The statue of Lenin has dominated the main square of Cherkassy for many years and even in the initial foment of the newly independent Ukraine back in the early 1990's, only a few of the Soviet icons were destroyed.
However, in recent years, perhaps emboldened by 16 years of independence, a more confident populous has been campaigning for Lenin's demise. Churches have been actively lobbying for Lenin to be replaced by the Ten Commandments carved in granite. Some angry voices from older citizens, who look back with nostalgia to a bygone era, were raised during the night as a giant crane was used to remove the icon but they were outnumbered by riot police and cheering counter protesters.
Imagine driving over 2,000 miles zigzagging across the country, over a 3 week period - complete with 5 teenagers and …Vic! This year's Hope Now USA Tour will be here before I know it.
When Dima, with his two older sisters, came into the care of the Hope Now foster program he was just two years old. He had been rescued from an ugly situation but came into the home of Vladimir and Larissa Kusin.
The success of the Hope Now pre-independence homes cannot be overstated. Once again the organization has developed a model, as it did with its cottage homes and fostering projects...
2010.02.01 For Vic, who is currently at the Mission Conference at Covenant Presbyterian Church, Birmingham, Alabama; that he will be a blessing to that church and the participants.
2010.02.02 For Sue, who will be without Vic and preparing everything for the annual audit along with training Jon and Brenda to manage the accounts in her absence.
2010.02.03 For Frank and Lin Collier, who have now moved to Southampton to be closer to the heart of Hope Now in their continued work overseeing Kompas Park in the UK.
2010.02.04 For Vic as he flies to Dallas and for Jon Budgell, who has taken on more and more of Vic's administrative role in order to free him more for ministry.
2010.02.05 For Misha Vishymeersky he prepares the Siver Jubilee events for Hope Now Ukraine alongside of his existing responsibilities.
2010.02.06 For Alla Kostyunina as she sees through the purchase of more land for Kompas Park and advertises the program for the coming summer.
2010.02.07 For CHRIST, OUR HOPE MISSION; especially for evangelist Stanislav Gruntkovsky, the pastors as they prepare their congregations to serve as consellors, ushers and choir members, and for Victor Kusyumov as he prepares the choir.
2010.02.08 For Heather Baker in her struggle with cancer and for Brenda Greenwood, who now works in her stead as secretary in the Southampton office.
2010.02.09 For the children in the care of Hope Now, that they will develop mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically toward ultimate maturity and independence.
2010.02.10 For Larissa Vovk in her responsibilities as Child Care Officer, as she visits orphanages and cottage homes to see what needs to be done for child welfare.
2010.02.11 For Vic as he travels to Austin and San Antonio, Texas and also for the preparations in Cherkassy for this summer's Extreme Camp and for Alexander Malamuzh the camp's leader.
2010.02.12 For the ongoing support of the Mission Fund, which is so very important in under-girding every aspect of Hope Now's ministry in Ukraine.
2010.02.13 For Vic as he travels on to Lamesa, Texas for a quiet weekend with friends and to be refreshed for the remainder of this long USA tour.
2010.02.14 For Vladimir Kusin and his team of teachers at the Hope Now Bible School and the students of the various courses.
2010.02.15 For Anatolii Perepilitsa and Sasha Tarasenko as they continue to minister to prisoners and ex-prisoners throughout the Cherkassy Oblast.
2010.02.16 For those ex-prisoners who are today serving as pastors, preachers, evangelists and church workers, that they will remain faithful to their calling. Vic travels to Nashville.
2010.02.17 For Vic as he travels to Atlanta and for Cyndee Knight in her role as Director for Hope Now in the USA and prepares for a Silver Jubilee event later in the year.
2010.02.18 For Margaret Ferguson who oversees former residents of Rainbow House who are still funded by Hope Now in their ongoing education at schools, colleges and university.
2010.02.19 For the Medical Fund to be financially replenished to meet our many needs via the Mobile Medical unit. Also for a 15 yr old girl at Shpola who requires a cleft lip & palate operation before she leaves the orphanage later this year.
2010.02.20 For Vic as he travels to Florida to meet with friends and to make new contacts for Hope Now in Palm City and Orlando.
2010.02.21 For the directors of orphanages in Cherkassy in their critical role in setting the agenda for their children and especially their relationships with Hope Now.
2010.02.22 For Dima and Svieta Archipushkin a they plant the new church in Nivizhit and settle into their new home.
2010.02.23 For Vic as he is met in Atlanta by Sue, who will now stay with him on tour until March 9th. They travel tomorrow to Williams, in central Alabama.
2010.02.24 For the Foster parents of our Hope Now children, that they will know how to deal with problems as they arise from time to time as children make adjustments.
2010.02.25 For those students who are sponsored by Hope Now that they will be good ambassadors for Christ in the universities and colleges of Ukraine.
2010.02.26 For the political situation in the post election era and critical financial situation, which is creating deep poverty and social unrest.
2010.02.27 For Vic and Sue, who will be at the Presbyterian Church in Montgomery today and on to Memphis tomorrow for the mission conference at First Evangelical Church.
2010.02.28 For pianist Andrii Vaskevych who has applied to study at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester after he has finished his studies in Kyiv.
