Community News
There’s no place like home… especially for an Orphan
Kompas Park: a magical land of strange costumes, endless mosquito bites, injury-inducing games that you know you shouldn’t play but you do anyway, (speaking for a friend...) kids screaming at you for the 100th time to jump on the trampoline, and you have to explain “I’m too old now” in broken Ukrainian, scattered belongings, sunshiny days, tearful goodbyes, and where time moves much faster than normal. There is truly no place like it.
Who cares about Care Givers?
We do. They look after 180 orphans who have experienced trauma throughout their short lives. The job is tough, with odd hours and low pay. These are the adults that supervise the kids in the orphanage before and after school hours. They are essentially raising the kids, and we minister to them too.
On Saturday, as a part of our Christian Ed program “Wake Up” I prepared a Master Class and Devotion just for the Care Givers. We do this for children of course, but not usually for the Care Givers. They were surprised; well, shocked really.
Remembering God’s Perfect Love in a World of Broken Love
As Valentine’s Day draws near, our grocery stores, social media feeds, and homes are filled with pink and red. Flowers, heart-shaped chocolates, cards with cute puppies, and love songs fill our senses. Discussions on love surround us and some of our favorite romantic movie quotes come to mind – “You have bewitched me, body and soul, and I love you” (Pride and Prejudice, anyone??). In the midst of all this, how do we think about love in light of what John says in the verse above – God IS love?
What are You Doing this Summer?
The New Year is well underway, and we are excited for all that 2019 has in store! Time after time, our Kompas Park Summer Camps are the highlight of our year, and many campers and volunteer counselors would agree. This year Hope Now USA will be offering volunteers the opportunity to serve at two camps – Kids Camp from May 30 to June 8 and Youth Camp from June 27 to July 6. This year, our exciting theme is SPACE! We invite you to come aboard our spaceship as we take a galactical journey to explore God’s love this summer.
Giving Thanks for 2018
What are your favorite Thanksgiving traditions? Which sounds, tastes, sights and smells of Thanksgiving do you treasure most? Many families, including mine, spend time circling the table sharing stories of thankfulness with each other. As we draw near to this cherished holiday, let’s go around our “table” and reminisce about what we are truly grateful for.
#MyGivingStory: How my Pulled Heartstrings Led to Sponsorship
With his head bent low and hands in the pockets of the suit he wore earlier in the day for his graduation from school at Shpola Orphanage, Vlad contemplatively walked up and down along the tall grass in the woods away from the celebratory bonfire and smores everyone else was enjoying. The sight of him pulled at my heartstrings. Was he thinking, "This is the only place I have been provided for and felt safe. What now?" Did he feel frightened and forsaken?
Give Hope this Holiday Season
As temperatures drop and the year draws to a close, there are many reasons for hope. We look forward to holidays with loved ones and cozy evenings by the fire. The nostalgic tastes and smells of fall leading into winter cause us to look to the past in thankfulness and to the coming new year with hope. This time of year is often the busiest as we scurry between work deadlines, family gatherings and holiday parties. Thanksgiving leads into the demands of Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday with Christmas coming right around the corner.
Hope Now has achieved Guide Star's Gold Seal of Transparency!
Hope Now has achieved Guide Star's Gold Seal of Transparency! We've added information about our goals, strategies, and achievements to our Guide Star profile. We are committed to transparency as we continue to bring hope to orphans, families and communities in Ukraine.
#MyGivingStory: The Forgotten Children of Ukraine
One of our faithful volunteers and supporters, Chris Antaya, shares why she chose to partner with Hope Now and how it has affected her life…
If you had asked me about the orphans of Ukraine five years ago, I would have very little to say. If not for a lovely lady that I met through my church, I would not be writing this story.
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.
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