"The Face of a Child"
To gaze upon the soft features of a child's face,
To bask in the glow of their tender young skin.
Delight in their easy, accepting smile and feel their anticipation.
Dance with the light of their innocent eyes.
Sense their potential.
To hold this beautiful gem in the palm of one's hand,
Kiss their tender cheek and taste the sweetness of their soul.
Then to be shocked by the harsh reality of the
Neglect, hopelessness, disease, and oppression of their environment.
To have this cruel reality come crashing down
Wave after wave as
Face after face looks up to you
For love, acceptance, escape, answers, hope, help
The impressions haunt all who visit such a place
They are images I cannot forget, nor forsake.
A visitor to Pliskave
Level 3 Orphanage for Children with mental disabilities
Located in the village of Pliskave, Ukraine
Knowing that God was directing us to concentrate our efforts to help the children of Pliskave orphanage, we contacted other organizations for their help and advice. They advised us to pressure the government to replace the director and all the staff. Their argument was that no real change would take place till attitudes and leadership changed. Others said that the facilities were so run down it would be like pouring water in a bucket with holes. These comments were justified. This facility has the least government funding in the orphanage system and the buildings are old making the working conditions understaffed and ill equipped. But for the sake of the children we could not let the needs prevent us from at least trying. So we started at the bottom, with simple obvious needs, and prayed that God would deal with the bigger issues.
Facility upgrading and meeting basic needs
Entering a "playroom" in Pliskave is heart wrenching. Picture 20 children in a bedroom size area, no toys and only hard wooden benches line the walls. The children are dirty, feel unloved, bored. Most know to use the buckets in the corner but there is almost always evidence others don't. There is one caregiver but it is all she can do to maintain order. Where are the others? If it's winter they are tending fires to heat water and the rooms, in the summer they are working in the fields, which provide needed food. Or they are cleaning the crumbling facilities and airing out rotting mattresses, while the nurse is present but her medicine cabinet is empty.
For most of us, our hearts would want to gather the children up and whisk them off to better places, but the reality is they need help with the basic necessities right where they are. Through the efforts and involvement of many people, God has provided Pliskave with assistance beyond their hopes or dreams. A wielder so they can repair and maintain their plumbing and heating needs. Pigs, milk cows, and wheat for bread; medicines for the children and free medical clinics for the whole village. The staff in Pliskave is capable of loving and caring for the children, if given a chance. God, through you, is giving them that chance.
Combine a wielder, hot water heater, bathtub, a few supplies and WOW!
You have clean happy kids!
School lessons
We were allowed to start a school for 17 of the older more capable children. The first lesson was the purpose of toilet paper. The children were taught other health and personal care lessons resulting in their own self respect and their helping with the care for others. They learn poems and songs with which they can entertain themselves through out the day and thus aren't as boarded and apt to get into trouble. But most importantly the local ladies that are sponsored and run the school have become someone special in the children's lives; teaching them about love, respect, and God's care.
With nothing to do all day, Marsha was frequently getting into trouble. One of the ways used to control her behavior was to strip her except for a blazer that kept her tied to the fence.
Now Marsh attends school 3 days a week where she is learning to respect herself and others. The goals are to teach whatever the child can learn that will bring enjoyment and satisfaction into their lives.
Shortly after the school's success, the director asked if we would consider hiring help for the care of the 
youngest children, as there isn't enough staff to separate these more vulnerable children from the rest of the 90 plus residents ranging in age from 4 to 30 something. We were given the names of 11 children and two rooms.
How to describe the rooms; first the rotting floorboards needed replaced. When men from a neighboring church came to replace the floor they tore the boards up and discovered why the rooms smelled so bad. The limited staff had been using the holes in the floor to quickly clean up messes.
Local ladies were found to provide the special care these children need. They cleaned and repainted everything but the ceiling, glass was replaced in the windows and a fan installed. All the soaked and 
mildewed beds and bedding were replaced. Cupboards were delivered and stocked with clothes, diapers, learning toys, and extra bedding.
The children's lives have been changed, it is an example and encouraged the rest of the staff, we have learned about the faithfulness of God, and His name has been glorified.
There have been many wonderful changes in the facilities at Pliskave and in the childrens lives. The director retired and was replaced by a young man full of energy and ideas for change, which has made a turnaround in the workers attitudes. And because of the improvements and assistance, they have been rewarded with a larger budget from the government. Supporters are helping with the salaries for the school and care group as well as a farm hand to tend to the milk cows and pigs others purchased for the orphanage.
But for 90 plus children only one bathroom has been repaired, only 17 children attend the school and 11 are in a special care group. Buckets and benches still line the playrooms, the roof leaks, and did I mention the condition of the dining hall? Medicine cabinets need replenished and the village residents ask for a pediatrician to visit.
Please pray for God's direction as opportunities continue to open for working along side the staff in Pliskave. As others join in the endeavors; the lives of the children will improve, the school and care groups will expand, the workers will be encouraged, and the whole village community will experience God working in their midst.