55 Prisoners

Have you ever been to prison? God gave us the opportunity to visit a
prison here in Ukraine. That is where we met babies who are prisoners.


There is a women's prison in Odessa that is home for over 1500 women
ages 18-73. There is however another group of 55 people that live
there only because of the sin of someone else. Much like we suffer
from the consequences of sin because of our father Adam, these 55
people are there because they are between the ages of 1 week and 4
years of age and their mothers are incarcerated. Their home is called
Odessa Chernomorskaya Women's Prison Baby House.

A lot of women in prison get pregnant. Some of them deliver babies in
prison because it gives them benefits. These prisoners do not have to
work for 3 years but they are cared for by the prison. Only
40% of these women visit their children. The babies are kept in a
separate building within this prison where they are entitled to
medical and social care. The baby house is supported by the prison's
manufacturing workshops but needs a lot of help. In 2003 Tania and I
visited the prison baby house for the first time. We were very
impressed with the needs of the facility and the babies. Our hearts
were broken. That is how our relationship with those precious babies
started. We have bought a lot of medicine, dippers, new baby tables and
chairs and donated a lot of used clothes.

I asked the chief doctor where the babies go when they turn four. She
said that they go to the orphanage. Then she showed us a nice painting
on the wall and said that the lady who did it is a mother of two
children from orphanage-internot #4. What a surprise it was to us to
find out that Alina from our fourth grade was born in this prison! The
staff still remembered her as a very quiet and pleasant baby. For the
many years that we have known Alina, she waited for her mother to come out
of prison. She loved her mother dearly. And a few days ago her mother
came to pick her up. What an incredible joy it was for Alina and us to
see her dream come true! The Lord answered Alina's prayers!

A few months ago a group of Christians from TN were moved by the
conditions that these children live in. The administration of the
facility requested that we donate funds so that they could purchase
"Pampers" for the children. We all suggested that with the amount of
money that would be required for a six month supply it would be much
wiser to provide them with two washing machines. Normally the babies
wear either no diapers or cloth diapers. The laundry is performed by
other women in a different part of the facility. Now with the washing
machines in the baby house the mothers will be able to take a more
active part in the care of the babies.


The mothers do not stay with the children in the nursery but are
permitted to visit them once a day. In one of the pictures you will
see the women in white clothes. They are neither nurses nor angels.
They are the few mothers who came to spend an hour with their babies. At
the door all the women get changed into clean white clothes to protect
the babies from infection. That is the regulation. I wonder if the
real reason for these costumes is not for cleanliness but to put some
continuity in the minds of the infants who usually only see the staff
members in uniforms and not the mothers.

Please pray with us for Alina and other children who are born and grow
up in prisons.

If you would like to know how you could help the children at the women's prison nursery
or orphanage-internot #4 please contact us.

May God bless you all who continue to support the children and our
ministries in Odessa!