Ukraine's Forgotten Children

Here's a story the BBC did on children in Ukraine who, after reaching age 18, were stripped of their basic human rights and sent to old age homes or psychiatric homes to live out their lives.
You can read about this here.

Shoes for Orphans In the Ukraine

Northland Church in Longwood is hosting a service project on May 21, 2011 where families can decorate TOMS shoes to send to Ukrainian orphans.   TOMS Shoes is a company that matches every pair of shoes purchased with a pair of new shoes to give to a child in need.  You can find more information about this event and  register here.

Benefit Concert & Silent Auction to Benefit Ukrainian Orphans

Faraway Place, a ministry that helps Ukrainian youths who "age out" of  Ukrainian orphanages, is sponsoring a benefit concert and silent auction on Friday, May 6 at First Baptist Altamonte Springs.  Visit their site for more information.

Record Low in International Adoptions

Adoptive Families Magazine reports that 2010 was a year of record low international adoptions.

The number of intercountry adoptions by Americans fell 13 percent in the past year—from 12,753 to 11,059—to reach a 15-year low, according to data from the U.S. Department of State. Adoptions from China continued to head the list, with 3,401 adoptions to the U.S. in 2010. Rounding out the top five sending countries are Ethiopia (2,513), Russia (1,082), South Korea (863), and Ukraine (445).

Another Drop in International Adoptions

Adoptive Families magazine reports that the number of intercountry adoptions fell again last year—from 17,438 in fiscal year 2008 to 12,700 in fiscal year 2009, a decrease of 27 percent—according to early data from the U.S. Department of State on IR3 and IR4 visas issued.
The decline likely reflects several trends in intercountry adoption: Adoption from China continues to slow; and Vietnam and Guatemala processed only grandfathered international adoption cases during 2009.
Some countries saw an increase in intercountry adoptions last year. Adoptions from Ethiopia continue to rise, and adoptions from Haiti, the Philippines, and Ukraine have all increased.

15 Year Old Ukrainian Boy Available for Adoption!

From a couple adopting in Ukraine:

"There is a 15 year old boy named Zhenna. I do not know how to spell it. All I know is that he will age out of the Ukrainian orphanage system very soon. In fact he turns 16 in less than six months, making him unadoptable. He is a good kid. I found out today that he has no family at all. If you know anyone who has ever thought about adopting an older child, forward this to them. June and I have all the connections here and it would be easy to do."

The Bell Family

Greg and Sheri Bell, foster parents and founders of CGC, are in the process of adopting two teen girls from Ukraine. This is a very expensive undertaking and they are seeking support. Here is their story:

January 3, 2009

Dear Family and Friends,

“A father of the fatherless…God sets the solitary in families…” - Psalms 68:5,6

Some of you know we have felt called and directed by God to adopt two “fatherless” children into our family. We are adopting two teenage girls, Tonya, age 16, and Vika, age 14. As a family, we’ve been excitedly praying for them, and we can’t wait to finally bring them home!

Did you know it is estimated that less than 10% of all orphan children are adopted into evangelical Christian families? According to current estimates, if only 10% more Christians in America would adopt, it would be equivalent to providing homes for all the orphans in Eastern Europe (1.5 million), Latin America (400,000), and the US foster care system (150,000). Some of you are probably wondering what has prompted us to adopt. Well, primarily, we’ve felt so clearly directed by God to adopt that we want to obey Him, and we also desire to give these orphan girls a family that they probably won’t otherwise have. God desires for orphans of all nations to be loved, cared for and adopted into Christian families – ultimately so they can become saved, and be adopted into His eternal family through Jesus Christ! There are so many things God has used to prick our hearts and move us to adopt, here are a few:

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction… James 1:27

Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will – Ephesians 1:5

When our son, Chris, wanted to go to Ukraine on a mission trip with our church in the summer of 2007, we were so excited for him. We knew it would change his life, and we prayed that God’s will be accomplished on that trip. Little did any of us know at that point just how much that trip would change not only Chris’s life, but that the trip ultimately was part of God’s plan for our entire family!

The biggest challenge for us is not opening our hearts and home to another child, but it is in finding the finances to make this happen. We estimate our total cost for adoption fees, document preparation, home study, airfare, travel, attorney fees, etc. to be $30,000 - that’s certainly money we don’t have, but we know God is faithful and is leading us to trust Him. We are so grateful for the sacrificial giving of many of you who have already helped us! By God’s grace so far we have been able to pay $23,000! Honestly, it’s a little difficult (because of our pride), to make our needs known to the Body of Christ around us, but we also know it’s very Biblical to do so. We appreciate your friendship very much and would like you to pray & consider helping us in our adoption. There are two ways you can help:

1. Prayer – Please pray God would tenderly care for Tonya and Vika in Ukraine until we are able to bring them home, that God would prepare our boys for the upcoming changes to our family, and that God will give us wisdom, discernment, and insight as we raise Tonya and Vika to know Jesus Christ.

2. Financial support - Will you please consider making a tax-deductible donation to help us pay the remaining $7,000 in adoption expenses, to bring Tonya and Vika home? Life Song for Orphans (http://www.lifesongfororphans.org/) has graciously given a Matching Grant of $4,000 to help pay the “ransom” to bring Tonya and Vika home. If you would like to be a part of God bringing Tonya and Vika to Himself through our family, you can send your tax-deductible gift between now and February 4th to the address below. Life Song for Orphans is a trusted organization administering the funds on Tonya and Vika’s behalf, and will pay adoption expenses out of funds received.

1. Please make checks payable to: Life Song for Orphans. You may preference how the donation might be used by writing “preference Tonya and Vika Bell Adoption #713 in the memo section of your check.(*Note: In following IRS guidelines, your donation is to the named non-profit organization. This organization retains full discretion over its use, but intends to honor the donor’s suggested use.)

2. Mail checks to:Life Song for Orphans Att: Tonya and Vika Bell Adoption #713PO Box 40/202 N. Ford Street Gridley, IL 61744.

Thank you for investing in the Kingdom through prayer and finances – it will be an investment with an eternal return! (Matt 6:20) We’ll give you an update with a picture of Tonya and Vika and details as we receive them. Please pray this entire process will glorify God and fulfill His purposes!

In Christ,

Greg, Sheri, Steven, Chris, Billy, Jason and Joshua