Here's a shot from the outside of the hospital where our Medical Center is located. I apologize for the black and white shot. I mistakenly forgot that my camera was still on monochrome. It's the end of winter here and the colors have disappeared along with the sun. We have been having a lot of fog so when I checked the photo at the time I took it, I didn't even realize it was black and white.
The Center occupies on long hallway in a wing of the hospital. It is the only place where street children can get medical attention without documents. Ukraine has a socialized medical system and each person is assigned a hospital to go to depending on where they live. (There are private clinics in Kyiv but a person must pay to use them.) To receive medical care, you must show your official documents and passport. Many At-Risk Children or street children do not have these documents and will be turned away at the door if they try to get medical attention. (I have been through this experience with a child I tried to help. It was pretty ugly.) Most of these children would not even consider going to a doctor if they needed it, because they know they will be turned away.
The Medical Center has our own staff directing and running the center and the doctors are not from our staff, but from the hospital itself.
The hallway is dark like most hospitals here, but the walls are lined with children's artwork.
This guy was pretty impressed with my Doc Martins and I was pretty impressed with his punk hair style. 
Children from our other centers who are sick are sent to the Medical Center. The Center also helps children who are from At-Risk families.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
The Medical Center
Friday, January 23, 2009
Eastern European Summit On Orphans And The Church
The CoMission For Children At Risk sent me this information about their upcoming conference. I am posting this information for CoMission, so if you have any questions you need to contact them directly at the websites noted below....
Eastern European Summit on Orphans and the Church
March 17-19, 2009
Donetsk Christian University, Donetsk, Ukraine
Hosted by:
The National Network for Children at Risk, The CoMission for Children at Risk, and Russian and Ukrainian national organizations with experience in helping the church care for orphans.
Why are we gathering?
As followers of Christ, we are called to care for the fatherless. While the needs of orphans in Eastern Europe are significant and urgent, there are incredible opportunities for the Church to extend Christ-like love and compassion to these children in numerous ways. As Ukraine, Russia and other countries in Eastern Europe transition from institutional to family-based care for orphans, there is also a new urgency for the body of Christ to provide leadership in orphan care at local, regional and national levels. At present, most Christian families in Eastern Europe are not yet fully prepared to integrate such needy children into their homes as connected members. With mobilization and equipping, national churches will be in a position to assume influential leadership in serving and loving the least of these.
What will attendees gain?
- A deeper understanding of God's heart for orphans
- A fuller appreciation for the urgency of the need
- Practical tools for encouraging and supporting national believers who are interested in helping to care for orphans through prayer, visitation, life-skills training, mentoring, guardianship, foster care, and adoption
- Exposure to model church-based orphan ministries, including foster care and adoption, through site visits
- Gennady Makhnenko, Pastor, Church of Good Changes in Mariupol, Ukraine, and Director of the Pilgrim children’s rehabilitation center
- Dr. Susan Hillis, Senior HIV Scientist, CDC, USA
- Sergey Demidovich, Pastor, Good News Church in Slavyansk, Ukraine, and Producer of TV-Together
- Nikolai Kuleba, Director of Governmental Child Services for the city of Kiev
For complete conference information go to: www.comission.org/go/conference
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Shining Our Lights
ChildRescue held a staff Christmas/New Year's Party this week, (I already have posted some photos HERE.) It is rare when the staff from all of the centers can gather together in one place. We enjoyed encouraging words, food, musical entertainment and gifts, but my favorite part of the evening was when we stood in a circle with candles. As each person lit the candle of the person next to them, they gave that person a special blessing for the New Year. After all the candles were lit, we prayed together for God's strength, wisdom, direction and blessing for this organization and for each individual.
No one can stand alone and help At Risk Children. We must help each other and work together to help them change their lives.
God gives each of us a special gift that we can share with others. I am truly blessed to share information about these organizations on this blog. I wish that each reader of this blog to be blessed and encouraged by what God can do in all of our lives when we take the time to serve others and help those in need.
We at CrossRoads Foundation and ChildRescue are passing off to you this virtual candle. My wish is that you will take your light, and your gift from God and share it with others less fortunate in your own community and in the world at large. Have a wonderful 2009!
Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven........Matthew 5:14-16 (KJV)
