Superhero Summer Camp 2009

This summer for 10 days Open Arms ran our very first summer camp at the Pravdinski Orphanage. There were about 120 kids as some were gone for the summer. Each day was filled with bible lessons, crafts, all camp games, and spending time with the 14 American/Ukrainian leaders. Each day we taught about an attribute of God. We wanted to give the kids an idea about who God really since they have many false ideas about who God is. God's love, faithful, grace, trustworthiness, and holiness were some of the attributes that were clearly explained.

The whole camp was divided into 6 teams. We had a all camp competition to see whose team would be first. The point system was not just for winning the games but participating during bibles lessons, night meetings, having good sportsmanship, and working well together. Games such as capture the flag, a 75ft sheet of linoleum for a slip n slide, and relay races were some favorites. At the end of camp the winning team was treated to an ice cream party and served by the camp leaders.

The most exciting part of camp occurred on the very last day. After a lot of good discussions with their camp leaders about who God is 5 kids from the oldest group accepted the Lord. Praise God!

Thank you so much to all of you who contributed to this camp with prayer and financial support. We know that we could not have done this without you.

[To view more pictures from camp, click here to visit our myspace. And for videos, please click here to check out our youtube.]

Graduation 2009

Friday May 29th was a special day at the Pravdinsky Orphanage in Ivanivka. 23 children completed their 9th grade education and this day was used to celebrate their achievements. Open Arms has been privileged to watch these children grow into young men and women and we are proud to stand by them as they enter a new season in their lives. We are excited for the ways God will provide in our ministry to these graduates as they pursue further education and experience a new wave of freedom.

As a ministry, we were blessed to provide dresses for the girls of the class thanks to the support of so many. Enough dresses were given that the girls were able to find the perfect dress to suit them. Watching them try on dress after dress until their eyes lit up was such an amazing experience. As they looked in the mirror, their eyes told the emotions of their hearts - they felt truly beautiful.

Financial donations made it possible for us to help the orphanage purchase decorations for the overall day as well. Thank you to all of you who gave so graciously to help make this day special for these beautiful children. It was their day to shine and you helped make that possible.

We look forward to sharing with you all the trials and triumphs that will inevitably ensue as we walk alongside these children into the future.

Blessings,
The Open Arms Team

8th & 9th Grade Orphanage Ministry

In our graduate ministry we have always seen the need to build relationships with the older kids before they leave the orphanage. In the beginning of 2009 we began talking to a small group of Ukrainian Christians about joining us in our ministry these children. For the past 2 months, this group has joined the Open Arms team in Sumy to make once a month trips to run short programs for the oldest 2 classes at Pravda. Games, skits, contests and discussions have entertained the 30 kids and friendships between them and the Ukrainian team have already begun to form.



Our vision is that the individuals in this group can begin building relationships with these kids that will extend beyond their time in the orphanage. We hope that when these kids graduate and leave the orphanage and their world drastically changes, they have a strong, stable Christian friend that they can go to who can guild them with wisdom and share Christ's love.

Please join with us in praying for not only the children but also for the team. Pray that God will give us wisdom on how best to reach the kids' hearts.

January 2009

Graduation Dresses

For a kid in high school, prom is usually a highlight. For the children at the Pravda orphanage their graduation is their time to shine. The girls wear prom dresses, the boys in shirts and ties, and for that day, they are the stars. This year, economic crisis in Ukraine has escalated the prices of dresses even more than usual as orphanage support from the government has decreased. We have decided to see how we can help make this day special for the children at Pravda and are looking for your support. If you have a used prom dress, jewelry or dress shoes that you would like to donate, please contact us through e-mail (openarmsministry@gmail.com) or by phone [(510)435-3625)]. Monetary donations are also greatly appreciated as they can help us buy dresses here in Ukraine for these beautiful young ladies. Together we can share God’s love in this way and help make this graduation a day they never forget.

Aids Talks/Abortion

Ukraine ranks #1 in all of Europe, which includes 43 countries, for the prevalence of AIDs among adults. According to the UNAIDS report in late 2008, Ukraine and Russia are stated as the region with “the fastest growing HIV epidemic in the world with prevalence doubling since 2001” (avert.org as quoted from UNAIDS statistics). With this reality, we have seen an increasing need for awareness among the children we work with as many turn to sex at a very young age. On January 16^th, we held a two part lecture series for the oldest classes at the Pravda orphanage and we are set to do the same for the next classes in the coming weeks.

We have also received permission from the Sambir Juvenile Colony to hold the same lecture series for the young men there who are preparing for life outside those walls. Every day decisions are made, but we hope that with education some of those decisions may be altered for the better.

Alongside the AIDs lecture at Pravda, we will be holding an abortion program January 24^th with a young pregnant woman from a local Sumy church as the speaker. She will work with the oldest classes and share with them about the realities of pregnancy and what takes place with an abortion. Our goal is to inform these children of the truth behind the terminology used while shedding light on God’s truth in these subject areas.

Orphanage Ministry

Ever year we are faced with a new class of graduates from the Pravda orphanage and therefore our relationships there are of the upmost importance. If trust is not built with the children before they are placed in the trade school system, it is hard, if ever, to build trust to bring them to help. With this reality we have been building a team of Ukrainian volunteers from the local church who will be traveling with us monthly to the Pravda orphanage. They will focus their time on creating programs and building relationships with the 2 oldest classes that will hopefully lead to continued relationships beyond the children’s time there. Our goal and vision is to see long-lasting relationships developed that will lead not only to tangible help and support when the children are released from the orphanage, but also to a personal understanding of salvation in their lives.

OpenArmsMinistry@gmail.com * PO Box 277, San Lorenzo, CA 94580-0277 * (510) 435 - 3625

Watch Drive Update
Thank you so much to all of you who helped participate in our watch drive for the boys in the Sambir Juvenile Prison! We were able to bring enough watches for every one of the boys for Christmas! Because of your willingness to support and give, this enables us to be able to continue to do ministry in Sambir and brings a little bit of joy to these lost boys in prison. Thank you!

Another Yeremenko
Ira Yeremenko, age 23.
Ira is the oldest and the only girl with six brothers. We have worked with three of her brothers, Roman, Losha and Ivan, but had only ever briefly met her once. Upon returning to Ukraine, our translator got a disturbing call from Ira. She had been kidnapped and held in a nearby city for the last three months. She had been forced to work and beaten daily by a man who had a personal vendetta against her mom. After three months, she was finally able to get a hold of a phone and found a piece of paper in her pocket that she didn't know what in there. Ira had washed her pants seven times, not knowing that this paper, with numbers for her brothers and Sasha, our translator, was in the pocket. She found the paper and was surprised to see that it still looked like new, having no water damage to the phone numbers written on it. She tried each number and the only one that worked was Sasha's. Thanks to the help of a friend who works for the police, we were able to get the man to put Ira on a bus to Sumy and we picked her up at the bus station the following day.

Since arriving back in Sumy, the people in the local church have warmly accepted and showered her with God's love. Ira has now professed to accepting the Lord and has been filled with joy and a peace we didn't see when we first met her. Right now she is staying with us and looking for a job in Sumy. Ira strongly has it on her heart that her brothers, and even her mom, need to know that Lord and has spoken to them boldly about it from the moment they were reunited.

Upcoming Events
We will be making a trip to Pravda on the 6th to celebrate Ukrainian Christmas with the kids there. We will be bringing home-made American sweets and small gifts for each of the children.

Ukraine is the number one country for AIDS in Europe. We have been approved by the orphanage and the prison in Sambir to bring a small group and give a presentation on AIDS. An international organization called ACET - AIDS Care Education and Training - has developed a curriculum that we will be using. Both of the presentations will be some time in January.

Prayer Needs
Ira - Pray that God would continue to give her boldness in her new faith. Pray that she would be able to find a job and begin a new life in Sumy.
AIDS Presentations - Please pray that we would be able to find a couple more volunteers to help with the presentation in Sambir. Pray for the effectiveness of our times in both locations.
Finiancial Support - Continue to pray that we would receive the nessecary financial support for our ministry in Ukraine.
Local Church - Pray for God to work in the hearts of Ukrainian Christians as we reach out to try find more volunteers for our ministry.
Graduates - Please continue to pray for our graduates salvation.

November Newsletter

OPEN ARMS

November 2008

A Face of Open Arms
18-year-old Losha Yeremenko is a kid who simply loves to laugh, but behind the smile there are countless scars cutting deep after years of pain and abuse. Second born in a family of 6 sons, Losha quickly learned how ugly life can be. Electrocution in puddles of water was just one of the methods of abuse his alcoholic father would inflict on him and his brothers. At merely 7 years old, after his father's death and his absent mother loss all parental rights, Losha and his brothers were left to the orphanage system. In his years at the orphanage, Losha watched two of his younger brothers get adopted, while he received twisted forms of punishment, such as being taken on more than one occasion to be drugged and "treated" at a mental hospital. The loses and pains of this time are hardly mentionable for Losha.

After finishing the orphanage, Losha was sent to trade school in the village where his mother still lives. His alcoholic step-father there has made countless attempts to end Losha's life, even succeeding in getting a knife stuck in Losha's leg only months ago. His schooling was one of the worst we have seen and his very situation put his life in danger. With this reality Losha made the decision to try for change by transferring to Sumy. We fought with him in the process, as multiple schools initially accept him only to kick him out simply because he is an orphan. Finally, God cleared the way for Losha to enter an upper division trade school in Sumy. This is far better schooling than anything he has received and it allows our team to work much more closely in Losha's life. Now, Losha is praised by his teacher as one of her hardest workers, he gets up at 6:30am to make it to school on time each day, and no one is threatening his life.

It is continually surprising to watch as he opens his heart through years of relationship. The countless pains he has endured have made Losha one of the strongest kids we know. He is unashamedly loyal to those he holds dear and a protector at the core. In the midst of his strong, silent spirit resides a tenderness that is a rare gift to those he shares it with. We are completely honored to have him as a gift from God in our ministry and we look forward to the ways God will move in his beautiful heart.

Winter Needs
With Christmas fast approaching and the frosty weather settles in on Sumy, Open Arms is working hard to meet needs on various ends of our ministry. We are currently asking for support in two areas: first, our ministry in the Sambir juvenile prison, and second, in our Sumy ministry with the Pravda graduates. Please consider joining us this Christmas to help bless these kids in the following ways.

Our prison ministry in Sambir involves working with a juvenile prison of around 200 boys. We have recently received official government approval for Open Arms to bring programs to the prison. This gives us the incredible opportunity to bring the message of God's grace, forgiveness and love to these boys whose lonely hearts are so in need comfort. For Christmas we're looking to bring 200 watches (plastic or fabric, no metal) as gifts to the boys there. A simple gift can do so much to bless and encourage these children. If you are interested in donating one or more watches, please let us know! Watch donations can either be mailed to Open Arms or brought to one of two drop locations. In northern California: 17049 Via Flores, San Lorenzo, CA 94580. In southern California: 10637 Ashworth St., Bellflower, CA 90706.

Working to take care of the physical needs the Pravda grads in Sumy is a much more difficult task in winter than in summer. With temperatures already dropping to the 30s and snow soon on its way, keeping the kids warm in sufficient winter clothing requires a bigger budget than other times of the year. And trying to bless these kids with a Christmas gift adds to the financial need. This is where you can come in! Sponsoring a child, for either winter clothes or a Christmas gift, can be such a blessing, both to you and to the kids! To give you an idea of the costs to purchase these items in Ukraine, here are some gifts and their suggested donations:


Jacket: $40-50 --- Shoes: $30-35
Pants: $25-30 --- Christmas gift: $25-30
Beanie and Gloves: $20 --- Long-sleeve Shirt: $15
Warm Socks (5 pair): $10

Any size donation is gladly welcomed! Donations can be sent to Open Arms (with "winter clothes" or "Christmas gift" in the memo line) to help us support and love these kids this winter. If you would like your gift to go purchase something specific, please note it with your donation.

Prayer Needs
Thank you to all of our faithful prayer supporters. We fully believe in the power of prayer and we know God has heard your prayers. Please continue to remember us and our ministry in your prayers. Here are some ways you can be praying of us specifically:

· Things to continue going well at Losha's school
· Winter clothes for the kids
· Our orphanage ministry
· Our prison ministry: that we would be able to get funds so we can do ministry once a month with a team of Ukrainians from the church
· For our kids, Sasha and Ivan, in prison that their spirits would not be broken and that they would come to know the Lord
· Our watch drive for the prison
· Summer camp at the orphanage (This is a really huge opportunity for us. It has been our dream since the beginning. Please be praying for direction and for people at home to be listening to God about how to help.)

Again, we would like to thank you all for your support. We are so thankful that God has given you to us! And we look forward to sharing with you soon how God is answering our prayers. We have some very exciting things coming up and know God is moving in big ways.

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P.O. Box 277 * San Lorenzo, CA 94580-0277 * PH (510) 276-1239 * E-Mail: openarmsministry@gmail.com
dear children, let us not love with words or tongue, but in ACTION and in TRUTH. 1 john 3:18

Watch Drive!!

Christmas time will be here before we know it! It is crazy how time flies!! With our prison ministry, we are looking to bring watches (plastic or fabric) for the 200 boys residing there this Christmas.

We are working on programs that will bring the message of God's love and grace to these boys as well. But a simple gift like this can do so much for these children. If you are interested in donating a watch for this cause please let us know!

Losha's School

Ministry in Ukraine is inevitably a roller coaster ride from day to day. This reality was definitely an aspect in Losha's schooling. He had been accepted into a trade school here in Sumy, but after receiving enough "regular" students, Losha was dropped due to the mere fact that he is an orphan.

5 trade schools later, countless meetings, and determination on everyone's part has brought Losha to a new trade school here in Sumy!! We couldn't be more excited. As far as trade schools go, it is one of the best. It even accepted him into a better trade than he was in before.

For Losha, this is a huge transition, but one he desired and fought for. God definitely used the closed doors to lead us to the best school for Losha. And the fight to get there helped Losha in countless ways. From the first school where he couldn't look a teacher in the eyes, to his current school where he gets right on in the midst of conversations - Losha has already changed. It is a much more difficult school than what he is used to, but he has a new pride in where he goes. He is up at 6:30am every day and ready to go at 7 am. We can only pray that he will utilize this opportunity as we are here to support him. We praise God for where He has brought Losha thus far.

Prison Ministry

We recently made a trip to Sambir, Ukraine near the city of L'viv to visit our Sasha in the "juvenile colony" there. We had the rare opportunity to sit down with the prison Chief one on one; gaining insight and an open door to minister at the prison and the 173 children there. At this moment, we are beginning to plan programming to bring to the children. We are also asking for help in fundraising to provide new tables for the children to eat on. After a discussing with the Chief this is a current need that would greatly help the prison, but providing these tables will help us in ministry and give us more opportunities to visit Sasha, whom we love so dearly. Any support is greatly appreciated! And your prayers are always needed! We are beyond excited to have these new doors open before us and we can't wait to share with you all that God will do!! These children are in a uniquely open position in life and God's grace is a message they so desperately need to hear!
Please make checks out to Open Arms Ukraine - PO Box 277, San Lorenzo, CA 94580-0277 with Prison ministry in the memo line!

School Goodness

One of our main goals has always been to provide tangible help to these children we love so much - schooling and jobs. This past week we had the amazing opportunity to help our Losha Yeremenko get into the Sumy trade school! He made the decision to transfer down to Sumy from the village where his mother lives; this is such a good move for him in countless ways. After two meetings with the director on his own things weren't looking good. So we decided to take matters into our own hands. After a 5 minute meeting with the director he stood up to say, "Well, you've convinced me!" AND LOSHA IS IN!!
The smile across Losha's face was about a mile long and this is such a huge blessing! It is a much better trade school and he will no longer have to return to his home environment that has proven to put his physical life in danger. This training will open the doors to many more jobs for Losha in the future! God is so good and we are soaking up the beauty of this moment!