Last Bell in Odessa
It was 11am on May, 31. The bright sun was hurting the eyes of about 200 children and teachers. The fluff from the poplar trees was circling in the air like snow making everybody sneeze, blow their noses and smile. Finally, the music started and a boy from the 11th grade picked up a little girl who was holding a huge copper bell with a red ribbon in her tiny hand. He sat her gently on his shoulder and marched inside the lines of students in the courtyard. The sound of the bell signified the end of a school year at the orphanage-internot #4 in Odessa. The ceremony of "The Last Bell" began.
The 4th and 8th grade children looked beautiful at the ceremony. They wore nice white shirts that Tania and I power bleached and the children ironed the day before. Twelve children were holding bouquets of roses that we bought for them to give to their teachers, supervisors and the director. In Ukraine flowers symbolize grateful hearts of the children. They love to give flowers and get a kiss in return!
The director of the orphanage made a nice speech encouraging the graduating class, the 11th graders, to be productive and grateful citizens. She said, "Never be afraid to thank someone too many times, be afraid to forget to thank!" Tania thought that the director was speaking from the bottom of her heart, the heart that the Lord has been changing for the last three years through our and your prayers. We remember the times when she tried to demand control over our finances and how we were very close to quitting. Now at the meetings that we have with the director of the orphanage, she never forgets to give thanks to our God and to many Christians for their love for the orphans in Odessa.
As I was watchin
g the poplar fluff in the air, I was thinking about our Vadim, Laura, Katia and Nina. These four children are leaving us this summer and going to trade schools. Just as the poplar fluff that circles around you, touches your face and makes your eyes tear, these children have been a big part of our lives for 6 years. Where will they end up? What is going to happen to them when they "touch the ground"? Will the shower of life's challenges destroy them or will they find good soil in which to take root and grow?
Our dear friends, please continue to pray for our Vadim so that he would make wise choices and find good Christian friends at the trade school.
Please pray for Nina who, just like her mother, can be easily influenced by very wicked men. She is a very needy and abused girl who looks for a father's love and approval in everybody who is after her. Nina can quote a lot of Bible verses. Please pray that these verses would be her guidance and comfort. Please pray for Katia Suslova. Her mother killed herself when Katia was very little. Her father got out of prison and died from lung cancer recently. Katia has a good but sick grandmother. Please pray that the Lord would give Katia a new heart and grant her wisdom to build a nice loving family in the future.
Please pray for Laura who learned to survive while living at the cemetery with her mother for two years as a child. Laura has a good heart but prone to mental instability. We pray she will be safe on her own.
We (Tania, I, our supervisors, psychologist and tutors) will always be a family for Vadim, Laura, Nina and Katia. We remember when these little kids were brought to our program (at the state orphanage) from the street. We are grateful that the Lord has enabled us over these 6 years to provide a nice family atmosphere at the orphanage and in our home for these children, to teach them good values and love which has helped to keep them away from the street and crime.
Please consider joining us in our post graduate program next year! Your monthly support is also greatly needed in order for our "Ministry to orphans in Ukraine" to continue.
Ukraine Children's Aid Fund, Inc.
P.O. Box 2047
Ellicott City, MD 21043-2047
attn: Becker- Odessa
or
Chapelgate Presbyterian Church
2600 Marriottsville Road
Marriottsville, MD 21104-1628
memo: Becker acct # 9284M
The 4th and 8th grade children looked beautiful at the ceremony. They wore nice white shirts that Tania and I power bleached and the children ironed the day before. Twelve children were holding bouquets of roses that we bought for them to give to their teachers, supervisors and the director. In Ukraine flowers symbolize grateful hearts of the children. They love to give flowers and get a kiss in return!
The director of the orphanage made a nice speech encouraging the graduating class, the 11th graders, to be productive and grateful citizens. She said, "Never be afraid to thank someone too many times, be afraid to forget to thank!" Tania thought that the director was speaking from the bottom of her heart, the heart that the Lord has been changing for the last three years through our and your prayers. We remember the times when she tried to demand control over our finances and how we were very close to quitting. Now at the meetings that we have with the director of the orphanage, she never forgets to give thanks to our God and to many Christians for their love for the orphans in Odessa.
As I was watchin
g the poplar fluff in the air, I was thinking about our Vadim, Laura, Katia and Nina. These four children are leaving us this summer and going to trade schools. Just as the poplar fluff that circles around you, touches your face and makes your eyes tear, these children have been a big part of our lives for 6 years. Where will they end up? What is going to happen to them when they "touch the ground"? Will the shower of life's challenges destroy them or will they find good soil in which to take root and grow?
Our dear friends, please continue to pray for our Vadim so that he would make wise choices and find good Christian friends at the trade school.
Please pray for Nina who, just like her mother, can be easily influenced by very wicked men. She is a very needy and abused girl who looks for a father's love and approval in everybody who is after her. Nina can quote a lot of Bible verses. Please pray that these verses would be her guidance and comfort. Please pray for Katia Suslova. Her mother killed herself when Katia was very little. Her father got out of prison and died from lung cancer recently. Katia has a good but sick grandmother. Please pray that the Lord would give Katia a new heart and grant her wisdom to build a nice loving family in the future.
Please pray for Laura who learned to survive while living at the cemetery with her mother for two years as a child. Laura has a good heart but prone to mental instability. We pray she will be safe on her own.
We (Tania, I, our supervisors, psychologist and tutors) will always be a family for Vadim, Laura, Nina and Katia. We remember when these little kids were brought to our program (at the state orphanage) from the street. We are grateful that the Lord has enabled us over these 6 years to provide a nice family atmosphere at the orphanage and in our home for these children, to teach them good values and love which has helped to keep them away from the street and crime.
Please consider joining us in our post graduate program next year! Your monthly support is also greatly needed in order for our "Ministry to orphans in Ukraine" to continue.
Ukraine Children's Aid Fund, Inc.
P.O. Box 2047
Ellicott City, MD 21043-2047
attn: Becker- Odessa
or
Chapelgate Presbyterian Church
2600 Marriottsville Road
Marriottsville, MD 21104-1628
memo: Becker acct # 9284M
posted by Paul and Tetyana Becker at 2:48 am
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