Subj: Have you ever dreamed of being a "medical missionary"?
Date: 12/19/04
I met Marie parish on our first trip to Ukraine in 1991. She had retired from her office job but "I'm not retired from doing business for the Lord." Through the years we have kept in touch and at one time she sent some money to use where needed in Ukraine. Soon after that I received a letter from Ira about a situation in Kutujanie orphanage. It was about a runaway girl and the need for spiritual work to be done there on a regular basis. Together we prayed about this need and soon we discovered a youth pastor in a neighboring village.
Pastor Sasha came to Ira seeking some material goods from the warehouse that is kept stocked from Boxes of Love ministry. Ira asked him about the possibility of his taking his youth to Kutujanie and he was very willing, except for the need of gas. So we put Marie's money to use there and since then Pastor Sasha and his youth group have traveled to the orphanage on a regular basis.
I met with Pastor Sasha on my last trip in October. He shared about the work there, building relationships with the children as well as with the staff. He stated his belief that working with the staff was the most important as they need Christ as well and they will have the most influence on the children. It was a great blessing to share with Marie of how her money was put to use; an extension of her desire to be doing business for the Lord.
But the story doesn't end there. On this past trip I was also visiting with Mercy, a Ukraine Christian medical group. They wanted to start focusing on a particular orphanage that had medical needs they could help meet. Of course they would need some gas money and funds for the medical needs they found. Plans were made and this group joined efforts with Pastor Sasha for a great trip to minister physically and spiritually to Kutujanie's children and staff.
I was blessed again to share a letter with Marie, Mercy's report of their day in Kutujanie
"Greetings Lynnise!
We are glad for this opportunity to write to you. We shall tell about our trip to Kotuzhane Nov. 11 '04. 65 children have been examined and many diseases have been revealed. We gave medicine to children who were sick and it was necessary for all children to have preventive maintenance for intestinal worm and to be treated for deficiency of iodine. We also saw 20 personnel of the boarding school. With everyone Christ was shared. We want to change the attitude of these people toward the children and own their own life.
While waiting, the youth group was engaged with the children. They sang, played, listened to histories about God, and performed skits. It was like a small holiday for the children and they all received bananas and sweets.
Yaroslav"
Marie wrote back, "I feel I had such a small part in the work .. it was from the Lord working through me as I felt led to make the contribution."
And as I see it, that is how a humble retired office worker became a medical missionary to orphans in Ukraine.
But again the story doesn't end there. As Marie continues to help Pastor Sasha's youth group and Mercy, God has opened the doors for others to join this ministry and follow their examples. Here is a most recent report from Ira.
Hello,
I got a phone call from Mercy clinic. Last week they went to Kotuzhani and were shocked by the epidemical situation there. About 15 kids have Hepatitis B, some of the children have recovered already, but nobody knows how many more children are infected. Tatyana said that the children look terrible, pail and very week. Of course all the hygiene rules are not followed to the very end in the orphanage and the infection spreads very fast. The children are in an urgent need of medicines. Tatyana said that one ill child needs at least 300 grn for the treatment, and we have 15 children who are infected for sure. Also she was saying that it would be good to protect those kids who are not sick yet by inoculation, which is about 20$ a child.
The doctors admitted how important it would be for children to be on a diet after they recover. But again, the orphanage will need help with buying that kind of food.
For sure it would be good to help the kids, of course we can't do everything, but God can. So, please pray for the health of the children and for the financial help with medicines.
Ira.
Have you ever dreamed of being a "medical missionary"?
Lynnise