This is a story about how Hope Now has made a significant difference in our lives as a family, but further than that getting to know Vic Jackopson can be really quite dangerous!
Let me explain – We were introduced to the Hope Now vision in the late eighties at a delightful farmhouse outside Stratford upon Avon where we attended regular Friday evening meetings. Vic was preaching that night but apart from the Gospel having an impact there was also six teenage sons and two Jackopson daughters in attendance. We have been friends ever since!
After our sons Luke and Barney returned from early camps in Cherkassy, our interest in the Ukraine was kindled. A little later the request for a dental chair at prison 62 was raised and at that time the practice in Highcliffe, where I worked alongside dentist Geoff Newman, needed an upgrade. Before long the old Kavo dental chair and unit was being crated up, along with numerous other items, and despatched on the long road to Cherkassy. In prison the dental equipment became an enormous success! It seemed as if the prison was the best place in town to fix your teeth. (Incidentally, it took no persuading by Vic for me to part with my old chair. On one occasion I had been treating a dear old lady and when operating the push button control the chair glided gently to its highest position near the ceiling and was reluctant to return! She was somewhat alarmed. However we did fix it before it went east)
So the seeds had been sown in the mind of the president of Hope Now for something more far reaching. Surely if provision of an odd chair in a Ukraine prison could have had a positive impact on this community then perhaps more of our ‘old stuff’ could become invaluable in other parts of this needy world. A committee was set up and the name Dentaid given to the new charity which Hope Now agreed to support generously for the initial year. It certainly made a difference! I told you it might be dangerous (I was chairman of the Board for 12 years)
In the early years Peter Gardner (C.E.O.) worked tirelessly to get Dentaid off the ground and it is important to note that once the organisation had established those early steps Hope Now graciously released it to grow independently.
I recall being in Cape Town with Vic and the Dentaid Logo was produced on the dining room table. A highly talented daughter of our hosts drew literally hundreds of artistic impressions of dental chairs in various colours. ‘That’s the one’ we agreed in unison.
Imagine the fee for the corporate giants in London for such a logo? If you would like more info on the development of Dentaid over the past ten years there is a brochure on request that Andy Jong (C.E.O.) has kindly written the updated position in the final paragraph.
It is truly wonderful what the lord has done for Dentaid but also true that Hope Now made it happen. Bruce Gollings
Final Paragraphs by Andy Jong
So to sum up the remarkable story that is Dentaid and what God has multiplied from the original seeds sown in faith back in 1996. Some 210 dental surgeries have been sent out to mission hospitals and clinics in 58 countries around the world. Assuming a six year lifespan, seeing 120 patients a week, each having an average of 2 treatments, a very conservative estimate of the impact on oral health conditions would be to say that 15,724,800 treatments will have been provided to disadvantaged people who would otherwise have had no access to dental care in their community.
The work continues to develop, with the equipment offering hope for people needing treatment and hope for the future being given through a fresh emphasis on oral health education and prevention programmes, lessening the future burden of dental decay especially for the younger generations, currently at greater risk than ever from diets boosted by sugary sweets and drinks. It will be more difficult to count the treatments no longer necessary but it is a significant next stage of the Dentaid journey.
hurch life is alive and well in many of the villages around
Cherkassy. Having spent 5 days visiting several villages, progress
was evident in many of them.
t is now several years since Hope Now handed over the various ministries
in Cape Town into local hands. However, Hope Now has maintained
responsibility for some of the former residents of Rainbow House.
01.02.2012 Pray for Alla, Lena, Ksenya and the team presently working in Calcutta for another two weeks with Tear Fund projects
02.02.2012 Pray that the Mission Fund, which undergirds all that is done both here and in Ukraine, will have the finances to meet all our obligations
03.02.2012 Pray for all the older people that came to our Christmas party in Cherkiassy, that the Lord will bless them whatever their situation or background
04.02.2012 Pray for those who had a well installed last year, that as they share their water they will get opportunities to share their faith also
05.02.2012 Pray for all those who are attending the Bible School that they can give adequate time to studying, working and being with their families
06.02.2012 For all the foster parents of children supported by Hope Now, that they will have patience as they have to deal with problems that occur from time to time
07.02.2012 Our auditors visit the Southampton offices today to audit our accounts – pray that all will be in order as figures are checked
08.02.2012 Give thanks for all the volunteers that come into the office and give of their time so sacrificially, doing jobs at times without even being asked
09.02.2012 Pray for Frank and Lin as they plan for the summer at Kompas Park, and visit churches to speak about the varying areas of service possible
10.02.2012 Pray for Misha and all the staff at the Ukraine office as they consider all the requests from those asking for help
11.02.2012 Pray that all the plans for the Annual Weekend Away next month will come together well, and that people will register early while rooms are still available
12.02.2012 Pray for Alla Kostyunina, Director of Kompas Park, that she will be given wisdom in her decisions and management of the Park
13.02.2012 Give thanks that the young people in South Africa are doing well with their education, and pray for wisdom for Margaret Ferguson as she guides and directs them
14.02.2012 On this St Valentine’s Day, pray for the students we support who are in relationships, that they will be sensible and keep up their studies
15.02.2012 Pray for David and Valerie Reddaway as they oversee the Bible School, and the Church planting and twinning programme
16.02.2012 Pray for Jon as he attends a Men Meet meeting in Milford on Sea this evening
17.02.2012 Pray for Jon and Ali as they travel to Buckinghamshire to attend the Vetinerary Christian Conference this weekend
18.02.2012 Pray for Maria Shevchuki of Kuchkivka village as she celebrates her 86th birthday today
19.02.2012 Pray for the Directors and Staff of Orphanages we are involved with, that they will look after their children with love and dedication
20.02.2012 Pray for the young girls in Swindon House, and boys in Cornah House as they learn new skills which will prepare them for their futures
21.02.2012 Pray for Jon in his many responsibilities, that he will have wisdom in each decision that he has to make
22.02.2012 Pray for Lidia Savelieva and her vision of a sheltered home for older people to be realised, and pray for finances to come in for this project
23.02.2012 For Larisa Vovk in her work of overseeing the work being done with children in the orphanages and cottage homes
24.02.2012 Pray for Jon and Ali as they travel to Carlisle for the Northern Vet’s Christian Conference
25.02.2012 Pray for Cyndee and Darrell Knight and the work they do in the American Office for Kompas Park
26.02.2012 Pray for the Food Programme in Ukraine, especially through this winter time, that all those in need will receive help and no-one will be overlooked
27.02.2012 Pray for Vitaly and Ludmila Sidenko in their work with the African Students at 2nd Baptist Church, and Ludmila’s work with the deaf community at the same church
28.02.2012 Pray that we may be able to assemble a team of dentists and nurses to treat the children in the internats
29.02.2012 Give thanks for all our supporters who pray regularly for the work of Hope Now, and give sacrificially month upon month – pray the Lord will bless them as they bless the people of Ukraine
