My second focus of outreach during
my first six weeks living in Ukraine was the Emmaus Food Program. I began to
support this program, operated by the local Baptist church, which reached out
to children from difficult homes. Some of the children came to eat without
having showered for days, some of the children arrived with lice in their hair,
and others appeared in clothes that seemed to be stuck to their bodies.
After interacting with the children
for a few years, I realized that no matter how good the program was, the
children aged out when they graduated high school and had nowhere to go for
help. What was next for them? This was the big question that entered my mind.
My evaluation was that the children would continue to live with their parents,
and many would follow in their footsteps, using alcohol and drugs to escape the
seemingly hopeless situation of their lives. How could this cycle of poverty be
broken?
One very powerful answer must be viewed
as higher education. In 2007, I had a vision of helping students in financial
need who qualified for higher education with transportation to and from Odessa.
MUCH began the Transportation Scholarship Program, beginning with two students
enrolled in a four-year university program. Transportation to and from Odessa
universities in 2007 cost about a $1 a day. In 2012, the cost has risen to
about $2.50. One of our students graduated last year, see our January
2012 Newsletter, but it was unfortunate that the second student dropped out
of our program. Our third student began university in 2010, and she is doing
very well. You can read about her in the June 2012 Newsletter.
Our first student who studied to be
an English teacher, has since married, and she has given birth to a baby girl.
In the future, she will use her education to help her get a good job, but for
now, her education will help her to be a better mother. Our third student is
studying nursing, in the area of pharmacology. Each student works through
difficult times, but their desires and goals were stronger than the challenges
that they faced.
I began to investigate the number
of children in Illichevsk who are in need of financial help for higher
education. I didn’t have to go far to learn that there are many. My current
goal for the school year beginning September 2012, is to add four students to
our existing program, which will total five students. To send five students to
university, the transportation cost will be about $300 per month.
What About Education? Part 7 will
focus on the educational programs at the Marganets orphanage that MUCH
supports. These children all have some type of mental or physical challenge.
Their ability to learn is different, therefore we want to focus on what
motivates them the most and help them to excel. We will look more deeply into
their needs in the next section.
