she wanted to start center in Simpheropol. She wanted to see our center and know as much as possible. By the end of conversation I said to her, I know great woman of God with  a passion for unborn and women in her heart, make sure to contact her.

I just came from Simpheropol, where we did seminar for volunteer’s .

And I saw the dream come true for one of them. I saw a woman soft and tender, who was comforted by the Lord in her sorrows, who knows the pain of lost. While she was going through the pain of lost many people tried to comfort her, using the Word of God, that made thing worse, you know Job had friends who judged situation from their point of view. She shared, on her way to church she prayed God would keep them from her, she didn’t want to hurt them. She prayed to God in pain: “Lord, they don’t understand me”. The Lord answered: “They don’t, because they didn’t had experience you have.| Suddenly she realized, that she does\y want them to have the same experience. She said, I don\t want them understand me, if that mean they will have a lost of loved one. We all listen to her with ties in our eyes. I remembered the prayer of Fransis  “ Lord, let me seek to understand , not to be understood…” Finely I got it.

It was great privilege to teach them and share our experiences and tell them stories of God’s work.  But God taught us important lesson.   Surely we will hear more stories, because 7 great women of God responded to God’s call. We loved those women. We felt  like we knew them for a long time. We gained new sisters in Christ. During seminar we saw ties in their eyes, we saw God speaking to them, touching their heart, enlightening  their mind with His word. Praise Him for what He has done.

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Story of one day

We had been in office before open hours. We wanted to make some changes, cleaning and moving things.  Our reception aria is very small. If three people come at the same time, counselor is already busy with client and helper busy giving baby clothes, reception aria is packed.  Girl age of 7 came to office, asking whether we can help her mother. I went down to meet a woman with 2 month old baby. Natasha brought a bag of baby clothes, very proud of her act of kind. She found this clothes on the bench. Some people  instead of throwing  clothes in trash clean them up and put in clean bag in case somebody can use them and need them. 

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