November 2013December 20, 2013|Mark Koehler|NewsletterAnnual Christmas Fundraiser Dobromel Orphanage Massage Therapy and Computer programs and Froonza Massage Therapy Clinic Hello family and friends, Sveta will begin this newsletter with a heart-moving story from the Dobromel Orphanage. I want to tell you a story about…
October 2013December 11, 2013|Mark Koehler|NewsletterHello family and friends, October began with a pleasant visit with the children at the Dobromel Orphanage in Northwestern Ukraine. The weather was cool and the leaves of many colors were falling. October is my favorite month of the year.…
September 2013 NewsletterSeptember 28, 2013|Mark Koehler|Newsletter, The Children, UkraineHello family and friends, The first of September fell on a Sunday this year. Even so, the school system brought in the ceremonial First Bell where the children dress in their best clothes or school uniforms and honor the teachers…
August 2013 NewsletterAugust 22, 2013|Mark Koehler|Newsletter, The Children, Therapeutic MassageHello family and friends, July brought sunny weather and many guests. It was very pleasant to visit with family and friends. The August evenings are becoming cool, but the days remain hot. I look forward to September 1, which will…
Vika, Nursing ScholarshipAugust 17, 2013|Mark Koehler|Newsletter, UkraineVika is our second scholarship student She is doing well in her program at the medical college. She reported last term that her studies were challenging but she was maintaining her grades. This young adult lead a life of uncertainty…
When You Find a Heart for Children, Nourish it!August 17, 2013|Mark Koehler|Newsletter, Therapeutic MassageLast year a new opportunity arose while visiting Froonza, Crimea. We have a massage therapy clinic there for children with disabilities. It operates in the Center for the Elderly and is located in the kindergarten building in the village. The…
Sveta’s StoryAugust 17, 2013|Mark Koehler|Newsletter"Poverty has many roots, but the tap root is ignorance." "Poverty should not be a barrier to learning, and learning must offer a way out of poverty." – Lyndon B. Johnson Poverty is often associated with limited access to knowledge…
Crime Prevention Through EducationAugust 16, 2013|Mark Koehler|NewsletterIn 1975, I was studying Criminology as my college major. I wrote a term paper entitled “Crime Prevention Through Education” for one of my courses. I received a top grade from my teacher, but the students, many of whom were…
How Does Education Break the Cycle of Poverty?August 16, 2013|Mark Koehler|NewsletterWhat is the cycle of poverty? How does it begin? It can begin with financial crisis or it may be the person’s physical or mental abilities that limit them. There are other possibilities. However it begins, the cycle will pass…
Education Breaks the Cycle of PovertyAugust 15, 2013|Mark Koehler|NewsletterIn 2003, I began to participate daily in the Emmaus Food Program in Illichevsk, Ukraine. Operated by a local church, this organization reached out to children from difficult homes with one hot meal a day, Bible study, a sewing club,…
