Summer 2015

With great thankfulness we look back to the last three month. Our summer holidays were filled with great projects, encounters and events. In our summer newsletter we want to share about this blessed time and give a big “THANKS” to God and all the people, who have taken part in it.

Without a doubt the Living Hope camp was the absolute highlight of our summer. We had the opportunity to have children and youngsters from all three day care centers come and spend an exciting week together at the Black Sea. It is impossible to describe the wonderful atmosphere we enjoyed during these days. Although the group was quite big – 120 participants – we had enough capacity to give attention to each and every child thanks to God and the great team. That made as feel like family. We want to give a special thanks to All Nations Church Luxembourg for covering all the costs and also for sending a great team of volunteers to take part. You are such a blessing!!!

In July seven people from our youth group had the possibility to take part in an International Youth exchange in Italy. This European project aimed to bring together youngsters from Italy, Portugal, Macedonia and Ukraine to learn about each others culture and country and enjoy Italy. For our young people it’s really amazing how God blesses them with these great opportunities, although they are from a background, where they face financial difficulties. It’s such a joy to watch them, how they explore the world, develop their skills and widen their horizon. When we started Living Hope 15 years ago we could not even imagine! It leaves us speechless and thankful, and it also motivates to keep on going.

From the 4th to the 7th of August we had a Team from the FCG Zwickau/ Germany with us. This church has bought and installed a new kitchen in our third day care center in Petrovka. Now we have in Petrovka, a place, where really no road goes to – the most beautiful kitchen in Ukraine ?. We want to give a BIG THANKS to all the hardworking helpers, who spend their vacation helping in this project and all the generous donators! May God richly bless and reward you!

Additionally to this great progress in renovating, the number of applications for this center is constantly growing. Therefore we have the aim to renovate four more rooms till spring in order to take more kids into our program. Most of the. Funds for the renovation we already received, what is very encouraging for us. Please pray for success in this project so many more families may be blessed through this work. There have also been some changes in the team in Petrovka. Due to the high attendance we have at least three worker going there every day from Monday to Friday. They travel each morning one hour and do a great job. I am deeply impressed and thankful for their service. Oleksandra and Anna go to Petrovka every day and get support from two or more volunteers. We are grateful and happy about the growing number of local young volunteers joining our team. Lena, who helped to build up the Petrovka center ver the last two years we have sent for an European Voluntary Service (EVS) to Bratislava. There she has the great opportunity to learn and share her experience with social projects in Slovakia. Nine more Ukrainian youngster were sent by Living Hope for such a service to different European countries.

Another highlight of the summer was our youth camp from the 10th to the 15th of August. Sixty participants had a wonderful time together. To work for and with young adults and teenager becomes more and more another priority of our ministry. To stand with them in this quite difficult stage of life is a great privilege. This summer we were guests at a wedding of one young lady who visited our day care center for any years. Also we could participate at the graduation party of two youngsters who finished school this year. Me and Slavik went instead of their parents, who regrettably died some years ago. These occasions show us that we are in the right place at the right time. And it brings so much joy to our life.

On the first of September school started again and after three months of summer holidays it is not so easy to get used again to “normal” life. In all three day care centers we had the opportunity to take in new children in need, some of them kids affected by the crisis in East of Ukraine and many who just entered school this year. This is somehow also a challenge for the team, but a great joy at the other hand.

With all of our heart we want to say “THANK YOU” to everybody who supports us and also to those, who have motivated others to do so. Thanks for all your prayers, financial gifts, Emails, phone calls and visits! We apologize, if we sometimes miss to express our gratitude in an appropriate way! We very much appreciate your friendship and support and feel deeply connected.
May God bless you richly!

In His service

Slavik and Nicole Borisuk, with Sarah and Rebekka and all the kids and co-workers from Living Hope Odessa