Hopefully, you are aware of how God placed a Christmas project on our hearts this month for families who have children with disabilities! (If you need to get caught up, check out our email from earlier this week. It's definitely worth reading about how God is working!) In less than a day, $1000 came in, and with a matching amount of another $1000, that makes $2000 our current total raised which met the need for Dennis! Even more inspiring, we have several other pastors and churches bringing this project to their leadership teams and know God will continue to make a way for these precious families in need in Ukraine!
We have another family we'd love for you to consider adopting this Christmas! Remember, for each need that is met, greater health is achieved and significant comfort is ascertained, not only for the child, but the family as a whole! As we begin to lay the groundwork for our church plant with this project, we are proud to be intentional about inclusion. After all, we are each created in the image of God, and have unique talents and abilities that He wants to grow in us so he can shine His light through us to reach the world with the message of hope! And who doesn't need that after the year we've had!
Our second need is for Eleina, who lives in Lutsk, in the western part of Ukraine. Eleina's father is a pastor, who launched into ministry working with troubled youth, and her mom is a professional translator and English teacher. Eleina is one of four kids, two of whom are adopted. (One child was later diagnsed with a serious chronic illness.) This amazing young lady was born with a wide unilateral cleft lip and palate. As an infant, she had to be fed through a tube, but was eventually able to eat normally following surgery... until she hit a recent pre-teen growth spurt. This, coupled with the first bone graft beginning to fail, she is back to tube feeding, creating a problem with ear, nose and throat infections and making speaking more and more difficult. Her auntie says, "She is so brave, this little girl! She plays piano and loves rhythmic gymnastics!"
This beautiful little lady is in need of another palate closure surgery including a bone graft. This procedure will allow Eleina to eat normally once again so she can grow at a healthy rate. It will also enable her to be able to communicate better, reduce ENT infections greatly, and of course, help her feel more confident as she grows into a young woman, which is so very important at her age. The cost of this surgery would take a salaried working professional in their city over SEVEN MONTHS to earn, which by the way, is due in full at the time of surgery. You might wonder, isn't the government disability program able to cover this kind of procedure? Not a chance, since financial assistance to families is not even $50 each month. So, with four mouths to feed, special needs, and a pastor's earnings, this is a LOT of money this sweet family just does not have, and the situation is rapidly becoming more serious.
Today is Eleina's birthday, and what greater gift for her and her parents to receive than the gift of dramatically improved health and quality of life!
This Christmas, we have an opportunity to bring the hope and love of Jesus to families in Ukraine like the families of Dennis (introduced to you early this week) and Eleina, whom we know of PERSONALLY. If you would like to contribute to the cost of this surgery, you can give through our giving link making a note of "disability ministry” under the comments to be sure your donation meets these particular needs. And as always, businesses are also welcome to donate, and all donations are tax-deductible! Please feel free to share this need as well, in order to get the word out!
As mentioned earlier, we had an offer for matching funds, dollar for dollar, up to $2000 at the outset of this project. So, whatever you give will be matched equally! That means your giving is DOUBLED with these matching funds! $1000 has already been given, so let's go for it to hit the $2000 mark today! Give to help us bless these amazing families! We will continue to share other needs in the days and weeks to come, knowing these gifts will bring HOPE to those in need! Will you pray with your family and see what needs God may lay on your heart? We trust God will CONTINUE to move above and beyond our greatest expectations!
We are so amazed to see God build on the foundation laid during our first term by Special Touch Ministry in this Christmas project in conjunction with City Serve and Steve and Julie Kramer! (To find out more about them and their ministry, check out the links!)
THANK YOU for your prayerful consideration during this season of giving!
