And National Blog Posting Month is officially OVER!Sunday, November 30, 2008
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Christmas Shopping For Eighty Some Children
These are photos from last week's Christmas shopping excursion. (Notice Christmas decorations are starting to appear in stores BEFORE December first! Quite a change from ten years ago!) This was just one stop at one store. In Ukraine, this big of a purchase will guarantee you a lot of stares from other shoppers and you might find extra security people hovering around you.
Lesya and I making sure everything from this stop will fit in the car!Friday, November 28, 2008
Photo Happy For National Blog Posting Month
Strokes Against Hopelesness Tennis Tournament 2008 Opening CeremonyThursday, November 27, 2008
Christmas Shopping The Day BEFORE Thanksgiving!
It may be Thanksgiving today which means business as usual in Ukraine. Thanksgiving is not a holiday that's celebrated here in Ukraine unless you are an American Ex-Pat. We are bunkering down today to cook turkey and pumpkin pies......In my case, I made salsa.....whatever.....
While the traditional beginning of Christmas shopping is the day AFTER Thanksgiving in America, we started shopping the DAY BEFORE. Yesterday David, Lesya and I spent the entire day buying approximately 80 gifts to give to our children for the Christmas Project. I didn't carry my camera because I needed to have my hands free to haul gifts! So, I don't have any photos but David took a few with his mobile phone and I will post them when I get them.
Let's just say that today I am thankful for all the big stores here like Metro, Mega-Market, and FoxMart where you can find just about anything in bulk! I don't shop in these stores so I usually come out a bit starry eyed and cultured shocked at the amazing amount of available items to buy! We are also VERY thankful to everyone who sent in a donation to make this project happen!!!
Now this weekend all we need to do is figure out how to wrap them all!
Parties start next week!
(This photo is of Sandi, Evie and Marie who came with a team from Memphis last year to help with the shopping and parties.)
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Another Photo From The Past
This is another photo from my previous ministry and also about six years old. It also is very painful to look at. Sveta has passed on, and except for one boy who is in jail for murder, I'm not sure what has happened to the others.......
Working in that ministry was one of the hardest things I've done in my life and was very painful. I learned a lot and am very thankful for those years. It was very difficult becoming so close to those kids and not having the resources to help them and then have to let them slip away. But what I learned is that all things are in God's hands and we have to trust him when we try to help others. Sometimes people respond, and other times they don't want to or can't. We have to do our best and trust God in the details of their lives.
I am trusting that the love we planted in them will grow and will be something that they can hold onto and remember as they go through life.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Photo Happy For National Blog Posting Month
The Opening Ceremony for Strokes Against Hopelessness Tennis Tournament 2007Sunday, November 23, 2008
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Friday, November 21, 2008
Record Number of Visitors!
Yesterday we had a record number of visitors to the blog! Thanks for stopping by!
Yesterday was also the last day we could receive donations for our "Christmas Project" and next week, we will be starting our Christmas shopping for the kids.
Stay tuned for reports on this adventure......
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Street Photos
These photos are also about six years old and are from the previous ministry I worked with. We ministered to a group of street kids who lived nearby our church office. The above photo is a shot of the "dump" which was a vacant lot which people used for trash. The hole which led to underground pipes which feed hot water to the local apartment buildings during the winter time.
This lot is long gone and a new shopping center/apartment complex has been built here and the children moved away and grown up and most likely, still living on the streets.
A shot down into their "home."Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
More Photos From Cherkassy Rehabilitation Center
When we visited only three boys were there, most of the children were in regular school.
The pet parakeet.
Showing off computer skills.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Cherkassy Rehabilitation Center
This is our Rehabilitation Center in Cherkassy. I finally got to visit it last week for the first time and see the remodeling that has been going on inside. You can see the before photos, HERE.
The hallway has changed a lot. The ceiling and molding is still not finished......
The recreation room is bright and airy. My models were beings silly that day......
There's specially sized sinks that are way too short for David!
But they are the perfect size for little guys like this!
The resident goat approved!Sunday, November 16, 2008
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Friday, November 14, 2008
Children of Divorce
To read about the legal ramifications for children of divorce in Ukraine, check out Kyiv Post's article HERE.
Packages Received.....
We received a call from the boys in jail and they did indeed receive their packages and the Bibles we gave them!
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Photo Happy For National Blog Posting Month
Photography is a favorite activity for the kids. They love to take photos as much as they love to have their photo taken.Photo by Cheryl Nemazie, copyright 2008
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Photo Happy For National Blog Posting Month
I have NO DOUBT in my mind, that you are looking at a future Ukrainian football champion!Photo by Cheryl Nemazie, copyright 2008
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Monday, November 10, 2008
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Street Children From The Past
This photo is also from the previous street children ministry I worked with. This photo was taken about five or six years ago. This boy grew up a lot in the years that I knew him. His mother was addicted to drugs when he was born and he had one photo of her. He had a sweet personality but was extremely addicted to alcohol and glue. Vinegar, the dog, lived on the street with the kids.
Sadly, he killed another teenager one night. We thought most likely that he was defending himself from a boy he could not identify because he was so high. He is now serving a ten year prison sentence. I still have a wooden Ukrainian spoon he gave me as a gift and I think and pray for him very often.
If these children cannot be reached, their adult lives are devoid of a future.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
A Visit To Ukrainian Jail
Working with older boys from the ages of 14 to 20 who have lived on the streets is very hard work. The longer a child has lived on the streets, the more difficult it is for them to conceive a different life and a low self-esteem makes it difficult to build relationships and trust with those who long to help them. Working with the older boys is heart wrenching because they tend to take one step forward and three steps back.
Sometimes teenage boys we've worked with choose to leave our center and began to live on the street again. Our caretakers continue to try and sustain a relationship with them and let them know that they can receive help if they need it but sometimes this is not enough. Three of these boys were recently arrested for theft and are now in jail. David, Sveta and Ludmilla went to the jail to take them food and Bibles. They could not visit them because only relatives are allowed to visit the inmates.
The above photo shows the waiting room where people were waiting to have their food and gifts for the prisoners processed. David, Sveta and Ludmilla waited in line for four and a half hours.
Those donating food and gifts must turn in their own passport for registration and then fill out completely detailed forms with every item listed in the order that they turn it in at the window.
Here is a shot of the food being turned in. Unfortunately, there is only about a 50% chance that this will go to those whom it is intended.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Christmas Project 2008
This photo shows one of our Christmas parties held last year at one of our Rehabilitation Centers in Kyiv.Christmas season is coming and this year will be our fifth year to help the children in our ministry celebrate it in a special way. During the year, our children receive their clothes and toys through our Humanitarian Center, so at Christmas time, we like to give each child an individual gift. We want to show them how special and unique they are and share with them that the greatest gift they can receive is the gift of salvation that God gave us in the birth of Jesus.
To do this, the caretakers ask each child what they want for a Christmas gift. Then, within a $20 limit, we go out and buy that gift. (This really surprises them!)
If you, your Church or Sunday School Class, Bible Study/Small Group or friends, would like to help purchase a gift or gifts for our children this year, please send checks made out and payable to:
CrossRoads Foundation
766 Hickory Ridge Dr.
P.O. Box 942
Hernando, MS 38632
Please attach a note that says, "Christmas Gift Project 2008" to your check.
If you are in Kyiv and would like to make a donation, please contact me at mmkukraine@yahoo.com
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Monday, November 3, 2008
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Underground
This is an old photo of one of the boys from my previous ministry. This photo was taken about five years ago. This is what it looks like underground. The children pull mattresses and blankets from the local garbage bins into a hole in the ground and sleep on large hot water pipes that pump the water to the city's radiators. It is warm, but smelly and crowded with many children sleeping on top of each other.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Photo Happy
I love this photo.....It's from Emily's collection. I haven't really been able to use it. I think a child took this photo.
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