Summer 2025
DEAR FRIEND, I PRAY THAT YOU MAY ENJOY GOOD HEALTH AND THAT ALL MAY GO WELL WITH YOU, EVEN AS YOUR SOUL IS GETTING ALONG WELL.
THE BIBLE 3.JOHN 1:2 (NIV)
Health is something we wish for ourselves and others. Even in the Bible, John sends these wishes to a dear friend. It is a blessing when our body, mind and soul are healthy. As soon as this balance is disrupted, we face challenges that lead to stress, anxiety and uncertainty. Here in Ukraine, physical and mental suffering is often compounded by enormous financial burdens. That is why, over the last twenty years, our charitable foundation has repeatedly supported sick people in paying for and organising necessary treatments. In this newsletter, we would like to share some recent life stories with you, along with our heartfelt thanks for all the donations that make this support possible.
BRAIN TUMOUR AND STROKE AT THE AGE OF 14
At the beginning of the summer, we received an enquiry from a family living in the Odesa region. They had heard about our association from a doctor. Their daughter had been diagnosed with a benign brain tumour, which had been removed. Unfortunately, a few days after the surgery, she suffered a stroke, which led to physical and cognitive limitations. Her parents and relatives had already spent a large part of their income and savings on the treatment and subsequent rehabilitation and were unable to cover the additional costs. Thanks to your donations, we have already been able to pay for three months in a specialised centre, where the young woman is fighting her way back to normal life step by step. Thank you all very much!
HEALTH IN ADVANCED AGE
Pensions in Ukraine are very low, and many seniors, especially those who are lonely, single or abandoned, cannot afford urgently needed medication, medical procedures or treatments. Sometimes, however, it simply fails because there is no one to organise or accompany them to the doctor. That’s often where we come in. We take them to their appointments or accompany them to the doctor to ensure they understand everything correctly. Often, we purchase the prescribed medication or pay for examinations. A few weeks ago, I was approached by a sprightly 84-year-old woman who still works as a street cleaner to supplement her small pension. She has serious knee problems, and a doctor advised her to have her knee joint replaced. The whole process was overwhelming for her, both mentally and financially. During our visits to the hospital together, she told me that she had lost her father in 1944 during the Second World War and that her mother had to take care of her two daughters on her own from then on. And now, to her surprise, it was a German woman and a German organisation that stood by her during this difficult time. It was a very moving moment when she hugged me and kissed me on the cheek to say thank you.
DENTAL HEALTH – OFTEN AN INDICATOR FOR POVERTY
We are truly grateful for the cooperation with Dr. Aref and his team, who over the summer holidays treated many of our children, young people and staff for free. The partnership has been in place since 2021. In these five years, countless teeth have been sealed and cleaned, braces fitted and even entire sets of teeth restored after accidents, all free of charge. As good dental treatment is completely chargeable here, this area is often neglected for financial reasons. This makes us appreciate all the more what Dr Aref and the other dentists are doing for us. Dental hygiene is a topic that we repeatedly discuss with our children at the day centre. We are glad to have been able to take care of this this summer.
UPDATES ON OTHER NEWS
We are happy and grateful that everyone – apart from one broken elbow, which is healing well – went through our holiday activities safely and in good health. Joint cinema visits, picnics, excursions and wonderful afternoons with delicious cooking, sports and games, as well as regular English lessons at the day centre, made the summer a wonderful time for our children, despite the ever-present war. The new school year begins on Monday and we hope that
lessons can proceed as smoothly as possible. The development of the new project in Bobrik is progressing – not as quickly as we would like, but steadily nonetheless. The shortage of skilled workers and male employees, which has increased significantly due to the war, is very noticeable. However, everything is taking shape over time.
I would like to share with you some news that reached us on 24 August 2025 (Ukraine’s 34th Independence Day). The father of one of our young people, who had been held captive in Russia for more than three years, has finally been exchanged and is now in a Ukrainian hospital. This is a prayer that has been answered. Thank God! Now a time of healing and restoration lies ahead, for which we also ask for your prayers.
We wish you God’s protection and blessings with all our hearts. Thank you for all your interest, enquiries, prayers and donations.
With warm regards, 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
