NURSING HOME MINISTRY ~ OUTREACH

 

Nursing homes in Ukraine are different from what we think of in the US in many ways.  The residents come when families cannot take care of them, they have no way to care for themselves and have lost their homes, orphanages for special needs children send them, or have some mental deficit and are ordered by the court.  In most of the homes, people are forgotten with little or nothing to do; no TV, radio, puzzles, magazines, table games, or activity director.  These facilities are difficult to get access to because the directors want to hide the great needs, but the biggest need is for open doors for ministries and the spiritual mentoring and sharing of the Good News of Jesus.

The church of Nemerof goes once a month to the home in their village.  They minister and share the Gospel along with gift bags and some clothes they bring from home for that special person everyone wants something special when living here!

A visitor joined this group and shares this experience. 
"I was not prepared for the sight of people looking out through locked gates, no smiles, sad faces, fighting, dogs running around, with the people just milling in the yard. Once we were cleared to enter, were they ever happy to see us! Many hugs and smiles were produced. What difference it would make if this group could go weekly and share with the people and workers . . .
"The next time I visited was a year later with a team from the states.  We brought bags of treats, fresh fruit, and linens for the nursing home along with boxes and boxes of clothes for the people. We did a program and then we were invited to visit those who were in the infirmary it was memories that will never go away.  The clothes were taken from the patients and they were locked behind steel bars because they ran away. There were a few rooms for the ill where they had clothes, but the equipment for this area is horrible, old, broken, and fixed many times. The need is great for any kind of medical furniture. What could be accomplished with regular visits to this home with people carrying for each person and encouraging them, but for sure this is no small project and not for the weak of heart! God's love will come to this place and change will occur radiating the glory of the Lord."

I heard from another family (Povel and Natasha) that visited a nursing home in their area. It was very difficult, the lack of adequate clothing and footwear, and all the people wanted was bread indicating the lack of food.  The administration did not want the group to come again they had been trying to visit by going through proper channels but it never was opened to them to visit with the people. The home had expressed a need for more clothing and basic needs for the people and workers, so BOL has started to ship boxes for the outreach to try and open the doors for this ministry.

So what can we do from here? Pray for God to raise up those in Ukraine who have a heart for this outreach ministry and love for the people. Gather special things for shipping to those who go and minister, provide funds for transportation and for the treats for the people so the churches can go.  Pray for open doors.