Children of Hope

A relationship of love!

"Suffer not the little children ..." 

Click on the picture to enlarge.
What do you see above? Look at them from a distance; look at them close-up. Look at their clothes, the expressions on their faces, and look into their eyes. What do you see?

I see children. Each one has a story unique to him or her, as do all children. What they are at this time in their lives can be summed up in a few words. They are children. What will they become; how will they change; where will they go?

The answers to many of these questions depend upon adults. How will we touch their lives? Will we be responsible toward them; will we care; will we reach out to them? Will we help them become the next generation who will run this world?

The children pictured above live in the orphanage in Marganets, Ukraine. They are special children, not to say that every child is not special. They have special needs. Each child that you see has some type of learning disability. Each child has either a dangerous family environment from which they have been removed, has been abandoned by their parents, or their parents have died, leaving them as orphans. They will grow up in this orphanage system with children similar to themselves, totaling an average of 156.

Statistics tell a very sad reality of what happens to children after they leave the orphanage system in Ukraine. Prostitution, suicide, prison, and a life of crime wait for the majority of them. What can be done?

I don’t have many answers, but I have a few. MUCH has been gradually changing the lives of these children in small ways. Can you see the change in these pictures that span four years?

Four big needs based programs are touching the personal futures of some of the children. Massage therapy is changing the children from the inside out. The neurology of massage is habilitating them. Computer class is opening new avenues for the children, preparing them for a world of graphic art and word processing. The new music and dance opportunities will enrich the quality of the arts in their education. Finally, the drug and alcohol program is molding the children in areas of morality, self-image, and self-respect.

We have stepped up to the bat. MUCH is helping these children in these ways. We believe in them. We believe they are the future of Ukraine. What will you do? Will you help our children through MUCH? Will you help any children? What will you do to change the future of societies on this planet?

Survival for the Elderly

Men playing domino to pass the time

Man struggles to transport used materials

In Ukraine, the pension does not provide much money, so many of the elderly who are able, create some type of work that may help with their income. Some sell flowers that they grow at home; others sell sunflower seeds and nuts. Many will collect the things in their home that they no long use and try to sell them. They will choose a well-traveled path, put a sheet down on the ground, and lay out their goods to sell. Many will set-up their little entrepreneurship on the sidewalk of the main streets.

I have been living in the same apartment here in Illichevsk, Ukraine for eight years. Some people in my building have died, other have sold their apartment and moved away. There are babushkas (grandmothers/great grandmothers) that I see as I go in and out of my building who are pleasant in conversation with me. Not a lot of words, but we have communication. In good weather, their main activity is sitting on the benches, talking about life as it passes them by.

There is one woman on a pension who lives on the fifth floor that I interact with from time to time. It is difficult to know the ages of people here; many look much older than they are. This particular woman caught my attention one day when she was returning from her work. She had a small hand truck with three nylon bags stacked and strapped to it that she was dragging up the stairs, one backbreaking step at a time. Immediately, I grabbed hold of the bottom of the truck and helped her carry it all of the way to the fifth floor.

Over the years, I have helped her up the steps numerous times. Each time, as I hear her wheezing with every breath that she takes, I realize the reality of the cost of freedom for the people of this country. This woman, like many others, gets up early in the morning, takes her goods to a place in the city, spreads them out on display, and she sits and waits for her potential customers. She may sit in that same spot all day. I have seen her with her item set out and clothes hung from a line between two trees.

I don’t know much about this woman, but I see that she has a life, she has purpose, and she moves forward every day. I have seen her apartment that she shares with another woman, or maybe they each own only one room. It is dismal, dark, and very depressing for me to experience, but I wonder what it looks like through her eyes.

Another woman in another part of my building suffers from schizophrenia. She lived with her son, a young man, struggling through every day of her life. Recently, it was learned that her son died of pneumonia. The woman, helpless to know what to do, lived with her dead son in the apartment for four days. Finally, she went the corner market and explained her dilemma to one of the clerks. The woman, after years of torment, finally found help in a hospital for treatment of her disease.

I wonder how these women see their lives. Most of all, I wonder what their lives were like prior to the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Blessings From Above

 During the Woman’s Day celebration, March 8^th, I had the opportunity to meet my future grandson, 7-day-old Daniel. Such a little creation; he is formed and shaped, every part completely developed. This little miracle is so amazing. I thought, “How fortunate Olya and Kolya are to have brought a second beautiful child into the world.”

It is a challenge, of course, to nurture and raise any child from that first moment of birth. For some, though, the challenge is multiplied. It is for these children that I have been called to Ukraine; it is for these children that God has a plan. I have often wondered why God allows some children to be born with disabilities; why others are created with perfection in form and ability. Does He think of the special children? He has not forgotten them. No, they are carved in the palm of His hand.

For the past nine years, I have been trying to see things, as well as people, including myself, with God’s eyes. After running away from people with disabilities, running away from my own disability, running away from who I am, God brought me to a place in time, a place in this world, a place in my life where I could begin to see myself through His eyes. It was at this point that He showed me why He created me, why He allowed my life to follow the path that it did. He showed me   what the work was that He had for me to invest in, for the rest of my life.

Children are blessings from above! We don’t always see them as such, but they are, never the less, blessings for us to cherish, to nurture, to love, and from whom we should receive love. I always wanted a child of my own. My vision was small for my life, but God had a plan of a few more children than was my dream. After eight years of serving the children of Ukraine, I now touch the lives of more than 500. Each one requires me to see them with God’s eyes, as creations of His that He sees as beautiful. It is often a challenge for me, but I am reminded to see them with God’s eyes, not my own, which have been corrupted by the values of this world.

My challenge, my work for the children with whom God has blessed me, is to provide something, to improve their opportunities to have better lives, to have a chance to change the outcome of their lives. Each child has a different physical or mental challenge. I can relate to many of them, but some are so far removed from anything that I have experienced, I haven’t a clue. Even so, God has a plan. He prepared all of the people with the special knowledge and gifts needed to help the children; He continues to introduce me to them. They are my team here in Ukraine.

Who are the children who are your blessings from above?

An Object Lesson from the Creator

     This is not my story. It was written by another of those who work for the Creator. After reading this story, having felt the same connection, I realized how powerful a message it sends. So I will share it with you.

     "In the summer, tons of tomato seeds were planted in pots on my balcony. I have never grown tomato plants by myself and wasn't really sure what to do besides water them and keep them in the sun. By the end of the summer, 12 plants had grown to their expected height. Each one had beautiful yellow blooms but no tomatoes!

      In the Fall, I decided to let 10 of them die because I was tired of watering them not seeing even one tomato. I didn't want to have worthless plants to care for during the winter in my apartment. However, two were saved because their pot could easily be relocated to the windowsill. I continued to water them and made sure they were in direct sunlight every day, but still nothing.

     Then, it snowed. Winter brought shorter days, more clouds and less sunlight. I started thinking it might be time to throw out these last two plants. After all, who wants things that aren't producing? I gave them two weeks just because of their green leaves since everything else green was gone. It snowed again.

     One morning I noticed some round things growing out of the yellow blooms! Amazing! Talking to God, I said, 'I don't understand why You waited until after it snowed before You made them grow. Who would have thought there would be tomatoes growing HERE in winter?' I was silenced when He reminded me,

     'Think about the people here? How you don't see anything happening when you think it is the peak time for things to happen? Remember, harvesting is done in My time not yours. Trust Me. I'm working and like those tomatoes, there WILL be a harvest, but in My time!'

      How many more tomatoes would I have if I hadn't thrown away the other 10 plants? This thought challenged me! When I don't see what God is doing, my faith must be strong because He works when conditions are favorable and when they are not. I must be careful not to throw away relationships with people because they are much more valuable than tomato plants and only the Father knows if and when they will produce fruit.

     I was filled with even more amazement for my Creator after this object lesson! He's still working here and this brings me encouragement. Lately God has given me unbelievable and unexpected opportunities. I'm a little slow learning and applying the lessons He teaches me. However, I am thankful for His faithfulness to keep His promises and His never-ending patience to endure slow learners."

Woman Made for Me

                                                                                 By Mark Koehler
                                                                                 copyright 2005

Where are you, woman made for me?

I have come across an ocean, and also a sea,

Where are you, woman made for me?

For five long years you have been my search,

Are you waiting for me, possibly in a church?

Or maybe you have run away,

I am not a bad man, most will freely say.

I am not perfect by far.

But I don’t think that you will find many who are.

When will we find each other, or may it never be?

And if we do what will you see?

Will you see only my flaws?

If so, I have broken no laws.

Will my emptiness stare you in the face?

Or might you see me with God’s healing grace?

Many questions I have asked you,

Answers I have few.

My life is about uncertain pain,

With glimpses of joy, only a moment in the rain.

You could change the state that I am presently in,

I know that it is possible, though the probability might be thin.

But only if your heart is sure,

Should you even consider opening the door.

As you look in the mirror, if perfection is not what you see,

Don’t worry, what I want from you is a passionate love for me.

I say a passionate love, that is what I need,

I have a passion for you, indeed.

Is it something upon which your soul could feed?

Is this something that you want or need?

I know that if you accept my passionate love,

I know that you will find completeness that fits like a glove.

Come share my life with me,

Change my life to happiness, from misery.

Fill my emptiness with your love and life so free,

Where are you woman made for me?

Romance in a Relationship & The Healing Power of Massage

                                                            Written by Svetlana Kucher
                                                            Translated from Russian

     Romance – it renews feelings, provides a breath of fresh air. Romance inspires and puts a spring in the relationship between two people. A man or a woman must create a romantic situation for his or her loved one, the beloved.

     Romance – It is not only dinner by candlelight. Romance – it is work, and because of this, it reveals your true love for the other person. This love sacrifices itself, its own comfort, to give joy to another! Your efforts and your work will be rewarded when you see the eyes of your loved one shining that sparkle of love.

     For me, this magic moment occurred as I anticipated Valentine’s Day. Mark created a romantic rendezvous, a surprise meeting. I could not believe it. It was a wonderful experience.

     Do not let the hustle and bustle of your days overshadow the spring that romance adds to your life. Create for your favorite person a romantic situation. Let it bring joy and renewal to your life and that of your loved one.

The Healing Power of Massage

My mother has been sick and was feeling weak for some time. Last week she would not get out of bed. When Mark arrived, I told him about my mother. He suggested that I give my mother a massage. Immediately after the first massage, mother said that she felt better. This was very surprising! For such a long time I had not heard anything positive from my mother. With each massage, she felt better and better. For me, this was a first hand example of the importance and value of massage. There was no healing from medical pills; rather, this wonderful result occurred from a simple medical massage.

A Valentine Weekend

As Svetlana and I were saying our goodbyes after a wonderful weekend together, with sadness in her eyes she asked, “When will I see you again?” She was anticipating the beginning of her massage courses for recertification, and knew that this would require her full attention.

One week of nightly phone conversations inched by as I heard her low-spirited voice tell me, “I miss you, my Mark.” Learning that her course was not yet scheduled to begin, and realizing the upcoming day of romance, Valentine’s Day, would fall on Monday, after what would begin another week of “I miss you,” phone calls, I decided to surprise my Svetlana with a visit to her on the following weekend, preceding Valentine’s Day.

Under normal circumstances, I would have planned to visit for more than a weekend, enabling me to be with her on that romantic day. Unfortunately, I was in the middle of receiving a ten-day massage and needed to be back in Illichevsk for massage number six on Monday. I began making my plans. I would, of course, take my zero degree sleeping bag, a must for any of my winter travels in Ukraine. My new lamb’s wool sweater and long johns would be changed into after my Friday massage. In my mind’s eye, the process of my travel passed by, step-by-step. At 2:30 PM, I would take the bus from Illichevsk to Odessa. This late of a beginning would require the 4 PM rather than the 3:20 PM bus to Nikolayev, arriving at 6:30 PM. The final two steps would be, a 30 minutes ride on bus number 12, crossing Nikolayev, and then bus 102 to the village. It was a plan!

In our conversations, I asked Svetlana a number of times, “Will you be in the village at your parent’s home or at your home in Nikolayev on Friday?” It was settled; she would be at the village. But had she caught on to my plan?

Friday arrived and my emotion was high with excitement. So high, in fact, that after my massage I forgot to change into my warm clothes. All of my thoughts were focused on getting to my Valentine. Well, as fate would have it, I did not anticipate any problems or need for adjustment in my plans. Many things could have gone wrong in this journey encountering four different buses. And, of course, something did go wrong. I did not realize my dilemma until it was staring me in the face.

I had made every connection, and had arrived at the correct location to board my final bus number 102, but as I looked across the street, (the time being 7:55 PM), where this bus should have been waiting, the street was empty. I had missed the last bus to the village by about thirty minutes. Had my big surprise failed?

Helpless in the very cold temperature, there was nothing else to do. Unaware of what possible solution may be available, I called Svetlana. My LIFE phone service is not so good when calling to the village, and such was the case on this windy and cold night. When she answered, of course she thought that I was calling from Illichevsk. Svetlana answered with her normal “Hello my Mark, how are you?” After the normal reply, I said, “Svetlana, I have a problem; I missed the last bus to the village.” The signal was not so good, and we were cut-off a few times. In the process, she was thinking, “What is he talking about?” Finally, I explained my location and she understood, totally surprised and jumping with joy, as I learned later.

She arranged with her nephew to drive her to collect me at the Foxtrot store on the edge of Nikolayev. Svetlana has a smile that will light up a room, such is the meaning of her name, “light.” That night, as she walked to me from across the small parking lot, her smile was radiant! As we rode back to the village, we held each other tightly, expressing how happy we were to see each other! - Happy Valentine’s Day to all!