Hello family and friends,
Christmas Fundraiser 2014
The struggle in Ukraine continues. Ukraine nearly avoided bankruptcy earlier this year as we struggled through uncertain times without a president. Our newly elected President’s biggest problem is an escalated civil war that causes stress and uneasiness for the Ukrainian people.
How does this affect the children that MUCH serves? Costs are skyrocketing. Food, clothing, medical visits, and medicine costs have increased 40% in the past six months.
The orphanages have to use their monies more carefully. The children in Dobromel complain about the food having less variety. They eat fried cabbage every night. During our stay, Sveta and I ate fried cabbage every night, also. This was much different from past visits.
Our massage therapists and managers have graciously worked for the same pay for many years even though the grevnya has consistently lost value and purchasing power. In 2004, 5 grevnya were valued at $1. Today, it takes more than 12 grevnya to equal $1.
This winter will be a challenge for many Ukrainians as we look for ways to heat our homes.
We need your help to continue our existing programs. Our donations declined last year and we are counting on our Christmas Fund raiser to continue our programs next year.
Please support us in our efforts to help these disadvantaged children. They deserve the basic necessities and an opportunity. That is the least we can do for them.
You can donate securely online here or send a check to:
Mission Ukraine Children’s Hope
11 Kingfisher Lane
Palm Coast, FL 32137
United States
How to Change a Child’s Life Without Spending a Penny
MUCH wishes to introduce you to AmazonSmile. It is the same as Amazon.com. Shopping at smile.amazon.com sends a .05% donation to your favorite charity. It is easy to contribute to MUCH as you shop. Sign in at smile.amazon.com as you would at Amazon.com and choose MUCH by typing in Mission Ukraine Children’s Hope in the designated area, bottom left. This will register your account with MUCH as the charity that you want to receive donations as you make purchases at AmazonSmile.
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Can I use my existing Amazon.com account on AmazonSmile?
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Thank you for including MUCH in your shopping experience!
Mark’s Moments
After returning from the Dobromel Orphanage, 560 miles, we moved into our house on the southern edge of Mykolayiv, Ukraine.
Three weeks later, we traveled to Illichevsk for five days to check up on the Early Intervention Massage Therapy Program and meet with the Transportation Scholarship students. This was a shorter journey, only 102 miles. The time to travel this particular route took four hours. We took three buses, costing a one-way total for two of 200 grevnya, or $15.47 at the current exchange rate. That may not sound bad, but the average monthly income in Ukraine, after taxes, is only $347. If you have a mortgage, the interest rate is 19.27% per year. Can you imagine?
Last month, I wrote about the current problems that our church is having with the electric company. This month I would like to tell you some shocking news about what is happening in Donetsk, the center of the war, news that you may not find in the newspaper or on your favorite internet information sites.
Last Sunday, we had a pastor of a church from Donetsk visit us and share his fascinating story. He spoke for an hour. Here are the highlights. Prior to the fall of communism, this man was a criminal. He lived a dangerous life, deep in the corruption of communism. After the fall of communism, he continued the life that he knew. He was captured and imprisoned. In prison, he became very sick with a series of eight life-threatening diseases. He was so sick, he was sent to the prison infirmary where people are sent to wait to die of their illness. He weighed only forty-five kilograms, ninety pounds.
While in prison, he heard the story of Jesus and became a Christian. He was miraculously healed. His life changed and he began to work in the church. Twelve years ago, he became a pastor in a church in Donetsk. Now, he has moved to a village 40 kilometers, 28 miles, east of our city. The reason he moved will open your eyes to how serious the Russian “invasion” has become. A list of pastors is being assembled from all churches in the region that are not either Russian Orthodox or Muslim. The Russian Orthodox and Muslim churches are not a threat to the Russian backed separatist “government” in Donetsk. All other pastors have been identified and added to the list. The man who spoke at our church is on the list. The underworld of the Donetsk separatist “government” has been ordered to kill all of the people on the list!
This sounds like something that you would see in the movies. After twenty-two years of freedom from Russia, Ukraine is once again in the claws of Russia. Please pray for all of the people in the warring sections of Ukraine. Families all across Ukraine are being affected. While in Dobromel, we learned that the director of the orphanage has a son who served in the army in Eastern Ukraine. The war is calling people to battle from the most western parts of Ukraine, six miles from the border of Poland.
The children whom we serve through MUCH are receiving less from the government. Some places the results are less quality of food and in others places, clothing is not provided as regularly. The war in eastern Ukraine is disrupting lives, families, and children across the entire country of Ukraine.
MUCH is changing lives in the areas of Education, Healthcare, and Clothing. Sveta and I live in Ukraine, hearing the heartbeat of the needs of the children. We see their immediate needs, sharing them with you, and overseeing the process. Will you help Sveta and me continue to change the lives of the children, particularly in these difficult times?
Blessings of love and healing,
Mark and Sveta
