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.
Level Up: Coding Class Coming to Cherkasy!!
This summer, we offered an exciting new master class at Kompas Park Youth Camp. Two professional programmers, Drew from the American team and Kirill from the Ukrainian team, collaborated to offer a Web Design Master Class. Eight interested campers attended this class each day and learned valuable beginner coding and web design skills. The class was a hit! After seeing the success of the class, we wondered, how can we continue this type of training throughout the year?
Elevate Scholarship Gives Hope
Most adults can look back and fondly recollect an experience, person or even a gift that positively influenced our lives. Maybe it was your parents’ sacrifice that enabled you to receive an excellent education; perhaps it was a coach who encouraged you to never give up; maybe it was a particularly hard time in your life that led you to depend on God; or possibly it was a gift from a complete stranger that set you on the path to where you are today. However, most orphans in Ukraine do not find themselves in positive circumstances or surrounded by supportive people. Because of the isolation and social rejection that many Ukrainian orphans face, they are not privy to the social resources and networking opportunities that many of us have had.
The Plight of Orphan Graduates in Ukraine
When you think of the country of Ukraine, what comes to mind? Maybe you think of the Russian conflict, delicious chocolate, or harsh winters and fur hats. For one moment, we’d like to draw your attention to the lives of seven siblings who live in Ukraine - the Pikuyev children. Although each of these seven kids is unique and gifted in their own way, their story is unfortunately very similar to many other orphans in Ukraine. For many years, the Pikuyev children lived in a home with both parents, a surprising fact for many people who first hear their story.
I learned that when God says do something, DO IT! Before going to Ukraine, I wondered what kind of difference I could make if I went to Kompas Park camp. I didn’t speak the language, I couldn’t tell them about Jesus, and what difference could I possibly make at a week of summer camp? Maybe I could help run the camp, but what real difference could I make? Why should I go? Doesn’t it cost a lot of money to send me there? I thought I shouldn’t ask people to give me money so that I can simply play games at a summer camp, but God told me to go, so I did.
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.