A Place to Call Home

Today's story is from Alys, who works in Ukraine with children and young adults with disabilities.

We learned that 4 young men who were living in the Tsyurupinsk orphanage had been moved to an institution recently. Sasha, my project manager for Stephen's Home, had worked on a construction project there at the orphanage this past summer with them.

These 4 are young and very capable guys. Thankfully they have been granted permission to work in the local village to do manual labor, so they are not stuck in the mental institution all day with nothing to do.

However, as we were getting ready to leave the institute, an older gentleman, Vasseli Poskal, yelled down to us from the second story, framed balcony asking, “Are you Christians?” Sasha answered, “Yes, we are.” This man's request was simple, that we bring him reading material so he has something to do. Sasha shared he would mail some to him and we'd bring more next time we came to visit. In my mind I could only imagine what this man's life had been like, stuck in this institution most of his life with nothing to do. It's for lives like this, people who matter, that we establish Stephen's home.

During the last week of September, Ends of the Earth Cycling's Midwest Bike Ride was held to raise awareness and funds for Stephen's and Naomi's Homes that are being built in Ukraine for individuals with disabilities who have aged out of the orphanages and would otherwise be institutionalized. These young men and women who will live in these homes will benefit from the love of Christ, a place to call home, community, and education. As of today, $13,100 has been raised. Please pray for those in Ukraine as they move forward in building the life transforming Stephen's Home.