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We Welcome You To Return
On November 2-9 American team of 9 lead by Dr.Don Lawton joined Mission to Ukraine in the ministry to the needy people of Zhitomir Region. In Stovpivci village supporting evangelistic work of the local church, the team provided free dental care and eye care and distributed glasses. At the Mission clinic, along with eye and dental care, the team ministered to children with special needs and their mothers participating in classes and Bible studies. The seminar on the 12 Steps for Co-dependents Anonymous (spiritual disciplines helpful to people recovering from addictive behaviors) conducted for 20 women of crisis pregnancy (CP) department showed the need of extension of such ministry in Zhitomir as most of MTU clients have suffered or suffer from the members of their families addicted to alcohol. This time God opened new doors of ministry in the orphanage for children with disabilities in Potiivka. After the dental work, crafts and toys distribution, the President of the school self-governing system thanked the team on behalf of all the children. ‘My name is Artiom. I am the President of our orphanage. On behalf of all of our children I would like to thank you for visiting us with your ministry. In your care for us, you indeed have shown the love of God. We welcome you to return.’ ...
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Something We Needed to Know and Have
Development of Rehabilitation Physical therapy and occupational therapy are comparatively new rehabilitation fields in Ukraine. Needless to say, experienced therapists and doctors from abroad are very welcome to share their expertise and knowledge to improve rehabilitation efficiency. On October 22-25 Mission to Ukraine staff was blessed with an American team of physical therapists and occupational therapists lead by Dr. Chuck Dietzen, MD, PhD. It was doctor Dietzen’s third mission trip to Ukraine. Our friendship established over recent years had been a wonderful encouragement for the workers of the ministry for special needs children. We are grateful to the Lord for Melinda Goins, PT, PCS; Jamie Ramsay, MPT; Tammy Markert, Med, OTR/L; Alison Kistner, OTR; Karrie Blagrave, MOT, OTR; who joined Dr. Chuck on this trip and made a tremendous input into our work. Profound theoretical material in lectures and workshops answered our topical questions. Joint physical therapy sessions and parents counseling time helped to see theory in practice, introduced new methods and approaches to therapy, corrected our modes of work and revealed specifics of work with children with disabilities. Both Ukrainian and American teams of therapists witnessed several miracles a day, when orthesis supplies brought from the States, fit our children perfectly! Occupational therapists also helped us to estimate children’s needs, including behavioral issues, shared new approaches and supplies (☺) for individual and group work at special education and augmentative communication lessons. We are grateful to our coworkers for their fervent desire to minister to children with all of their hearts, for their tender and gentle spirits, for their fire and love shared. Encouraged and confirmed that we are moving in a right direction, we look forward to developing our rehabilitation ministry and God’s guidance to do more for His glory. ...
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Fear of Killing the Baby
Must she keep the child conceived in rape? A year ago we received a call from one of Zhitomir pastors with a request to counsel some women in great distress. Their 14 year old child was in abortion clinic waiting for induced labor. When they came, eyes cried out, somber and gloomy, the women could hardly utter a word: Their girl Masha went to specialized children’s camp to improve her health. One night, when she was having a walk on the territory, a man assaulted and raped her. She had never seen that man before and couldn’t distinguish his features. The only thing she remembered was a big ring on his finger. Masha told of the rape her camp leader, but, shockingly, was forbidden to share it with anyone else. Otherwise she would have been accused of promiscuity. The camp leader feared the responsibility and thus humiliated and intimidated the girl. Masha returned home without saying a word to anyone, even her mother. Her depressed mood was taken for a teenage mood change. But when the mother noticed that Masha’s belly had been growing, and the girl had gained weight, she took her to hospital. The news shocked the family: their child was 6 months pregnant. Village people are very categorical about abortion if the baby is out of the wedlock. Masha would abort the baby if it were not for her granny who was a believer. In spite of all the pressure, fear of killing the baby entered mothers’ hearts. Surprisingly, they went to churches to find out whether abortion after rape was sinful. That’s how we met. During the counseling session women received two calls from abortion clinic. All in tears, Masha wouldn’t let the doctors make an injection without her mama’s presence. After many words spoken and tears shed, they decided to keep the baby. In about three months a baby girl Nastusia was born. The story wouldn’t be full if we hadn’t mentioned that Masha’s boyfriend proposed to her and they married even before Nastusia was born. ...
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Mission to Ukrain Bible Studies
As we began our ministry and provided material support, we knew that people needed spiritual nourishment and healing even more than physical. To meet their spiritual needs (and obey God's Great Commission in deed) we started Bible studies for women on the Life Savers program, for children with special needs and their parents. The women on the Life-Savers program and mothers of special needs children attend weekly Bible studies to learn about God’s love for them; they see how God daily satisfies their needs, reveals solutions to their problems, and aids them during their struggles. After Bible Study we invite them to Churches in Zhitomir. We cannot save people or make them repent, but we can show them the way to a life filled with Christ. After our first summer camp in 2002 for special needs children, a children's Bible study was born. Since then, the number of children to whom we minister to them has grown. After our 2007 summer camps our ministry has increased to three children Bible studies (ages 4-16) and one youth group Bible study (ages 17-26). As we see the needs of our children either in the necessity for behavior correction or in the lack of three R's knowledge, we adjust our lessons to meet them. Additionally, while the children attend Bible studies, three adult Bible studies have formed as parents wait on their children. God's initial blessing has flowed into another allowing even more opportunity to study and teach the Bible. Currently Crisis Pregnancy ministry has 4 Bible study groups: First study is video seminars for beginners to introduce God and the Bible to them. The second study is a group thematic study on a topic chosen by the women; this year study is going to be “Building Family Relationships from the Bible perspective”. The final two Bible study courses prepare women to join a church. About 40 women attend our Bible studies on weekly bases. Our big joy this year is a prayer group of crisis pregnancy women. They meet every ...
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Healing for Bodies in Hope of Healing for Souls
On September 29 Mission to Ukraine medical team joined evangelistic team from Zhitomir Baptist church to support a small village church an hour drive from Zhitomir in sharing Gospel with the villagers. Seven doctors (pediatrician, therapist, dentist, ophthalmologist, gynecologist, orthopedist, and neurologist) assisted by three nurses and several other MTU staff members that worked as nurses, examined patients and gave out medications free of charge. Though in comparison with other trips this time they had fewer patients – 89, the work was fruitful and meaningful. Many of the patients were diagnosed with diseases that required urgent help. Grateful villagers were anxious to pay for the received examination and treatment, giving doctors a wonderful opportunity to share the Gospel with them and explain that no money was needed; resources came from God; He loved them and met their needs through believers from Ukraine and other countries. Village ministry is considered to be one of the most challenging in Ukraine. Lack of comfort in facilities that ministers face there is nothing in comparison with heavy spiritual darkness and ignorance. Heritage of convictions from orthodox religion mixed with witchcraft and lack of education hardened the hearts of people, and drops of living water fall on the rock. Unemployment and moral decay lead to alcohol abuse and neglect of souls and bodies. In Zhitomir oblast there are over 1600 small towns and villages. In more than half of them people have never heard that faith in Jesus saves them from eternal death. Zhitomir protestant churches, most of them from the Baptist Union, have their missionaries in about 700 villages. As for the most of the villagers medical help is unavailable, protestant missionaries often invite medical teams to help in their ministry. If you would like to participate in a village ministry you are welcome. ...
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