News from the Khunsuckers in Kherson
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Dear family and friends,

And just like that, summer is over. It was a wonderful, beautiful, and actually refreshing summer, full of lots of fun and busyness, joy and sorrow....
The picnic - I have written about the orphanage picnics before. Once a year we get to go out and have fun with the kids, away from their orphanage. This year was especially fun, because an American team was visiting and helping. Seventeen kids came, including some who we barely knew and many who we already love. We enjoyed Bible stories, crafts, games, songs, great food and lots of outdoor play.* It was a highlight of the whole summer, for the kids and for our family.

 
My trip - The most unforgettable part of my summer was a quick trip I took to Indiana and Florida. I obviously can't even summarize that here; it took me over ten blog posts just to tell some of it. But the long story made very short is that I had a week of intense fun and busyness at a gathering for AmblesideOnline homeschoolers, where I helped with the organizing, spoke, listened, and loved being with my old and new friends.

Then I also had three days in Florida, where I got to catch up with family and friends and supporters... very shortly, but very sweetly. It was amazing!
Orphanage visits - Except for my time out of the country, I was able to visit the orphanage every week. The best part of that has been that Jaan and Raia have been going with me. While it's warm, we play outside, and they can join in on that just beautifully. Watching love and compassion and friendship grow in them makes my heart overflow.

The sweetie with Raia in the photo is Karina. Her new American family is working on adopting her right now. So, please pray for them in the process and then in their transition and life together.
Vitalik and transfers - Yes, sorrow. I did mention it above. The deepest, sharpest sorrow this summer was that sweet little Vitalik (from our last letter) couldn't wait for a family any longer. He went to be with Jesus.

And there's also just the ongoing sorrow of realities for orphans as they graduate or--for the disabled kids we work with--just age out and are transferred on to harder places. While the American team was here, I got to visit again the boys who have been transferred, and while it was good to see them, it's just sad, too.
Alongside all this, our children have had a slow, happy, sweet summer. Will kept them very happy while I was gone, and we've had lots of good family time together. Jaan, Raia, and Asya all went to camp this year, and they loved it. Bogdan has stayed busy with bugs, dirt, seeds, and his friends who live in the other half of this house. In the evenings they all like to drag stools out into the road to sit and chat with the babushki who come out then.

I'm sorry this is so long! Thank you for taking time to read all of it. We would love to hear from you, too.

Love and prayers from,
Will and Phyllis Hunsucker
with Jaan, Raia, Asya, and Bogdan
Since I have photos of Bogdan and Raia above, I had to be sure to fit Jaan and Asya in here, too. This was when they were getting ready for the first day of (home)school.
I (Phyllis) also wrote this whole letter hardly even a mention of Will, so...
A Word from Will

Summer's always a busy time in orphan ministry. This summer Agape volunteers and staff held non-stop camps for orphans all over Ukraine. At least 1340 children from 20 different orphanages (as well as teen orphanage graduates) were able to attend Agape orphan camps. At least 89 days of camp... and that means I was busy writing it up. I'm responsible for publishing and/or translating material on Agape's FB pages. (We have both Russian and English versions.) When everybody's busy at camp, that means I have to work harder to get the information from them, or be creative in finding appropriate materials to publish. Thankfully, there are other organizations here whose materials and news we can share with folks interested in orphan ministry in Ukraine.

We're doing well in getting the word out about the needs of Ukrainian orphans and what local believers are doing to minister to them through Agape and other organisations here. However, there's still tons of work, and the amount of orphans is actually increasing, due to the war in E. Ukraine. Please continue to keep them and us in your prayers!
Praise God:
  • For a wonderful summer!
  • For a family for Karina.
Please pray:
  • FOR UKRAINE! Pray for peace and progress and healing in this lovely country.
  • For Will and his daily work in the Agape office and online. Pray for clear communication in all directions.
  • For school: at home, music school, art school (Bogdan is starting there and might need some extra prayer), and other school year busyness.
  • For Karina's family and for other adoptive families we know.
*This is something I have been thinking about lately. Play is so important! Children who grow up in orphanages often don't know how to play. Think about that, if you haven't before. And then, please read:
"Build play into your ministry. If you’re working with orphans, those who have been human trafficked, those in academia, or basically any walk of life, play is not trivial. Play is necessary to the Imago Dei in their souls. I will admit this one is still under construction in my own soul/thinking. The sense of what is purposeful runs deep in me. But I know it’s more about culture and less about God and so I’m leaning, leaning, leaning into this."
from http://velvetashes.com/playing-can-keep-you-out-of-prison/