Caring for
ORPHANS
Our work is focused on showing the love of Jesus to orphans in Ukraine. We work with orphanages to meet children's basic needs while building loving relationships with them.
Renewing
FAMILIES
Most Ukrainian orphans we meet are connected to relatives who often live in challenging circumstances. We try to engage with them to renew their faith, by providing practical and spiritual support.
Growing
COMMUNITY
God wants us to live in community. We connect children & families with local Cherkassy camps, schools and churches so they can build a relationship with Jesus and the Christian community.
Do You Really Want to Sponsor Ukrainians?
For all of you folks who wrote to us last month, asking if you could host Ukrainians in your home – the time has come! The USA government has launched “Uniting For Ukraine.” This program allows Americans to apply to sponsor Ukrainian evacuees. Once the American hosts are approved, the Ukrainians will be able to create a profile online and if approved, will receive permission to travel to the USA. THERE IS NO COST TO APPLY. However, there is paperwork!
Happy Soldiers…Is there such a thing?
These days, our newscasts are overflowing with countless gut-wrenching photos of Ukrainians – civilians and soldiers alike, suffering terribly. We continue to lift up the country of Ukraine in prayer and ask God for His protection and peace. We send life-saving medicines, support housing & meal programs, deliver food and clothing, and even send supplies to the military. Does any of this make any difference? Does any of it alleviate any suffering?
Zoë & MaryJane’s main mission was to personally deliver 500 pounds of valuable medical supplies to our volunteers near the Romanian / Ukrainian border. Even though they had several fiery darts thrown at them during the 27-hour journey to Romania, God smoothed their path at each turn and brought them and all the bags to safety. After handing off the financial donations and bags to our Ukrainian volunteers, Zoë & MJ started a long zig zag journey across the country (through the Carpathian Mountains) to the other side of Romania. Once they arrived, and were a little bit rested, they were ready to spend some time with our kids and moms there
The 7 duffle bags that Zoë and MaryJane brought to Romania were quickly handed off to our volunteers, who then crossed the border and drove them to Cherkasy in central Ukraine. Once there, no time was wasted. The large bottles of vitamins, sleeping aids, antihistamine, acetaminophen, and ibuprofen were divided into smaller amounts, and delivered in the middle of the night to our Pastor, Anatoliy who was waiting to take them to Bucha and Irpyn – suburbs of Kyiv that have recently been destroyed by invaders. Desperate people were waiting. Waiting for food, water, and medicine…they have been suffering for weeks!
Hope Now Ministries in Ukraine - Sponsor Orphans from the US
Hope Now Ministries is a USA based Christian charity focusing on the orphan community in central Ukraine. We continue the work that our founder and missionary Rev. Vic Jackopson started in 1992. Again and again, God shows His deep abiding love for widows and orphans throughout scripture. In everything we do, all of us at Hope Now aim to bring glory to God while serving His most precious ones. Our attention is centered around orphans, families and community.Over the years, Hope Now USA has a developed a special relationship with Shpola Orphanage – including the Directors, as well as the 140 children who call Shpola home. We partner with the staff, in their own words “to help them realize their dreams for the orphanage.” Together, we have improved the physical living conditions of the children by sponsoring several building projects and implementing a school uniform program. Our teacher training curriculum was greeted enthusiastically and continues today. Our volunteer teams are welcomed anytime, especially for our regular Sunday School Days and numerous camps. Our child sponsorship program offers Hope Now donors a unique way to connect the love of Christ to His children in Ukraine.
We all need a loving family to thrive. Frequently, Shpola families have been broken apart by life's challenges, but some of these families can be renewed. Hope Now cares for many families of orphans who struggle to live a full life. The Lord guides us to mothers who desire to raise their own children, but who need the loving support of Christ, a mentor and a hand up.
Children graduate from Shpola at the end of 9th grade and their life at the orphanage comes to an end. Hopefully, with encouragement, most continue on to Trade School education but this means moving to a new city, living in a public dormitory and being assigned a social worker. With the help of several talented and dedicated seminary students, Hope Now Ministries has developed a thriving Youth Group for Shpola graduates that meets each week in the town of Cherkassy, where many graduates relocate from Shpola. They can relax with familiar faces, share each other’s burdens, form relationships with Christian mentors, all while learning about God’s great love for them. Here, they are eased into a caring Christian community.
To facilitate our efforts, Hope Now USA partners with local churches and charities in the Cherkassy region. Each organization offers opportunities for orphans and families to connect with their local community. Christian leaders are active in the organizations we support and they bring the strength of community to the lives of the lost.
