When I was still a child, I did not know the meaning of the word “happy.” I cannot remember any happiness in my life. My mum, as I remember her, was very sick and couldn't even get off her bed. I know very little about my father. School was a cruel place for a girl like me. I had been mauled by a large dog when I was only two and a half. My face was badly scarred with many scars. This caused some to make fun of me, others just kept their distance, and some took pity.
Being the youngest in my family was not an easy task either. I have two older brothers. We stayed together with mum until God took her to be with Him in heaven. My brother and I were placed in an orphanage. When I was a child, I was trying to put all these things together and could see no reason to continue living - what was there to live for; who was there to live for? I was feeling left and alone, without anyone to support me, plus my hideous scars: what future was there for me? All these thoughts were going through my confused head. I even started having some kind of anger towards God. I had prayed to Him for my mom's healing since I was at the 2nd grade, but her health never got better. Even though God did have a plan for me, I, of course, couldn't understand that, as I did not see the things God was preparing for me at that time.
God found me a family I couldn't even dream to have. A real family! They loved me; they took care of me, and supported me through the hardships. It happened that Victor Kusyumov, who was then working for Hope Now, would take me to the hospital in Kyiv to have operations to remove my scars and he took me to meet his lovely, loving family. Moreover, this gift was not the end of God's blessings. He brought into my life such wonderful people as Vic Jackopson and many other people like David Millet, who supported me financially and others who helped me in different ways.
Such people, through Hope Now, created a chance for happiness in my life. They were God's plan for me! They arranged for surgeries to be done on my face in Kyiv. It was even arranged for me to go to the US for a surgery, where I also felt great support and met many great loving people. That trip was something I will never forget. Could I ever imagine going so far from home and finding there such wonderful friends? What's so special about me, that God should give me a completely new life? He gave me that which is greater than any of my dreams, something I will never deserve. It is true happiness when you know you are loved, and won't be betrayed, even loved when you do things wrong. Only God has this kind of love, that's how God loves. Very often, we take it for granted, but I know God gave me my happiness, my new family.
This year I graduated from the University, something I also couldn't even dream of; but what's most important is that He gave me salvation! What else could I wish for? I am happy. My King never stops bringing more and more joy to my life. He gave me a person to love. This December, on the 25th, we are getting married and will start our own family. My fiancé loves me no matter what scars may still be seen on my face. God is great!
This is the story of my life up to this day. We are preparing for the wedding now. My fiancé Andrii is a theology teacher. He has received a job in the Russian Federation of Chechnya, where we shall be moving soon after the wedding.
I want to thank Vic Jackopson, Mr. David Millet, Dr. Peter Johnston, Dr. Oliver and Covenant Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, Alabama, and all Hope Now supporters, who followed God's voice to help me. Thank you. You helped to change my life!!!
Early in March this year Larisa organised a day of family sports and games. This was the second season of the games which was organised with different families. The aim was to show the authority of the father, to help to solve conflicts, to meet new families and to make new friends.
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.
01.05.2012 Pray for the music group Zozulenka, and their teacher Natalya, as they busily practice for their return tour here in November
02.05.2012 Pray for preparations that are being made for the cycle tour this summer, and for opportunities for the participants to share their faith as they cycle around the villages
03.05.2012 Pray for Brenda and Ksenya as they speak today at the meeting of the Oasis Group at Locks Heath Church
04.05.2012 Pray for Jon and Ali as they attend the Baptist Assembly annual meeting in London until 7th
05.05.2012 Pray for our students at Universities and Colleges as they complete their studies for this semester and take their end of year exams
06.05.2012 Pray for all those who receive food packages through the feeding programme, that no needy person/family is overlooked
07.05.2012 Pray for David John as he completes his preparations for the teaching sessions at the Pastor’s Conference next week
08.05.2012 Pray that we will have full teams of volunteers for all the camps that will take place this summer at Kompas Park
09.05.2012 Pray for the young people from Rainbow House in South Africa, and for Margaret Ferguson as she supports them in their studies
10.05.2012 Pray for the work of the mobile medical unit, and for Dr Doreshenko to fully recover following his recent illnesses
11.05.2012 Pray for the ongoing support of the Mission Fund, which undergirds all the various projects that we have, that adequate funds will be received each month
12.05.2012 Pray for Larisa and the work she does with the family support group, which encourages mutual sharing and prayer
13.05.2012 Pray that the Humanitarian Aid system that we use to send money to Ukraine becomes quicker and more efficient
14.05.2012 Pray for Anastasia Vovk as she plans camps in various villages around Cherkassy, and pray she finds a team of helpers to assist her
15.05.2012 Pray for safety in travel for Jon, David Reddaway and David John as they travel to Ukraine for the Bible School Graduation and for Ksenya as she returns to Ukraine to help Alla at Kompas Park
16.05.2012 Pray for the ongoing work of Cherkassy’s first sheltered accommodation, especially now plans to renovate the house have been drawn up and the costing received
17.05.2012 Pray for the Church twinning programme, that more UK Churches will offer to twin with a Ukrainian Church for mutual support and encouragement
18.05.2012 Remember before God all our children in cottage homes, thanking God for the security and love they receive from their foster parents as they grow up in these Christian families
19.05.2012 Pray for the work party travelling to Ukraine today, to prepare Kompas Park for the summer season
20.05.2012 As Jon, David and David return to the UK, pray for the newly graduated students as they take up their responsibilities back in their churches
21.05.2012 Pray for the children in the orphanages we support, and for Larisa and Misha as they oversee our work in them
22.05.2012 Give thanks for all our volunteers who come in and help with the monthly mail out, and do other jobs so willingly, often without being asked
23.05.2012 Pray for Jon and Ali to be refreshed as they take some time off together and have a break
24.05.2012 Pray for ex-prisoners who are now leading churches and serving in their communities that they will be faithful to what God has called them to do
25.05.2012 Pray for the young people in our pre-independence homes, that they grow in confidence as they study and plan for their future
26.05.2012 Pray for Vika Lavrenko and Stanislav Dyachenko, sponsored children who celebrate their birthdays today, also for the quiz at Ashley BC this evening in support of our work
27.05.2012 Thank God for our Board of Directors, whose support of the work of Hope is so encouraging; pray especially for the two new Directors to become more familiar with Board matters.
28.05.2012 Pray for Alla Kostyunina and her team as they prepare in detail for the planned camp activities at Kompas Park during the summer
29.05.2012 Pray for Misha in
all the work he does at Alpha House and in the Ukrainian Office of Hope Now; pray also for the plans he and Lena have in using Alpha House as a summer day camp in August
30.05.2012 Pray for Vlad Serdyuk, one of
our sponsored children, as he celebrates his birthday today
31.05.2012 Pray for Cyndee and Darrel Knight and the Hope Now supporters in America, especially in their plans to visit Kompas Park this summer
