Hope Now homes are scattered throughout the Cherkassy region. Over the next three months we shall eavesdrop on one of these families in Ruska Poliana. (Russian Valley) Soon, Diana, Vlad, Anatolii and Vic will be ready for University or trade school but without Hope Now sponsors it is unlikely to happen.
In 1996, I married my Alyona. A year later came our first born, whom we called Vic, after Vic Jackopson, the pastor and missionary who married us. Then came Benjamin and Timothy. We did want to have a daughter but it was God's plan to answer our prayers with a very special daughter. When we first came into an orphanage there were dozens of hands stretched out to be chosen. Nothing was clear to us first. But then we understood everything. Our part was done. At least one child could be rescued from cold and hunger.
So it was that Lyuda came into our family from Mykhailivka Orphanage. There followed many tears, joy, cares and disappointments. But, though she has now left our family to be an independent adult, our hearts still ache for her. We draw strength from Romans 8:28 that all things work together for good and that the seed we have sown in her heart will in His time grow to fruit. Once again we started looking for a girl who needed love and a family, whom we could love and raise to be a clear vessel for the Lord. When we met Diana, we learned that she had a brother and that brother had a friend. As they wanted not to be separated from each other because they had always been together we took our long awaited daughter Diana, plus Vlad and Anatolii.
Through many prayers and thankfulness to the Lord who has seen us through many difficulties, we have experienced the baptism of our dear daughter and rejoiced at Vlad's coming to faith.
Last April, we welcomed Anatolii's brother Ivan into our family from Shpola orphanage. He is a lively, joyous, kind young man and is now enrolled in the Cherkassy Trade College to become a mechanic.
Together as a family, we meditate on God's Word, sing in the church choir at Ruska Poliana and even sing as a group. When we studied Second Timothy last autumn, they were full of questions. Now we study First Corinthians. Over the New Year and Christmas they were all to be seen acting as wise man and shepherds. Vlad now studies to become an engineer at the church sound desk and, praise the Lord, is preparing to be baptised. All are reliable sons and daughter around the house.
When people ask, "Sergey, what do you do with them? How do you feed them? They eat their own weight!" I answer, "we work together, so that we have enough to share with others who don't have enough themselves. We raise them, love them and praise God together." So with some help from Hope Now, Ivan (18) is part way through his studies. We pray that God will touch his heart and use him in ministry. Diana, Vlad and Anatolii are now 17. Soon Diana hopes to study medicine to care for people's health. She hopes and prays for a good Christian husband and to have many children; if not her own then orphans so that she can do for others what has been done for her.
Diana's twin, Vlad, wants to become a carpenter like me, so that we can work together like that carpenter from Nazareth. Anatolii dreams to study English so that he can be Vic Jackopson's interpreter, while our son Vic, longs to continue studying music when he graduates from school this year, having already become a good pianist. He loves to write songs and drama and says his favourite hymn is "How Great Thou Art". (Written by Stuart Hine while he was a missionary in Ukraine)
Benjamin goes slowly but surely in his study. He is a good student at school and plays guitar with Vic in church every Sunday.
Timothy (Tima) is the youngest. He loves everybody, especially Diana. He cannot go to bed before he kisses his mum and dad. He loves animals very much, especially dinosaurs. Samaritan's Purse sent shoeboxes as gifts at Christmas. Before they were given, Timothy prayed, "God thank you that my birthday is at Christmas. Please make is possible for a box to contain a dinosaur (at least a little one) and give that box to me." Can you imagine, he opens a box and finds a dinosaur? There were no bounds for joy, and not just for Timothy but also for all of us. "See, how God answers the prayers of little ones," commented Tima. That was the most precious gift given by God. Praise Him. Praise God for the tears that we had yesterday, for joy that we have today, for strengthening our faith, for answering our prayers, for filling my quiver with sons, when I asked Him for a daughter.
This is how we live, rejoice, and bring up our children in a wonderful place that God's hand created, Ruska Poliana. Praise is to our great God for the abundant daily grace and blessings He pours out. He loves us with eternal love and sends His blessings at all times. I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father that He has shown me His grace, given me a chance to repent and to know His truth.
He has given me a wonderful wife and big friendly family. I came into God's family when I was 16 and then started praying for the family I dreamed about. God has answered my faith and my prayers.
As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. (Jos.24:15)
When we celebrate the fact that many homeless and orphan children have
been given new homes, we may overlook the impact this can have on the
existing natural biological children in a family.
Who knows what might have happened to them if their mother had been
successful in selling them. At 15 she gave birth to Alina and not two
years later gave birth to Yulia.
I am Olesia Ganzha. I was born 4th in the family. There are six of us,
children. As far as I remember, my parents were not friendly. My father
used to drink and to beat my mother.
01.09.2010 For Brenda Greenwood, Val Lyman, Arthur Glinn, Phoebe Attrill and Fred and Gery Hendon who are volunteers at this week’s Widows’ and widowers’ camp in Kompas Park.
01.09.2010 For the Spirit of the Lord to use this last day of the widows and widowers’ camp to minister to the many needs of those attending
02.09.2010 For Vic and Sue as they go on holiday for the next three weeks, that they will be rested and refreshed, to face their final month with Hope Now.
03.09.2010 For Trisha Jackopson-Hendy as she goes to the Isle of Wight to enthuse Islanders to attend the Medina Theatre for the Silver Jubilee concert.
04.09.2010 For Peter and Rosemary Pearson and Bernard and Wendy Downton as they fly out to Ukraine to help at next week’s Widows’ and widowers. Camp.
05.09.2010 For churches to advertise the Silver Jubilee concerts to get maximum attendance to say goodbye to Vic and welcome to Jon as the new CEO of Hope Now.
06.09.2010 For Alla Kostyunina, Frank and Lin Collier and the Kompas Park members of staff as they engage in the last camp of the summer season.
07.09.2010 For Jon Budgell and Brenda Greenwood as they prepare to take on the two key positions at the Southampton office on the 1st November.
08.09.2010 For Dr Alexander Doreshenko and his team of health volunteers as they minister the gospel and heal the sick, via the Mobile Medical unit.
09.09.2010 For the young people at Cornah House and Swindon House pre-independence homes, as they settle into their studies.
11.09.2010 The Teachers and students as they commence a new year at the Cherkassy Centre for Biblical Studies. Pray especially for the new post-graduate course.
12.09.2010 For the final arrangements for the Silver Jubilee tour so that tickets get sold and accommodation found for the team.
13.09.2010 For Margaret Ferguson as she guides the young people in Cape Town to secure places at universities or colleges, in preparation for independence.
14.09.2010 For those young people who are still waiting for sponsorships to start studies at university or to stay at our pre-independence homes
15.09.2010 For Dee Ewart in her struggle with cancer and for Peter to be strong as her cares for her.
16.09.2010 The children and young people in our care especially those who find school and discipline irksome.
17.09.2010 For those ex-prisoners who have become pastors and church planters to receive wisdom, insight and knowledge as they lead in their communities.
18.09.2010 For Vladimir Kuzin, Rector of the Cherkassy Centre for Biblical Studies and Valentina Kurat, the Secretary and teaching staff, as they seek to expand the school.
19.09.2010 For Alla Kostyunina as she writes her report and assessment of Kompas Park summer season and plans for the building of the new staff accommodation.
20.09.2010 For the Silver Jubilee fund to be supported so that Alla will be able to start building and complete the final phase of the Kompas Park development.
21.09.2010 For those children, young people and adults who experienced the touch of the Lord at Kompas Park, to be fervent and persevering in the faith.
22.09.2010 For Frank and Lin Collier as they return to Southampton after a busy summer at Kompas Park and make themselves ready for the Silver Jubilee Tour.
23.09.2010 For Vic and Sue as they return home from their holiday and for Vic as he prepares for the Silver Jubilee tour in the UK and later in Ukraine.
24.09.2010 For Anatolii Perepilitsa and Sasha Tarasenko as they preach in the prisons and minister to the ex-prisoner.
25.09.2010 For Misha Vyshemirskyi as he leads the Hope Now staff, that he may be given much wisdom to make good decisions and vision for the future.
26.09.2010 For Vic as he preaches today at Colwell, Isle of Wight and uses the time there to encourage more people to attend the Silver Jubilee concert at the Medina Theatre on the 8th October.
27.09.2010 For Michael Quicke and David Coffey as they prepare to preach and lead at the Silver Jubilee Celebration at Chatsworth Baptist Church, West Norwood on the 2nd October.
28.09.2010 The Board of Directors as they meet this evening and for Vic and Sue for whom this will be the last board meeting. Pray for wisdom and grace in everything.
29.09.2010 For the church planting and twinning programme to be effective and new churches to be found, willing to twin with a church in Ukraine.
30.09.2010 For Bob and Patti McLeod, John Conner and Tim and Myles Thompson as they fly to the UK to participate in the Silver Jubilee tour.
