Spring 2025
WHAT OUR CHILDREN WISH FOR…
Over the past four years, the wishes and prayers of Ukrainian children have changed. In addition to expectations and dreams, which they share with many children around the world, the longing for peace is a wish that we hear time and again in our daily work. Unfortunately, we cannot fulfill this wish, but together we can support each other in not losing hope. Participation, prayer and providing – three important pillars of our ministry continue to help us through uncertain times here in Ukraine.
PARTICIPATION
It makes us glad and grateful that our day centre has become a stable and important part of the lives of children and young people in our neighbourhood. In all the chaos of air raids, online lessons and lack of sleep due to night-time drone and missile attacks, the value of a reliable environment is multiplied many times over. With a rather well-organised weekly program, we can counteract the unrest and uncertainty surrounding us. Mondays – arts, crafts and youth group, Tuesdays – English, Wednesdays – games, Thursdays – speech therapy, Fridays again English … as well as cooking, playing, arguing and reconciling. Children and young people aged five to seventeen have a second home where they are warmly welcomed every afternoon.
PRAYER
The regular opportunity to pray together for personal concerns and to express gratitude before lunch has been an integral part of our daily routine from the very beginning. Unfortunately, the war has also changed the prayers of the children and young people. We currently have three children and employees whose relatives are either in Russian captivity or who are missing, and we are praying for their health and safe return. It is always moving to listen to the burdens that weigh on the children’s souls. Being able to talk things out and lay them down together is a helpful tool to cope with these terrible challenges.
PROVIDING
Sharing and giving – including material things – has always been an important part of our ministry. We are sincerely grateful to you all for the fact that we are always able to help people in a very practical way thanks to your financial support. For example, we were able to surprise 70 families with a delicious food gift parcel for Easter. We also continue to send relief supplies to Kostyantinikva on the front line every week, where they are distributed by our friends. We also try to contribute to treatment and rehabilitation costs for the sick and injured to the extent possible.
GOOD NEWS
Yes, it may be unusual, but we also have some other good news. We have purchased a building in Bobrik, a small village 150 kilometres northwest of Odesa, which we intend to develop into a community centre and which will become a meeting point and a place of hope for people from this village. We want to organise the first events for children and young people there as early as this coming summer and also start renovating the upper floor. We have many plans and will certainly tell you more about them in our next newsletter.
With all our hearts we wish you God’s protection and blessing. Thank you for all your interest, enquiries, prayers and giving.
Sincerely,
Slavik and Nicole with the children and staff in Ukraine and Germany
Account info Living Hope NGO
(ZHYVA NADIYA) – EURO transfer:
IBAN: UA763282090000000026002313560
BANK PIVDENNYI SWIFT: PIVDUA22
Correspondent Bank:
Commerzbank AG, Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany
SWIFT: COBADEFF
Account info Living Hope NGO
(ZHYVA NADIYA) – DOLLAR transfer:
IBAN: UA763282090000000026002313560
BANK PIVDENNYI SWIFT: PIVDUA22
Correspondent Bank:
The Bank of New York Mellon, New York. USA
SWIFT: IRVTUS3N
