March 2023 Update

 

Friends, family, kind strangers – it has now been 395 days since Russia’s invasion and the start of full-scale war in Ukraine. It’s been 417 days since I arrived here, hoping to make an impact. ** please do not share anything from this letter publicly without my permission.

When I decided to move to Ukraine, I was open-handed about what it might look like. I simply knew three things: 1. God is faithful 2. There is a global orphan crisis 3. My heart and my ‘yes’ is in Ukraine.  I had an idea of what my ministry could be, I had connections I wanted to support, and I had dreams of seeing the children and young adults of Ukraine know the care and support of a family.  If I listed all the things I *didn’t* know...we would be here all day. But for fun let’s name a few: 1. Anything about war and the darkness surrounding it 2. Working with vulnerable and abandoned children takes a specific type of faith and surrender I didn’t know I had until it was required of me 3. The orphan crisis is more complex than I could ever explain or hope to tackle.

on my trip to Kherson, Ukraine to deliver aid – I saw more of the horrors of this war firsthand.

I'll never be able to fully express the exponential rate at which I have learned and been humbled this year. My heart is broken on levels I didn’t know possible. My hope is stronger than I knew would be necessary.

little M on her 4th birthday

You – yes, you – have been instrumental in the impact I’ve been able to have. Because of your generous donations, your encouraging messages, and your tireless prayers, I’ve been able to spend countless hours loving children in the toddler orphanage. I’ve been able to support other ministries in their efforts to care for displaced families, refugees, and the military protecting and fighting for this nation. Because you gave me a platform on social media, I’ve been able to reach further than I ever imagined with the reality of this war, the orphan crisis, and humanity's responsibility to these children.  I don’t take any of this lightly and I don’t believe anything happened by accident. I get to be here in Ukraine during their greatest tragedy, and that is an honor. I pray you share in that honor as you have supported this ministry in ways beyond my wildest dreams!

Okay, I’m beginning to ramble but I just wanted to attempt to express my gratitude. Now let’s look forward! You all know that my deepest desire is to see reform in the way society cares for vulnerable children. A lot of that relies on policies, but a lot of that also relies on non-profits, churches, and individuals taking up responsibilities for the children who are lacking the care and protection of a family. In the weeks and months to come, I will still be with the children at the orphanage, but I will also be working very closely with a few other individuals and organizations to bring some practical solutions to Zakarpattia Oblast (region) in Ukraine. I and the people I work alongside know the needs, the issues, and the roadblocks intimately. We can’t change policy or laws – but we can show an example of how to support families, how to care for children with special needs, and how alternative care solutions are possible. New Song International has been working on plans to accomplish this for years, they are ready to move past plans and start doing. Shade for Children was my introduction to orphan care in Ukraine and has already made positive steps toward family preservation initiatives and continues to provide support for children in orphanages and foster families. Both organizations hold so much wisdom in this field.  New Song has been on the hunt for property to own here in order to build a center that will support the community around it, as well as children within the orphan care system. This center will house therapy options, rehabilitation support, training opportunities, and a variety of other resources to support families! It’s a beautiful and realistic vision and it’s been an honor to come alongside them in different areas to support it.

Looking at property with New Song and Shade for Children.

We don’t have all the details worked out… but Shade for Children, Newsong International, and myself are going to continue to work together to bring this vision into reality and tackle several other ideas for how to make a lasting and valuable impact here in Zakarpattia, Ukraine.  If you are a financial supporter here, I want to again breakdown where that money goes: My availability – while I do work part-time outside of ministry, your support allows me to focus the rest of my time on my work with the children and with these organizations. Supporting the local orphanages – may it be diapers, food, educational supplies, or any other needs that come up (like a generator), your support allows me to meet the needs at the local orphanages.  Supporting at-risk or displaced families – this year we have been able to support families here in this region, as well as those who live in occupied areas or have evacuated their homes. I hope to continue to help these families as much as possible as the need is ever-present.  In the future, these funds will also support this large project (and the potential for alternative care housing or foster care housing) – I will be able to share more details on this once land is acquired and plans are solidified. I want to share as much of the process with you as possible and bring you along as we continue to walk through the open doors! God is MOVING in big ways here – I’m so thankful to be in a position to be a part of it.  Be sure to follow me on Instagram here for day-to-day updates! Thank you for your prayers, support, encouragement, and friendship.

with love, Lina