My name is Ivan Makarov. I was born in the village of Chervone in the Talnivsk region. I lived with my parents only until I was 3 yrs. old, so I hardly remember them. Then the policemen came and I was taken to Kaniv Internat (orphanage). I liked it there – warm building, good food, many toys and many friends. I went to school there for 3 years, but one sunny day I was called to the principal’s office to be told about their intentions to transfer me to another orphanage. Immediately the sun was darkened and I could do nothing. They didn’t ask me, they just took me there. I wished for the car to break down on the way to Shpola. It worked! It took almost two hours to fix the tire.
When I got to Shpola, I didn’t like the place. I missed my friends and those who cared for me. I tried to run away a few times, but I was always taken back. When I was in 6th form, Sergey Koval came to visit me for the first time. He told me I had a brother, who was taken to another family. How I wanted to be taken into a family as well. The Kovals came again, gave me a ball, sneakers and 50 hrivnas ($7). I was so happy and started waiting for another birthday so that the Kovals would visit me again.
A group of Christians from Cherkassy used to visit us. They taught us how to pray, to sing songs and brought us some gifts. In the orphanage, I started going out for soccer. I like this sport very much and for 3 years, I took part in regional matches. After I finished 9th form, Christians helped me to go to Cherkassy to study. I wanted to be closer to my brother, so I lived in a hostel. Sometimes I would go to church and Bible study with Larissa Vovk, from Hope Now. First, we studied a book called, “Marriage without regret.” The second one was, “How to keep balance, when your dreams collapse.” We are now studying the book of James about living faith.
I wanted to live with Kovals and told Larissa Vovk about that. It was arranged sooner than I could have dreamed. I have already been there for 18 months. I have learned many interesting and useful things here. Sergey is very strict but also fair and cheery. He encourages us to study, and especially to study the Word of God. We are studying the 1st Book of Corinthians in church now. In the evenings, we come together to practice the songs we sing in church. I am happy with Kovals and I am very thankful to Larissa Vovk, my Hope Now supporters and all the brothers and sisters who prayed for me, to the family that welcomed me, but most of all to my God who is so kind and merciful to me.
Church 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.
