Tomorrow at MTU…

Dear Friends,

It’s pretty simple to tell you what happened yesterday at Mission to Ukraine.  You can see those accounts several times a week on our Facebook page.

I can even tell you what happened today after lunch in Ukraine before you’ve even had lunch here in the United States.  Confused?  No – I’m not clairvoyant.  Their time zone puts them 6-10 hours ahead of us here in the United States.

But I can also – kind of – tell you what’s going to happen tomorrow as well.  Because it’s the type of thing that happens every day at Mission to Ukraine.  Read a bit further to see what I’m talking about.

Katya will come to us in pain.  Real emotional turmoil.  She is only 17 years old and will have just broken up with her boyfriend.  When he found out she was pregnant with his child, he simply looked at her in the eyes and laughed.  He said, “good luck raising the little bastard on your own,” and walked out.  No sympathy.  No support.  No offer of assistance.  He simply laughed and left.

Olga will tell us that she didn’t quite understand why the doctors were talking in such hushed tones after she delivered her son 7 years ago.  She only remembers that they weren’t smiling.  The nurse rushed her little baby away as soon as he born – only to return an hour later with the grim news that little Anton was “retarded – the result of Down Syndrome.”   She was told it would be best if she leave him in the hospital and have him transferred to an institution several hours outside of the city that would keep him until he died.  She could try for another “normal” baby in the future.  Left alone in her hospital room, all she could do was cry.

Despite these terribly painful experiences, Katya and Olga will survive.  They will find hope.  They know they can’t handle these crises alone, so they will turn to Mission to Ukraine for help.  And, through God’s providence, that help will came through you.

Fast forward a few weeks …. and look back in time now …

Katya showed up at our office in tears,  She didn’t even know why she was there.  All she knew was that she hurt and she needed help.  One of our counselors immediately took Katya into a private counseling room.  There they spent the next 2 hours in tears, in listening, and in sorting out options.  And over the next few weeks a relationship developed.  Actually two relationships.  Katya and the counselor became friends.  Katya didn’t feel belittled or judged.  She felt loved and accepted.  She found a true friend in our counselor.  But she also found another friend.  She met God for the first time.  She learned of His love for her – and His invitation to have an eternal relationship with Him through faith in Jesus Christ.  She’s decided to keep her baby … and is so thankful that Mission to Ukraine has committed to provide very practical assistance (diapers, food, and clothes) for the first 18 months of the baby’s life. 

Olga reflects back on the past 7 years living with Anton.  His Down Syndrome has certainly created some challenges, frustrations, surgeries, and heartaches along the way – but those are all outweighed by the amount of joy and love he has brought into her life.  The therapy he receives at Mission to Ukraine has provided him with the ability to not only develop strong communication skills, but has taught him how to make and keep friends.  This year he’ll begin attending school along with other children – not locked up in an institution far away from his family, neighbors, and church who now love and adore him.  And now she’s here volunteering at Mission to Ukraine, helping other mothers who have just learned that they have a child with a disability.  She doesn’t just tell them there’s hope.  She SHOWS them.

You’ll probably never meet Katya and Olga in this life.  They will probably never know your name.  But they’re thankful to God that somehow there are people just like you who have prayed for them.  That there are people who provide the finances to allow Mission to Ukraine’s 45 staff and 300 some volunteers to love and care for them.  To love and care for their children.  To provide for them when they can’t provide for themselves.  To offer hope.  To offer Jesus.

And it’s not only Katya.  There will be over 400 Katya’s this year who come to Mission to Ukraine, pregnant and confused.  Seeing no way out.  Considering abortion.   But offered hope.  Offered help.  Offered Jesus.

And it’s not only Olga.  Mission to Ukraine assists 600 children with disabilities and their families each year.  Physical therapy.  Occupational Therapy.  Medical assistance.  Food.  Clothes.  Singing and smiling and laughing and learning of our Savior.

All this – because of God’s provision through YOU.  Yes – we depend fully on God working through YOU to help us help others.

Will you help today?  Help Katya?  Help Katya’s soon to come baby?  Help Olga?  Help little Anton?

We will be there tomorrow when they show up at our door.  You can open that door with your prayers and financial gifts.  And you can do so right now by going to www.missiontoukraine.org/donate.